The Adoption of Inclusion Education in the United States

Inclusion education has become a crucial part of classrooms across the United States, offering students with disabilities, as well as the gifted, an opportunity to join the classroom community and prepare for a successful and productive life. Inclusion education has evolved over time, and as this infographic will illustrate has become an integral part of our education system.

The true evolution began in 1972 with Mills vs Board of Education, then progressed into the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, and finally into IDEA which is still currently active today. IDEA has been successful in increasing the graduation rate 14% for youths with disabilities and the percent of college freshman reporting disabilities has more than tripled since 1978. Although there has been great strides to provide a welcoming and equal classroom experience for gifted and disabled children, there is a still a great amount of work to be done in the case of inclusion education.

Infographic brought to us by University of New England Online Masters in Education.