Rural Aboriginal Australians experience disadvantage across a number of significant social and economic outcomes, including educational engagement and achievement. Current debate postulates that educational environments and systems perpetuate this disadvantage. This qualitative study aimed to contribute to the debate by taking a broader ecological…

Background: Past studies have found that people supported in more individualised housing options tend to have levels of community participation and wider social networks than those in other accommodation options. Yet, the contribution of support staff in facilitating social inclusion has received relatively scant attention. Methods: In all 245…

Informal science education (ISE) experiences can provide powerful opportunities for people with disabilities to experience and learn about science. When designed to be inclusive, such experiences can lead people with disabilities to feel competent and empowered as science learners, generate excitement and enthusiasm for science, and be equitable…

We conducted an online statewide survey of teachers of students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities to determine the extent to which their students were included in school extracurricular and community recreation activities. For the 252 teacher respondents who indicated that their primary caseload consisted of students with…

The purpose of this study was to examine the social participation of young children with disabilities in inclusive preschool programs. One hundred forty-three preschool-aged children with disabilities were observed in classrooms representing four organizational contexts: community-based, Head Start, public school, and blended. Children's and…

Fifteen mentally retarded adults living in group home and intermediate group residences (IGR) were interviewed. All participants spent majority of their time in their homes. Men played a more active role in their integration than did women. IGR men and women went less often into the community and rarely (IGR men) or never (IGR women) went out…

The friendship status of 58 preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive child care settings in North Carolina was examined. The majority of children were found to have at least one friend. Associated factors included diagnosis, developmental level, behavioral characteristics, characteristics of the friend, similarities between the child and the…

A study examined parent and caregiver perceptions of educational opportunities for 17 students with severe disabilities in an inclusive high school and 27 students with severe disabilities in a high school that focused on community-based programs. Results indicate that interview participants supported inclusive schools and believed children were…

This newsletter focuses on what works in inclusive education. A major article is "Inclusive Education: Needs of Minnesota Families--Major Findings from a 'Together We're Better' Study." This article presents findings of a statewide survey of families of children with disabilities. Findings are categorized within four areas: (1)…

This experimental study examined the Early Childhood Inclusion Support Program (ECIS).The program uses empirically-based procedures to support effective strategies of inclusion in preschool, including training for program collaboration and implementation through direct services to students and through support for teachers, and through…

A survey of 518 service providers found high levels of knowledge and adherence to values of inclusion regarding the need to provide opportunities for engaging consumers with disabilities in community daily activities and rights for services. Employees had less knowledge of activities intended to provide opportunities to make choices. (Author/CR)

Presented is an analysis of selected research and program literature which is coordinated with an extensive reference list on the integration of the handicapped into regular physical education (PE) and recreation programs. Included are statements on mainstreaming in public school PE, athletic, and intramural programs; community recreation…

The effects of deinstitutionalization on 110 severely to profoundly mentally retarded and 68 moderately to severely retarded children drawn from Laconia State School in New Hampshire were examined. Study objectives were to determine: (1) educational and residential consequences of deinstitutionalization; (2) the stability of community placements;…

A survey of 312 teachers and families of students with severe disabilities in California, Colorado, Kentucky, Utah, and Virginia was designed to measure the extent of implementation of 12 educational "best practices" and the level of demonstration of 7 student outcome variables. The educational practices included: integration into school and…