1 Spring 2014 Models of Inclusion What is inclusion? Inclusion is an educational practice in which children with disabilities are educated in classrooms with children without disabilities. The purpose of inclusion is to make sure that students with special needs are integrated in the general education setting for as much of the day as possible, with the supports they need to be successful. Inclusion strategies can include co-teaching, consultative services, paraprofessional support, modifications to curriculum or testing, accommodations for specific disabilities, and other services an individual student needs in order to access the district curriculum in a general education classroom. Inclusion is sound educational policy. It is also mandated by New Jersey Code which requires, in part, that “tudeŶts ǁith disaďilities shall ďe eduĐated iŶ the least ƌestƌiĐtiǀe eŶǀiƌoŶŵeŶt ; aŶd To the maximum extent appropriate, a student with a disability is educated with children who are not disabled. ;N.J.A.C. 6A:14-4.2) What is an IEP? IEP is shoƌt foƌ IŶdiǀidualized EduĐatioŶ Pƌogƌaŵ. EaĐh studeŶt Đlassified as ƌeƋuiƌiŶg speĐial education services is guaranteed an IEP. The IEP identifies the specific supports that student needs to be able to access the curriculum. These supports vary considerably, depending on the needs of each individual student. As defiŶed iŶ Neǁ JeƌseLJ Code: ’IŶdiǀidualized eduĐatioŶ pƌogƌaŵ’ ;IEPͿ ŵeaŶs a ǁƌitteŶ plan which sets forth present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, measurable annual goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks and describes an integrated, sequential program of individually designed instructional activities and related services necessary to achieve the stated goals aŶd oďjeĐtiǀes. This plaŶ shall estaďlish the ƌatioŶale foƌ the studeŶt’s eduĐatioŶal plaĐeŵeŶt, seƌǀe as the ďasis foƌ pƌogƌaŵ iŵpleŵeŶtatioŶ aŶd ĐoŵplLJ ǁith the ŵaŶdates set foƌth iŶ this Đhapteƌ. (N.J.A.C. 6A:14-1.3) What is co-teachiŶg? Co-teaching is one possible strategy to support students with disabilities in a general education setting. With co-teaching, two teachers are in the classroom – a general education teacher who is an expert in the curriculum, and a special education teacher who is an expert in making modifications and accommodations to help students access the curriculum. Co-teaching can be provided on a subject by subject basis, or for most of the school day. Co-teaching is not the only, or even the most common, strategy for supporting students with disabilities. Co-teaching has been very successful for some children, but is not always the best choice for every student.