Creating an Inclusive School

As the percentage of students with disabilities continues to increase, you can make sure your school provides the least restrictive environment for these students by using this updated guide to inclusion. Experts on inclusion share their wisdom and daily practices, including classroom and schoolwide strategies for providing the best educational opportunities for all students. Learn the impact of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation on special needs students, and explore promising curricular and instructional practices that foster inclusive education, including cooperative learning, teaming, multi-age grouping, multicultural education, social skills training, and technology applications. Personal stories about special needs students, and the parents and educators who work with them, vividly portray the challenges and benefits that come with an inclusive approach to schooling.

Learn more about Richard Villa's PD offeringsRichard A. Villa is president of Bayridge Consortium, Inc. His primary field of expertise is the development of administrative and instructional support systems for educating all students within general education settings. Villa is recognized as an educational leader who inspires and works collaboratively with others to implement current and emerging exemplary educational practices. His work has resulted in the inclusion of children with intensive cognitive, physical, and emotional challenges as full members of the general education community in the school districts where he has worked and consulted. Villa has been a classroom teacher, special education administrator, pupil personnel services director, and director of instructional services and has authored 4 books and over 70 articles and chapters. Known for his enthusiastic, humorous style, Villa has presented at international, national, and state educational conferences and has provided technical assistance to departments of education in the United States, Canada, Vietnam, and Honduras and to university personnel, public school systems, and parent and advocacy organizations.

Jacqueline S. Thousand, PhD, is a professor in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at California State University San Marcos, teaching and facilitating special education professional preparation and master s programs. Prior to living in California, she directed the Inclusion Facilitator and Early Childhood Special Education graduate and postgraduate professional preparation programs at the University of Vermont. While there, she also coordinated several federal grants, all concerned with providing professional development for educators to facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities in local schools. Jacqueline is a nationally known teacher, author, systems change consultant, and advocate for disability rights and inclusive education. She has authored numerous books, research articles, and chapters on issues related to inclusive schooling, organizational change, differentiated instruction and universal design, cooperative group learning, creative problem solving, and co-teaching and collaborative planning. She is actively involved in local school reform initiatives in the San Diego area, most recently assisting elementary, middle, and high schools in establishing co-teaching and Multi-Tiered System of Support approaches to provide all students access to the core curriculum and early intervention supports. She also is actively involved in international teacher education endeavors and serves on the editorial boards of several national and international journals. Jacqueline is a versatile communicator who is known for her creative, fun-filled, action-oriented teaching style.