The Way to Inclusion: How Leaders Create Schools Where Every Student Belongs

by Julie Causton, Kate MacLeod, Kristie Pretti-Frontczak

The research is Including students with disabilities in general education classrooms is the most effective way for all students to learn.

If you are working toward greater inclusivity in your school or system, this book from educators and inclusion experts Julie Causton, Kate MacLeod, Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, Jenna Mancini Rufo, and Paul Gordon is an invaluable guide for you and your leadership team.

Chock-full of research, resources, and seasoned advice, The Way to Inclusion walks you step-by-step through the inclusivity change process, from envisioning your path to reimagining the roles of existing staff and everything in between. The book outlines seven clearly defined milestones tied to an Action Plan that will help you stay the course with so vital an initiative. In addition to milestones and leadership questions, you'll find

* Instructions for conducting an equity review of your system with a focus on special education.
* Guidance for creating and analyzing service-delivery maps, including before-and-after examples from systems that have successfully shifted to greater inclusivity.
* Classroom observation and staff survey tools.
* First-person accounts from educators who have undergone the change process.
* Best practices for developing an inclusivity-focused vision statement.
* Downloadable forms and templates to help you move forward with implementation.

There is no excuse for segregating our students with disabilities from the rest of the student body. This indispensable guide will help you make certain that all students in your system not only learn but also thrive in the least restrictive environment possible.

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 19, 2023

Reviews

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

THRILLED with the way this book breaks down a complex change process into specific milestones...without oversimplifying or pretending it will be easy. The authors generously share practical strategies and real examples combined with guiding questions and leadership moves. These are the concrete tools we need! Love the structure of the book. It's readable and will be easy to revisit again and again.

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think there are interesting points and could be useful. I wish the books stressed the importance or including teachers and relatives services providers that work with students they want to include every day. 😕 I hope those who use the book will speak to the people working directly with the students and watch the students in these environments and don't only look at data on paper. These are humans and have needs and need care and help too.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the way this book is organized in a step by step process for helping administrative teams move forward in achieving an all inclusive system for educating students. I appreciate the I sight into human behavior, adult learning processes and practical advice and tips for being successful leaders in supporting this type of change.