Benefits of inclusive education for students, teachers and parents
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Recently, the educational research community has taken great interest in inclusive education and has conducted research that is generating more support for inclusive education.
We now know that students with developmental disabilities who have been educated in inclusive settings have significantly better life outcomes than students without this opportunity. They enjoy a better quality of life that includes better social connections, increased community involvement, and greater earning potential. For a more detailed discussion of this research, see Inclusion BC’s booklet Everyone Belongs in Our Schools: Making the case for inclusive education in British Columbia.
We have also learned that all students benefit from inclusive education. Recent research has dispelled the notion that typical students “lose out” when students with special needs are included in regular classrooms. Rather, the research shows that all students do better both academically and socially when inclusive policies and teaching practices are followed.
Studies show that support for inclusion has increased both among educators and among parents of typically developing children. While changes to funding for Special Education have reduced the resources and supports available to teachers in inclusive settings, teachers are still largely supportive of inclusion. Other research shows that parents of typical students recognize the benefits of inclusion more than ever.