Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Including Learners with Low-Incidence Disabilities

Inclusive practices are at the cornerstone of what we share with students as they prepare to work with diverse groups of children in schools. Drs. Robin Drogan and Darlene Perner, Department of Exceptionality Programs, College of Education, published a chapter, Facilitating Systems of Support, in the book Including Learners with Low-Incidence Disabilities.

This book, Volume 5 in the International Perspectives on Inclusive Education series, brings a global perspective to a topic that is not often covered: supports for students with low-incidence disabilities. Drogan and Perner’s chapter highlights the major features necessary to facilitate inclusive education for students with low-incidence disabilities. Some of the features include: values and beliefs, rights, relationships, a sense of belonging, effective practices, and school community and culture. They focus on quality implementation of effective instruction and strong collaborative practices. Teachers are central to the creation of change in schools. When teachers create systems to embrace all children, we can succeed in sustained inclusion of students with low-incidence disabilities.