No abstract

Here's an important question for educators in inclusive classrooms: When do we teach students with significant cognitive disabilities how to shop for and purchase groceries and clothing, buy compact discs (CDs), or dine in a restaurant? It is a well-established fact that students with significant disabilities need to learn skills and routines in the environment in which the skills will be used, such as a local department store or the mall (Bates, Cuvo, Miner, & Korabek, 2001;Kluth, 2000; see box, "What Does the Literature Say?)Many other questions arise when we place students with severe disabilities in inclusive general classrooms. Is peer tutoring enough? How do we make community outings inclusive? How do we teach functional skills in an inclusive way? When inclusion means the students are educated in the general education classroom for most of the school day, when and how do we as professionals address those other needs? This article explores questions like these and provides some fresh perspectives and solutions.