Inclusion

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Inclusion Inclusion

Special Education/Developmental Disabilities

From its inception, Community of Caring has placed a unique and important emphasis on students with disabilities. As a school model, the Community of Caring approach calls for the development of school environments where all students, especially those with disabilities are valued and welcomed to participate in the social life of the school. Community of Caring program components provide opportunities for all students to interact with one another. Through friendships, service learning projects, buddy partners and student forums, students share common experiences and build relationships with each other. Community of Caring schools encourage students with disabilities to take part in the giving of service. Administrators and teachers gain a deeper understanding and awareness for those with disabilities through specific instruction given during the Community of Caring staff development workshops. A pioneering program, Community of Caring continues to be a leader in this field into the 21st century.

Including More Children in a Community of Caring

In 2001, Community of Caring was awarded a grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities to identify “best practices” for including students with disabilities. The project, Including More Children in a Community of Caring, is designed to create friendship and learning activities that enrich the lives of students with and without disabilities. Four Community of Caring schools received staff development workshops specifically designed to promote social inclusion. These four sites include: Cresson Elementary-Cripple Creek, CO; Nottingham High School- Syracuse, NY; Park View High School-Sterling, VA; South Fork High School-Miranda County, CA. These sites are piloting a collection of research, strategies and resources promoting social inclusion.

Along with the development of specific resources, Community of Caring is collaborating with TASH and ARC, two national organizations that advocate for individuals with disabilities and work to enhance their lives. Penny Keith, Community of Caring Education Coordinator, and Kristin Fink, Community of Caring, Director, recently had an article about the Including More Children in a Community of Caring project published in the TASH Connections January/February 2004 edition. Please click here to view the article, which has been reprinted by permission of TASH. For more information about TASH, visit their web site or call 1-800-482-8274.

* TASH - www.tash.org
* The Arc of the United States - www.thearc.org

Other resources related to individuals with developmental disabilities include: