Inclusion Inclusion is a term which expresses commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the least restrictive environment. This environment usually means the general education classroom. "Inclusion demands that both special and general education teachers work together to more effectively educate children with disabilities in a classroom environment with their same-aged peers" (Wood, 1998). If regular and special education teachers as well as administrators are willing to work together, inclusion can be very beneficial to most, if not all students. Educators have become more motivated to meet the needs of all students since federals laws came into play such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). The term Least Restrictive Environment became a part of education with the public law, Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Least Restrictive Environment gives students with disabilities, as well as administrators, parents, and teachers a continuum of alternative learning placement options in environments that are close to the classroom that the student would otherwise attend (Rizzo & Lavay, 2000). It is possible that for many teachers, implementing strategies to accommodate special needs students in a regular classroom can be an enormous challenge. It is important that teachers are willing to apply new strategies to their original practices, because, "carefully planned instructional strategies are necessary for successful inclusion" (Lavay, 2000). There are many strategies which have been found to be effective when used with special education students in an inclusive setting. One strategy is altering the physical environment, which may include seating certain students near the teacher or seating students near positive role models. Some other strategies include: altering the presentation of lessons, which includes using visual aids with oral presentations or giving students an outline of material to be covered in the lesson prior to beginning the lesson. Organizational assistance could also be provided along with using motivational techniques such as positive reinforcement, increasing the frequency of feedback, and providing a daily assignment sheet. All of these strategies will help teachers to become stronger and more effective when teaching in an inclusive setting. There are many questions which come about when looking closely at the idea of inclusion. One question would be: what are fair grading methods that can be used for students with disabilities in inclusive settings? It would be ideal to use some alternative report card system where descriptive information illustrating student accomplishments can be provided along with identifying areas where improvement is needed. Another question that could arise is: Is it possible to meet the needs of gifted students in the regular education classroom? This may be possible if students are grouped in an appropriate arrangement. Grouping alone may not produce the greatest outcome, but it makes it easier to achieve the goal of meeting the needs of gifted students. It would also be a good idea to provide a learning environment where each student is working at his or her own level of challenge, although this may be difficult to execute. One more question is: How can inclusive practices be incorporated into early childhood settings? This would most likely involve teachers getting current information and the proper skills training. If available, additional staff may even be required to help meet the needs in an early childhood setting. Since inclusion is a part of every school to some degree or another, and students with learning disabilities are spending more and more time in regular education classes, "planning and implementing necessary modifications and delivering effective instruction in general education classrooms is more crucial than ever"