ABSTRACT
The practice of educating students with disabilities in general education classes has become, if not the standard, then the expectation of most parents, students, teachers, and administrators in public schools throughout the country. The data reflect the growing trend toward inclusive education. For example, during 1984-1985, only one-quarter of students with disabilities aged 6-21 spent more than 80% of their school day in a regular class. By 1999-2000, that figure had risen to almost half, with 47.3% of the more than 5.6 million children with disabilities aged 6-21 being educated in typical classes (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). Even though there continues to be inconsistency in the availability and quality of inclusive settings (Villa & Thousand, 2000), educating students with disabilities in typical classrooms is now widely accepted as the least restrictive environment within a continuum of educational placements for students with disabilities. Thus, what began as a parent-led advocacy movement in the mid 1980s (Lipsky & Gartner, 1997) has resulted in a significant educational reform affecting students with and without disabilities.
