SEVEN PILLARS OF SUPPORT FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Moving from "Why?" to "How?"

Introduction The discourse around inclusive education is slowly moving from a justification of why the approach is one which should be adopted, to how it can be successfully implemented (Forlin, Sharma, & Loreman, 2006). The advantages of an inclusive approach toward educating all learners has been well outlined in research and literature. It is increasingly evident, especially over the past 10 years, that there are social, academic, and even financial benefits for school systems and all children involved in inclusive education (for example see Bunch & Valeo, 1998; Cole, Waldron, & Majd, 2004; Manset & Semmel, 1997; McGregor & Vogelsberg, 1998; Sobsey, 2005). Add to this the moral, ethical, and social justice issues which have been raised in the literature (Lindsay, 2004; Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey, 2005; Slee & Cook, 1999; Uditsky, 1993), and it becomes clear that segregated forms of education are becoming increasingly hard to justify on any level. Indeed, the argument that segregated forms of education have any real benefits for children (over the alternative, inclusive education) is a position which is now indefensible. Clear advantages of segregated education are not evident in the research literature, and never have been (Sobsey, 2005). It is now time to accept that most teachers work in environments where children with diverse needs are present, and to examine how they can best be supported in order to provide meaningful education for all children. What follows is intended to be a catalyst for conversations around the conditions required for 'good' inclusion to occur, rather than an exact blueprint for implementation. Inclusive education Definitions of inclusive education abound. It is because of this that it is important that the term be defined prior to any discussion. The term 'inclusive education' has been variously interpreted to, at times, mean the exact opposite of what it should mean. For example, consider a recent conversation with a Canadian teacher in which she said "I do inclusive education in my segregated classroom because all these children with behaviour problems are included together. " This is an Orwellian (1949) misinterpretation (likely deliberate, considering it came from someone working in the 'special education' field) of the term 'inclusive education. ' Loreman and Deppeler (2002) argue that inclusive education for a child with a disability in almost every way resembles the sort of education that children without disabilities are able to enjoy. This means no segregated classes, and full membership in the regular classroom, where children with disabilities spend the vast majority of their time and participate in all class activities, even if these need to be modified. According to Loreman and Deppeler, one goal of inclusion is for every school to be ready to not only accept, but welcome children with disabilities. This may involve not only a change in the way schools are structured and work, but also in the attitudes, beliefs, and values of school staff. This echoes Uditsky (1993) who states that In the inclusive classroom the student with a significant disability, regardless of the degree or nature of that disability, is a welcomed and valued member. The student is: taught by the regular classroom teacher (who is supported as needed); follows the regular curriculum (with modification and adaptation); makes friends; and contributes to the learning of the entire class [and] . participates in all aspects of school life according to her interests and moves year to year with her peers from kindergarten through high school (p. 79). Seven pillars of support for inclusive education There is now a large body of literature on how best to support inclusive education. Much of this literature, however, directly examines and advocates specific classroom practices and strategies (see for example Loreman, Deppeler, & Harvey, 2005; Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2000). …