James McLeskey is professor and chair of the Department of Special Education at the University of Florida. Before moving to Florida in August 1999, he taught for 22 years at Indiana University. For the past 10 years, James has worked with many schools as they have attempted to develop and implement inclusive school programs. Through these endeavors, he has learned many lessons from teachers, principals, parents, and students regarding why it is important to develop inclusive programs and how these programs may be successfully developed. He has supplemented and enriched these lessons as a parent of two children who have had difficulty progressing in school.