How can we make inclusionary practices a reality? Many people have ideas about how inclusion should be practiced. Dr. Richard Villa came to Clark County to conduct staff development on inclusionary practices. He talked a lot about the makeup of the schools that successfully included all kids. Schools that implement effective inclusionary programs seem to have these characteristics:

• Diversity is valued and celebrated.
• The principal is actively involved and provides leadership.
• All students work toward the same educational outcomes based on high standards.
• There is a sense of community in which everyone belongs, is accepted and is supported by his or her peers and other members of the school community.
• There is an array of services.
• Flexible groupings authentic and meaningful learning experienes and developmentally appropriate curricula are accessible to all students.
• Research based instructional strategies are used.
• Staff work collaboratively.
• New forms of accountability are used.
• There is access to necessary technology and physical modifications and accomodations.
• Parents are seen as equal partners.

The Whats and How Tos of Inclusive Education gives you some some basic guidelines for teaching in an inclusive classroom.

New Horizons for Learning is an independent, international, nonprofit network of people supporting an expanded vision of learning that identifies and fosters fullest development of human capacities.

The Early Childhood Inclusion Network: One Community's Efforts To Promote Child Care Inclusion by Dianne Apter and Pam Walker from Onodaga County, New York.

Fiscal Policies that Foster Inclusion How can fiscal policies be altered to foster and support inclusive special education services? Find out here.

The Wildwood Institute was created in 1996 by Wildwood Programs with extensive assistance from the International Center for Leadership in Education. The Institute is charged with the mission of "promoting practices and policies that enable people with disabilities to lead productive and independent lives."

Bandaids and Blackboards is designed to help sensitize young school children to what it's like to grow up with medical problems. Based on research data, it includes strategies of inclusion, links for parents and teachers, and stories of some of the children who participated in the research.

The Helping Hands School in Clifton Park, New York, has been serving preschoolers with special needs for the last 15 years. This on-line database focuses on the school's founding mission: to help developmentally delayed preschoolers prepare for public education. Parents, health care professionals,and teachers can find information about developmental delays, why intervention is necessary, and most importantly, what parents can do for their children with disabilities.

Internet Resources for Special Children is dedicated to "communicating information relating to the needs of children with disabilities," this hotlist links to news and Web resources.