AT in the EC classroom:accessing the environment

Accessing the Environment: Seating/Positioning/Mobility 

 Before your child can establish a group of friends, it is necessary to make sure that he or she is able to access the school environment. A qualified professional, such as a physical therapist (PT), should conduct this assessment. Some of the questions that the PT may ask include: Is your child able to sit independently to engage in tabletop activities? Are your child’s hands free to manipulate various items/ materials (e.g. Play Dough, instruments, etc.)? Can your child sit independently on the floor to engage in classroom activities or does he or she need assistance or support? What kind of positioning aids and supports are needed? Is your child able to move around the classroom independently? If not, what mobility devices need to be considered? Are the pathways in the classroom wide enough for your child to maneuver around to gain access to the various areas of the classroom? Can your child access the play equipment on the yard? For example, do they need an adapted swing? Do they need assistance to sit-up to ride in the wagon? Can they ride a tricycle with their classmates? Are they able to access the sandbox or water table? Are they able to play basketball with their friends? What modified equipment needs to be considered?  

It would be difficult for your child to make friends if they were unable to access the same areas as their classmates. Assistive technology may help your child participate in all of these activities and more. Some potential AT devices include wheelchair accessible basketball hoops, raised sensory tables for water and sand, bubble machines that a child can activate with a switch to blow bubbles with their friends, adapted tricycles, weighted vests, sitting wedges, weighted or tactile balls, ball pools and scooter boards, along with a variety of other adapted play equipment that can be used to promote interactions and active participation in play with friends. In addition, your child’s AAC device could be programmed to provide him or her with the opportunity to participate in activities in which he or she may otherwise have difficulty engaging. For example, cheering for classmates playing a game (e.g. basketball) or calling out directions during an activity (e.g. “Red Light/ Green Light” or “Simon Says”).

AT in the early childhood classroom

Assistive Technology and Peer Socialization in Early Childhood Special Education 

By Phyllis Dinse AT Network Assistive Technology Assistant 

Research has shown that the earlier a child is exposed to assistive technology, the sooner they are able to take advantage of the benefits. Assistive technology leads to increased independence, a growing understanding of cause and effect, and the development of the concept of communication to express needs and wants, as well as to develop relationships. It is important to keep in mind that each child is unique and what works for one child may not work for another. Assistive technology is not one piece of equipment, but more often a combination of devices to promote independence. Assistive technology allows children with special needs to access the same activities as their peers, providing opportunities for peer socialization in the general education classroom, home and community.  

While trying to facilitate peer interactions, keeping the appearance of the devices as “normal” as possible, without accentuating the differences, can be a challenge. At this age, children are still learning that it is ok to be different and the unknown can result in fear. Children are bound to ask questions, so remember to keep explanations short and simple. For example, if a child asks, “Why does Jamie (a child using a communication device) use those buttons?” You might explain that, “Jamie is still learning to use her words and this device helps her to talk so we can understand what she is saying to us.” More often than not, the children will accept your answer and will frequently share it with other classmates.  

Most children at this age will want to know if they can use the other child’s device, seeing it as a toy, even if it is not. Referring back to the previous example, explain to the child that, “This is Jamie’s voice and that only she can use her voice just like only you can use yours.” If it is a toy, such as a switch-activated pig, have the child ask Jamie if they can have a turn, just as they would with other classmates, and take it from there. 

After receiving training from the assistive technology assessment team, teachers and parents should take the time to teach classmates and family members how to communicate and socialize with a child using assistive technology. After all, communication takes two partners, a sender and a receiver. Modeling various strategies (e.g. getting down on the child’s level, allowing an extended response time, etc.) and providing opportunities for practice, with support, for both communication partners will help to put everyone at ease. Technology can be intimidating for them if they don’t know how to interact with a child using it.  

Developing friendships in early childhood often takes a great deal of teacher facilitation and support. At these ages, children are learning for the first time to take turns and think of others. Children will be the best of friends one day, and not talking the next. Keeping in mind that this is age-appropriate and that not all of the children are going to want to play with one another day after day is imperative. Making connections between shared interests (e.g. John and Jamie both like trains) and taking advantage of opportunities to set-up eliciting situations to bring children together can help them foster new relationships. In addition to teachers creating curriculums based on children’s interests, buddy activities that require children to pair up is another strategy teachers use to facilitate peer socialization. The children are not always selecting partners by choice, but may be asked to find someone based on pre-determined criteria. For example, a teacher may ask each child to find a buddy to wash hands and go to snack with based on a specific description of clothing a classmate is wearing (e.g. a pink shirt and green pants, wearing a dress, etc.). The teacher would then be able to pair up children based on knowledge of similar interests or who don’t typically play together. Group activities, such as painting on a large piece of butcher paper or a cooking activity is another way to get young children to work together.  

Establishing play dates outside of the classroom can be especially beneficial for children when competition for another child’s attention at school is a challenge. When a play date is either one-on-one or a small group, it becomes easier for the children to make social connections with one another, there are less distractions, and it allows their friendship to be expanded upon outside of the classroom (i.e. school friends).   

