The relationship between school culture and inclusion: How an inclusive culture supports inclusive education

Abstract

The connection between a successful inclusive educational program for students with severe disabilities and the context, specifically the school culture in which it functions, has received surprisinglylittle attention in the literature. This article presents a study of the culture of an urban elementary school that has succeeded in implementing and maintaining a model inclusion program. The authors found three underlying characteristics of the school's culture to be related to the success of its inclusion program: an inclusive leader, a broad vision of school community and shared language and values, which they argue combine to create what they term an inclusive school culture. The authors believe that fostering an inclusive culture within a school community can greatly contribute to the success of an inclusion program.