ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the most often observed core practices and identifies how these practices interface with and foster inclusive education. The school reform discussions of the past decade in the United States have yielded a broad range of initiatives to improve educational practice and measurement of student performance. Among the initiatives that hold great promise for building inclusive schools are outcomes-based education, multicultural education, constructivist learning, interdisciplinary curriculum, authentic assessment of student performance, multi-age grouping, peer-mediated instructional approaches, and collaborative teaming among adults. The investigation was formulated to explore the impact of reflective practice and to deconstruct teacher thinking as educators engaged in a dialogue about curriculum and instructional considerations for students with significantly different learning needs. In keeping with best practices of classroom organization, teachers must consider the use of thematic, activity-based, experiential and community-referenced lesson formats to facilitate the participation and learning of students with disabilities.
