"Why restructure schools so that children of all abilities can be active and contributing members of their school communities? This book suggests that the complex process of creating homes within our schools for all children is a worthwhile endeavor, not only for children with disabilities, but for all members of the school community" (p. 1).

This book demonstrates that the groundwork for inclusion is most successful in general education, as a centerpiece of school restructuring The authors begin by examining several areas that indicate a reason for change, including the influence of political and social justice, innovative instruction and curriculum, the school as community, and personal experience. Then, the book presents a number of examples of inclusive school communities. Through these case studies, the authors emphasize and promote a genuine commitment and a process of change that would result in schools making equal academic efforts for all children.

TITLE: Achieving the complete school: Strategies for effective mainstreaming

AUTHOR: Biklen, D.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1985

This book clearly examines principles and strategies for use in achieving successful integration of students, including those with severe disabilities, into regular classrooms in neighborhood schools. Although there are separate chapters to address the particular role of several different groups--district special education administrator, school building principal, teacher, and parent--they emphasize and show that each group becomes "more effective when it understands the basic nature of the other groups' roles."

Co-authors of specific chapters include Robert Bogdan, Stanford J. Searl, Jr., Steven J. Taylor, and Dianne Ferguson. The areas examined include not only special education/regular education issues, such as principles for curriculum planning, but also the basic aspects of organization and change that make mainstreaming work. Numerous case examples illustrate the complexities involved in mainstreaming, the relationship of the process to the culture of schools, and the many critical issues affecting the integration of special and regular education. Based on the experiences of scores of administrators, teachers, and parents, the material in Achieving the complete school has been drawn from two extensive studies funded by the National Institute of Education and the U.S. Department of Education, and carried out simultaneously over three years.

TITLE: Schooling without labels: Parents, educators, and inclusive education

AUTHOR: Biklen, D.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1992

Starting with the question, "is there any place within the culture where integration already exists such that we could study it, learn from it, and apply principles from it to schools and other social settings?" Biklen closely examined the experiences of six families whose children with disabilities are full participants in family life. From his examination, Biklen is able to show that people with labels of disability are able to be full participants in many areas of life. However, contradictions exist between social policy and practices and life in the family for these people. This book teaches us how the principles of inclusion can be extended beyond family life to schools, community, and other social institutions.

TITLE: Special education does not mean special classes: Two parents' observations about Louisville, Kentucky's experiences in integrating special and regular education systems and students

AUTHORS: Brost, M., & Johnson, T.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1986

Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy
16 North Carroll Street, Suite 400
Madison, WI 53703

TITLE: Speechless: Facilitating communication for people without voice

AUTHOR: Crossley, R.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1997

In 1974, Rosemary Crossley was introduced to teenager Annie at an Australian institution for children with severe disabilities. Annie has cerebral palsy and was unable and was unable to communicate in a conventional sense of the word. However, together Rosemary and Annie figured out a means by which Annie could communicate. Annie learned to type using a communicator. Rosemary then went on to help a number of other people with disabilities and of various ages to communicate through the use of methods now housed under the name of facilitated communication. In this book we read about Annie, Derek, Michael, Carolyn, and Penny and their journey into this world of communication.

TITLE: Inclusive and heterogeneous schooling: Assessment, curriculum, and instruction

AUTHOR: Falvey, M. A. (Ed.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1995

This text is another wide ranging collection of chapters by a variety of authors, all with the view of including all children in schools, with particular emphasis on students with more severe disabilities. The first few chapters introduce the issues, including a history of services for children with disabilities, as well as the history of general education. There is a chapter on collaboration, as well as another on assessment to develop curriculum. This last chapter is followed by several detailed appendices showing an example of how to develop curriculum for a student with a severe disability. Several chapters focus on integrating services into the classroom, including motor skills and communication skills. In addition, there is one on how to create a classroom that is supportive of a diverse student body, as well as how to help all students develop and maintain friendships. Of particular interest for some people may be a chapter on inclusive preschool education. It is unusual for a book on inclusive education to include preschool issues, and this is a valuable addition.

TITLE: Curriculum decision making for students with severe handicaps: Policy and practice

AUTHOR: Ferguson, D. L.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1987

All too often, curricular goals like functional/community-based instruction, competitive work, and participation in community domestic and recreational activities have been dismissed as being unfeasible options for students with severe disabilities. By taking as data the meaning of curriculum to teachers, this fascinating and thought-provoking book analyzes the implications of these curricular goals for students with severe disabilities and looks at how secondary school teachers have translated and implemented these goals in their own classrooms.

