Instead, the book argues, a range of educational possibilites are needed, so that each student's individual needs can be met most fully, with the goal being inclusion in society as a full and equal participant (which includes the right to be different). The essays include both those attacking the theoretical arguments involved and those which examine the issue with respect to specific disabilities such as autism, learning disabilities and deafness.

As a disabled person whose life was very nearly ruined by my experiences in the "mainstream", I hope that this book may cause some educationalists to think twice before sacrificing the rights of students with disabilities to the cause of "educational correctness".

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:


Inclusion gives the Illusion of Success  Apr 20, 2008 By S. Holly
Inclusion is considered to be Special Education's largest bandwagon ever, as seen by editors, James M. Kauffman and Daniel P. Hallahan. In the mid 1980s, The Full Inclusion Movement (FIM) offered an attractive platform of general and special education merging into one with a system that supports all students' regardless of abilities or disabilities. After twenty years, the editors claim that the devastation of full inclusion is evident, leaving Special Education in a precarious position of trying to salvage it's original mission for students' with disabilities. This book is a collection of essays that throws light upon how FIM is nothing but an illusion of support for students in the classroom. The book is divided into three parts with twenty-three separate chapters. The first part addresses FIM from a historical context and addresses the issue of merging special and general education. The second part of the book discusses policy analyses, commentaries and research. It addresses topics such as the need for diverse environments in order to provide for an appropriate education, and the lack of preparation of teachers for the FIM. Finally, the third part takes a look at specific disabilities, such as blind, deaf and emotional or behavioral disorders, and it's appropriateness in the FIM.
One of the reasons the editors claim that the FIM gained such momentum was the availability of books that supported the rationale of Full Inclusion. As I set out on my research for a book on Inclusion, it was quite easy to find a variety of titles for Inclusion that discussed its rationale, the research, and its successful implementation. In fact, so convincing was the rhetoric of Full Inclusion that going against Inclusion, almost made me feel as if I were an insensitive, prejudiced human being and that I should reconsider my position on this issue. I was relieved to find this book, The Illusion of Full Inclusion: A Comprehensive Critique of a Current Special Education Bandwagon, by James M. Kauffman and Daniel P. Hallahan, this book gave me the necessary resource and support to write about this controversial issue.
This book represents as a complete source for my topic for many reasons. First, the editors are credible experts in the field of special education. James M. Kauffman is Professor Emeritus in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. He has experience in both the general and special classrooms, and received an EdD in Special Education from the University of Kansas. In addition, he has served as President of the Council for Exceptional Children, and was a co-editor for Behavioral Disorders. Daniel P. Hallahan has a PhD in education and psychology and has served on numerous editorial boards for various Special Education journals such as Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, and The Journal of Special Education. He also has been honored by the University of Virginia for Outstanding Teaching in 1998 and for Outstanding Faculty in 2003. Second, the intention of the book was take a position on the issue of Full Inclusion, and to make educators aware of the other side of Inclusion, as indicated by the book's title. Third, the book covers an array of topics as it relates to Full Inclusion, such as the Least Restrictive Environment, an Appropriate Education, the purposes and outcomes of Special Education, and specific disabilities. Finally, as stated, this book is a collection of articles written by experts in the field of Special Education from all over the country and not just a concentrated area.