Home and School Program Development Inclusion

Controversy Surrounding Inclusion Responses to Full-Inclusion Movement (FIM): Responses to Full-Inclusion Movement (FIM): It seems that the place of instruction has become the focus of special education rather than the instruction itself. It seems that the place of instruction has become the focus of special education rather than the instruction itself. FIM Proposed as quackery FIM Proposed as quackery FIM is contrary to common sense and inconsistent with what we know about disabilities FIM is contrary to common sense and inconsistent with what we know about disabilities how can general education offer more to a child than specialized-therapeutic interventions shown to be effective? how can general education offer more to a child than specialized-therapeutic interventions shown to be effective?

Reasons for the Controversy Special Education is not always ideally provided and teachers may be poorly trained Special Education is not always ideally provided and teachers may be poorly trained The answer, however, is not to change the plaice in which it is offered, but the instruction itself The answer, however, is not to change the plaice in which it is offered, but the instruction itself The answer is also, not to put them with general education teachers who have NO specialized training in teaching children with disabilities but better train a special education teacher who has the appropriate background The answer is also, not to put them with general education teachers who have NO specialized training in teaching children with disabilities but better train a special education teacher who has the appropriate background

Reasons for the Controversy Continuum of Alternative Placement Continuum of Alternative Placement Social justice: define full inclusion as a matter of civil rights Social justice: define full inclusion as a matter of civil rights Advocacy of FIM therefore, lies in rallying against special education because it is segregation and gets compared to slavery and apartheid rather than individualized instruction based on empirically validated procedures Advocacy of FIM therefore, lies in rallying against special education because it is segregation and gets compared to slavery and apartheid rather than individualized instruction based on empirically validated procedures Willful Ignorance Willful Ignorance FIM will promote social acceptability of a disability, however, to feel accepted does not cause the disability to vanish and the necessary skills to magically appear FIM will promote social acceptability of a disability, however, to feel accepted does not cause the disability to vanish and the necessary skills to magically appear Oversimplification Oversimplification DO all students get included in Calculus? What would be an appropriate high school general ed math class for a student with disabilities DO all students get included in Calculus? What would be an appropriate high school general ed math class for a student with disabilities How much can we modify curriculum?? How much can we modify curriculum??

To Make Full-Inclusion Work (Strain, 1999) Include a student with students of typical development as much as possible. Include a student with students of typical development as much as possible. Very systematic and rigorous training procedures of the peers of typical development are necessary for the child with autism to effectively learn in an inclusive setting Very systematic and rigorous training procedures of the peers of typical development are necessary for the child with autism to effectively learn in an inclusive setting

When Inclusion is done Right: Let’s Learn from the Experts! (Krantz & McClannahan, 1999) (Johnson, Meyer, & Taylor, 1996) Prerequisites have to be mastered in various skill domains before a child can benefit from an inclusive setting. Prerequisites have to be mastered in various skill domains before a child can benefit from an inclusive setting. These skill domains include: These skill domains include: Language Skills, Social Skills, Academic Skills, Behavior Skills Language Skills, Social Skills, Academic Skills, Behavior Skills Particular skills include: Particular skills include: Sustained Engagement Sustained Engagement Following Adults’ Instructions Following Adults’ Instructions Responding to Temporally Delayed Contingencies Responding to Temporally Delayed Contingencies Exhibiting Generative Language Exhibiting Generative Language Generalization of Skills across Settings Generalization of Skills across Settings Low Rates of Inappropriate Behavior Low Rates of Inappropriate Behavior

When Inclusion is done Right: Let’s Learn from the Experts! (Krantz & McClannahan, 1999) (Johnson, Meyer, & Taylor, 1996) Transition to General Education (after at least two years of self-contained instruction) Transition to General Education (after at least two years of self-contained instruction) Pre-transition instruction Pre-transition instruction Gradual transition to general education Gradual transition to general education Gradually fading special supports Gradually fading special supports Follow up Follow up

Public Schools NJ Courts will typically rule in favor of inclusion NJ Courts will typically rule in favor of inclusion What do you do? What do you do? Write against recommendation in IEP Write against recommendation in IEP Substantially modify goals & objectives Substantially modify goals & objectives Use lots of prompting & reinforcement systems in inclusion setting Use lots of prompting & reinforcement systems in inclusion setting Substantially modify curriculum Substantially modify curriculum

References Mock, R., Kauffman, J.M. (2005). The delusion of full inclusion. In J.W. Jacobson, R. Foxx & J.A. Mulick (Eds.). Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities: Fad, fashion, and science in professional practice. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Mock, R., Kauffman, J.M. (2005). The delusion of full inclusion. In J.W. Jacobson, R. Foxx & J.A. Mulick (Eds.). Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities: Fad, fashion, and science in professional practice. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Strain, P.S., (1999) Peer-mediated interventions for young children with autism: A 20 year retrospective. In P.M. Ghezzi, W.L. Williams, & J.E. Carr (Eds) Autism: Behavior-analytic perspectives. Reno, NV: Context Press. Strain, P.S., (1999) Peer-mediated interventions for young children with autism: A 20 year retrospective. In P.M. Ghezzi, W.L. Williams, & J.E. Carr (Eds) Autism: Behavior-analytic perspectives. Reno, NV: Context Press.