This conceptual paper diagnoses the limitations and historic misuses of Deno’s Cascade Model for students with special needs and proposes a new schema for the individualized inclusion of all students. The extension of a once simplistic model is viewed through the triangulated perspectives of (1) students’ understanding and attitude; (2) parental care and advice; (3) teachers’ conscientious behaviors; and (4) administrative leadership. We propose a comprehensive placement option for students receiving special education services, and also extend that continuum of services to students who have no mandated protection in general education. Hence, the original, single-dimensional model is transformed into a metaphorical PRISM to represent a new paradigm of best practices for empowering all stakeholders. A systematic tool for addressing the diversity of the entire student population is structured to provide multiple options that are conducive to learning, while restructuring the administrative process and campus infrastructure. ACCESS FULL MANUSCRIPT HERE: http://cnx.org/content/m14440/latest/
