Inclusive education is considered a recommended practice for students with severe disabilities. These students benefit from the rich learning environments and natural supports found in general education classrooms. Furthermore, the highly individualized approach to inclusive education requires teams (regardless of location) to work closely with family members and peers and take advantage of natural resources that exist. Therefore, despite limited resources in rural areas, characteristics of these communities can be quite supportive of inclusive practices. Challenges to inclusive practices in rural schools will be presented as well as suggestions designed to address these challenges. The strengths of rural communities with regard to inclusive practices will be highlighted.
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