Faculty Publications
An Open Letter to the Field: Contemplating Special Education's Collaborative Role in Developing Inclusive Education
Document Type
Article
Keywords
access to the general education curriculum, co-teaching and collaboration, equity issues, inclusion, multicultural education, school personnel, teacher education
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Exceptional Children
Abstract
The inclusion of students with disabilities with special education services into general education classes has been an integral part of education for over 3 decades. It is a worldwide movement that continues to grow. Yet, some Special Education researchers remain highly critical, even cynical, of inclusion, despite decades of research that have refined school and classroom-based practices so that the majority of students with disabilities, with few exceptions, can achieve inclusion. In this paper we emphasize the importance of maintaining an optimistic focus on inclusive education by (1) foregrounding the thinking of activists within the Disability Rights Movement and more recent disability collectives that undergird theories of disability justice and inclusion; (2) centering intersectional experiences of disability; (3) clarifying the intentions of inclusion and dispelling some lingering myths; and (4) describing ways that inclusive classrooms can best serve students with mild to complex and multiple support needs. We conclude with a request to our field to reflect upon and consider Special Education's evolving role in ongoing collaborative development of inclusive education.
Department
Department of Special Education
Original Publication Date
12-18-2024
DOI of published version
10.1177/00144029241303051
Recommended Citation
Connor, David J.; Danforth, Scot; and Gallagher, Deborah, "An Open Letter to the Field: Contemplating Special Education's Collaborative Role in Developing Inclusive Education" (2024). Faculty Publications. 6744.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/facpub/6744
