Professional Statement - Inclusive education is a developmental approach seeking to address the learning needs of all children, youth and adults with a specific focus on those who are vulnerable to exclusion. We believe in inclusive programs in schools and classrooms.  This learning environment is a place where all students can go to. Most important, the students with special needs are welcomed by their neighborhood schools are educated together in age-appropriate, regular classes which promote supported learning, participate and contribute in all aspects of the existence of the school.

Needs Assessment – During this process the needs of the student are assessed to see if the child fits in the category of special education.  This process is executed by various staff members within the school as well as from the district office.  Parents are a vital component of this part.  The child’s educational, medical, nursing, social and other needs are taken into account.  A group including teachers, educational psychologist and representatives from health as well as social service are set up to assist in the process to determine if the student is in need of special education.

Reference: http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/Learning/Special/assessment.htm

Classroom Observations – Learning may occur in a variety of physical locations, such as schools, resource rooms, libraries, workshops or field centers. The types of learning activity in each of these situations are often attributed to the needs of the student. Apart from the physical location, the learning environment also takes in a teaching delivery and approaches to learning. Think about the skills a student requires taking part in the various learning environments. These may be visual, auditory or tactile skills. They may be related to language, perception, memory, concentration or other attributes that are easily taken for granted. A lack of or a difficulty with any of these skills or attributes may affect knowledge acquisition, construction and assimilation. This in turn will affect your teaching delivery and strategies and how learning materials are used.

Inclusive Practices
There are three types of inclusion to consider when considering inclusion.  They are Mainstreaming, Inclusion, and Full Inclusion.

Full Inclusion means that all students, regardless of handicapping condition or severity, will be in a regular classroom/program full time. All services must be taken to the child in that setting.  In contrast, those who support inclusion believe that the child always should begin in the regular environment and be removed only when appropriate services cannot be provided in the regular classroom.

Advocacy Efficacy-
Self-advocacy is best described as the expression and fulfillment of one’s needs. Once students are able to describe their needs (e.g., the functional limitations of their disability) and request the accommodations needed to enable them to function effectively, they are considered self-advocates. For instance, a student with a learning disability that affects writing composition should be able to describe what she needs to help her succeed in an English class. Further, the student must have the skills to seek out ways to accommodate her disability.

Reference: http://www.ode.state.or.us/gradelevel/hs/transition/selfdetermination.pdf

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments (Bandura, 1977, 1986, 1997). Self-efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behavior, and social environment. These cognitive self-evaluations influence all manner of human experience, including the goals for which people strive, the amount of energy expended toward goal achievement, and likelihood of attaining particular levels of behavioral performance.

Reference: http://www.apa.org/pi/aids/tipself.html