It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to actively support and protect the right of all students, including those with healthcare needs or disabilities, to participate in school-sponsored trips, in accordance with federal regulations (USDOE/OCR, 2020). The registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recognizes the important role standardized and other student assessments play in documenting education accountability, and in ensuring sound educational decisions are made toward achieving the highest possible academic standards for all students. CEC is committed to ensuring students with special learning…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) advocates for the full participation of all children and youth with disabilities and/or identified as gifted and talented in educational programming that promotes positive academic, social emotional, and adaptive/independent living outcomes and sets the stage for lifelong success. This position statement…

Little progress has been made in the last 20 years toward developing and sustaining effective inclusive programs for students with severe disabilities. An article by Agran and colleagues examines factors that contribute to this lack of progress and provides some initial discussion regarding alternatives for addressing this seemingly intractable…

Inclusive education for students with severe disabilities has and continues to spark intense debate. To what extent should students with severe disabilities be educated in nonsegregated environments, particularly the general education environment? For some, there is no question, but history indicates many do not agree. Agran and colleagues provide…

When exploring the achievement of students with disabilities (SWDs) in today's educational context of standards-based reform, scholars typically debate the merits and disadvantages of including SWDs in general education classrooms. Yet these debates in the fields of special education, policy implementation, and standards-based reform are largely…

This article addresses particular aspects of the Agran et al. identified determinants related to inclusive educational practices for students with severe disabilities. More specifically, this article focuses on perceptions of competency in students with severe disabilities and the resulting placement decisions, as well as facilitating systemic…

The role of parents in placement decisions is not mentioned in the foundational paper written by Agran et al. This essay explores the various ways parents are absent in the bureaucracy and in the everyday life of schools and communities. Some of the principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are thought to be at the heart of the…

In this interview, disabilities activist and commissioner of the Alternative Baseball Organization (ABO) Taylor Duncan relates his life as a student with autism and other special needs. He goes into stigmas that he had to overcome in school as he tried to participate in regular baseball activities. Encouraged by a coach to not give up and pursue…

The movement toward collaborative models of preservice early childhood preparation, those that attempt to "blend" preparation for both early childhood education (ECE) and early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE), is entering its fourth decade. This position paper presents a historical analysis of the blended…

Agran and colleagues have not only summarized the research on inclusive education, but they have also summed up the frustrations of many of us who have been working with families, teachers, and administrators to facilitate the inclusion of children and young adults with severe disabilities over many years. My response takes some of their most…

We acknowledge that some students with severe disabilities are not being taught in general education. We do not agree that inclusion in general education is inherently better, nor do we think it is always appropriate, and we provide some reasons that a full continuum of alternative placements is not only legally mandated but appropriate. We are…

This article briefly responds to the following question: Why aren't more students with severe disabilities being placed in general education classrooms? I offer five reasons why more students with severe disabilities are not included, because: (a) ableism persists, (b) schools continue to misapply the least restrictive environment provisions of…

The purpose of this article is to respond to the perspectives of Agran and colleagues concerning barriers to general education placement for students with significant support needs from an "on the ground" lens of participation in mediations and due process hearings, as well as conversations with parental inclusion advocates throughout…

In this brief response to Agran et al., I provide data on the extent to which students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (i.e., those students participating in alternate assessments on alternate achievement standards) are separated educationally from their peers without disabilities. I further discuss additional factors that may be…