$4.9 Million Awarded to University of Kansas for National Center to Help Students with Disabilities Learn in Inclusive Settings

The U.S. Department of Education announced today a $4.9 million grant to the University of Kansas in Lawrence to create a national center to help students with disabilities learn in inclusive settings with their nondisabled peers.

The Technical Assistance Center for Inclusive School-Wide Reform will share information with educators and other stakeholders on research and practices in educating students with disabilities in regular school classes.

"Almost 30 years of research and experience have shown us that all children, including those with significant disabilities, benefit from high expectations and practices that support inclusion," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "This center will help ensure that educators have resources to address the needs of their students with disabilities."

Key areas of focus include:

• Improving the knowledge and skills of educators, administrators and support staff to implement successful, inclusive school-wide reform;
• Increasing the capacity of schools to implement quality, inclusive school-wide reform in grade-level academic and extracurricular settings;
• Increasing the capacity of schools to engage families and communities in promoting successful inclusive practices; and
• Assisting state education agencies with developing multi-level leadership and coordination to provide communication for scaling-up inclusionary reform.

The center is being funded under the Office of Special Education Programs.