How to Build an Inclusive School Community: A Success StoryAuthor(s): Ray Van Dyke, Martha Ann Stallings and Kenna ColleySource: The Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 76, No. 6 (Feb., 1995), pp. 475-479Published by: Phi Delta Kappa InternationalStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20405371 .

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How to Build an Inclusive

School Community

A Success Story

Those schools that continue to struggle to keep students with disabilities out of general education classrooms should seriously consider investing their time, effort, and money in the creation of environments that welcome all students, these authors maintain and they give reasons for their position.

By Ray Van Dyke, Martha Ann Stallings, and Kenna Colley

I NCLUSION IS A philosophy that acknowledges the importance of the real world for students' learning.

Every society has had to face the ques tion of how to treat individuals who

differ from the norm, and the vision of building strong communities based on peace, unity, and acceptance for all is an appealing one. We can begin to make this vision a reality in our public schools by accepting and valuing children with dis abilities exactly as they are.

RAY VAN DYKE is principal of Kipps Elementarv School, Blacksburg, Va., where MARTHA ANN STALLINGS is a fifth-grade teacher and KENNA COLLEY is an inclusion specialist. The Academy Award-winning doc umentarv Educating Peter is an account of their experiences with inclusion at their pre vious school, Gilbert Linkous Elementary.

Illustration by Debora Kielth Halev FEBRUARY 1995 475

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Schools are the communities to which children belong in their most formative years. Classrooms reflect real life with its challenges and distractions. Children with disabilities need to be immersed in this

microcosm of the "real world," beginning in preschool and continuing throughout their educational careers. This is the ..normal" world that they will be required to live and work in, so their education ought to take place in classrooms that re flect that world. To be truly prepared to take part in the real world as adults, chil dren with disabilities need to be educat ed in language-rich classrooms and to in teract daily with peers who are appropri ate role models.

Full inclusion occurs when a child with a disability learns in a general education classroom alongside his or her agemates with all the necessary supports. These sup ports are provided through extensive team work and communication. Moreover, in providing these supports, schools must al ways consider the best interests of the stu dent with disabilities, his or her peers, and all the members of the inclusion team, in cluding the special educator, the general educator, parents, building administrators, therapists, and other support personnel.

Whatever else it may be, inclusion should never be seen as a money-saving option for a school or district. Under in

clusion, no support services are taken away from students; indeed, even more support

may be required to enable a student to function optimally in the general educa tion classroom. In addition, all members of the inclusion team will need training, and that training should continue as long as the child with special needs is includ ed in the general classroom. An individ ual child's educational program is devel oped and owned by all team members. There is not a single expert, but a team of experts who contribute interdependently to each child's program.

The Basis for Inclusion

We base our support for the philosophy of inclusion on three fundamental argu ments. First, we believe that inclusion has a legal base. The great majority of court cases have not upheld the traditional prac tice of segregating students with special educational needs. Many cases are still pending, but it is unusual to pick up an education journal today without seeing

some reference to inclusion and the legal mandates that support the practice. The bottom line of the argument for inclusion is that each child has a legal right to an equal opportunity to obtain an education in the "least restrictive environment" pos sible. For many advocates of inclusion, the fight for inclusion has become a civil

Inclusion does not mean that a

child never receives separate

instruction.

rights issue in that segregated programs are seen to be inherently unequal and a violation of the rights of students with special educational needs.

A second argument for inclusion rests on the results of research on best prac tices. Research continues to show that stu dents who are not pulled out do better than those who are segregated. Analyses of seg regated special education programs indi cate that they have simply not worked. De

spite increases in spending and the growth of the special education bureaucracy, chil dren in segregated special education pro grams have not shown the growth that was predicted. Indeed, in many locales stu dents have been sorted and selected to the point that a classroom teacher rarely has an entire class together at any point dur ing the day. Substitutes sometimes find that their greatest challenge is knowing

which students are supposed to be where at which times. From simple observation we have found that students benefit from staying in one room for most of the day.

Finally, but perhaps most important, a strong moral and ethical argument can be

made for the "rightness" of inclusion: it is the best thing to do for the students. Segregating students throughout the day in any way is not good: it classifies, it cre ates bias, and it makes them different. Schools are a reflection of the communi ties they serve, and so all members of those communities should be a part of the schools. Students with special needs are

a part of our communities, and, with the inclusion philosophy, we can make them

more and more a part of our school com munities. We need to learn from one an other in our schools so that we can do the same in our communities. In the future, students majoring in education are likely to regard the practice of segregating stu dents with special needs in much the same way as we look upon racial segregation before the 1960s. It will be seen as an em barrassing chapter of our educational his tory.

