ABSTRACT
Framed as an issue of social justice and educational equity, inclusion is a school-wide belief system in which diversity is viewed as a rich resource for everyone rather than a problem to overcome. The inclusive classroom is a nurturing learning community where everyone belongs and everyone benefits. It is an educational context within which children cultivate friendship, collaborate rather than compete, and deepen their appreciation for diversity. A co-teaching model is in place at each grade level in the school. In other words, a pair of teachers co-teach a class comprised of students with and without disabilities. The practice of inclusion is perhaps more relevant than at any other time in the history of American public education. Although American citizens may not be in agreement about what constitutes discrimination within the political climate, federal law ensures individual rights in regard to race, gender, class, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and age.
