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Learning Together: Inclusionary Practices Maintain Rigor, Provides Support
Sunshine streams into an Issaquah High School classroom. Students are working on solving algebraic systems through graphing. This fall, it’s one of many classes across all grades and schools in the District where inclusionary practices are being used. They have enhanced the education model for our students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). What it looks like, in the simplest terms, is a room full of high school students doing algebra with the support of two co-teachers.
“The kids have said they love being with their peers,” said Maywood Middle School teacher Andrea VanHorn. “That’s huge for me. I hear, ‘I’m happy because I’m with my peers. I don’t feel isolated.’”
VanHorn teaches English Language Arts in Special Education. On one recent morning, she co-taught a lesson with fellow Maywood teacher Kevin Comfort. The two educators asked students to look for fictional characters’ “tough questions.” They asked what those questions made the students think about in response. Then, VanHorn read a book aloud while the students listened.
At the heart of inclusionary practices are caring school and classroom communities that educate learners with diverse needs. Inclusionary practices in schools foster an equitable learning environment where all students belong and can thrive. This approach is supported by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law requires school districts to ensure students with disabilities are educated alongside their peers in the least restrictive environment.
Educating students with disabilities in inclusive settings positively impacts their academic and social outcomes, Dr. Thomas Hehir and fellow authors share in “A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education.” The report also noted that research has shown a positive impact on academic and social growth for students who do not have a disability. In Washington State, the movement toward inclusionary practices is encouraged by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The OSPI Special Education Department has actively promoted inclusive practices for a number of years. The goal is to increase student access to core instruction and general education settings.
Apollo Elementary Principal Julie Rojo said that she and her team examined equity and inclusion throughout all of their school-wide procedures, schedules, and culture.
“One change that we implemented this year was to ensure that all of our students were having lunch and recess with their grade-level cohorts,” Rojo said. “Our students not only have an opportunity to get to know one another in the classroom, but they also have the opportunity now to sit together during lunch, run around together at recess, and play games, building friendships and social skills.”
The Apollo team also made adjustments to the school drop-off and pick-up procedures. “We prioritized safety while also unifying all of our students,” she explained. She noted that all buses now arrive at and leave from the same area. “On the first day of implementation, we saw excitement and smiles as students walked out the front doors of Apollo. We overheard one of our students say to their Special Education teacher, ‘Can we do this every day?’”
From an instructional perspective, effective inclusion requires collaboration between general education and special education teachers. They need to deliver the same content with modifications to the materials and methods. By working together, our teachers maintain rigor and content and are able to support all students. For example, in the algebra classroom, the two teachers demonstrated several problems visually using the projector while verbally explaining the math problems. Then, students worked in pairs to solve problems together on a whiteboard. The two teachers circulated through the room to answer questions and help students who were struggling. The class includes students with and without Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans.
Within an inclusion model, instructional rigor is held to the same high level necessary to meet grade-level standards. General education and special education teachers collaborate to diversify and build lessons to meet the needs of all learners. Additionally, successful inclusionary practices ensure students attend school in caring communities; learners have a sense of belonging and are treated as valued members of the school and learning community. This also helps students develop authentic relationships with their peers. It also helps students build important social-emotional learning skills such as self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills.
In an Apollo fifth-grade classroom, teacher Jennifer Davis talked with her students, who were gathered together on the carpet at the front of the room. It was election day, and Davis was teaching a lesson about how to be an informed voter. She read a mock voter’s pamphlet that included a fictional initiative, referendum, and a race between two candidates (“Sasquatch” and “Lake Chelan Dragon”). Davis read part of the pamphlet aloud, pointing out the “statement for” and “statement against.” Then, students worked together in small groups to read more of the pamphlet. After reading the pamphlet, they each had the chance to fill out a practice ballot as individual “voters.”
After class, Davis shared that the academic range in her class extends several grades below and above fifth grade for reading and math; it also includes students with and without IEPs. Whenever they work in small groups, Davis picks different groups of students to work together so that they can all build relationships and learn from one another. Davis and special education teacher Erin Courtmanch work together to support all the students in the class.
At Maywood Middle School, VanHorn shared that she and Principal Erin Armstrong and other teachers worked to intentionally build schedules to help provide the best supports for students. These schedules also allow time for teachers to collaborate. They have been working to adjust plans and arrangements along the way; however, they have already seen the benefits of inclusionary practices.
These practices are being adopted systemwide, from our youngest learners to our older students.
“Inclusion-based practices are not only essential for fostering equitable educational environments but are also deeply rooted in our shared humanity,” said Dr. Luisa Sanchez-Nilsen, Early Childhood Education District Coordinator. “Demonstrating these practices reflects our commitment to recognizing and valuing the inherent worth of every individual, regardless of their background, abilities, or challenges. By creating spaces where all voices are heard, all differences are respected, and every learner is provided with the tools to succeed, we embody a humane approach to education. This commitment to inclusion reflects our belief in the dignity of every person and our dedication to building compassionate, supportive communities where everyone belongs and thrives.”
