Promoting Successful Inclusion Through Collaborative Problem-Solving Group 1 Nancy, Cece, Laura, and Kathy

Learning Objectives Identify factors that promote collaboration in inclusive classrooms. Determine how collaboration problem solving or CPS would enhance collaboration in the inclusive classroom.

Successful Inclusion Hobbs & Westling, (1998). Inclusion, Inclusion, Promoting Successful Inclusion Through Collaborative Problem- Solving. The Council for Exceptional Children, Inclusion is a process, not an event. Problem solutions evolve over time rather than occur randomly. Percentage of LD students in self contained settings has decreased since the 1990s and there is more inclusion. Success depends on the teacher’s preparation and attitudes and that there is an opportunity for collaboration. Needs adequate planning time and parent, community support, adapted curriculum, cooperative learning, and teacher collaboration.

Continued Collaborative Problem Solving or CPS is a way to identify problems or barriers related to inclusion. Address problems together Collaboration has to be voluntary, have parity, presumes mutually agreed on goals, requires shared responsibility and resources where the team must be collectively responsible for the outcomes. CPS provides a systematic process for identifying which strategies or tactics might be useful. Top ten ways teachers collaborate.

Top Ten Ways Teachers Collaborate teachers-to-collaborate/ teachers-to-collaborate/ Open Door Talk Be Open Minded Include Your Students Make Learning Trans-disciplinary Share Focus on the Arts Establish an online communication forum Create an online communication forum Create a global collaboration (skype, etc..)

Tool Use the worksheet to identify five ways teachers collaborate in inclusive settings that are not already listed. Work in pairs.

Dover (2005) Essential that special and general educators collaborate in order to provide instruction to students. Tips for collaboration in an inclusive classroom 1. Keep schedules of teacher’s planning times 2. Review student work together 3. Help each other prioritize instructional objectives. 4. Conduct interviews to complete paperwork 5. Offer direct assistance in the classroom. 6. Meet with others to review key student information. 7. Listen to the experiences needs and concerns of others. The author stressed that teacher collaboration is one of the most important factors in having successful inclusion.

Carter, Prater, Jackson & Marchant (2009) Effective collaboration between special education and general education teachers increases the likelihood that students will be included successfully in general ed. classrooms “CRIME” is one tool to train pairs of special educators and general educators to work through the collaborative process to benefit students in inclusion settings. “CRIME” was developed to help pairs of staff to effectively collaborate together (Curriculum, Rules, Instructions, Materials, Environment) Time to collaborate continued to be the number one barrier to collaboration. Differences in defining disability was the number one issue to collaborating effectively.

References Carter, N., Prater, M., Jackson, A., & Marchant, M. (2009). Educators’ Perceptions of Collaborative Planning Processes for Students with Disabilities. Preventing School Failure, 54(1), Dover, W. F. (2005). Consult and support students with special needs in inclusive classrooms. Intervention in School and Clinic, 40(1), Hobbs, T., & Westling, D. L. (1998). Inclusion Inclusion Promoting Successful Inclusion Through Collaborative Problem-Solving, The Council for Exceptional Children,