Inclusive Education News

"We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need in order to do this. Whether we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven't done it so far". (Ronald R. Edmonds, 1979)

Many Canadian students with exceptionalities are educated in general education classrooms but may not be included in academic and social activities to the same extent as their peers without exceptionalities. Given that children who are educated in inclusive settings are in better health, enjoy going to school, progress well in school, and interact well with peers (Timmons & Wagner, 2010), it is paramount that inclusion is given priority in the education community. Research in the area of inclusion is urgently needed in order to provide answers to questions such as: What are the critical elements required to support inclusive education? What barriers exist in this regard? Why are some children in some provinces included more than others? And, how can we best support administrators and educators as they endeavour to include students with a wide range of exceptionalities in general education classrooms?

Although many Canadian scholars are involved in research that is directly related to inclusion, there is no national voice for research in this area at the present time. This Centre will allow researchers from coast to coast to form collaborative partnerships with local schools and community groups in order to develop a Canadian understanding of inclusion. This understanding is vitally important in a country in which education policies and practices are established and enacted provincially. By researching and disseminating our findings across Canada and around the world, we aim to empower teachers and others with the knowledge they need to be effective with all students, including those with exceptional needs.