All About Inclusion
From the Director of the Dylan Program
Inclusive education is defined as the practice of educating all students, particularly those with complex support needs, alongside their nondisabled peers in general education classrooms. This practice has been shown over more than fifty years of research to benefit everyone involved (Hehir et al., 2016). Academically, inclusive settings yield measurable gains: for example, Kalambouka et al. (2007), Ruijs and Peetsma (2009), and Waldron and Cole (2000) report that both disabled and nondisabled students improve when learning together. Waldron and Cole found that 59 percent of nondisabled students in inclusive schools raised their standardized math scores year over year when compared with only 39 percent whose schools utilized a traditional segregated special education setting. These gains are supported by a collaborative school structure in which teachers, specialists, and support staff coordinate flexible, individualized approaches, thereby honing strategies that benefit all learners (Giangreco et al., 1993; Hehir & Katzman, 2012).
Inclusive schooling also fosters positive social outcomes. Bunch and Valeo (2004) observed that nondisabled Canadian students in inclusive classes formed more friendships with peers who have disabilities and were more likely to endorse inclusion than those in non‑inclusive settings. Consiglio, Guarnera, and Magnano (2015) similarly found that primary students who interacted with classmates with Down syndrome held more favorable, less prejudiced attitudes than their peers without such contact. Importantly, inclusion does not detract from attention or achievement: Salend and Duhaney (1999) showed nondisabled students receive equal teacher attention in inclusive and non‑inclusive classrooms, and Gandhi (2007) found no evidence of any harm. Meanwhile, students with disabilities benefit academically-systematic reviews (Baker, Wang, & Walberg, 1995; Hehir et al., 2016; Katz & Mirenda, 2002) and targeted studies (Schifter, 2015; Buckley et al., 2006; de Graaf & van Hove, 2015; Turner, Alborz, & Gayle, 2008) reveal that inclusion boosts on‑time graduation rates and literacy, language, and general academic skills by multiple years compared to segregated placements.
Sara Jo Soldovieri, PhD
Director of the Dylan Program
Inclusion in Brief
59 percent of nondisabled students in inclusive schools raised their standardized math scores year over year when compared with only 39 percent whose schools utilized a traditional segregated special education setting.
Learn more about inclusive education in this interview on the End Seclusion Podcast with Dr. Soldovieri.
Inclusion Education Research
Inclusion at IDEAL
The IDEAL School of Manhattan sets high standards for all learners by using differentiated instruction to meet each child where they are, inspiring a commitment to excellence and leadership in all of our students.
At IDEAL, inclusion is at the core of everything we do, creating a sense of belonging and preparing students for a diverse world. Our teachers know each student personally and design lessons that build on their unique strengths. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, differentiated instruction allows students to explore subjects at varying levels of complexity. With small class sizes, low student-to-teacher ratios, and supportive faculty, every student is heard, valued, and set up for success.
At IDEAL, inclusion is at the core of everything we do, creating a sense of belonging and preparing students for a diverse world.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, differentiated instruction allows students to explore subjects at varying levels of complexity.
Differentiation
Every student learns differently, so teaching needs to be flexible. IDEAL teachers plan lessons with clear goals and adjust their approach to engage and support all students. In a differentiated classroom, students might choose their own research topics or projects, ensuring they develop the same key skills in ways that suit their interests. Teachers create small-group activities tailored to different learning levels – for example, in algebra, some students might work with simple equations, while others tackle more complex problems.
To track progress, teachers use frequent, informal assessments, allowing them to adjust lessons in real time based on student needs. This ensures that every student is challenged, supported, and set up for success.