Creating effective and inclusive learning environments

Quality of teaching and the creation of collaborative structures to support teachers’ core skills, which also enable successful schools in general, should be at the heart of effective inclusion practices, particularly for slightly handicapped children. To ensure professional progress in these skills, however, effective practices in staff development and adult learning must be implemented. The use of one model program, Instructional Consultation Teams, as an example of how staff development is conducted in practice is explained. This argument, which is based on philosophy and ideas, as well as actual results in certain cases, is likely to continue for years. Supporters of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) argue that the law's intent is for students with disabilities to be educated in community schools’ general education classrooms.