What Makes a Good Inclusion Classroom?

This article is a followup from The Benefits of An Inclusion Classroom. There have been so many comments and so many people with valid concerns that the inclusion class described is not what is occurring in some schools. I like inclusion classes because educators tend to go in with the goal of meeting individual needs. However, no matter what type of class it is, this should be the goal. In the past, and in many current general education (and sometimes inclusion classes) students were all taught at an average level. The students who are not average learners, fell behind. The students who were above average learners were bored. This concept is so aggravating to me and many parents and educators. Times are changing and the shift is to focus on individual needs. While it is discouraging to hear that some schools are not differentiating instruction yet, I'm also encouraged by the growth that has occurred.

Here are some questions I might ask about the inclusion classroom....

How many teachers are in the classroom?
Inclusion classrooms have a regular education teacher and a special education teacher or assistant. If there is only a regular education teacher, that is not an inclusion class. That would actually be a general education classroom with no special education support. Find out if there are times of the day when there are more people in the room (especially in elementary grades). Often reading specialists or assistants will come in for small group reading instruction, in addition to the teachers already in the classroom.


How many students are in the classroom?
Class size depends on the districts and how they have managed and prioritized their funding. As school budgets get tighter and tighter, class sizes often grow. Obviously, it is more difficult to meet individual needs with very large class sizes, but not impossible. Inclusion classes should not be any larger than regular education classes even though there are more staff in the room to help address the individual needs.


Is the instruction differentiated?
In a classroom with such a spectrum of abilities, it is important to ensure that each student is challenged at their own level. Here is an example of how this could be done. In elementary school, students typically have a list of spelling words for the week. The teacher may have three lists that she gives to the class. Group A has the most difficult words, Group B less difficult, and Group C in the middle. All students have the same responsibility to learn the words, do some activities with the words, but they are on their own level. They are graded the same (but the content level will vary). A few students in Group B may even have less words to learn. This is differentiated instruction. All students are learning spelling words and have the same responsibility to learn the words, but the words are on the level of the individual. This can be done to some degree with all subjects. However, at times during the day, students may learn better in smaller groups.

What about gifted students?
If your child is gifted, find out about the gifted programs available. There may be a pull out class for part of the week. Sometimes Gifted Teachers work with individual teachers to give them resources to use to challenge the students within the classroom. Depending on your school and your child, an inclusion class may or may not be the best placement for your child. Ask to see how they are meeting the needs of gifted students. If there is no plan, then this may not be the class for you. If there is adequate differentiated instruction, an inclusion class may be the best placement because there are more teachers in the room to address individual needs than a regular education classroom.

In High School gifted students are encouraged to take Honors or Advanced Placement classes. Inclusion classes in high school tend to not have the broad range of abilities found in the lower grades.

Thanks for all the comments

Overview of the Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

What is a Behavior Intervention Plan or BIP?

The Behavior Intervention Plan, in conjunction with the Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) is a formal way for parents, teachers, and other school professionals to work together to help make a student become more successful. The FBA is intended to be a problem solving process used to determine the function of a student's behavior and is used prior to a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). The BIP is the actual plan created to help improve behavior. It is also a formal way to document interventions that are attempted.

When is it used?

Behavior plans are more effective when the BIP is created after the FBA has been completed. When a student's behavior is impeding his own learning or the learning of others in the classroom, teachers often seek assistance. The BIP can be used with regular education students or special education students.

What are good practices?

-Interventions should be specific and clearly stated, including the persons responsible for implementing interventions, rewards, or measurement of the intervention.

- Goals should be measurable with baseline data already collected. This is a way for a person to determine how well the plan is working.

-It is more effective to express the behavior you are seeking, rather than the negative behavior.

-Focus on 2-3 behaviors that you would like the student to improve upon. Focusing on too many behaviors can be overwhelming for the student and the teacher, and decreasing the chance for meaningful change.

Helpful links
Creating Behavior Plans
Intervention Plans
Overview of the FBA and BIP

Special Education Resources for Parents

(Article originally published in School Psychologist Files Newsletter, November 2008)

Once a child has been referred for a special education evaluation, parents are suddenly required to take a crash course in special education. It can be overwhelming. The goal of School Psychologist Files is to give parents reliable resources and offer support. I've outlined a good place for parents to start in searching for understanding about the special education process.

1. Learn about the Special Education Process and understand the process that school districts use when determining if a student qualifies for special education services.
Articles from School Psychologist Files on the Special Education process:

How A School District Determines If A Student Qualifies for Special Education Services

What Every Parent Needs to Know about Special Education Referrals

A Parent's Guide to Understanding Special Education Assessment

FAQ Parents Ask about the Eligibility Process for Special Education

A Parent's Guide for When A Child Does Not Qualify for Special Education Services

2. Learn about the disability categories of special education and educate yourself more completely on the disabilities that are suspected of your child.

Categories of Special Education

Also information for several disabilities can be found on School Psychologist Files. These provide general information and books and websites to find more information.


3. Know at least the basics of special education law.
Basics of Special Education Law


4. Look for support from others who share similar experiences. Join a forum or look for support groups in your area.
LD Help Online Forum