Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities in Japan and the U.S.

Inclusion, specifically inclusion of students with disabilities in the educational system, is not just compliance to standards, but also an attitude. Therefore, inclusive education can be implemented in various ways. This article will examine the educational systems of the United States and Japan, using a case study and literature review. The case study utilizes an interview with an educator with experience in classrooms in both Japan and the U.S. and was conducted based on a theoretical framework. The results from the case study and the literature review both reveal that culture and legal structure are key components when considering how differently inclusion is viewed in Japan and the U.S.