Inclusion is a topic that is still at the forefront of educational controversy, in the classroom and even in Congress. According to the Cyclopedic Education Dictionary, inclusion can be defined in two ways: firstly, inclusion can be defined as the inclusion of children with disabilities in a general school environment for the entire school day and secondly , inclusion can be defined as placing students with disabilities in a general classroom setting for one part of the day while being placed in a special setting during the other part of the day (Spafford & Grosser, 1998). Parents and teachers have been debating the issue of full inclusion of students with disabilities in public schools since the passage of the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975. The social implications of full inclusion can be both positive and negative for the student, with the positive results resulting from adequate and beneficial programs implemented by public schools. Before 1975 all children with disabilities were included in general education classes; however, children with severe disabilities were placed in institutions for educational and housing purposes. In 1975, Congress passed the Education for all Handicapped Children Act, which states that all students with disabilities should be placed in a classroom considered the least restrictive environment for learning. This act highlights the importance of learning in an inclusive environment; however, it does not limit the placement of students with severe disabilities in a segregated environment (Romano and Chambliss, 2000). In 1991, the name of the law was changed to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) after some changes were made. This new law states that every child with a disability has a r...... middle of paper......s. ERIC Data Center on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (2001, December). Retrieved November 24, 2002, from http://www.pta.org/ptawashington/issues/idea.asp.Lipsky, D., & Gartner, A. (1998). Bringing inclusion into the future. Educational Leadership, 78-81.Merritt, S. (2001). Overcoming obstacles to inclusion. Educational Leadership, 59, 67-70. Romano, K., & Chambliss, C. (2000). Attitudes of primary and secondary school teachers and administrators toward inclusive educational practices. Handicapped and gifted children. 1-29.Sage, D.D. (Ed.). (1997). Inclusion in secondary schools: bold initiatives, inspiring change. New York: National Professional Resources, Inc. Spafford, C., Pesce, A., & Grosser, G. (1998). Inclusion. In the dictionary of cyclopedic education. (page 29). Albany: Delmar Publishers.