"Inclusive education" is often mischaracterized as solely about educating students with disabilities in the "least restrictive environment." Fortunately, inclusive education now means providing a supportive and quality education for all students.  It is in this spirit that I want to speak to the accomplishments of our staff in making Madison one of the most inclusive, progressive urban school systems in the country.

For students with disabilities, Madison first emerged as a national leader in providing inclusive education in 1977, when it closed Badger School, a segregated facility for students with cognitive disabilities.  Closing Badger's doors opened another historic door which allowed students with significant disabilities to attend a school along with their non-disabled peers for the first time. 

Since that historic event, other important changes have occurred in MMSD resulting in our schools becoming increasingly inclusive of all students.  Some of these changes included:

• beginning in 1987, educating the full range of students with disabilities in their neighborhood schools rather than at clustered school sites;
• moving from categorical self-contained programming to cross-categorical programming;
• placing students in chronologically age-appropriate general education classrooms and providing support through a collaborative teaming model;
• providing inclusive community-based instruction utilizing local employers, transportation systems and recreational facilities.

Today, over 90% of Madison students with disabilities are educated in their neighborhood school.

Some detractors argue that the inclusive movement has diluted and compromised the quality of education for all students.  However, a growing body of evidence supported by research and our own local experiences suggests inclusive educational experiences results in students better understanding and appreciating the rich diversity represented in our schools and society.

But many challenges remain.  To address these challenges will require:

• flexibility in the design of service delivery and the creative use of our resources;
• valuing parent and family participation;
• collaboration among staff in planning, teaching and problem-solving;
• the use of technology to enhance and support learning;
• reducing the misidentification of students, especially students of color.

Together, we can take great pride in Madison's schools as a national leader in creating inclusive educational opportunities for all of our students.

Dan Spooner works in the kitchen of J.T. Whitney's under the tutelage of MMSD West HS staffer Fred Swanson. Swanson, a transition facilitator for students with special needs, connects with area employers to provide meaningful work for students with disabilities and then works as a job coach with students.