Developing an Inclusive Curriculum – 3xS worksheet
Triple S worksheet
Name of Article/piece of work
Grenier, M., (2010). Moving to inclusion: a socio-cultural analysis of practice, International Journal of Inclusive
Education, 14(4), 387-400.
Summary - Provide a brief overview of the article or document
The article commences with a discussion of inclusive education – medical (deficit) models vs. sociological constructs.
This framework provides a basis to explore the place that beliefs and values have with educators in a school in New
England (USA).
Data from key teachers and paraprofessionals were collected using interviews, field notes and review of
documentation. It was analysed to identify key issues/themes:
 Historical constructions of disability scaffold thought
 Teachers and administrators acting collectively to impact relations in the school community
 Disability is a concept that is constructed and constructive
The views of the respondents varied according to their experiences with people with disabilities, the way that people
interacted within the school and the curriculum practices used.
Significance - identify the major points/key ideas
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Inclusive education is understood as a philosophy that supports and celebrates diversity through the active
participation of all students in the school culture (Kugelmass, 2004).
Inclusion is a comprehensive, school-wide effort that encourages teachers to maintain high expectations for
all students and to ensure flexible groupings in the development of appropriate curricula (Villa & Thousand,
2000).
Differences in student learning have called into question teachers’ orientations
towards ability. Within the medical model, disability translates into not being able to
fulfil normal expectations for learning (Linton 1998).
The social model centres on the concept of accommodation and the need to restructure mainstream
schooling practices to ensure that all learners belong to an educational community (Grenier, 2007).
Conflict between the two models emerges because of a classification system that distributes resources based
on students’ identified disability. Implicit questions such as “who’s in?”, “who’s out?” and “how
come?’”ultimately affect school policy and practice (Slee, 2006, p.112). Although these tensions give rise to
approaches on how an inclusive school should be structured, the testing and examining ideology grounds
special education in a deficit model.
Some teachers held views embedded in the medical model, while others were more inclined to see the
students and student learning as influenced by the conventions of social expectations. Over time, however, a
few teachers were able to express the transforming nature of a discourse that gained meaning through the
daily involvement with their students.
Moving towards inclusion requires that we consider teaching as relational where resources for joint actions
emerge, promoting an awareness of possibility rather than an adherence to limitation.
So What - How does this information inform my teaching practice?
I need to be aware that my understanding of difference leads to the modification of my teaching strategies to
accommodate the needs of the students.
I need to find support in the school to allow me the opportunity to explore my beliefs as these will influence the way
that I teach.
Peter Hulme, Griffith University 2011
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