InclusionInclusion Tracy Swenson EDC410 – May 2009

IDEA & Inclusion IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) specifies that services for students with disabilities be provided in a least restrictive environment (LRE). Source: Ryan, K. & Cooper J., (2007).

Inclusion is: The commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom. Involves bringing the support services to the child rather than moving the child to services in another room. Allows students with disabilities to have a sense of belonging. Sources: Ryan, K. & Cooper J., (2007). Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Four Phases of Inclusion Mainstreaming Regular Education Initiative Inclusion through accommodations Inclusion through restructuring Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Characteristics of Inclusion Home-school Placement Principle of natural proportions Restructuring teaching and learning Age- and grade-appropriate placements –Eliminating the continuum of placements –Increasing the amount of time in general education classrooms Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Educator’s Perspectives Positive Given adequate supplementary aids and services and specially designed instruction, students with disabilities can successfully be educated in the general education classroom. Most general education teachers feel successful when given support. Teachers will know how to practice inclusion and opt for it the better trained and experienced they are. Barriers Students with disabilities need specialized settings outside the general education classroom to receive the benefit of intensive and individualized instruction. A major obstacle to inclusion is class size. Smaller classes contribute to more positive outcomes. Special education resources have not been sufficiently infused into general education to ensure effective teaching. Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Parent’s Perspectives Positive General education does a better job of improving self-concept, promoting friendships, teaching academics, and preparing students with disabilities for the real world. Parents of children without disabilities identified benefits for their children. Benefits include: sensitivity to the needs of others, greater acceptance of diversity, as well as educational benefits. Barriers Concerns of parents are the availability of qualified educators and individualized services, as well as frustrations in persuading schools to provide inclusion. Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Student’s Perspectives Positive Students with learning disabilities –inclusive environments provide more opportunities for making friends –favor having special education teachers providing assistance to all students in the general education classrooms Students without disabilities –favor inclusion for equal treatment reasons Barriers Students with learning disabilities believe resource rooms: –useful help –quiet place to work –less difficult –more enjoyable instructional activities Students without disabilities –concerned about students being teased Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Student Outcomes Positive –High levels of social interaction with peers in inclusive environments –Social competence, communication skills, and other developmental skills improved in inclusive environments –Presence of students with disabilities does not compromise the performance of students without disabilities –Costs of inclusive services over time are less than those of segregated services although the initial cost of startup may at first increase Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Student Outcomes Concerns –Placement in special education classes resulted in lower achievement for students with mental retardation and students whose IQs are between 75 and 90 –Benefited students with learning disabilities or emotional and behavioral disorders Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

How Does Inclusion Facilitate Progress? The general education classroom is where the general curriculum is most likely to be taught. Students can receive individualized education in the general education classroom when universal design of learning (UDL) and the four characteristics of inclusion are met. IDEA and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have changed the focus on access to the general curriculum from “Where” to: –“What” and “How” Source: Turnbull, A., Turnbull R. & Wehmeyer M. L., (2007).

Strategies for Teaching in Inclusive Environments Five co-teaching methods –One teach, one assist –Station teaching –Parallel teaching –Alternative teaching –Team teaching/Interactive teaching Sources: Cahill, S. & Mitra S. (2008). Scruggs, T.E., Mastropieri, M.A. & McDuffie, K.A. (2007).

Strategies for Teaching in Inclusive Environments Alternative co-teaching framework –Focuses on the number of instructional groups Source: Kloo, A. & Zigmond N. (2008).

Strategies for Teaching in Inclusive Environments TEACH –Special education co-teacher plays a central role in basic skills classes Target the skills and strategies that a particular student needs to learn. Express enthusiasm and optimism. Adapt the instructional environment. Create opportunities for small-group or individual, direct, intensive instruction Help student apply skills learned to content classes Source: Kloo, A. & Zigmond N. (2008).

Strategies for Teaching in Inclusive Environments SUPPORT –Special education co-teacher plays a role of support with all students and the general education co-teacher Study the content Understand the big ideas Prioritize course objectives Plan with the general education teacher Rephrase, repeat, and redirect Teach your co-teacher to do it all on his or her own Source: Kloo, A. & Zigmond N. (2008).

Strategies for Teaching in Inclusive Environments Inclusion by design –“If teachers think like engineers, it is possible to design inclusive education.” Step One: Identify the problem or need Step Two: Identify the purpose or function of the system Step Three: Develop the inclusive concepts and specifications of the system Step Four: Implement the inclusive design into the classroom Source: Dukes, C. & Lamar-Dukes P. (2009).

Benefits of Co-teaching Special education co-teachers –Increase in content knowledge General education co-teachers –Improvement in classroom management & curricular adaptations Students with disabilities –Increase in academic efforts and participation –Learn appropriate behavior modeled by their peers –Receive additional attention in a co-taught environment Students without disabilities –Increase in cooperation with others Sources: Scruggs, T.E., Mastropieri, M.A. & McDuffie, K.A. (2007).

Obstacles of Co-teaching Lack of training –More information on characteristics of specific disabilities and specific information about each child’s diagnosis to better understand and serve them in the classroom Lack of planning time –Collaborate with staff, plan lessons and assess individual education plans (IEPs) Lack of administrative support Teachers required to work together –Think of co-teaching as a marriage Sources: Cahill, S. & Mitra S. (2008). Kamens, M.W., Loprete, S.J., & Slostad, F.A. (2003). Scruggs, T.E., Mastropieri, M.A. & McDuffie, K.A. (2007).

Collaboration Essential to inclusive education

Sources Cahill, S. & Mitra S. (2008). Forging collaborative relationships to meet the demands of inclusion. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 44(4), Dukes, C. & Lamar-Dukes P. (2009). Inclusion by design: Engineering inclusive practices in secondary schools. Teaching Exceptional Children, 41(3), Kamens, M.W., Loprete, S.J., & Slostad, F.A. (2003). Inclusive classrooms: What practicing teachers want to know. Action in Teacher Education, 25(1), Kloo, A. & Zigmond N. (2008). Co-teaching revisited: Redrawing the blueprint. Preventing School Failure, 52(2),

Sources Ryan, K. & Cooper, J.M. (2007). Those who can, teach (11 th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Scruggs, T.E., Mastropieri, M.A. & McDuffie, K.A. (2007). Co- teaching in inclusive classrooms: A metasynthesis of qualitative research. Exceptional Children, 73(4), Turnbull, A., Turnbull R., & Wehmeyer M.L. (2007). Exceptional lives: Special education in today’s schools (5 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.