Literature Review

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Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 1 Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review Jennifer Schutt Capella University EDD-FPX8010 Foundations of Doctoral Studies in Education October 2023

Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 2 Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review This literature review focuses on the academic effects that inclusion has on general education students, specifically higher achieving students. As a result of The Brown V. Board of Education Supreme Court case in 1954, it was determined that separate was not equal. The result of the case refers not only to race, but to the separation of students with disabilities from the general education population. Inclusion is the way of ensuring students with disabilities are not being separated from their peers without disabilities to balance the equality. Gardensten says that inclusion “can be a promising strategy for improving mathematics achievement and promoting equity in the classroom” (Gardensten, 2023). However, a different study revealed “neutral or negative effects of inclusion on the academic achievement of students without disabilities on the secondary level of schooling” (Kart & Kart, 2021). This literature reviews discusses the background of inclusive education, discusses the current problems faced in inclusive classrooms, and a few solutions to help overcome these problems. With inclusion becoming more prevalent in classrooms, teachers are focusing on students with disabilities and advanced mathematics students may be being left behind. Background Inclusion is when students with diverse disabilities are provided access to general education classrooms and curricula with instructional accommodations and modifications (Barr & Mavropoulou, 2021). The history of inclusion starts in 1975 with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA). The EHA is “a federal law that guaranteed a free, appropriate public education to all children with disabilities” (Wehmeyer, 2021). After multiple revisions, in 2004 the EHA became known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). IDEA requires students with disabilities to be taught in the least restrictive environment.

Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 3 To enforce this act, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) must send a report to congress. As part of the report “school districts are required to submit data on the percentage of time students across disability categories spend in regular education and alternative education settings” (Wehmeyer, M. L. et al, 2021). If public schools do not comply with these acts, they could lose subsidies and/or local governing rights. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) states that all students have the right to learn at high academic levels. Studies have shown that students with disabilities do make academic gains when they are in an inclusive environment. However, there is not much research about how inclusive practices affect the general education students, specifically the academically gifted students. A study found that “lower-achieving students seemed to benefit from curricula and additional support in inclusive classes, whereas high-achieving students might experience adverse effects” (Kart & Kart, 2021). It has been recognized that there is a need to fill the gap between the lower achieving students and the higher achieving students ( Bea Francisco, M. P., Hartman, M., & Wang, Y., 2020). Is inclusion the solution to this gap in students’ academic achievement? Some might say that the gap is closing because the lower achieving students are performing better by being in an inclusive classroom ( Bea Francisco, M. P., Hartman, M., & Wang, Y., 2020). However, is the gap being closed from both sides and the higher achieving students are performing worse due to inclusion practices? Consider state standardized testing. Students with disabilities are mandated to take the standardized tests which some argue could lower the school’s mean achievement score. Is this masking or restricting the gains of general education students?

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Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 4 The Problem Teachers have expressed that it is difficult to teach general education classrooms while trying to meet the unique needs of special education students. “Achieving a curriculum which is fit for purpose in meeting the holistic needs of learners with disability” has been listed as a problem in inclusive education (Armstrong, 2017). The problem is there are not enough resources or time to educate all the children effectively. With inclusion practices in place, the limited number of resources are going towards accommodating lower achieving students making the higher achieving students less of a priority which could cause them to underachieve. A teacher reported that “it was impossible to teach the class well if he was to spend so much time teaching a student of a far lower attainment level” (Barr & Mavropoulou, 2021). There are many definitions of inclusion, but Gardensten defines inclusion as “a process to overcome barriers that can hinder students from being provided with equitable teaching and participation in learning experiences” (Gardensten, 2023). To remove barriers, teachers are expected to provide multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression which may include providing varied instructional materials (Gardensten, 2023). The adjusted instructional materials should not simplify the mathematics but lower the barriers to learning the material (Gardensten, 2023). In theory, all students will then have an opportunity to learn mathematics at a high level of comprehension. To help students enhance their mathematical comprehension, teachers should provide students the opportunity to engage in discussions where they can share their thoughts and respond to others (Wehmeyer, M. L. et al, 2021). Students with disabilities can ask questions and understand the problem with the support of their peers (Wehmeyer, M. L. et al, 2021). The problem is that students with disabilities are “less likely to interact with teachers and

Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 5 were more likely to engage in passive tasks compared to other students in the classroom” (Wehmeyer, M. L. et al, 2021). Accomplishing teaching mathematics to students with disabilities in the same classroom as their same aged peers without disabilities remains challenging. There are many factors that influence negative outcomes of inclusion such as “inadequate teacher training; lack of administrative leadership and support for planning, monitoring, and modifying instruction; lack of cooperation with others; and low expectations from students” (Kart & Kart, 2021). One challenge to factor in is that teachers in secondary classrooms receive professional development that emphasizes content knowledge and curriculum versus implementing inclusion. Another factor is that most secondary classrooms use whole class teaching styles. This may be why it was found that instruction was not differentiated and not a lot of learning was taking place (Wehmeyer M. L. et al, 2021). In general, teachers are not adequately prepared to teach to the various needs of students. Barr and Mavropoulou found it clear that teachers have their students’ best interests at heart, but they are limited by time to be able to effectively meet the demands of each student (Barr & Mavropoulou, 2021). This is not to say that teachers are not qualified, it is that they are not given enough time to plan for the diverse needs of so many students. Teachers in secondary classrooms only see their students for a limited amount of time compared to lower grades and they have more students. This makes it difficult to get to know all of the students and what their needs are. So, while teachers are working hard to accommodate the students with disabilities, the students who could be high achieving are not being focused on, so they are essentially being left behind where they could potentially achieve. Students are being provided with oversimplified materials and are moving at a pace that is slow which is actually limiting their growth, not helping them (Barr & Mavropoulou, 2021).

Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 6 The Solution One solution offered by Gardensten is to use a co-teaching method where one teacher leads the instruction and the other caters to students’ individual learning needs (Gardensten, 2023). Another study had a similar solution where schools could employ a teacher’s assistant (Barr & Marvopoulou, 2021). However, another study contradicts these solutions, finding that “the placement in a co-taught classroom had a significantly negative impact on the academic achievement of middle school students” (Kart & Kart, 2021). Also, “the collaboration between general education and special education teachers is rarely intensive, and many special education teachers do not have adequate knowledge about the high school curriculum” (Kart & Kart, 2021). Perhaps a solution would be to give teachers more time to prepare lessons and more money so they can purchase the materials needed to effectively teach all students. Conclusion In several inclusion acts and policies “The court ruled that every child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives, and that the education program for children with disabilities must take into account each student’s potential for growth” (Wehmeyer, M. L. et al, 2021). Teachers have reported that it is challenging “both keeping the more advanced students challenged and creating a lesson that was accessible to the students who needed more support” (Barr and Marvopoulou, 2021). Resources are being allocated more towards lower achieving students and less towards higher achieving students, so the higher achieving students may not be challenged as they ought to be. Teachers say that time restraints make it unrealistic to have effective inclusion classrooms. Creating a lesson that has content that is accessible to both

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Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 7 students with disabilities and advanced math students is virtually impossible with the allotted time and resources. Even finding time to prepare and materials to accommodate the students with disabilities is time consuming and hard. Many teachers need more training to understand how to effectively teach to such a diverse group of students. Then, they need more time to be able to put their training into effective action. With more time, teachers can effectively teach students with disabilities and gifted general education students so none are restricted.

Effects of Inclusion on General Education Students: Literature Review 8 References Armstrong, D. (2017). Wicked problems in special and inclusive education. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 17(4), 229-236. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12402 Barr, F., & Mavropoulou, S. (2021). Curriculum accommodations in mathematics instruction for adolescents with mild intellectual disability educated in inclusive classrooms. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education, 68(2), 270- 286. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2019.1684457 Gardesten, M. How Co-Teaching May Contribute to Inclusion in Mathematics Education: A systematic Literature Review. Educ. Sci. 2023 , 13 , 677. https://doi.org/10.3380/edusci13070677 Kart, A.; Kart, M. Academic and Social Effects of Inclusion on Students without Disabilities: A Review of the Literature. Educ. Sci. 2011 , 11 , 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/edusci11010016 Wehmeyer, M.L., Shogren, K.A. and Kurth, J. (2021), The State of Inclusion With Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the United States. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 18: 36-43. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12332

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