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Inclusion
Inclusion is summed up by Bennett and Smilanich (1994) as what teachers do to make sure students feel like they belong in the class, and is classified as an effective teaching strategy as this is a mechanism in which individual student learning is optimised. The effort involved in providing a differentiated curriculum, catering for individual students needs is not easily understood by non-teachers. To be inclusive in lesson planning is not just being mindful of students with a disability of sorts but also catering towards multi-trait intelligences (Eggen & Kauchak, 2009; Marsh, 2004), diverse developmental stages and knowledge (due to factors such as life experiences) and the Gifted and Talented (Eggen & Kauchak, 2009).
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An inclusive environment educates students with disabilities who are educated in mainstream classrooms with age-appropriate peers and are fully included in the curriculum. The main difference is that students may require curriculum differentiation modified for the individual student (Department of Education and Training of Western Australia [DETWA], 2005a) such as using an Individualised Education Program (Eggen & Kauchak, 2009). Students may be allocated an educational assistant (part or full time) to assist with their education depending on needs as determined by relevant Government organisations (DETWA, 2005a). As an effective teaching strategy, teachers need to acknowledge the individual students needs (not just special needs students), and liaise with appropriate colleagues (such as an educational assistant for special needs students) in order to develop appropriate learning tools to optimise student learning.
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