ABSTRACT
One of the most controversial issues still facing education today involves the extent to which children with disabilities should be included in general education classrooms (e.g., Mullen, 2001; Werts, Wolery, & Snyder, 1996). Inclusion, defined by the federal government and specifically the U.S. Department of Education (1999), refers to the instruction of all students, with and without disabilities, in the general education classroom (see https://www.ed.gov" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://www.ed.gov). Inclusion is rooted in the premise that all individuals with disabilities have a right to be included in naturally occurring settings and curricular activities with their peers, siblings, and friends (Erwin, 1993; Mullen, 2001). If implemented successfully, it involves more than reconfiguring special education services—highly effective curriculum leaders analyze and change the entire organizational structure of their schools to become more inclusive (Murphy, 2004).
