IDEA and Inclusive Education

Federal mandates, most notably the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), guarantee education rights for children classified under one of the 13 categories of disabilities, ensuring that they are educated with their peers in the general education classroom as much as possible based on their ability and needs. State educational agencies and local educational agencies are responsible for ensuring that the pedagogical needs of all children with a disability are met in accordance with the law. This chapter discusses IDEA and the concept of inclusion and how special and general educators must increase their efforts to promote and support equitable opportunities for all students.

Setting a Framework of Inclusive Support for Students With Disabilities

The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance to parents, teachers, and school administrators, as it relates to the various elements and considerations to implementing inclusion programming in schools. The author introduces the implementation of inclusion in terms of a multidimensional framework needed to support the inclusion of students with disabilities (SWD) in general education classroom settings. Inclusive settings allow access to the general education curriculum, ensuring compliance with federal law, and enhanced academic and social opportunities for students with disabilities. A discussion of key stakeholders in inclusion, as well as preparation, implementation, and sustainability of inclusion efforts are also reviewed.

Human Rights in the Classroom

Inclusion, including students with disabilities in the general education classroom, has become the norm in the United States due to Public Law 94-142 (P.L. 94-142). The requirements of P.L. 94-142, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), are explained in this chapter. Additionally, school districts are required to provide students with disabilities assistive technologies. Twenty-first century classrooms are now using Apple's iPad on a regular basis, with all students, in place of other assistive technologies. Apple's App Store offers numerous applications that can be used by students with disabilities. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of special education laws in the United States, while offering educators, parents, and specialists an overview of applications that have been developed for a variety of disabilities. Each application is categorized and briefly explained. The cost and compatibility with Apple devices is also provided.

Teaching Students With Specific Learning Disabilities in the General Education Classroom

In many college teacher preparation programs across the United States, students who want to become a general education teacher are required to take a course focused on teaching students who have disabilities. Typically, that course provides an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the characteristics of each of the 13 categories of disabilities. That course does not present various strategies a general education classroom teacher can use to educate these students, despite the fact that more and more disabled students are being educated in a general education classroom environment. Thus, this chapter provides resources and research-based reading, math, language arts, and social skills strategies general education teachers can utilize when educating a student with a specific learning disability in their classrooms. The resources presented in this chapter are not meant to take the place of special education teachers but to supplement practices for when they are not available.

Project-Based Learning for Students With Intellectual Disabilities

With the push to include all students, despite disability, in the general education classroom, general education teachers need to be trained in ways to adequately educate intellectually disabled students alongside their nondisabled peers. Many students with an intellectual disability are capable of learning in an inclusive environment if provided with proper support, such as through instructional methods like project-based learning. Project-based learning actively involves learners in investigating real-world issues and answering related questions. This chapter focuses on how to use the project-based learning method to teach children with intellectual disabilities within the framework of inclusive education, using biology as an example subject area.

The Effects of Technology Integration in the Classroom for Students With ADHD

This qualitative case study investigated the influence of technology integration in a special education classroom for students who have ADHD. Technology has shown to have a positive influence on student academic, social, and emotional growth in a general education classroom. This study sought to understand the influence technology has for students struggling with ADHD. This study aimed to understand if technology can play a role in the development of students with ADHD specifically in the domains of academic and social growth. Through observations, interviews, and focus group sessions, six themes were deduced: importance of consistency in using technology, impact of group size, increased interest, increased independence, task initiation/time efficiency using Chromebook, and overall confidence academically and socially.

Fair and Equitable Grading for ALL Students in Inclusive Settings

Grading is a common practice in general education settings. Few teachers, however, are clear about how they should grade students with significant cognitive disabilities when those students are included in the general education classroom. Unfortunately, existing research provides minimal information to aid teachers and education leaders as they consider fair and equitable grading practices for these students. In this article, we examine the four criteria for high-quality inclusive grading outlined by The William & Mary Training & Technical Assistance Center for grading within the inclusive classroom: (a) grades are accurate, (b) grades are meaningful, (c) grades are consistent, and (d) grades are supportive of learning and discuss how these criteria could be applied to provide a more fair and equitable grading system for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Factors Influencing Academic Performance Of Children With Autism Included In The General Education Classroom: A Case Study

ABSTRACT Students with autism face diverse challenges in general education classroom and this greatly affect their access and full participation in academic programs. The purpose this case study is to find out the factors influencing the academic performance of children with autism included in general education classroom. The study was guided in establishing the factors influencing the academic performance of children with autism; the instructional strategies; the family involvement; the attitude and their overall academic performance. The study adopted theories of Bandura Social Cognition and Weiner Attribution. The questionnaires were administered to parents, autism graduates and to their previous teachers in 4 levels. Data were analysed and summarized. Findings indicated that classroom factors, step-by-step method of instructional strategies, the positive feedback; family involvement, character of obedience and persistence of the students that range from average to excellent level influence the academic performance of autism students included in general education classroom. The study recommended that autism students should work hard despite of their condition. Parents should find ways on how to handle their children. Teachers must not only monitor the academic performance and behaviour of students. Community should embrace understanding and acceptance of autism students who have done right and wrong. KEYWORDS: Academic Performance, Autism, General Education Classroom

High-Leverage Practices for All Students

This chapter is designed to inform and educate the reader about high-leverage practices used in the general education classroom and with students with identified special educational needs. The chapter starts by explaining how high-leverage practices originated and continues with a discussion about the similarities and differences between the general and special education high-leverage practices. The chapter then finishes with a discussion about how both types of practices can be applied to any educational situation.

The Effects of Technology Integration in the Classroom for Students With ADHD

This qualitative case study investigated the influence of technology integration in a special education classroom for students who have ADHD. Technology has shown to have a positive influence on student academic, social, and emotional growth in a general education classroom. This study sought to understand the influence technology has for students struggling with ADHD. This study aimed to understand if technology can play a role in the development of students with ADHD specifically in the domains of academic and social growth. Through observations, interviews, and focus group sessions, six themes were deduced: importance of consistency in using technology, impact of group size, increased interest, increased independence, task initiation/time efficiency using Chromebook, and overall confidence academically and socially.