Have We Made Any Progress? Including Students With Intellectual Disabilities in Regular Education Classrooms

Abstract

To what extent are students with intellectual disabilities included in regular education classrooms in the United States? Although inclusion is an accepted best practice in special education, little progress has been made in including students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. Using historical and the most recent available federal data, I explored the percentage of students with intellectual disabilities who are fully included in regular education classrooms, both nationally and in individual states. States are rank ordered by the percentage of students who are included. Nationally, in 2002-2003, less than 11% of students with intellectual disabilities were fully included in regular education classrooms. Research, policy, and advocacy issues are addressed.