1. Inclusive Services: An Overview
Presented by the Department of Exceptional Education

2. Is inclusion the law?
Many times inclusion is confused with the law. LRE is the law

3. Defining LRE Sec.612(a)(5)In general.—
To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in general education classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
Say: When you thoroughly read the law, you can tell that it was never meant for SWD’s to go to a placement once they have been made eligible to receive special education services. Note: You may want to read the last portion of the law which points this out.

4. Is MNPS going to be a fully inclusive district?

5. NO!
MNPS will always provide a continuum of services.

6. We have adopted an Integrated Comprehensive Service Delivery Model
Organizes professional staff by the needs of each learner instead of clustering learners by label.
Does not assign staff members to a program or place them in separate classrooms.
School and community environment is collaborative (general education and exceptional education work collaboratively)
MNPS is not going to be fully inclusive. We will provide services to students in the LRE
Metro has adopted the Integrated Comprehensive Service Model in order to deliver inclusive services
DO NOT READ SLIDE: SAY: (1) Staff is organized by needs as opposed to service/label (Resource/MIS/LS), (2) Staff is not assigned to any specified program or service, General Education and special Education work collaboratively,(3) special education works collaboratively Example: 5th grade math inclusive class-any student regardless of service will attend this class-the 5th grade special educator assigned to this grade level will work collaboratively with ALL teachers to serve ALL 5th grade students regardless of service area.

7. Inclusive Model Most restrictive environment
Read and Refer them to the packet-focus on least restrictive to most restrictive
Least restrictive
environment
West Tennessee RISE Project, 2007

8. Implementation is a 3-5 year process
MNPS will offer a continuum of services based on LRE
all middles schools will provide all services
Middle school students will return to their school of zone
Elementary will be the next focus
High Schools currently have all services
Will focus on how we can provide services and support to SWD in general education classes vs. “pulling out” and servicing in segregated programs
Summarize bullets
This is the plan for the upcoming year

9. How do I include SWD?

10. “Community of Care and Belonging”
Ways to Include
“Community of Care and Belonging”
Physical Inclusion
Social Inclusion
Say: If we work to ensure physical, social and academic inclusion, then students automatically develop friends-which is one of the most important things for students.
Academic Inclusion

11. Physical Assigned to grade level hallway
Lockers assigned with grade level peers
SWD transition with peers
Assign peer buddies to assist with transition
Classrooms and teachers are not labeled by “programs”
Say: If we work to ensure physical, social and academic inclusion, then students automatically develop friends-which is one of the most important things for students.

12. Social Field trips Extra-curricular activities
Inclusive awards and ceremonies
Lunch and related arts with grade level peers
Peer buddies
Offer social skills curriculum to all students who will benefit
Say: If we work to ensure physical, social and academic inclusion, then students automatically develop friends-which is one of the most important things for students.

13. Academic
Ensure that all students have access to grade level textbooks and materials
Schedule SWD first, not last
Provide accommodations and modifications
View paraprofessionals as educators who support all teachers and all students
Require collaboration between general and exceptional educators and service providers (i.e. SLP, OT, Therapists)

14. Year 1 Targets for Schools Goal: June 1, 2010
Collapse separated lunches and related arts-integrate students at grade level.
The IEP teams will determine that each student with a disability will spend at least part of each day with students without disabilities.
Classrooms serving students with disabilities are located within the buildings on grade-level hallways.
Explore ways to utilize both general and special education staff including itinerants, psychologists, custodians, food service etc. to maximize services for every student.
Weekly lesson plans should be required of all teachers serving students with disabilities

15. Year 1 Targets, continued
All staff including administrators, school counselors, campus supervisors etc. should be trained in Integrated/Inclusive Service Delivery
Administrative walk through/critiques of all classes servicing students with disabilities (co-taught and pull out– all services) one time per nine week grading period (the department will provide a guide).
Lockers etc. for students with disabilities are located amongst grade levels with typical peers.
Development of the school level teams for sustainability
Conduct at least one parent/community meeting per semester to inform parents of the changes in service delivery and include them in the decision making for the changes.

16. How can I get more information about inclusive services?

17. District-Wide Professional Development
Check ERO regularly for course offerings
Attend PD designed for Related Arts teachers

18. School-based Professional Development
Contact the Department of Exceptional Education in order to schedule school-based trainings
Some recommended PD’s include:
Accommodation & Modifications
Inclusive Services
Co-Teaching
Differentiated Instruction
Inclusion Strategies for low incidence disabilities
FBA/BIP implementation

19. What Questions Do You Have?

20. Instructional Facilitator
For more information…
Kristi Coggin
Instructional Facilitator
Krista McAtee