Changing Tactics: Research on Embedding Inclusion Reforms within General Education Restructuring Efforts.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper summarizes what one research team learned when examining three issues related to inclusive education and general education reform in collaboration with schools in three rural districts in Oregon. The issues were: (1) how does special education becomes an integral part of public schooling; (2) how will higher education, research organizations, educational labs, institutes, and other research organizations need to change; and (3) how should families, community members, community agencies, and businesses participate in large scale school change. There is increasing certainty among growing numbers of educators that inclusive reforms in special education must be pursued in terms of general education restructuring and improvement. The Oregon collaborations have focused on helping schools and districts: to develop the comprehensive information systems necessary for school improvement planning and action; to access needed professional development; and to support individual and collective action research efforts. The research team learned that to achieve a broad perspective encompassing all teachers, curricular reforms, teaching reforms, support personnel, policies, and strategies for student assessment it is necessary for research to emphasize change in three action arenas: move from a focus on teaching to one on learning; move from reliance on individual teacher practice to reliance on group practice; and move from an effort to "deliver service" to one of "providing learner supports." (Contains 53 references.) (SM)