What Every Parent Advocating for Their Child Should Know
“Had Nate’s family accepted the initial recommendation of the school, Nate would not have had access to the general education curriculum. He would not have read The Scarlet Letter and been able to share his thoughts on it with friends. He would not have dissected a shark or learned to make a taco salad for his classmates. He might not have learned to open his locker in the junior hall. At Nate’s high school, he would not have been able to enter the school through the same door as students without disabilities.”
“Inclusion isn’t a practice that schools can choose to adopt or reject. (Kluth, Villa, & Thousand, 2001) It is a legally-supported, evidence-based practice that continues to show positive outcomes for students with and without disabilities in schools. Where a child is educated is one of the most important educational decisions a team can make. Parents are an essential component of that team. We are hopeful that parents can utilize these ideas to articulate a clear vision, and work in collaboration with their school team to advocate for their child to successfully achieve meaningful inclusion.”
Achieving Inclusion is document chock full of inclusion related information! Beginning with the definition of inclusion, this document summarizes research, includes frequently asked questions, offers suggestions for things that parents can do, and strategies for inclusion and handling disagreements. Charts at the end of the report offer sample strengths and strategies, a list of useful resources for encouraging inclusion and inclusion related court cases. You can find a copy here Achieving_Inclusion by PEAL Center or go directly to their website at http://www.pealcenter.org/images/Achieving_Inclusion_for_web.pdf