Final Project, Educational Leadership Capstone.

1. Running head: INCLUSION AND ITS IMPACT 1
The Impact of Inclusion on the General and Special Education Student.
LaKeisha S. Weber
Xavier University of Louisiana
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Capstone Seminar
Dr. Rosalind Hale
May 2, 2015

2. INCLUSION AND ITS IMPACT 2
Influence of Inclusion on the General Education Student
Introduction
The history of education in the United States has been progressive in the attempt to meet
the needs of students with disabilities. In the past, students with prevalent disabilities were
segregated from the general education population (Ryndak, Taub, Jorgensen, Gonsier-Gerdin,
Arndt, Sauer, Ruppar, Morningstar, and Allcock, 2014). Running on the fumes of the Civil
Rights Movement, parental and political advocates for students with special needs began to
challenge school policies that placed these students at a disadvantage. Through litigation and
political push, individuals with special needs have acquired access to facilities and educational
resources equal to their peers. From an instructive standpoint, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) (2004) ensured that students with disabilities would receive their
education in the least restrictive environment (LRE), which translates to the well-known term
“inclusion.”
The inclusion of special education students into the general education classroom was
intended to increase the equity and equality of instruction which had since been non-existent.
Unfortunately as students with disabilities have steadily been integrated into the LRE, it has
placed a strain on the quality of education received by general education students. Teachers are
overwhelmed with the instructional responsibility of differentiating instructing to meet the needs
of every learner, regardless of their course load or the effect it has on pedagogical efficacy. In
many classrooms teachers can be observed struggling to meet the short and long-term goals of
school districts and charter school operators. The adopting of new state educational initiates has
placed extreme emphasis on standardized assessments. In turn, educators and school leaders have
largely shifted away from holistic education to focus more on testing proficiency. Ideologies that

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place high-stakes testing above effective instruction do not coalesce with the ideal inclusive
classroom.
Several institutions excel at proficiently educating all students in the inclusive classroom,
but that is not the case in many schools. In some classrooms, teachers differentiate lesson content
by teaching the entire class on a basal level, which hinders general education instruction from
reaching the highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Other teachers deliver instruction that
disregards the needs of their students with disabilities, leaving them behind and struggling to
meet the objectives. In this situation a student, specifically those with emotional/behavioral
disorders (EBD), may lash out and attempt to disrupt the classroom learning environment.
According to Muscott (1995), students with emotional and behavior disorders pose the greatest
challenge to educators. Incessant displays of problem and off-task behaviors hinder the general
education student’s ability to receive a free and appropriate education (FAPE). Even if
emotional/behavioral disorders pose the greatest challenge for educators, students falling into
any of the thirteen categories of disabilities require teachers to differentiate their pedagogical
practices to fit their needs.
Currently there is no emphasis being placed on maintaining the equity and equality of
general educational practices. There are few parents, teachers, or school leaders advocating for
the rights of students who are forced to sacrifice knowledge for the social acclimation of their
peers. Yes, students with disabilities benefit academically and socially from peer interaction
within the general education classroom. Scaffolding learning is a great concept and useful tool,
but the lack of resources as well as overcrowded classrooms lessens the usefulness of this best
practice. Students with special accommodations ultimately become the “students” of their non-
disabled peers which leads to an uneven distribution of learning. A combination of these factors

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as well as others results in the stagnation of the general education student’s academic
advancement.
It can be argued that the push for full inclusion has also negatively impacted students
receiving special education services. The mandates of IDEA may have unraveled an educational
best practice. Students receiving exclusive special education instruction are isolated from the
improper inclusion models adopted by schools, which can result in academic growth. In a self-
contained classroom, students receive a more individualized educational experience. On average
these classes consists of a special education teacher servicing no more than 10 students. The
teacher may also receive help from one or more paraprofessionals. Distractions are limited to
actions of students within the classroom which may lead to a more positive classroom culture.
Although spending a school day within the confines of a self-contained classroom can
hamper social interaction, extracurricular activities as well as elective courses can afford all
students time for peer-to-peer interactions. The mass movement of these students into the LRE
has indeed resulted in confusion, backlash, and decreased individualized instruction. A
combination of numerous factors has translated into negative growth for those receiving special
education services as well as little academic interaction between them and their non-disabled
peers (Ryndak, Taub, Jorgensen, Gonsier-Gerdin, et. al., 2014). Currently there is no
instructional model that can guarantee an increase in scholastic achievement using the inclusion
concept, thus a re-evaluation of inclusion from an operational standpoint is imperative.
The problems resulting from inclusion may be related to structure and not function. When
schools were mandated to include students with disabilities into the classroom, they were not
provided a model for implementation. As a result there is inconsistency across the country in
how an inclusive classroom should look. Literature concerning special education believes that