The author concludes that, while new public policy mandating education for severely handicapped students has generated substantial changes, both systemic and individual, the reform has not been extensive enough to overthrow prevalent standards of productivity that measure human worth in terms of earning capacity. Thus, although many severely handicapped students increasingly participate in heterogeneous communities, too many do not and will not. It is the author's contention that teachers contribute to this failure by assuming its inevitability and denying their students the opportunity even to fail.

TITLE: Integration strategies for students with handicaps

AUTHOR: Gaylord-Ross, R. (Ed.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1989

Written as an introductory textbook for regular and special educators in training, this book represents a commitment to progressive inclusion for students with handicaps. The book is divided into three main sections: (1) the education of students with different types of disabilities; (2) innovative techniques in integration; and (3) the ecology of delivering services to persons with disabilities. Each chapter provides practical information, with actual teaching techniques in real situations being put forth. While the strategies for specific disabilities are helpful, it is important for the reader to recognize the fact that each student is an individual first, and that there are no prescribed techniques for specific disabilities. It would be erroneous for the reader to conclude that this is a "cookbook" for integration and disability. The innovative techniques for integration span a wide spectrum of options, and provide the reader with some interesting ideas.

TITLE: Choosing options and accommodations for children: A guide to planning inclusive education

AUTHORS: Giangreco, M. F., Cloninger, C. J., & Salce Iverson, V.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1993

This is a manual that is designed to be used by teachers and others to develop a plan to include all children in classrooms. The authors state in their introduction that although many books describe the benefits of inclusion, and may have sections on certain aspects, there are few how-to books available. This book starts to fill that void. They start out with a number of assumptions that form the basis of their planning guide, which are values that include the importance of the child's family in an educational plan, as well as the need to utilize collaborative teamwork. The first part of the manual shows how to set learning priorities within the context of the child's family. The second section shows how to translate these priorities into classroom goals, both long and short term. This includes the identification of any accommodations needed, and supports for the child in the classroom. The third part of the manual gives step by step instructions on how to implement the plans in an inclusive classroom. This last section is followed by a thorough list of references, as well as appendices that contain examples and sample forms referred to during the three main sections of the manual.

TITLE: Integrating general and special education

AUTHORS: Goodlad, J. I., & Lovitt, T. C. (Eds.).

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1993

Macmillan Publishing Company
866 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022

TITLE: Cultural diversity, families and the special education system

AUTHOR: Harry, B.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1992

This book offers a parent perspective on the special education process and offers a broad understanding of some of the cultural issues and disadvantages that come into play when families become involved in the special education system. The book is based on in-depth study of 12 Puerto-Rican American families and their experiences and perspectives related to the educational system.

TITLE: Improving educational outcomes for children with disabilities: Principles for assessment, program planning, and evaluation

AUTHOR: Kozloff, M. A.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1994

"Education can be of great benefit to children with disabilities and their families. It can bring children into the social world, help them acquire needed skills, and enable them to enjoy the richness of experience that is taken for granted by persons without disabilities." However, Kozloff reminds us that more often than not "the promise of education" for children with disabilities is unfulfilled. Furthermore, program evaluation is rarely carried out in manner that reveals how instruction may be altered to better facilitate progress for children. In this book the author discusses, through the use of numerous stories from his personal experience, issues regarding program assessment that include: educational aims, effects of social distance, common human needs, models of standard behavioral repertoires, socially insensitive assessments, learning through interactions with environments, families of children with developmental disabilities, coordinated and empowering programs, interviewing, and direct observations.

TITLE: Issues in the education of students with complex health care needs

AUTHORS: Lehr, D. H., & Noonan, M. J.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1989

In F. Brown & D.H. Lehr (Eds.), Persons with profound disabilities: Issues and practices (pp. 139-160). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

TITLE: Extraordinary children, ordinary lives: Stories behind special education case law

AUTHOR: Martin, R.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1991

This book is a collection of case studies "selected to illustrate the basic principles one needs to understand special education law." Chapter 1 gives an overview of the problems parents faced that caused Congress to pass PL 94-142. Chapters 2 through 6 treat the need for evaluation, consider what is meant by appropriate education, discuss how the IEP plan must specially design the educational offering, examine the role of related services, and illustrate the requirement for services to be provided in the least restrictive environment. Chapters 7 and 8 describe how students qualify for extended school year and extended school day programs. Finally, Chapters 9 through 12 cover the responsibility of the state education agency, the importance of the impartial hearing officer, and the potential for parents to be reimbursed for educational costs and attorneys' fees.

