The success or failure of an inclusionary education program depends upon a variety of factors. Among these factors is the way in which the campus' principal works with key personnel to facilitate the inclusive education program. The way in which a campus principal makes decisions, allocates resources, as well as their attitude and general beliefs about inclusion can potentially positively or negatively impact the program. Inclusion can be defined as an educational setting where students with disabilities are supported in chronologically age-appropriate general education classes in their home schools and receive the specialized instruction delineated by their individualized education programs within the context of the core curriculum and general class activities.

The role of campus principals was analyzed in an effort to determine successful practices that can be implemented by other campus principals as they seek to create an equitable and successful inclusive education program. The cross-site case study utilized observations and semi-structured interviews to examine 3 elementary school principals' perceptions and attitudes about inclusion and how their perceptions and attitudes may influence inclusionary education on their campuses. The study sought to examine how the principals perceive their role in the inclusionary environment, how the principals' leadership approaches influenced the way in which they made decisions regarding inclusionary education, and how campus principals provided for sustainability of district mandated changes that related to the education of special education students.

Findings indicate that the campus principal is indeed in a pivotal role with respect to implementing and sustaining a change initiative such as inclusion. Three overarching core concepts emerged from the research endeavor. These concepts better explained the way in which the campus principal impacts, implements, and sustains the inclusionary education program. These core concepts are: Commitment to High Expectations; The Encouraging of Collaboration; and The Principal's Role as Facilitator. Each of the concepts, while powerful on its own, becomes increasingly relevant when grouped together to formulate the true core of the way in which the campus principals worked to implement and sustain their campus inclusion programs.