The Role of the Special Education Teacher

When inclusion was first initiated in some school systems, the myth existed that special educators would no longer be needed since the children once taught in separate classrooms would be in general education classrooms. This is very far from the truth. Indeed, the role of the special ed ucator is crucial.

The special educator can act as the case manager for his or her students, facilitat ing team meetings and planning sessions.

He or she is responsible for determining the curricular adaptations that may need to be in place on a daily or weekly basis and for facilitating the development by par ents and team members of an individu alized education program (IEP). In addi tion, the special educator documents the fulfillment of the IEP throughout the year and is usually the liaison with the thera pists.

The special educator should also be involved in actively developing and par ticipating in planning and support ses sions involving the classmates of the child

with a disability. These sessions are nec essary to the success of the child who is included. Peers need to understand the unique aspects of their classmate; to learn facts, not myths; to learn how to interact

with their classmate; and to develop em pathy and respect for that person. The job description could literally go on and on, but the most important role the special ed ucator takes on is that of team player, es pecially in supporting the classroom teacher.

Inclusion does not mean that a child never receives separate instruction in skills or functional routines. However, if a child is to receive separate instruction, it should be a valuable experience that can only be

476 PHI DELTA KAPPAN

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done outside the classroom. For example, if a child needs intensive reading instruc tion in a small group or even one-to-one, this instruction should be built into his or her schedule at an appropriate time (e.g., during the language arts period). Such specialized instruction may be provided by a general educator, a special educator, or an instructional assistant. But all such instruction should be meaningful and nec essary. Too often students are "pulled out" of their classrooms to learn skills that will not help them function better in any en

vironment. Some educators argue that students

with significant physical disabilities or with intellectual disabilities cannot learn functional life skills in a general education environment. If a student needs to work on

toileting skills, the type of classroom he or she is in makes no difference. Bath rooms can be found in the school build ing, and these skills can be worked on there at natural or scheduled times of the

day. Similar advice applies for mealtime

skills, grooming skills, and many other skills that may be priority areas on some children's IEPs. Community living and vocational skills can also be a part of stu

dents' schedules, as long as they are skills that the parents and team members have identified as being necessary and rele vant. Usually, for students in primary and

elementary grades, the school building is their community, and trips off school grounds are not necessary.

We have also had the opportunity to work with included children who face be havioral challenges. This is the most con troversial and unsettling aspect of inclu sion. No matter what environment a child is in, behavioral challenges are constant and time-consuming. This is nothing new to public schools or to special educators.

The fact is, if you put a group of children together who demonstrate challenging be haviors, those behaviors will tend to in crease and become more intense through imitation and an effort to attract more at tention.

If you wait for a child to be "ready" to move into an inclusive setting by expect ing his or her behaviors to improve in a segregated environment, that day may never come. The "readiness theory" is a myth. Children with challenging behav iors need positive role models, structure, and specific behavioral plans based on natural rewards and contingencies that

are designed to replace negative behaviors with positive ones. This takes a great deal of teamwork, flexibility, and determina tion on the part of all staff members. How ever, the rewards are worth the effort.

Peers are the most important part of planning for a student who exhibits chal lenging behaviors. Peers need to under stand why the behaviors are occurring and to brainstorm and plan for ways to help their classmate. This kind of involvement gives students the chance to learn to depend on one another. Children learn to work to gether, to plan, and to put their plans into action. Such skills are valuable through out a lifetime and cannot be learned from

any textbook.

The Role of the Classroom Teacher

To be successful in an inclusive set ting, a general education teacher must believe that students with disabilities can learn successfully and deserve the oppor tunity to learn in age-appropriate class rooms. We continue to celebrate the abun dant learning that takes place among class

mates of all abilities in classrooms through out our school. We see students with dis abilities learning alongside their nondis abled peers in an environment in which support is provided and a real feeling of community exists.

Students in an inclusive setting devel op a new sense of understanding and re spect for one another and for human dif ferences. Classroom teachers who do not lower their expectations continue to be amazed at what students can achieve in a risk-free environment where differences are recognized and celebrated. Students feel very comfortable with the idea that everyone has something to offer. Mem bers of the class get to know one another, talk about likes and dislikes, and start to realize that they are all equal members of the classroom community. In such a class room, individual needs are met, from the needs of the student who has been iden tified as a gifted learner to those of the student who has an IEP that requires spe cific support and accommodations.