5. INCLUSION AND ITS IMPACT 5
the ideal inclusion classroom should include both a general education and special education
teacher and if needed a paraprofessional. The teachers are to plan together and deliver instruction
using whatever model they deem fit (i.e. co-teaching, small groups, etc.). The presence of two
certified teachers should increase the equity and equality of instruction for all students. Yet
schools across Louisiana are failing to employ this strategy. Several issues including funding,
lack of respect for special education instruction, and disregard of state policies, has contributed
to this failure. School leaders may say that district personnel do not provide a budget large
enough to place two certified educators in one classroom. Others may state that there is a
shortage of certified special educators necessary for this arrangement. To offset the financial
support needed for two certified teachers per class, school leaders are using paraprofessionals in
place of special education teachers. This scenario decreases the value of inclusion and increases
the chances of ineffective instruction due to overtaxed teaching professionals. Given that
paraprofessionals are not necessarily formal teachers, they may not possess the content
knowledge or training crucial to drive student achievement in the inclusive classroom. Until
funding is rerouted to support the inclusive classroom structure, the progress of general
education will falter in schools.
As pressure increases for teachers to produce students who demonstrate proficiency on
state assessments, differentiating instruction for unique learners can become a burden. The state
of Louisiana evaluates teacher success based on two factors; classroom observations and student
standardized assessment data. If a certain percentage of a teacher’s students fail to demonstrate
positive growth on state standardized assessments, the teacher can be deemed ineffective and fail
to be retained for the next school year. Students who receive subpar inclusive special education
instruction can negatively skew the end-of-year data of these teachers. The focus of instruction is

6. INCLUSION AND ITS IMPACT 6
on those general education students whose achievement can positively offset the negative impact
imposed by the scores of their peers with accommodations. This fact may lead to the negative
feelings towards inclusion some teacher bear.
The state of Louisiana has required that all individuals graduating from a teacher
certification program after 2011 obtain a dual certification in special education as well as their
content area of expertise. State leaders are attempting to close the gap in the shortage of special
education teachers in the state. This initiative will increase the number of special education
teachers within a school and allow many teachers flexibility within their career field. From my
experience, this approach is working against the inclusion model and the progress of general
education. Teachers who are dual certified are overwhelmed with responsibilities because they
are not receiving special education support within their classrooms. Principals operate under the
assumption that a dual certified classroom teacher can handle both populations of students with
little help. This is an erroneous belief that is stifling the academic progress of all students in
schools across the state. The inclusion of students with disabilities into the special education
classroom is to include key personnel for functionality. A dual certified classroom teacher with
overcrowded classrooms, students with wide-ranging disabilities, and without the help of special
education personnel will struggle to maintain a stable learning environment.
Students in both general and special education have developed pessimistic preconceived
notions and beliefs surrounding inclusion. General education students become frustrated with the
constant redirection needed to manage students with emotional and/or behavioral problems or
other students who struggle to stay on task. Students receiving special education services
oftentimes feel invisible because they are struggling to connect to the learning experience.

7. INCLUSION AND ITS IMPACT 7
Subsequently, they exhibit negative behavior or withdraw completely. Both scenarios are
common in inner city schools and counter the formation of a prosperous inclusion classroom.
As a teacher with 5 years of experience in inner city schools, I have yet to witness the
ideal model of inclusion. A glimpse into the typical classroom will reveal classrooms filled to
capacity (30-40 students) with an average of eight students requiring special education services.
Gone are the veteran teachers who resemble family elders and whose mere presence garners
respect. They have been replaced by teachers with minimal formal training, especially in the area
of special education and cultural sensitivity. The classroom has become a power struggle
between the teacher and those who inadvertently or consciously upset the learning atmosphere.
Upholding the integrity of the teaching profession has become a struggle for both novice and
veteran teachers.
Literature Review
Since the execution of IDEA, researchers around the globe have sought to determine the
impact of inclusion on learning. An immense amount of research exists that discusses the
experiences of students with disabilities and their educational gains or losses since the onset of
IDEA. Teacher preparedness/acceptance, school resources, and research-based inclusion models
are some of many factors that affect efficacy. A major opponent of effectual inclusionary
progress, according to some researchers, is teacher preparedness and/or willingness to follow the
inclusion models. Hwang and Evans (2011) conducted a study that sought to determine the
attitudes of general education teachers towards inclusion. The researched revealed that 55.16%
of the participants were unwilling to follow inclusion models within their general education
classrooms. If teachers are reluctant to change their best practices to suit the needs of unique
learners, there will be a stagnation or declination of achievement for those students.

