Module 2: Defining Inclusion
Introduction
Inclusion Outreach is mandated by the Ministry of Education to facilitate inclusion for students with multiple disabilities and complex needs. In order to facilitate inclusion, we must first define inclusion. So, when we talk about inclusion what do we mean?
What Will You Learn?
- How has inclusionary practice evolved?
- Inclusion Outreach’s definition of inclusion
- What are Inclusion Outreach’s four Principles of Inclusion?
- How to recognize opportunities in classrooms, schools, and at the district level that facilitate inclusive practice
Throughout the modules and this one in particular, you will see that we chose to capitalize the IN in many words. This emphasis on IN is to remind you how important it is to be INcluded, to be a part of things, to be IN.
Evolution of Membership
Before we begin to discuss what inclusion means now and how we practice it in the classroom, it is important to revisit history and review the evolution of membership for students with disabilities. Current terminology for membership in education is inclusion, but in our not-so-distant past, membership was not even a consideration for children with disabilities. The following table highlights historical terms and their definitions.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Exclusion | Children with disabilities and complex needs were completely excluded from general education |
| Segregation | Children with disabilities and complex needs attended separate schools |
| Mainstreaming | Children with disabilities and complex needs were placed in a mainstream school or classroom |
| Integration | Children with disabilities and complex needs were integrated in general classrooms. However, separate resource rooms and segregated classrooms with disability specific resources were still in practice |