Inclusiveness: Hearing Every Voice

Abstract

Inclusion has referred different areas of culture throughout history. On social, political, and economic levels, inclusion affects society in many ways. Since people comprise the core of American society, equity and accessibility in all areas is paramount. Current educational thought in America, resounding with the effects of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001 (better known as No Child Left Behind, or “NCLB”), has led to increased attempts increased equity and accessibility in education. However, NCLB is inextricably tied to traditional education methods delineated by Tyler and other curricular theorists of his era. The pendulum of educational thought has begun swinging towards integration of constructivist theory. As curriculum is developed and stakeholders are consulted, one group of stakeholders has historically been ignored: students. Consideration of the student as a significant stakeholder in the educational process, along with appropriate rights and privileges, is a key factor in expanding inclusion within the educational realm.