Very informative on the many different disabilities that can plague a child...was especially helpful with a child I had in my care with Speech delays among other not yet diagnosed conditions. ( )

[book:Effective Inclusion Strategies for Elementary Teachers: Reach and Teach Every Child in Your Classroom|18063509] by [author:Cynthia Simpson|986075], Jessica A. Rueter, Ph.D., and Jeffrey P. Bakken, Ph.D., is an excellent introduction for a general education teacher beginning the process of opening their classroom to include students with special needs. As the current trend towards inclusion will almost certainly continue and quite probably increase, this book could be an indispensable resource to all elementary teachers beginning the process. The book is a highly accessible, easy-to-read overview of the typical type of special needs' students a general education teacher is likely to encounter and some of the modifications and adaptations that will increase student access to the curriculum and class activities.

After an overview of the impact of the least-restrictive-environment law and the popular movement towards inclusion, Simpson presents a slightly more in-depth presentation of ways in which a teacher can include students with specific disabilities, including autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and physical challenges, using the lens of a case history with a student with a specific challenge. At the end of each chapter, there's a brief "If you want to know more" section that points the teacher toward additional resources in how to deal with the disability addressed in that chapter.

There are Tables that are helpful visual presentations of information. My own areas of expertise include autism, learning disabilities, orthopedic handicaps, and emotional/behavioral disturbances. In these areas, I can affirm Simpson's knowledge of the disability and current research-based interventions and supports to enable student success.
There is also a helpful glossary of the most significant terms.

Simspon, a professor and Dean of Education in the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Houston Baptist University and co-writers Rueter (assistant professor at The University of Texas at Tyler in the School of Education) and Bakken (professor, Associate Provost for Research, and Dean of the Graduate School at Bradley University) have done a masterful job of presenting a huge topic in a highly condensed form. I wished there had been an index and a bibliography but those are smell quibbles to have with this massive and on the whole highly successful attempt at introducing teachers to the world of special education in a highly condensed and useful fashion.

I would strongly recommend this to all teachers in elementary schools. If they do not already have students with special needs in their classroom, they probably will in the near future. They should get ready for the future.

[in the interests of honest disclosure, I received this book from LibraryThing.com's Early Reviewers but the opinions expressed are my own] ( )

Effective inclusion strategies for elementary teachers is a great overview for general education teachers for including students with special needs in the classroom. It is simple to read and is well organized. The book is broken up by categories of disabilities and also includes a great chapter on the laws surrounding special education. It is a introduction to the topic but I did find it a little lacking in depth.

This book is, above all, a resource for teachers. In the early chapters, it identifies and explains different types of learning challenges that have been categorized by specialists, and also breaks down the current laws governing the education of children diagnosed with these disabilities. Subsequent chapters deal specifically with each category and give real life examples of helpful techniques and structuring tips to address the specific learning needs of these children and integrate them into the average classroom. I do not recommend attempting to read this book from cover to cover, outside of an educational course. Instead, I recommend that every teacher use this book as a resource to familiarize themselves with the different special education categories so that they can identify these students, and refer to the associated chapter and strategies as needed. I do believe that with the current system of integrated classrooms, EVERY teacher should have access to a book like this, and I applaud the authors for compiling this exhaustive collection of information into one source that teachers can turn to.

This book is a great resource for the Gen Ed Elementary teacher. It's an easy read and the layout is such that the information is easy to find. Usable information that can be implemented immediately. As a teacher in a Behavioral/Emotional Class for the last 7 years I felt that the information given for Behavioral students was right on but I didn't rally glean any new ideas. After I wrote the original review I decided to reread the section on students with vision needs since a young student with some vision issues was just placed in my class. With the help of this book, I feel I will be able to help facilitate her learning in a more appropriate way until she begins seeing the vision itinerant. I feel fortunate to have received this book at this time as I can begin implementing some of the ideas on Monday. I can see this book being a resource in the future for students with other needs as well.