5 Biggest Myths About Inclusion

May. 25, 2022Updated Nov. 22, 2022

When you push for inclusion in your child’s IEP, you might receive some pushback from the rest of the IEP team who don’t share your vision. On April 14, 2022, we sat down with Dr. Caitlin Solone (education advocate, teacher-educator, and Academic Administrator for the Disability Studies program at UCLA) to bust five myths about inclusion in education. Dr. Solone explained how to respond to these misconceptions about inclusion and how to advocate for your child. Here are the top takeaways from our live event!

Myth #1 - Behavior is a prerequisite

As Dr. Solone explains, behavior is sometimes a result of the environment or setting, and there’s no guarantee that a child’s behavior in one setting will transfer to another setting–you don’t know until you try! In the clip below, Dr. Solone lists questions that parents can discuss with their IEP team to make sure all the necessary behavior supports for gen ed placement are included in the child’s IEP.

Myth #2 - Academic achievement is a prerequisite

School administrators and staff may suggest that a child’s placement should be based on their test scores, but that isn’t true! As Dr. Solone explains, research shows that children with significant support needs can thrive in inclusive settings. Watch this clip for Dr. Solone’s advice about tools that parents can discuss with the IEP team to make classrooms more accessible (like Universal Design for Learning).

Myth #3 - The school doesn't do inclusion

Dr. Solone says that for most students, the gen ed classroom is the least restrictive environment when it comes to placement. If you’re told by a school that they can’t offer an inclusive gen ed placement, follow Dr. Solone’s tips in the clip below for ways to open a discussion about making it possible.

Myth #4 - Your child won't get anything out of it

Inclusion doesn’t mean the child is just physically present in the gen ed classroom–it means they have access to the same curriculum as their peers. In the clip below, Dr. Solone explains the nuances of this difference, and she tells the story of one of her students who grew by leaps and bounds by engaging with his gen ed peers.

Myth #5 - Interventions can't occur in gen ed classrooms

Some schools resist push-in services because they worry about interruptions in the classroom. Carrie W commented during our live event, “Ugh, scheduling is always the wall my district would put up for push in.” Evy A said, “I’m definitely for push-in services, but I always get pushback and excuses and conflicting schedules to not provide push-in services.”

Alison S shared, “Principals can play a big role coordinating service providers’ schedules with a view to the push-in needs.” If you’re having a hard time convincing your IEP team to implement push-in services, getting the principal on your side could be a huge step in the right direction!

Check out the clip below for Dr. Solone’s suggestions and examples for how parents can advocate for push-in services that help their child learn with fewer disruptions to their schedule.

Watch the full recording

If you missed the event or want to review what we learned, you can watch the full recording here.

If you have questions about making sure your child has all the services and supports they need, be sure to attend our next live event to ask your question in the chat and hear from our experts and fellow parents! Keep an eye on our Facebook page to learn more.

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Contents

Overview

Myth #1 - Behavior is a prerequisite

Myth #2 - Academic achievement is a prerequisite

Myth #3 - The school doesn't do inclusion

Myth #4 - Your child won't get anything out of it

Myth #5 - Interventions can't occur in gen ed classrooms

Watch the full recording

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Related Resources

Educational Inclusion

Inclusion 101

4 Things You Need to Know About Inclusion from Inclusion Warriors Karen Ford Cull and Iris Barker

Can a child with support needs continue in a GenEd classroom?

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