Transitioning middle school special education students from a resource setting to an inclusive setting: a case study analysis
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Abstract
The number of students identified with special needs continues to increase, as does the achievement gap between general education students and students with special needs. The purpose of this study was to explore the academic growth of students transitioning from a non-inclusive setting to an inclusive setting as documented through the exploration of three case studies which examine the inclusion of special education students into the regular education classroom, the strategies employed, and the overall changes in the students’ academic achievement and their transition experiences when moving to inclusive classrooms. Through a case study analysis, three case studies which examined the phenomenon of inclusion from several different perspectives, in an attempt to identify the most effective strategies to employ when transitioning students from a self-contained special education classroom to an inclusive classroom setting.
Findings included that students who transition into inclusive settings have improved self-esteem and more appropriate behavior. Students who experience the most success as they transition to inclusive settings have a strong support system at home. Teachers who teach inclusive classrooms generally agree that students with special needs enrich their classrooms. Teachers also feel they are inadequately prepared to modify instruction to meet the needs of all students. Collaboration among all the adults within the inclusive classroom, as well as among the teachers who teach inclusive classrooms, facilitates successful transition. Gradually transitioning students with special needs into inclusive classroom settings appears to be among the more effective strategies for ensuring students’ successful experiences with transitioning to inclusive classrooms.