This document discusses inclusion and inclusive education. It begins by explaining Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and the role of teachers to identify what students can do independently and with help in order to determine the next steps in learning. Several examples are provided. The document also discusses setting high expectations for students, viewing disabilities as different abilities rather than limitations, and identifying small steps to help students' abilities expand over time. Barriers to inclusion are discussed, along with 17 indicators of an inclusive school environment. Teachers are then asked to discuss strengths and weaknesses of inclusion in their own communities.

1. University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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Inclusion: Where to Start
D R . M A R I S A S I L V E R
U N I V E R S I T Y O F O R E G O N

2. Zone of Proximal Development
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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3. The Job of Teachers:
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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 To find out what each child can do right now
 Then figure out what they need to learn next

4. Example: Landing in a Foreign Country
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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5. What can I do now?
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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 What can I do with help?
 What can’t I do at all?

6. Next Step Learning
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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7. Example: Soccer
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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8. What Do We Know about Disabilities?
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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 Students with disabilities also have many abilities.
 The role of the inclusive educator is to help students
use their abilities to compensate for their disability
and master challenging academic content.
 Disabilities can also be seen as “different abilities.”
Students still have abilities, though their pace,
process, and learning goals may be different from
most of their peers.

9. Teacher Expectations
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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 It is every inclusive educator’s job to set high
expectations for their students and to help their
students compensate for their disabilities to master
the same skills and content as their non-disabled
peers.

10. The Next Step
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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 Skillful teachers identify where a student is in terms
of their abilities, and define clearly what the “next
step” is.
 Even if the next step is very small, it is worth
focusing energy on accomplishing the next step so
that the student’s abilities expand over time.

11. Discussion
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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Divide into three smaller groups.
Each group will discuss one of the following prompts:
 What are some physical barriers to participation for
students with different abilities that exist in your
country?
 What are some attitudinal barriers to participation for
students with different abilities that exist in your
country?
 What are some social barriers to participation for
students with different abilities that exist in your
country?

12. Barriers
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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 Many barriers still exist that prevent all students
from accessing a full education.
 It is our task as educators to address these barriers to
ensure all students can access an education.

13. School Improvement Tool
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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 Indicators of an Inclusive Environment
 17 Indicators

14. 17 Indicators of
An Inclusive School Environment
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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1. School and community leaders create an
environment that helps all students learn.
2. School and community leaders ensure all students
enroll in school.
3. School and community leaders offer extra support
to vulnerable children.
4. Teachers and parents cooperate well.
5. All students feel welcome in the school.
6. All students attend school every day.

15. 17 Indicators (cont’d)
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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7. All students can access all parts of the school,
indoors and outdoors.
8. All students have access to health services as
necessary and appropriate.
9. All students can access learning in all lessons.
10. All students learn together.
11. Teachers support all students in their learning.
12. All students help each other learn.

16. 17 Indicators (cont’d)
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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13. All students actively participate in all lessons and
activities.
14. All students are treated equally as valued members
of the school.
15. All students feel that their ideas and opinions are
valued.
16. All students enjoy lessons.
17. All students achieve their learning in all subjects
according to their individual abilities.

17. Strengths/Weaknesses
University of Oregon – Laos Inclusion Project • 2015 ໂຄງການການສຶ ກສາຮຽນຮ່ ວມລະຫວ່ າງ ມະຫາວິ ທະຍາໄລ ໂອເຣກອນ ແລະ
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Divide into pairs:
 Talk about the community you work with.
 Find one strength from the list
 Find one weakness