Organizing for Meaningful Inclusion: Exploring the Routines That Shape Student Supports in Secondary Schools

Abstract

School organization is a key driver for meaningful inclusion for students with disabilities. While there are promising examples of how schools organize for inclusion with intensive technical assistance, little is known about how high schools organize without such supports. In a case study of two high schools, we compare school organization by looking at their formal design and teachers’ daily routines. While both schools incorporated models for supporting students into their formal design, their daily routines revealed practices that were at odds with the spirit of inclusion. Routines involved special educators helping students pass their classes, though often not through meaningful learning opportunities. We offer insight into the affordances and constraints of school organization, revealing implications for meaningful inclusion.