Welcome to the EJIE, 8^th Edition, 2004

Welcome to the 8^th edition of The Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. This edition has an international flavor because we welcome two articles written by authors in New South Wales Australia and Japan. This edition ends with a book review and some wonderful poetry concerning individuals with disabilities. The issues concerning inclusive education continue to challenge professionals and excite interest and efforts in a growing body of literature concerning these efforts.

Dr. Fara M. Goulas, Dr. Lula J. Henry and Dr. Kimberly Griffith collaborated to produce a research piece concerning Making inclusion work in rural school system. Their writing addresses the issues of the perception of student with disabilities and the collaborative efforts required making inclusion work.

Dr. Sharon Hollander provides an excellent discussion of the criteria for choosing and using inclusive literature within the classroom.

Dr. Pamela Pruitt Garriott, Dr. Lynne Snyder, Dr. Lilly Tennant, and Dr. Ravic Ringlaben examine the attitudes and beliefs concerning students with severe disabilities of pre-service teachers.

Mr. Leonardo P. Jimenez and Toshiro Ochiai of Hiroshima University provide the readers with a look into inclusive efforts in Japan.

Dr. Loshini Naidoo discusses efforts to educate students with disabilities in South Africa.

Ms. Helen Senu-Oke of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio reviews the book entitled From Disrupter to Achiever: Creating Successful Learning Environments for the Self Control Classroom by Levin and Shanken-Kaye

Mr. David Keiser finishes this edition with a wonderful selection of poetry concerning individual differences.

We hope you enjoy and find the information and research provided in this edition thought provoking and illuminating.