Pathways to Inclusive Practices

Author: Salisbury, C., Strieker, T., Roach, V., McGregor, G.
Publisher: Consortium on Inclusive Schooling Practices
Publication Date: 2001
Full text available online at: http://www.urbanschools.org/pdf/ptip.pdf?v_document_name=Pathways%20to%20Inclusive%20Practices

Abstract (written by WestEd)

This guidebook is a practical guide for parents, practitioners, administrators, and policy-makers interested in increasing the responsiveness of schools to meet the educational needs of all students, including those with disabilities. The guide was developed under the Consortium on Inclusive Schooling Practices, a federally funded project that focused on gathering and synthesizing information to assist in efforts to develop more inclusive educational systems.

The authors provide a guiding framework of six major interrelated elements, each with strategies to achieve more inclusive practices. Several key strategies are offered in each category and include concrete examples of how to implement those strategies. These categories, by which the guide is organized, are:

• Develop inclusive philosophy, policies, structure, and practices
  
• Build Capacity
  
• Approach Change Systemically
  
• Link Change to Policy
  
• Use General Education as a Context
  
• Pitfalls and Difficult Situations

The publication is user-friendly, readable, and targeted on what others have learned works to promote large-scale change for greater inclusive schooling practices.