This paper examines inclusion in secondary schools as shaped by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the principle of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). It defines full and partial inclusion, outlines four collaborative teaching models, and weighs the benefits — such as increased social contact and reduced stigma — against criticisms concerning teacher preparedness and curriculum fit. The paper concludes with recommendations for teacher training and staff development, emphasizing higher-order thinking, life-skills curricula, co-teaching strategies, and interdisciplinary approaches to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities in general education settings.
The paper demonstrates effective use of structured enumeration to convey technical content. By listing the four collaborative teaching models (interactive, station, parallel, and alternative teaching) as a numbered sequence, the author transforms abstract policy concepts into concrete, actionable classroom practices. This technique aids comprehension and shows command of the subject matter.
The paper opens with a legislative history that establishes the policy context, then moves into a definitional section covering full and partial inclusion along with four teaching models. The middle section presents a balanced pros-and-cons analysis. The fourth section translates findings into practical recommendations for teacher preparation programs. A brief conclusion ties the policy reality to the ongoing need for systemic growth.
Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, was passed in 1975. In 1990, the law was reenacted as Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). From IDEA came the concept of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), which means that disabled students must have access to the general curriculum, be taught with their nondisabled peers, and that special classes or schools are permissible only when disabled students' achievement is compromised in general education settings. The term "inclusion" arose from considerations of what constitutes a LRE (Hasbrouck, 2007; Walker, 2004).
According to Hasbrouck (2007), inclusion is the placement in general education settings of students identified as having disabilities such as mental retardation, emotional disturbance, physical (orthopedic, visual, or hearing) impairment, or learning disabilities. The inclusion might be full or partial. Full inclusion refers to full-time placement in regular classes; partial inclusion is part-time placement in regular classes.
For optimal implementation, inclusion models require more than one educator in the classroom. Walker (2004) suggested four ways in which teachers work together:
1. Interactive teaching: Partners or teams work interactively to teach and present concepts to the whole class.
2. Station teaching: One teacher instructs a small group while other teachers monitor and support small groups of students at different learning stations.
3. Parallel teaching: Several teachers present the same information or content to several small groups simultaneously.
4. Alternative teaching: One teacher provides specific instruction and skill-building to a small group while another teacher monitors the rest of the students as they work on the same concept.
Under the current law and in spite of critics, inclusion is a fact of school life, and educational systems must adapt to this reality. In her review of the situation, Huston (2007) concluded that "a continuum of placement options and services must be available … and the placement decisions must be based on the needs of the child, his or her peers, and the system's ability to meet those needs." Further, the system's ability to meet the needs of disabled students must continue to grow. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provides the legal framework within which schools must operate, and ongoing commitment to teacher preparation and professional development is essential to fulfilling its mandate.
Hasbrouck, J. (2007). Inclusive classrooms. In J. Kagan & S. Gall (Eds.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence. Online edition. Detroit: Gale.
Huston, J. (2007). Special education inclusion. Retrieved May 12, 2010, from
Walker, K. (2004). Research brief: Inclusion models for students in special education. Retrieved May 12, 2010, from
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