Instructional Tactics That Facilitate Inclusion: Are We Doing Successful Inclusion in Secondary Classrooms?

Within the last 5 years, there have been further calls for increased education of students with mild or moderate disabilities in inclusive classes (Commission, 2002). As inclusion placements grow around the country, it becomes increasingly important to expand our understanding of how teachers feel about inclusion as well as how frequently teachers are using strategies that facilitate effective instruction for students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom. For example, with inclusion mandates firmly embedded within various national policy initiatives (Commission, 2002), one may well expect that special education teachers are advocating for inclusive instruction. However, little extant research has AASEP | Instructional Tactics That Facilitate Inclusion investigated special education teachers‘ attitudes toward inclusive education, and research has not documented that special educators are serving as an advocacy group for effective inclusion. Further, some research has raised questions concerning the efficacy of inclusive classroom practices for enhancing the academic achievement of students with mild disabilities (Blankenship, Boon Fore III, Hagan-Burke, 2007; Fuchs & Fuchs, 1994; Sowers & Powers, 1995; Vaughn, Schumn, & Klingner, 1995).