# Inclusion Q&A: 11 Common Questions Answered

January 10, 2017

Have questions about inclusion? Part of our mission at the Inclusion Lab is to connect you with answers from the experts–and that’s what today’s post is about.

In their book [**_The Educator’s Handbook for Inclusive School Practices,_**](http://products.brookespublishing.com/The-Educators-Handbook-for-Inclusive-School-Practices-P866.aspx) Julie Causton and Chelsea Tracy-Bronson provide concise answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about inclusion, including queries about pull-out services, IEPs, paraprofessionals, and challenging behaviors. We’re bringing you excerpts of 11 of these questions and answers today. Share these with your colleagues, your principal, or anyone who has concerns about the practical nuts and bolts of inclusion.

### **Q. I am a special education teacher and have so many students on my caseload. How can I provide services to them all inclusively?**

A. One thing that has become clear in the law is that staff convenience is not a justification to pull students. Therefore, you might determine which students need direct support, which students can receive consult services, and for which students you will stop by to monitor progress. Then, arrange your schedule to match those needs. Instead of thinking about your caseload as static and unchanging  think of appropriate times to provide such services and generally problem-solve across a student’s day.

### **Q. What’s wrong with pull-out services?**

A. Pull-out service provision has deleterious effects on a student’s self-esteem and ability to learn, and it disrupts a sense of belonging. Students with disabilities have the right to learn and socialize alongside their grade-level peers. Most important, however, the purpose of these services is to support students in navigating their school day and gaining independence.

### **Q. How do I meet the number of minutes for special education services on the IEPs unless I pull students out?**

A. Services can be carried out in many ways. The law suggests that services are portable and should be brought to the student. Therefore, your time could be spent pushing into the general education classroom, running a center, or even recommending ideas to the other educators about how to carry out specific skills while they teach.

### **Q. Does every student with a disability need a paraprofessional to succeed in an inclusive class?**

A. Inclusion in the general education classroom does not necessarily mean the student will need an adult assigned to support him or her. The general and special education teachers are expected to work together to adapt instruction, learning experiences, and the environment in order to provide access and support for the student.

### **Q. Is the special educator ultimately responsible for teaching the students who receive special education services?**

A. In inclusive education, students are not separated by ability or disability. All students are taught in a heterogeneous classroom where the general education teacher and the special education teacher work together to create an engaging, exciting, and joyful classroom where all students learn from both teachers.

### **Q. What if the academic gap between the student and her or his peers is “too large”?**

A. A student’s placement in school is based on individual needs, not achievement or cognitive levels as compared to grade-level peers. The role of special education is to provide the academic supports to help each student gain access to the general education content.

### **Q. This student’s challenging behavior makes other students not want to be around him or her. What do I do about that?**

A. First, you have to assume that the student is worthy of friendships and relationships. Help support the student in a way that will both minimize the behavior and help others understand the behavior.

### **Q. When a direction is given, a student calls my name and asks me to come and help. I am trying to fade my support, but the student will not do anything without me by her side. What should I do?**

A. This student has become very dependent on adult support. Try talking to the student about the need to try things by herself or about asking peers for help. Encourage all students in the class to use and provide help to one another.

### **Q. I understand why I should fade my support, but I worry that will not count as student contact minutes. What can I do while I am fading my support?**

A. This is a common concern. “Direct contact minutes” does not mean you are in direct contact with students. Instead, it means they are engaged in learning experiences that you have helped to construct with your expertise.

### **Q. Should a student leave the room if he or she is distracting other students?**

A. Leaving the room should be the absolute last resort. Try many different stay-put supports. Help the student stay in the environment for all of the reasons mentioned in this chapter.

### **Q. What does it take to create and maintain an inclusive classroom?**

A. It takes creativity, collaboration, student advocacy, agency, resourcefulness, and a heart for this work, along with a set of skills related specifically to inclusion.