In an ideal situation, all of the classrooms needs supporting the success of inclusion should be provided by the school system. Ideal situations just do not exist frequently enough, and educational reform is not immune to this problem. A pessimist at heart, I feel that Hodgkinson's Reform versus Reality is right on target. In order for reforms to have any impact on the American education system, we must first cure the ills of the nation's families. This is a colossal problem, and it will take an entire nation to solve it.
Educators can help.
One strategy a teacher can utilize, is to get to know their families. Make regular parent phone calls, conference many times more than the obligatory two per year, invite parents into the classroom, provide opportunities for after school and weekend get-togethers, invite grandparents into the classroom, survey your parents attitudes and beliefs about education. In conclusion, there are many programs being initiated by the reform movement since the publication of A Nation at Risk. Cultural pluralism, sexism, moral education, mainstreaming, and preparedness for reform are only a small collection of issues which affect educational philosophy. The existence of reform movements reflects a developing society which sets high goals for its members.