Date Approved

4-22-2026

Graduate Degree Type

Project

Degree Name

Education-Educational Leadership (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

College of Education

First Advisor

Richard VanderMolen

Second Advisor

Richard Geisel

Academic Year

2025/2026

Abstract

Inclusion has become a prominent topic in today’s education sector. However, it is far more than just a buzzword, it is federal law. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that students with disabilities be educated in their Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), “Each public agency must ensure that—To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled,” (U.S. Department of Education, 2017, para 1).  In summary, public schools must provide opportunities for students with disabilities to be educated alongside their general education peers and access the general education curriculum applicable with the necessary supports, accommodations, and modifications to succeed. This project plans to evaluate the effectiveness of inclusive practices in relation to the social, emotional, and academic growth of students with and without disabilities across different age ranges and abilities. Although research is strong in favor of inclusion, there remains a significant gap between the concept of inclusion and its practical implementation in classroom settings (Grima-Farrell et al., 2011). This project aims to provide resources for educators to support the implementation of inclusive practices in the general education environment, while also presenting concrete evidence that supports inclusion as a beneficial, research-based educational practice with benefits that far outweigh any potential challenges, in hopes of combating doubt among educators.

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