INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS

Inclusive Schools

Inclusive Schools

Introduction

Individual Education Plans (IEPs) were originally written for students with disabilities to ensure that they receive a free, appropriate public education. IEPs can be a useful tool and a motivating force in planning for and meeting the needs of gifted students. The IEP process is helpful in planning services for gifted students and assessing their progress or growth. This process aids schools in answering the question, “What will we do when they already know it (curriculum)?” (Baker, 163)

This process guides educators to review assessed indicators on state and district assessments in which gifted students are more than proficient, and by comparing them with the identified needs of student on the IEP, to develop goals. These goals are driven by assessed indicators that align curriculum and instruction with the student's assessment scores, thus improving student performance and providing new learning opportunities for the gifted student.

This entry examines the IEP and considers the advantages and disadvantages of the IEP for gifted students. The relationship between the student's performance in general education and IEP goals is identified. Examples of IEP goals appropriate for gifted students are offered as best practices.

Discussion

Inclusion is not defined in any federal legislature; as a result, the definition of inclusion has varied through several educational reform movements. School systems have defined inclusion according to the beliefs and philosophies of the districts. Dissent among parents and advocacy groups regarding inclusive practices is common. This entry provides a brief history of inclusive practices and the continued differing opinions as to the effectiveness of including students with special needs in the general education setting. (Banerji, 522)

Early Efforts: 1970s-1980s

In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) was signed into law, guaranteeing a free, appropriate public education for all children, including those with disabilities. Prior to the passage of this law mandating that schools serve all children, the traditional placement for a student with physical or mental disabilities was a self-contained program run by an agency such as the Easter Seals Foundation, with minimal involvement in educational opportunities.

Public Law 94-142 resulted in children with disabilities being allowed to come to school, but how and where they were educated was not specified. In the late 1970s and early 1980s most students with special needs were often served in separate classrooms along with other students with disabilities. Several movements and initiatives were created, mostly by parents who were unhappy with this separation. One was the campaign for mainstreaming, including the students with disabilities in the general education classrooms for meaningful interactions and education. While this was initiated in several school systems, mainstreaming was generally based on the students' ability to do the work in the classroom; if not, they were mainstreamed only for “specials”—art, music, physical education, lunch, recess, and so forth. Other instruction remained in a special education setting with peers having similar educational needs. (Erevelles, 421)

The regular education initiative (REI) was a movement in the 1980s that called for all children with mild to moderate disabilities to be ...