TITLE: Strategies for teaching exceptional children in inclusive settings

AUTHORS: Meyen, E. L., Vergason, G. A., & Whelan, R. J. (Eds.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1996

This comprehensive text is a useful resource for teachers and others who are looking for a guide to include all children in an inclusive environment. There are four basic sections to this book, and each one outlines specific ways to include all students. The first section is on curriculum and instruction, and there are several chapters on how to collaborate to serve children's diverse needs. These chapters describe specific ways to make collaboration work, while several other chapters look at issues such as educational standards for all students, as well as a chapter on effective co-teaching. The second section of this book is based on assessing the needs of all students in an inclusive classroom. The chapters in this section describe alternatives to traditional classification systems that most schools currently utilize. While one chapter specifically addresses children with learning disabilities, the other chapters on assessment are applied to all students.

The third section of this book focuses on classroom management for teachers in inclusive classrooms. This section does not take the traditional approach that children's behavior is managed as a euphemism for punishment, but instead shows how discipline for all students can be built into each classroom. Of particular interest is a chapter on dispute resolution within classrooms, where students resolve their own conflicts. The fourth and final section of the book is on collaboration, which brings together issues from the other chapters right into the classroom with all school personnel involved. One chapter focuses particularly on how special and general educators can best work together, augmented by specific examples. Another chapter explores the issue of consultation within the inclusive classroom, and how it can add to collaborative efforts.

TITLE: Information for parents of high school students with disabilities in transition to adult life

AUTHOR: Minnesota Department of Education

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1993

Real World Publications
9357 Cortland Court
Woodbury, MN 55125

TITLE: Cooperative learning and strategies for inclusion

AUTHOR: Putnam, J. (Ed.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1993

This book is designed to assist educators in meeting the needs of a diversity of learners--children with varying cognitive abilities; developmental and learning difficulties; sensory impairments; and different cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds--in inclusive classrooms. The objective of the book is to provide teachers, teaching assistants, administrators, support personnel, families, community members, and other professionals with suggestions for effectively implementing the cooperative learning approach in heterogeneous classrooms and schools. Chapters discuss the theoretical and empirical background of cooperative learning, as well as practical suggestions, case studies, illustrative examples, and lesson plans.

TITLE: Collaborative teams for students with severe disabilities: Integrating therapy and educational services

AUTHORS: Rainforth, B., York, J., & Macdonald, C.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1992

This book serves as a guide to help professionals who work with children with severe handicaps to employ team work in educational settings. The authors state that as people with severe disabilities are integrated into the community, so educators should integrate their roles to help children in schools. The authors are all trained as therapists, such as physical therapists and speech and language therapists; their main point is to integrate these kinds of services into the daily routines of students. The first section of the book provides a framework for a collaborative model. This includes a philosophical rationale, as well as legal. An important chapter in this section discusses the topic of including parents as a part of the student's team. The second section gets into planning stages of collaboration, and gives many examples. The focus is on the students within the educational settings, with professional intervention as secondary. The chapters take the reader through collaborative assessment, designing an educational plan, and curriculum adaptations. Finally, the third section describes implementation of collaborative education, giving many specific ideas on how to keep the team working well together.

TITLE: Curriculum considerations in inclusive classrooms: Facilitating learning for all students

AUTHORS: Stainback, S., & Stainback, W. (Eds.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1992

The focus of this book is on ways to adapt educational curriculum for all students in regular classrooms, including those with the most severe disabilities. The first section of the book introduces the concept of inclusive education, and gives some information on implementing inclusion in a classroom. Another part of the first section advises school personnel on figuring out what kinds of curriculum are appropriate for every student in an inclusive classroom. The second section of this book is the largest, and contains seven chapters on actually adapting curriculum, and utilizing it in the classroom. Most of these chapters address specific issues. For example, one chapter by the editors and another author describe using curriculum adaptation to create inclusive classrooms, while another describes how to integrate support personnel into inclusive classrooms. The book's third section brings up other issues related to educational curriculum, such as a chapter on how to include all students in extracurricular activities. In addition, there is a chapter written by parents of children with disabilities; they give feedback on how to include all parents. The book closes with a chapter on the challenges of curriculum in inclusive classrooms.

TITLE: Inclusion: A guide for educators

AUTHORS: Stainback, S., & Stainback, W. (Eds.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1996

This text is divided into six basic sections. The first is an introduction to inclusion, with one chapter devoted to the rationale for inclusion, another that gives an historical overview of inclusion in this country, and a third that discusses inclusion as a force for school renewal. The second section of the book is entitled Basic strategies, and there are a number of different issues presented. Among the more useful chapters in this section is a description of MAPS, Circles of Friends, and PATH. These are presented as tools that teachers may utilize, as a creative way for a community to support someone with a disability. The third section of the book is on collaboration, and many of these chapters focus on building friendships and building community. The fourth section looks at curriculum issues, with some chapters that provide concrete ways to plan curriculum, along with real life examples. Children's behavior in the inclusive classroom is the topic of the fifth chapter. These chapters are designed to assist teachers in setting up a successful classroom right from the beginning to prevent behavior problems, as well as give some information on dealing with problems as they arise. The last section of the book includes a chapter on the positive influences that inclusion has on the self-identity of people with disabilities; another focuses on the importance of having the support of the community and family for inclusive schools; and a third providing some concluding remarks regarding concerns about inclusion.

