History, rhetoric, and reality - Analysis of the inclusion debate

Issues surrounding the integration at students with disabilities into gener al education classrooms are explored in this article. The history of this d ebate is examined first by tracing the movement from mainstreaming and the least restrictive environment in 1975, to the call for a more integrated sy stem during the 1980s under the Regular Education Initiative, and to full i nclusion of all students in age-appropriate general education classrooms, w ith no separate special education. Next. the research investigating percept ions and attitudes about inclusion, the tenor of the general education clas sroom, and the preparation and ability of general education teachers to dea l effectively with special education students is summarized. Finally, the d issonance between rhetoric and reality is explored. By ignoring research ev idence, the inclusion debate has elevated discussion to the ideological lev el, where competing conflicts of vision are difficult to resolve. It is con cluded that a rational solution requires the consideration of all forms of evidence if the best possible education for all students with disabilities is to be achieved.