RESOURCES
Inclusion is not a place. To be included is to feel a sense of belonging and to participate in activities available to all others in our community. The result of inclusion is motivation, engagement, and achievement.
MCIE Resources
Quality Indicators of Inclusive Schools: An Equity Approach to Teaching All Learners
This self-assessment tool is based on the MCIE framework for effective and inclusive education and is designed to assist school teams in determining the extent to which they are implementing practices that lead to all children and youth in the school community being valued members who have a sense of belonging, participate in social and academic activities in a meaningful way, and receive the services that they need to be successful. The items reflect evidence-based practices and are intended to be conducted through a team self-reflection process, with a facilitator guiding the questions and assisting the team in their discussion.
Membership, Participation, and Learning: Indicators of Inclusion
Based on the work of Jorgensen, McSheehan, and Sonnenmeir, MCIE has adapted its "Membership, Participation, and Learning" quality indicators based on their Beyond Access Model. Use this tool to assess the extent to which a learner is included, and identify areas for improvement. Let us know how you like it!
Placement of Learners with Disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
This 21-page document goes through the history of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (including amendments to the law), a thorough explanation of the LRE, case law that supports inclusive placements, as well as calls-to-action for district and school leadership teams to transform their practices.
Building a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging Presentation
In cooperation with the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Roots of Inclusion, this is the PowerPoint for Dr. Quirk's 90-minute presentation about building a culture of inclusion and belonging in the state of Washington and beyond.
Collaborative Teams Planning Guide
This is MCIE's tool for educators to be effective and efficient when working as a team. See the School Transformation page for more collaboration resources!
Inclusion Conversation Starters
If you are an educator who wants to move authentic inclusive education forward in your school or district, here are five ways you can get a conversation started right now to identify changes you can make.
Effective Transition Practices
This is a district-level self-assessment of secondary transition services with an action planning process to improve services over time published in cooperation with the Maryland State Department of Education. It describes research and national work to identify the practices that lead to post-school success. For training or information on the application of the ETP Self-Assessment, contact Carol Quirk at cquirk@mcie.org.
This document describes the vast body of quantitative and qualitative research demonstrating the positive impact of inclusion in general education classrooms. Look for an update, coming soon!
This 25-item survey is a tool for assessing staff attitudes and beliefs about including students with disabilities in general education classes in their neighborhood school. If you would like MCIE to send a link for an electronic survey to take online, contact Nolan Taylor at ntaylor@mcie.org.
Moving Toward Equity and Access Through Inclusive Schooling
This guide provides principals a general overview of their role as they develop a culture of collaboration and support the changing roles of educators.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support: 2015 Review
Focusing on a school-wide approach to PBIS, this guide describes the tiers of successful intervention and provides evidence of its impact on student performance.
Resources for Teaching In-Person and Online
This 18-page PDF provides links to articles, podcasts, webinars, and other resources that educators can use to help them with in-person and online teaching.
Self-Advocacy Guide and Curriculum
This guide provides an introduction to self-advocacy, as well as explains how to implement it in schools with lessons.
If you have followed the MAPs process (see Student-Centered Planning below) to set the stage for inclusion, you will be ready to use these planning forms for ensuring specially designed instruction and participation in general education classes. For more information on how to use these forms, contact Barb Gruber at barb@mcie.org.
When students have been in separate special education classes, are moving from elementary to middle or high school, or are finding success in general education settings to be a challenge, this document provides a process that helps create vision, identify support needs, and rally the team to take action.
This is the PowerPoint for MCIE’s keynote address at the TASH international conference in December 2020. Listen to Dr. Quirk's presentation on the importance of creating a sense of belonging.
21st Century Functional Life Skills: Educating Learners who need Intensive or Extensive Supports, a Historical View and Implications for Schools
In this document, we provide the historical context for educating children and youth with extensive support needs and how we have moved into a new understanding of what truly “functional” life skills are for any person, including a checklist to identify if skills are “functional” for a child or youth with an Individualized Education Program.
Equity
Engagement
Justice
Trans-
formation