Considering the role of curriculum integration towards inclusive education

The term "curriculum" entails the learning and social structures, practices, organization as well as what and how is taught within educational settings (Apple, 1996; Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977; Carr, 1993). The design and implementation of curriculum has been one of the most crucial topics in education because through its rules, practices and content it transmits societal values in terms of knowledge and culture (Armstrong, 1999). Curriculum is not static but it changes in order to keep up with the ongoing social development (Browder, Flowers, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Karvonen, Spooner & Algozzine, 2004; Otis-Wilborn, 1995). Along with the society's evolution, a major development that influenced curriculum and raised concerns regarding its role in education was the inclusive movement. Inclusion came as a response to the economical, political, social, cultural conditions and humanistic values that emerged in most western societies (Freire & César, 2003) and reflected the new societal perspectives regarding children with diverse needs and consequently children with special educational needs (Browder et al., 2004). An inclusive learning environment is the one that reflects the heterogeneity of our society (Bradley & Switlick, 1997), through the acceptance of all children regardless of their perceived physical, educational or psychological challenges, accommodates their needs and creates opportunities so that all children develop their full potentials in the school (Armstrong, 1999; Bradley & Switlick, 1997; Stainback & Stainback, 1990; Stainback, Stainback, & Jackson, 1992; Walter-Thomas, Korinek, McLaughlin & Williams, 2000). The realization of inclusive education has been a rather complicated and demanding process and despite the efforts of researchers as well as of policy makers around the world to support and promote inclusion (Van Kraayenoord, 2003), effective planning has not been accomplished yet (Kavale, 2002; Kavale & Forness, 2000). The issue of complexity derives from the assumption that inclusion does not simply concern a placement but a philosophy, the implementation of which requires dynamic educational changes and a reconsideration of the roles of professionals, learners, the curriculum, as well as instructional and financial resources (Peters, 2002; Lipsky & Gartner, 1999; Thomas, Walker & Webb, 1998; Ware, 1995). The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of the curriculum as well as that of the teachers as two critical factors in the realization of an effective inclusive programme ( Ainscow, 1999; Evans, 2004; Peters, 2002; Rose, 2000; Thomas et al. 1998; Van Kraayenoord, 2003).