Keys to successful inclusive education: A look from practical experience

Inclusion of learners experiencing disabilities challenges traditional reliance on segregated education. With leadership from the United Nations and an increasing number of nations, inclusive education is obtaining global impact. As nations begin inclusive practice, it is becoming apparent that this new human rights and social justice approach to education and disability is characterized by a set of definable key elements. These "keys" are a blend of values, attitude systems, and educational practices. They range through desire to find and implement new ways to educate people experiencing disabilities, the emergence of leadership, respect for all acts of learning, broader appreciation of individual achievement, understanding that all demonstrations of learning have value, realizing and accepting that regular class teachers know the basics required to teach diverse groups, the power and flexibility of universally accessible curricula, the value of collaboration among educators, parents, and others, and determination to persist with educational change despite resistance from conservative groups. The final key is the decision to begin and then to follow through with progressive change. A brief discussion of each key is presented.