There are many components to such a community classroom, and, more impor tant, we have found that strategies that are effective for inclusion tend to benefit all learners, regardless of their abilities or dis abilities.

Effective discipline strategies must be in place, and part of any successful disci

pline strategy is the setting of realistic and

positive goals for students. With realistic goals in place for individuals, appropri ate classroom behaviors thrive. When stu dents recognize the appropriateness of their own behaviors, they become more trustworthy and confident.

Cooperative learning is a noncompet itive teaching strategy that works well in an inclusive classroom. Through the activ ities of cooperative learning groups, each student can play an equal part in class room activity. The roles of group members need to be defined clearly, and all mem bers of the group must participate, allow ing each student to make a contribution to the learning process. Thus the roles of individual group members are clearly im portant, and each student can feel valued

- even as a student develops needed in terpersonal skills.

Therefore, from the first day of school the classroom teacher must take ownership of included students with special needs. These students are no longer thought of as the special education teacher's students

who have been placed in a general edu cation classroom for a short period. The classroom teacher should become very involved with the process of developing the IEP and with making sure that the nec essary supports and services are provid ed to the included student. The students feel a real sense of belonging in such an environment.

The Role of the Principal

The principal plays one of the most im portant roles in an inclusive school. Re searchers have found repeatedly that in clusion programs are not successful if the principal does not take an active and pos itive role in the process. Principals can not see inclusion as a program that takes place only in classrooms. Inclusion must become a schoolwide philosophy; it must permeate the school and become a build ing block for all other programs that oc cur.

Martha Snell, a professor of special ed ucation at the University of Virginia, visit ed our school and asked various staff mem bers what they felt the role of the principal should be. The staff members described to her the following responsibilities.

* The principal should set up a school

FEBRUARY 1995 477

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inclusion committee and play an active

role in its deliberations. This committee

should include each teacher who works

with students with special needs, includ

ing general classroom teachers, special ed ucation teachers, specialty (e.g., music, physical education, art) teachers, guid

ance counselors, and ancillary staff mem

bers (e.g., physical therapists, speech ther

apists). The committee should meet regu

larly to plan strategies for inclusion, to re

solve problems, and to discuss the status

of the inclusion program. The school in

clusion committee is a very powerful tool

for ensuring the success of the inclusion

program. * The principal should assist staff mem

bers in the transition toward inclusion. A school cannot move into inclusion over

night. The principal must anticipate prob lems that might arise and work to head

them off. Practical staff development pro

grams need to be designed, and staff mem

bers should be given the opportunity to

visit inclusive classrooms, whether they are in the same building, in another

school, or in another state. In addition, the

year before inclusion begins, classroom

teachers should be given the opportunity to visit the students who will be included in their classrooms. This simple act can

alleviate many fears a teacher may have about a student.

* The principal should constantly pro vide support to teachers. Perhaps one of the greatest supports a teacher needs is to be given the autonomy to do what he or she feels is best for the students. Teach ers need appropriate information about a given student's disabilities, and they need help in setting realistic goals for all stu dents. Teachers also appreciate notes of en couragement, lots of positive comments, and following through on promises.

* The principal should address the con cerns of parents and the school commu

nity about inclusion. The principal should

be the spokesperson for the school when

questions about inclusion arise. Informa tional meetings of the parent/teacher as sociation that focus on curriculum and in

struction can also provide parents with in

formation about inclusion. Through news letters and memos, the principal can keep parents informed about how inclusion is affecting all children.

* The principal should manage the schoolwide logistics of inclusion. This can be the most difficult part of the prin

cipal's role in inclusion. Designing a

master schedule is certainly more diffi cult when attempting to bring services in

to the classroom. Time for planning is an

important element in the success of an in

clusion program, and the principal should attempt to build in as much common plan ning time as possible. The principal must

also oversee a pool of trained substitutes for teachers and instructional aides who

work with students who have special

needs.'

Curriculum and Instruction A very important part of allowing each

student to participate actively at his or her own level and to meet individualized goals is an overlapping curriculum. Of fering different materials on the same

topic but at different reading levels has

proved to be very successful. The same

curriculum goals are expected of all stu

dents, but differences are taken into ac

count. Parent involvement has proved vital in

inclusive classrooms. Most often, if par ents are informed of what is taking place in the classroom, they will be supportive.

