The inclusive education movement has often been viewed as a separate initiative running parallel or even counter to other curricular and instructional reform efforts. We take a more holistic, rather than separatist, view and propose that innovative changes to promote student success in general education are the same changes required for effective inclusion.

Many established and emerging general education practices emulate the principles of inclusive education (Cole, 2001). When these practices are used, educators are better equipped to facilitate meaningful and effective inclusive education not only for students perceived as disabled, at risk, or gifted, but also for the “allegedly average” students. Among the initiatives that have great promise for building inclusive schools are (1) universal design (Rose & Meyer, 2002), (2) differentiated instruction (Tomlinson, 1999, 2001), and (3) multiple intelligence theory (Armstrong, 2000). Chapter 6 examines how these three initiatives can be used to promote inclusive education. Additional best practice initiatives include 13 that this chapter examines in light of inclusive education:

• Constructivist learning theory
• Culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy
• Balanced approach to literacy instruction
• Interdisciplinary curriculum
• Authentic assessment of student performance
• Multiage grouping
• Use of looping
• Extended block scheduling
• Use of technology in the classroom
• Multiple instructional agents in the classroom
• Peer-mediated instructional approaches
• Responsibility and peacemaking taught in the curriculum
• Creation of community schools

Constructivist Learning Theory