Abstract

Many nations have developed national policies regarding the education of students with disabilities. In the latter half of the twentieth century, advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities resulted in the movement to educate such students with non-disabled peers. In the United States, the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act erected a policy of inclusive education buttressed by rights and responsibilities by local education agencies. In this process education in the least restrictive environment was sustained by the individual education program (IEP) and due process rights. Rarely is national educational policy regarding these students examined in terms of the lived experience of the impact of policy and professional practice. This qualitative research examines the school careers of students with disabilities (severe cerebral palsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, and autism) who were integrated (included) into general education with nondisabled peers from elementary through secondary school. The study analyses the politics of advocacy necessary to include students with challenging learning needs, as well as the educational practices to facilitate successful inclusion. The study further examines leadership necessary to create and sustain inclusive educational environments. Finally, the study examines the successful transition of students with disabilities to adulthood, as students reflect back on their school as adults.”