Who are we Forgetting in the Inclusion Matrix?

In many of our rural school districts, today's inclusion initiative struggles to make a smooth transition from segregating students with disabilities to including them with their age appropriate peers. Efforts have been made to prepare educators, paraprofessionals, administrators and even children with disabilities, but little focus has been placed on the area that will bring about the success of this concept. Most often we have forgotten to adequately prepare the environment in which children with disabilities will spend the majority of their educational day. The general education classroom in many rural school districts is primarily made up of classmates, most without a disability or the knowledge and disposition to accept and include their peers with disabilities in both the educational and social experiences of this environment. The Inclusion Matrix provides a concrete approach to preparing and educating nondisabled peers for the inclusion classroom environment. This model stresses that the interaction of all students both with and without disabilities does not just occur. An effort must be made to nurture an environment within the classroom, which would show caring to those classmates many times alienated and separated from the group. Phases that build on knowledge, understanding, skills for socialization and integration, addressing dispositions as well as our feelings toward all students within the classroom environment are important aspects of this program design. The use of peers to provide much needed support of inclusion may prove to be the most effective resource for the implementation of the inclusion initiative.