Introduction to Inclusion Julie Pecina John Lowdermilk

According to a radio report, a middle school in Oregon was faced with a unique problem. A number of girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls into the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it was to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to clean one of the mirrors. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it into the toilet and then cleaned the mirror. Since then there have been no lip prints on the mirror. There are teachers and then there are TEACHERS.

6 You Make a Difference!

How is your mind like a parachute?

It functions much better when it’s open!!

2 Pronged Criteria for Special Education Eligibility –Disability –as defined by IDEA and State Law –AU, OHI, LD, MR, NCEC, ED, AI, VI, DB, MD, OI, TBI, SI –Educational Need –not just limited to pass/fail –Examples of one without the other….

The IEP Pyramid PLACEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES EVALUATION

Number 1 Rule: Keep Your Expectations High

All students have a right to be educated in their home school Children should be with same-age peers Everyone shares the responsibility to support a child Parents know their children best All members from a community learn from one another Potential is unlimited Curriculum must be meaningful and differentiated for all students Fostering independence dignifies the individual Social skills can only be learned with social opportunities All students are contributing members of the community All behavior expectations should be age appropriate Diversity is valued and celebrated Fears can be overcome Inclusion Core Beliefs and Guiding Principles

Take a moment to recall an event during your childhood or teenage years when you belonged to a group and felt part of the community. Perhaps it was the band or a club, a sports team, or a family event in which you participated. Now reflect about the feelings associated with the event. Think about how you felt when you participated in the group. Take a few moments and write down your feelings.

Now think about the word exclusion. At this time, call to mind an event from your childhood or teenage years when you were excluded from the group. Perhaps it was a bus ride when you sat alone, an activity or party to which you were not invited, or a family event when all of the attention was directed towards one of your siblings. Take a few moments and write down your feelings.

Pretend you ’ re an adult student enrolled in a course at a university. You arrive late to class and the professor has just finished a lecture. You slide into your seat and hope you haven ’ t been noticed. On your desk is an assignment which you must compete. The professor asks all students to complete the assignment individually. Since you were not in class for the lecture, you haven ’ t he slightest idea what to do. What would you do. Jot down 3 different ideas.

Now, imagine one of your students in a similar situation. “ John ” has just returned to class from the nurses office. Most of the class has finished their lesson early and the students are working on their homework assignment when John comes in. As he sits down, he glances at the assignment. What are the options available to him?

I just want to belong… Segregation Always Produces a Subclass

19 Decreasing the # of Students in Special Education Increasing the # of Students with Disabilities in Less Restrictive Environments National Initiative Why? - Many Years of Research Higher Grades Higher Achievement Better Behavior Better Attendance

20 Response to Intervention Model

17 Improve General Education: Teacher Training  General education teachers who can teach an increasingly diverse student population  English language learners  Children from diverse cultural backgrounds  Children living in poverty

18 Improve General Education: Strategies  Teacher teams to improve instruction in general education  Data driven  Collaborative  School-wide interventions  Appropriate language supports  Parent and community involvement  How can schools understand their students if they don ’ t understand where they come from?

19 Prereferral Strategies*  Child study teams  Informal problem solving  Observations  Parent interviews *Some students should be referred for an evaluation immediately, depending on suspected disability

08/12/ We are READING teachers!

The Access Center Improving Outcomes for All Students K-8 An Overview

61 Hang in there – We’re getting to the good stuff!!