8. INCLUSION AND ITS IMPACT 8
Inclusion has become a global trend in its implementation, successes, and failures.
Schools districts worldwide have faltered in their effort to prepare teachers for the challenges of
an inclusion classroom. General education teachers are now required to take on a more active
role in the education and achievement of students with disabilities (McCray and McHatton,
2011). Therefore, if teachers are not trained or given time to adjust to these changes, they will
inadvertently affect student performance. If teachers are given a chance to internalize their
knowledge of inclusion and commit to its practices, they would have a strong impact on its
efficacy (Weiner, 2003).
Few educational specialists have chronicled the gains and losses of the general education
student population as a result of inclusion. Huber, Rosenfeld, and Fiorello (2001) questioned the
impact inclusion has on the achievement of high, medium and low performing students. The
authors hypothesized that the push towards inclusionary instruction would place an added stress
on the classroom teacher. Teachers would struggle to meet the needs of individual students and
that added classroom resources are not guaranteed. Their data-driven research study found that
inclusion positively impacted the low performing students, increasing both their math and
reading progress. On the other hand, the reading and math scores of higher performing students
remained stagnate or regressed.
The perception of the general education classroom though the eyes of students with
disabilities is important for determining the success of those students (Hansen and Boody, 1998.)
Integration of these students into the LRE was thought to result in equal rights for all, but
students do not always perceive the general education classroom as a positive experience.
Ryndak, Taub, Jorgensen, Gonsier-Gerdin, et. al. (2014) expressed that the self-contained special
education setting indeed stalled academic advancement, but students did not put forth effort to

9. INCLUSION AND ITS IMPACT 9
engage themselves in the general education classroom. This supports my opinion that inclusion
can affect the equity of education for all students in the inclusion classroom.
Future Directions
Consistency is needed to eradicate the problems that have developed due to the mass
implementation of inclusion. In the near future, the United States Department of Education, in
conjunction with state educational leaders, must develop a research-based inclusion model to be
used in all classrooms throughout the country. When IDEA mandates took effect, it failed to
guide school leaders into forming an inclusion model that teachers could use with fidelity while
producing positive student results. As a result, chaos ensued. An increasing number of teachers
hold negative outlooks on special education instruction, viewing it as a challenge not worth
fighting. They are being overworked and over-trained on irrelevant inclusion practices that only
work in an ideal classroom. Behavior management of students with disabilities has become the
basis of general education. Changing the attitudes of educators is needed for the academic
growth of all students. Teaching is a profession that requires attributes such as patience,
creativity, and content mastery (Shaunessy and McHatton, 2009), but without adequate training
those attributes are useless within the classroom. Providing valuable education and in-classroom
supports through a uniform inclusion model will help to sway teacher attitudes and prove the
academic benefit of inclusion for all students.
Poorly executed federal mandates have placed general and special education students at a
disadvantage. Classrooms are over-crowded and have little to no special education supports. An
inclusion model that will increase rigor but is differentiated to accommodate all students can
have a great impact on overall achievement of all learners. It is the responsibility of educational

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policymakers to unravel the convoluted ideologies surrounding how inclusion should be
practiced so that all learners are receiving an equitable and equal education.

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References
Hansen, L. L., & Boody, R. M. (1998). Special education students' perceptions of their
mainstreamed classes. Education, 118(4), 610.
Huber, K. D., Rosenfeld, J. G. and Fiorello, C. A. (2001). The differential impact of inclusion
and inclusive practices on high, average, and low achieving general education students.
Psychology in Schools, 38 (6), 497–504.
Hwang, Y. and Evans, D. (2011). Attitudes towards inclusion: Gaps between belief and practice.
International Journal of Special Education, 26(1), 136-146.
McCray, E. D., & McHatton, P. A. (2011). "Less afraid to have "them" in my classroom":
Understanding pre-service general educators' perceptions about inclusion. Teacher
Education Quarterly, 38(4), 135-155.
Muscott, H.S. (1995). A process for facilitating the appropriate inclusion of students with
emotional/behavioral disorders. Education & Treatment of Children, 18(3), 369-386.
Ryndak, D. L., Taub, D., Jorgensen, C. M., Gonsier-Gerdin, J., Arndt, K., Sauer, J., Ruppar, A.,
Morningstar, M. Allcock, H. (2014). Policy and the impact on placement, involvement,
and progress in general education: Critical issues that require rectification. Research &
Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 39(1), 65-74
Shaunessy, E. and McHatton, P. (2009). Urban students’ perceptions of teachers: Views of
students in general, special, and honors education. Urban Rev, 41, 486-503.
Weiner, H. M. (2003). Effective inclusion. Teaching Exceptional Children, 35(6), 12.