🧩 Core Principle: Special Education Students Are General Education Students First

Before any labels, services, or supports, students with disabilities are first and foremost general education students. This means they are entitled to access the same curriculum, high expectations, and inclusive environments as their peers. Special education is not a place—it’s a set of supports and services designed to help students succeed within general education settings.

This principle is foundational to inclusive education and aligns with IDEA’s mandate for educating students in the least restrictive environment.

💭 What Is Presuming Competence?

Presuming competence means assuming that students with disabilities are capable of learning, thinking, and participating meaningfully in academic and social contexts. It shifts the focus from deficits to potential, and from exclusion to belonging.

This mindset is rooted in the Least Dangerous Assumption (Donnellan, 1984):

In the absence of conclusive data, assume competence—because the risk of underestimating a student is greater than the risk of overestimating.

🎥 Videos to Inspire and Inform

The Importance of Presuming Competence – Shelley Moore
A dynamic explanation of inclusive education and the power of mindset.
How Does Presuming Competence Help Autistic Learners?
A short video showing how belief in student ability transforms outcomes.
Under the Table – TEDx Talk by Shelley Moore
A storytelling approach to understanding inclusion and belonging.

🧠 Examples & Scenarios

Scenario 1: General Education First
A student with a learning disability is placed in a general education science class with co-teaching support. Instead of pulling the student out for remediation, the team adapts instruction and uses scaffolds. The student thrives with peers and shows growth on grade-level standards.
Scenario 2: Communication Supports
A non-verbal student with cerebral palsy is included in a literature circle. Using an AAC device, the student shares insights about character development. The teacher presumes competence by allowing time and encouraging peer interaction.
Scenario 3: Math Inclusion
A student with Down syndrome is included in a general education math class. With visual supports and peer modeling, the student participates in problem-solving and demonstrates understanding through manipulatives.

📚 Scholarly Sources

Biklen, D., & Burke, J. (2006). Presuming competence. Equity & Excellence in Education, 39(2), 166–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665680500540376
Donnellan, A. M. (1984). The criterion of the least dangerous assumption. Behavioral Disorders, 9(2), 141–150.
Jorgensen, C. M., McSheehan, M., Sonnenmeier, R. M., & Mirenda, P. (2010). The Beyond Access model: Promoting membership, participation, and learning for students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

💡 Reflection Prompt for Teachers

Think of a student you’ve worked with who was underestimated. What changed when you or others began to presume competence? How did it affect their learning and inclusion?