Parents, teachers, and paraeducators at three inclusive schools were interviewed as part of a qualitative study to investigate perceptions regarding a quality educational program for students with moderate–severe disabilities. Instead of looking at schools engaged in a systematic change process from separate to inclusive education for students with severe disabilities, a major premise of this study was that all students, regardless of ability or disability, were educated together in chronologically age appropriate general education classrooms (preschool through 8th grade). The intent of this study was to determine what key stakeholders (parents, teachers, and paraeducators) felt was a good educational program for students with moderate–severe disabilities after an inclusive placement was a given. Fifty-eight participants were interviewed (18 parents, 23 teachers, and 17 paraeducators) representing four preschool children, nine elementary students, and five middle school students all having moderate–severe and multiple disabilities. A constant comparison methodology was used to analyze the data across both age of target child and role of stakeholder. Findings revealed 12 themes that highlighted the benefits of inclusive education for all students, specific components that needed to be in place to ensure a quality education, and typical goals for the future. Implications for the field were discussed.

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As of this writing, there appeared to be a lack of information on how schools were going to keep track of student cohort groups' progress. Given that the guidelines to meet the expectations of No Child Left Behind will be implemented in the 2005-2006 school year, this information should be more forthcoming within the next one to two years. Although the government will be requiring information on the results of state tests in the areas of math and reading/language arts and high school graduation rates, the bottom line is that educators need information in order to support and improve the instructional program for the students who had completed a specific exam and/or assessment. A word of caution recommended not to waste valuable resources by collecting data that will not be utilized. In order to support this, districts should check the data for its appropriateness, correctness, and usefulness. The literature suggested that teachers need information on every student, schools should look at high performing schools because most likely they will be the ones with the best practices, and to establish goals early on for the students' success post high school. Some high schools use a Personalized Education Plan to help students keep track of important information, goals, courses taken, and actions they need to take in order to be successful. In Rhode Island high schools, students are teamed with one advisor who is with them through their entire high school experience, the instructional program is set up to do interdisciplinary types of work, seniors present a final project, and those students with low reading and writing skills are given additional support.