Parents can be invited to volunteer in the

classroom, both to assist the teacher and to witness firsthand how he or she goes about meeting the individual needs of the

students. When the classroom communi

ty is extended to include parents, greater involvement will lead to greater success.

Involving students as peer helpers for students with disabilities is a very effec tive strategy. Teachers will need to mod el strategies for students and allow stu dents to be involved in problem-solving sessions. Peer assistance and support can help nondisabled students build and main tain relationships with their disabled peers.

Classrooms in which diversity is valued can enrich the learning of all students in

volved. In a successful inclusive classroom, the

general educator, the special educator, and

any instructional assistants must collabo

rate to meet the needs of all students. For successful collaboration to take place, the

following assets are key. * Communication. Teachers who col

laborate must be honest and open about concerns and feelings.

* Flexibility. Teachers in inclusive class rooms must be willing to "roll with the punches," to compromise, and to do things

differently if necessary. * Shared ownership. The student with

an IEP is part of the general class and thus "belongs to" the general education teach er. The special education teacher plays a variety of roles that support the student and the classroom teacher.

* Recognition of differing needs. All students can successfully meet the same curriculum goals with adaptation and sup port appropriate to their individual needs.

* Need-based instruction. Collabora tors must be willing to plan activities that ensure success and not be overly concerned with time lines.

* Willingness to be a team player. The team must be willing to plan and work to gether on all issues, especially student be havior.

* Dependability. Each team member must be prepared for his or her part of all

planning and lesson responsibilities. * Cooperative grading. The special ed

ucation teacher and the general educa

tion teacher should evaluate students' progress together. Each must be respon sible for his or her own part of the total evaluation.

* IEP responsibility. Both teachers must collaborate in writing the IEP, and

they must be equal partners in carrying it

out, though the special education teacher usually monitors progress.

* Sense of humor. Laugh a lot! Teach ers must support each other with smiles, send notes of encouragement, and, most of all, share successes.

The Cost of Inclusion

Inclusion is not a program that a school system should consider as a way to save

money. To do it right will cost more mon

ey. However, the payoffs for all students are likely to be worth the extra cost.

We have found that, in most cases, stu

dents with special needs who are includ ed are achieving at far higher levels than

they did in segregated classrooms. We have also found them blossoming socially, and

many have developed real friendships with children in their neighborhoods. In

addition, all students have benefited from having such extra supports as curricular adaptations, study aids, and more individ ualized assistance. All students are learn ing that everyone brings strengths and needs to every situation. They are learn ing about conflict resolution and the im

478 PHI DELTA KAPPAN

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portance of being responsible. Things that were stumbling blocks at

first have become benefits. For example, greater collaboration among teachers and other staff members has allowed them to share skills and resources and has led to the improvement of all instruction. We no longer have regular education supplies and special education supplies. We simply have educational supplies, and money has been reallocated to reflect that. Moreover, we no longer have the need for a large fleet of special education buses to bus students out of their home attendance areas for a particular special education class.

Our school system did not increase funding during two years of inclusion; we operated on a frozen budget. Though costs have now increased as more schools in our division have begun to adopt inclu sion, our per-pupil expenditures for stu dents with special needs are still less than those of most neighboring school sys tems, especially those that bus students to other schools and those that pay tuition for students with special needs to attend schools in other districts.

We also found ways to reallocate re sources, despite the fact that Virginia al locates special education funds categori cally and not according to inclusion mod els. We have found that, through writing

waivers, we can place teachers in cross categorical positions so that they may con sult from school to school on student needs. A cost comparison of self-con tained versus inclusive programs in our system showed that, with the latter, mon ey could be saved on classroom equip

ment, transportation, instructional mate rials, and mobile classrooms.

With the recent passage of the Ameri cans with Disabilities Act and the contin uing success stories emerging from in clusion programs around the country, we believe that our schools reflect a society that is ready to embrace all children, re gardless of abilities or disabilities, so that they can be educated together and learn to value one another as unique individu als. Those schools that continue to strug gle to keep students with disabilities out of general education classrooms should seriously consider investing their time, ef fort, and money instead in the creation of environments that welcome all students.

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FEBRUARY 1995 479

1. Martha E. Snell et al., "How Do Roles Change in

Inclusive Schools? A Case Study of an Elementary School," Kappa Delta Pi Record, in press. IC

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