Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Effective and Reflective Practices

For courses in Inclusion or Mainstreaming, Educating Students with Disabilities in General Education Classrooms, Introduction to Special Education, Methods courses in Special Education, and courses on Collaboration and Differentiating Instruction.

From one of the most respected authors in the field, comes the sixth edition of this best-selling, accessible and practical text for Inclusion courses. Rich in K-12 classroom-based examples, CD-ROM video examples, and case studies of effective inclusive educational practices, this non-categorical text addresses the latest information on inclusion in today’s schools. Four principles of effective instruction provide a framework for the text 1.) all learners and equal access 2.) individual strengths and challenges and diversity 3.) reflective practices and differentiated instruction 4.) and community and collaboration. These principles, woven throughout the chapters, demonstrate that inclusion is not just a government mandate but a principled philosophy of reflective and effective teaching for individualizing the educational system for all students.  By incorporating the themes of diversity, collaboration, technology, and effective and reflective classroom practices into each chapter, the book is consistent with professional standards for preparing teachers to work in today’s diverse classrooms. Additionally, this text is the only one on the market that devotes four whole chapters to the topic of Differentiated Instruction. Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Effective and Reflective Practices, Sixth Edition, is written to help readers become effective and reflective practitioners who are able to think critically about their own values, beliefs, and practices, and to refine professional practices to facilitate the creation of inclusive classrooms that support the learning of all students. 

The sixth edition of Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Effective and Reflective Practices for All Students goes beyond the typical inclusion text in its reflective discussions on how to teach students with varying learning abilities. The text contains all of the core information that an inclusion text requires and then takes the reader to a higher level by including issues of gender, race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, and family structures.

Features of the sixth edition include:

• Principles of effective inclusion as a framework for the text. The following principles are integrated into each chapter and demonstrate that inclusion is not just a government mandate, but a principled philosophy for reflective and effective teaching for all students:
  • all learners and equal access
  • individual strengths and needs
  • reflective practices and differentiated instruction
  • community and collaboration
• The latest information on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 (Chapter 1). Includes how IDEA 2004 aligns with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the most recent research on inclusion, and how both legislation and research affect students, families, and educators alike.
• NEW! IEP CD-ROM accompanies every new copy of the text. Features videos, interactive quizzes, tutorials, reflection activities, IEP forms, and a wealth of resources to help you to better understand the IEP process. The CD-ROM is integrated into the text with an icon and directives for the reader.
• NEW!A Guide to Actionfeature. This new feature will guide you in creating a plan of action to enhance your teaching effectiveness related to inclusive practices.
• NEW! Expanded coverage on state-of-the-art technology found in Chapter 8.
• Four chapters on Differentiated Instruction. The only text to devote such detail to this important subject and inclusive classrooms. (See Part III, Table of Contents).
• Classroom-based examples and case studies of teachers implementing effective inclusive educational practices, These examples are integrated throughout the chapter narrative and with the Inclusive Classrooms: Video Cases on CD-ROM that accompanies the text.
• The integration of CEC, PRAXIS, and INTASC professional standards. Each chapter summary demonstrates where chapter content aligns with these standards.