The Inclusive Education Series: A conversation with Doug Fuchs

Can students with disabilities be fully included in general education classrooms? Or are there times when separate, specialized instruction is not only appropriate but necessary?

In the second episode of our Inclusive Education Series, I sit down with Doug Fuchs, one of the most influential special education researchers of the last four decades. Doug offers a perspective that challenges many of the assumptions behind today's inclusion movement.

We discuss what inclusive education actually means, why he believes the general education classroom should always be the starting point—but not always the ending point—and why he argues that some students will continue to need specialized instruction outside the general classroom.

Along the way, we tackle some of the biggest questions in the field:

• Is inclusive education supported by strong empirical evidence?

• Is the debate really about rights and belonging, or about effective instruction?

• Has special education become the problem—or is it still part of the solution?

• Can we improve general education enough to serve all learners?

• Is there common ground between advocates of full inclusion and those who support a continuum of services?

As always on DiveIn, I don't let my guests off easy. We talk about the politics of research, randomized controlled trials, Response to Intervention, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, IDEA, and why Doug believes the disability community needs fewer internal battles and more collaboration.

Whether you agree with Doug or not, this conversation will challenge you to think more deeply about one of the most important debates in the teaching and learning of students with disabilities.

Leave us a comment in our discord channel.

Are you ready?

Let's DiveIn.

TRANSCRIPT