Talk:Least Restrictive Environment

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I noticed that the "Inclusion" link at the bottom just leads to the "Special Education" article. My understanding was that "inclusion" was kind of a subset of Special Ed (inclusion is when Special Ed students are included in a classroom with "regular" students as opposed to Special Ed kids being taught in a "self-contained" room). Three suggestions: 1. Delete the link (as most people probably assume it will take them to an article about inclusion) 2. Start an article about inclusion and connect the link to this new article 3. As long as no article on inclusion has been written, if you believe the link should be kept, then I agree that linking to the Special Ed page is the best place (it does mention and define inclusion there) Thanks! Dlkcsmith 23:47, 2 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Inclusion link going to special education page

You're right. I don't know why "inclusion" would go to special education --- should just go straight to special eduation. All fixed.  :-) Rosmoran 01:01, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "Inclusion" article does exist

I was wondering if perhaps there should be a link to "Inclusion (education)" after all. I found that there is an article on inclusion (separate from the "inclusive classroom" article) and I don't believe it has any other articles that link to it. I am a relatively inexperienced teacher, so I'll let someone else make the change. (Perhaps the 2 articles "Inclusive classroom" and "Inclusion (education)" could be merged?)

You're right. There should be a link to this article. Don't be reluctant to participate directly. Check out the Wiki Principle [Wikipedia:Be bold]! If you haven't done any direct editing yet, this is a good one to get your feet wet.  :-)

Best,

Rosmoran 09:32, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] What "restrictive" Means

I disagree with the postulate on the main page that a more restrictive environment necessarily means less time in contact with the regular ed kids. To provide the LRE for a student with a specific learning disability in math, for example, the IEP might call for the student to receive help from a paraprofessional in the regular ed classroom.

At university we were presented with the idea of LRE as being a continuum, the perfect LRE being the student in the regular ed classroom without any supports beyond those designed by the teacher, and the most restrictive environment being a total pull-out model where the child's main classroom is the special ed room (this is what you'd expect with your medically fragile children, or severe autism cases, for instance). In between you might see the child in the regular ed classroom with special ed support, the child pulled out for part of the day for resource room services, the child integrated into the classroom only for lunch, special classes, etc., and finally complete pull-out. Would this sort of description be appropriate for the main page? RyanGrant 22:37, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

Hi, RyanGrant.

I'm not sure precisely which sentences / sections you are referring to, but in my opinion the article needs substantial revision in all areas --- content accuracy, basic organization of the material, and style. I haven't had a chance to delve into it yet. Please feel free to dive in!

The continuum you describe is exactly what IDEA requires. The only thing I would add is that there are a few more restrictive environments on that same continuum: home-based instruction, hospital based instruction, and residential placement centers.

Best,

Rosmoran 03:46, 9 July 2007 (UTC)