Systems Change for Inclusive Education in Michigan. Final Report.

Overview & Synopsis

This final report describes the Michigan Inclusive Education Initiative, a 5-year federally supported project designed to provide statewide training and technical assistance to schools, policy analysis and development, leadership development, and related activities to facilitate integration of students with disabilities into regular education classes. During the project, 3,722 students with disabilities, ages 3-26, were moved into regular education full-time with support at 20 implementation sites. All these students had not previously had access to regular education classrooms or curriculum. There was a 70 percent decrease in segregated program placements for students with severe disabilities statewide and a 90 percent decrease in segregated class placement for all students with disabilities, statewide. Approximately 15,000 professionals, paraprofessionals, parents, and students participated in the 175 training activities offered. Other accomplishments included development and dissemination of the "Facilitator's Guide to Inclusive Education," publication of articles on inclusive education, addition of inclusive education curricula in 12 university training programs, district level finance reform to support inclusive education, and establishment of a mechanism for on-going parent support. Individual sections of the report address the management of the Initiative and each of the eight major Initiative objectives. (DB)