Inclusion in General and Special Education in an Age of Change: Concluding Thoughts

Our world is changing and also getting smaller. We now know what is happening outside our narrow confines – this means that we must all be involved in solving educational, societal, community, and global problems in inclusive fashions. For example, in education, we must be collaborative, consultative, and cooperative in solving school problems and in advancing school programs. To a large measure, inclusion in general and special education has become imperative in today’s educational programming. Though it is seen by some as complex and appears to attract conflicting perspectives, it enhances different professional viewpoints and practices that help general and special education learners to maximize their fullest potential. Some schools end up doing inclusion well and others continue to work on it; however, many believe it has made education more efficient and effective. Inclusion strives to include all students with and without disabilities within the general education classroom and curriculum. This chapter discusses our conclusive thoughts on inclusion and where we think it is headed in the future.