This paper presents an overview of the current situation with integration and inclusion in Russia. It explores the challenges of special education and legislation. It provides some examples of integration and inclusion initiatives and discusses them as examples of social transformations in post-Soviet Russia. The study concludes that the world…

Over the past decades significant changes have occurred throughout all aspects of the field of Special Education in Spain. One of these changes is related to appropriate and effective instruction for students with disabilities and diverse educational needs in inclusive classroom placements. All of these change efforts have created the need to…

Crucial to the successful inclusion of young children with disabilities is the premise that benefit occurs when children socialize with peers and are actively involved in preschool activities including play. Playgroups are often primary to learning in typical preschool classrooms since it is within playgroups that preschool-age children learn both…

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of school integration for disabled students in the Italian state school system, according to two criteria: the mainstream and the special teachers' point of view concerning the disabled students' social and syllabus integration, and the sense of loneliness of the disabled students in their classes.…

This article provides a critical evaluation of recent developments in government policy for disabled people in Britain. A brief outline of the re-definition of disability as social oppression by disabled activists and their organizations is provided. This is followed by a brief outline of its impact on recent government policy which aims to…

Linet Arthur's article explores an issue of concern to all teachers from time to time, no matter what the age group they teach. It is refreshing, therefore, to read this study of a project carried out in a group of primary schools which had a positive impact at all the schools involved. While many articles published in this journal touch on the…

This commentary on a paper by Douglas Fuchs and Lynn Fuchs identifies several rhetorical devices that the paper used to attack the proponents of inclusive education: "create the villain," academic sleight of hand, and "portray oneself as a pragmatist and portray the intellectual opponents as zealots." (JDD)

One of the provisions of the law for special education in Cyprus is for children considered as having special needs to be educated in "special units". The purpose of this study is to investigate and observe the way that "special units" function in the educational environment in Cyprus, paying particular attention to one unit in…

This article uses a sociocultural framework to propose an expanded view of least restrictive environment. It focuses on the individual child in interaction with the social organization of specific activity settings rather than the physical location (regular or special education classroom), which can be either facilitating or restrictive in either…

This paper presents arguments and evidence from research and practice in support of a series of statements concerning inclusion of students with disabilities as a force for school renewal and the building of the school community. The statements are: (1) inclusion heightens awareness of the school as community; (2) inclusion is a cultural force for…

The study examined perceptions of issues associated with inclusive education of 437 parents from a midwestern state in the United States who have a child with a mild, moderate, or severe disability. Parents responded to a modified form of the Opinions Related to Mainstreaming (ORM) Scale (Antonak & Larrivee, 1995) and provided additional…

This literature review examined five terms used to describe the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education schools and classrooms. The objective was to determine if these terms have consistent definitions and descriptions. Major journals and texts in education, and position statements and newsletters from special education…

Describes successful practices for the socialization of students with and without disabilities in the general education classroom. A model of inclusion conducive to establishing positive interactions and communication among students with and without disabilities is presented. Effective intervention strategies involving the relationship between two…

Increased participation and success in education for disabled people will improve their social inclusion and benefit society in general. In this article Louca-Mai Wilson discusses Disability Rights Commission research on education and its implications for policy and practice. Research findings are considered in relation to the need for the voices…

This publication presents papers from 13 nations that describe the integration of children with disabilities into early childhood education programs. The compilation of case studies will serve as a reference document for the International Consultation on Early Childhood Education and Special Educational Needs, organized by UNESCO in collaboration…