The Impact of Inclusion on Children's Lives: multiple outcomes, and friendship in particular

This paper describes the work of a Consortium for Collaborative Research on the Social Relationships of Children and Youth with Diverse Abilities. The Consortium was a 5 year research institute funded by the US Department of Education, carrying out research in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento areas of California; the Seattle and rural-suburban regions of Washington State; New York State including New York City, Syracuse and rural regions; and Maryland. The work was undertaken in rural, urban, and suburban school districts, with a demographically diverse population, and also directly with families. This paper shares the results of research findings on children's social lives in inclusive settings, while weaving a theme throughout the presentation of how this research was done. The focus was upon the role research should play and was directed toward closing the gap between research and practice.