TITLE: Educating all students in the mainstream of regular education

AUTHORS: Stainback, S., Stainback, W., & Forest, M.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1989

This book is an excellent compilation which addresses the merging of special and regular education. Six major areas are outlined in the text: (1) an introduction and historical overview of education integration and a rationale for merging special and regular education; (2) three case examples of situations involving integration; (3) strategies for enhancing quality and equality in heterogeneous integrated schools; (4) educational practices for integrated classroom settings; (5) broadening integration and equality beyond schools through family participation and community participation; and (6) concerns relevant to the education of students in integrated schools and classrooms. This book would appeal to a wide range of readers including all teachers, parents, students, administrators and advocates.

The organization of this book is excellent. Throughout the text there are "points to ponder" which challenge the reader. The chapter on assessment procedures for the classroom relies heavily on quantitative approaches, and could have included qualitative strategies as well.

TITLE: Support networks for inclusive schooling

AUTHORS: Stainback, W., & Stainback, S.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1990

There has been much discussion in the field of education regarding full inclusion of students who have disabilities in the regular classroom. For those who have embraced this philosophy, this volume will provide assistance with the actual nuts-and-bolts of promoting friendships among all students. The book is divided into three sections: part one describes inclusive schooling and support networking; part two focuses on specific supports that can be utilized to assist students and classroom teachers; part three emphasizes how parents, administrators, and community members can work together to create supportive and caring schools.

This book will be very helpful for teachers who want to know more about the nature of providing support to students who have disabilities in their classroom, as well as how they, as teachers, can acquire their own support. Parents will find this book helpful also in determining what the potential is for their child's well-being in the school setting, with the proper supports in place. The editors have done an excellent job of combining many thoughtful chapters from a variety of concerned individuals in the field of education.

TITLE: Creating an inclusive school

AUTHORS: Villa, R. A., & Thousand, J. S. (Eds.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1995

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
1250 N. Pitt Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

The place where this book shines is its chapters written by parents and teachers of children with disabilities. These chapters bring to life the philosophy described by the professionals, and make the book accessible for a variety of readers. In addition, one chapter by a person with a disability is a powerful asset to the book. There are also several chapters on adapting curriculum to the needs of all students, and how to plan for change to an inclusive school. A straightforward chapter on questions that teachers, administrators and parents may have on creating an inclusive school is also included, and the authors give advice on how to promote an inclusive school, as well as resources to tap into.

TITLE: Restructuring for caring and effective education: An administrative guide for creating heterogeneous schools

AUTHORS: Villa, R. A., Thousand, J. S., Stainback, W., & Stainback, S. (Eds.)

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1992

The editors of this book have included many chapters by various authors on merging special and regular education together, for the use of school administrators. The book is premised on the notion that the public educational system needs to serve all children with excellence and equity. It is divided into four major sections, containing several chapters each. As an interesting organizing point, one author introduces each section with an article that gives a wedding as an analogy to combining all education. For example, the introduction to the section entitled Supports for heterogeneous schooling is described as, advice for getting along with the in-laws and other people who know you well. As these titles indicate, the book acknowledges the difficulties of merging all education together, and has a lot of sage advice on moving toward this goal. While some of the authors of the numerous chapters are university professors, others are administrators, and even an elementary school principal. Many examples are given of schools that became communities where all children are valued, and where every child's needs are met in a regular classroom. This text will be a useful guide for districts to plan for heterogeneous schools, and for parents and advocates to demonstrate to administrators that there are examples to follow.

TITLE: Transition from school to work: New challenges for youth with severe disabilities

AUTHORS: Wehman, P., Moon, M. S., Everson, J., Wood, W., & Barcus, J. M.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1988

Preparing to make the transition from high school into the adult working world presents new challenges for high school students with disabilities; challenges that often were, and are, seen as daunting. Transition from school to work provides useful suggestions grounded in real life examples that will help students, their families and their teachers, prepare for this transition. Specifically, the book focuses on a transition of three steps: 1) prepare for the transition in the school years, 2) initiate transition program planning, and 3) develop employment options and placements for students. A number of checklists are provided to help all involved smooth the transition process.

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