| YES | NO |
|---|---|
| Child spends the majority of the day in the general education classroom. | Child spends the majority of the day in a special education classroom and goes to a general education classroom for one or two periods. |
| Child’s desk is included with the other groups of desks in the classroom. | Child’s desk is away from the other desks in the classroom. |
| Child has access to and is included in classroom lessons and activities that are adapted or modified to meet his/her special needs. | Child works on his/her own curriculum. |
| Child attends outside activities with the class including assemblies, field trips, enrichment classes, and recess. | Child is given alternate activities and options with other special education students. |
| Child is an independent, valued, and respected classroom member. | Child is looked upon as helpless, needy, and dependent. |
| The child’s paraprofessional facilitates access to the curriculum and classroom activities. | The child’s paraprofessional determines access to the curriculum and classroom activities. |
| The paraprofessional encourages child to complete work as independently as possible, while providing support when needed. | The paraprofessional does not provide many opportunities for the child to complete work independently and “hovers.” |
| Child receives specialist support (therapy, speech, and language) with minimal disruption to the class routine and program. | Child is pulled from the classroom lessons and activities for specialist suport without consideration for what the child will miss. |
| The teacher can identify your child’s strengths and areas for improvement. | The teacher refers to the specialists and paraprofessionals to identify child’s development. |
| Child can name classmates and has many common classroom experiences. | Child does not know classmates and does not have many common classroom experiences. |
Nicole Eredics is an educator who specializes in the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. She draws upon her years of experience as a full inclusion teacher to write, speak, and consult on the topic of inclusive education to various national and international organizations. She specializes in giving practical and easy-to-use solutions for inclusion. Nicole is creator of The Inclusive Class blog and author of a new guidebook for teachers and parents called, Inclusion in Action: Practical Strategies to Modify Your Curriculum . For more information about Nicole and all her work, visit her website .
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