In this series of posts we will address the importance of using assistive technology (AT) to increase a child’s ability to access their classroom environment, as well as using augmentative alternative communication (AAC) devices and computers to help children develop and establish friendships. 

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Paula Kluth Conference-Noblesville 4/21

PRESENTED BY

              DR. PAULA KLUTH

                   April 21, 2009

                                                    NOBLESVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

                                             19900 HAGUE ROAD

                                                NOBLESVILLE, IN 46062

PRESENTED BY 
THE INDIANA RESOURCE CENTER FOR AUTISM
INDIANA INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY AND COMMUNITY
INDIANA’S UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE ON DISABILITY 

Workshop Description: “A Land We Can Share”: Access to  the Literate Community for ALL

Come and learn about how we can give all students, including those with significant disabilities, access to the literate community. Dr. Kluth will explore how many learners have been excluded from literacy experiences that are inclusive, rich, and challenging. Participants will also learn some strategies for including and supporting students with disabilities in reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities. Ideas for enhancing skills in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary will also be highlighted.

Highlighted Course Content:

• Learn about giving students access to the literate community.
  
• Explore how many students have been excluded from literacy experiences.
  
• Learn strategies for including & supporting students with disabilities.
  
• Take home ideas for enhancing students’ skills in comprehension, fluency, & vocabulary.
  

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Paula Kluth

Dr. Paula Kluth is a consultant, teacher, author, advocate, and independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities and to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners. Her research and professional interests include differentiating instruction, and supporting students with autism and significant disabilities in inclusive classrooms.

Paula is a former special educator who has served as a classroom teacher, consulting teacher, and inclusion facilitator. She works with teachers in K-12 schools, pre-schools, and early intervention programs. She also regularly works with family organizations and disability-rights and advocacy groups.

She is the author of “You’re Going to Love This Kid”: Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom; the lead editor of Access to Academics: Critical Approaches to Inclusive Curriculum, Instruction, and Policy, and the co-author of four upcoming texts; A Land We Can Share: The Literate Lives of Students with Autism; Joyful Learning: Active and Collaborative Structures for the Inclusive Classroom; You’re Welcome: 30 Innovative Ideas for Inclusive Schools, and Just Give Him the Whale: 20 Ways to Support & Honor the Interests of Students with Autism. 

Consumer Investment & Family Involvement Funds

For information on Consumer Investment Funds for family members or individuals with disabilities in Indiana, contact the Indiana Governor’s Planning Council for Person’s with Disabilities at (317) 232-7770. Also, family members of Individuals birth to 21 with disabilities in Indiana can contact the Indiana Institute on Disability & Community (IIDC) at (800) 825-4733 (fif@indiana.edu or http://www.inf2f.org) for Family Involvement Funds.

Certificates of Attendance, CEUs, and CRUs

Certificates of attendance will be provided free. CEUs (Continuing Education Units— general education) and CRUs (Certification Renewal Units) will be available on-site. Administrative fee is $15.00 made payable to Indiana University. 

Additional Information

The conference is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. — 3:30 p.m. with registration and coffee beginning at 8:00 a.m. All times are local.

The registration fee for this conference is $80

Location: Noblesville Intermediate School, 19900 Hague Road, Noblesville, IN 46062.

Registration fee includes morning coffee and presentation materials. 

Lunch will be on your own.

All registrations are final. No money will be refunded.

Make checks or purchase orders payable to Indiana University and return registration form with payment to
Kelly Doyle, IIDC, 2853 East Tenth Street, Bloomington, IN 47408-2696.

If you are paying with a purchase order or credit card, you can fax your completed registration form and payment information to the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at (812) 855-9630.

Once your completed registration form is received by the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, a confirmation packet will be mailed to participants that includes a confirmation letter, receipt of payment, map to conference location, and lodging information.

If you still have questions...

If you have questions about the conference content, please contact Cathy Pratt (prattc@ indiana.edu), at (812) 855- 6508.

Registration questions should be directed to Kelly Doyle by email keadoyle@indiana.edu or by phone at (812) 855-6508.

Who Should Attend

This workshop is geared for general and special education teachers, administrators, early intervention providers, family members, and those interested in learning more about supporting individuals on the autism spectrum.

REGISTRATION FORM

BACK TO MAIN CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP MENU

Q&A: Curriculum Design for ALL in the Inclusive Classroom

from Paula Kluth

How can teachers prepare lessons for students with and without disabilities in the inclusive classroom? 

 There is perhaps no better way to make sure that curriculum resonates with students than to include them formally or informally in the planning process. Even students in pre-school and kindergarten can participate in curriculum design by making choices about what they want to learn and bringing questions into the classroom. They may want to further develop their gifts and strengths or explore curricula related to their curiosities (e.g., What makes a rainbow?).  

Teachers should also give all students a variety of ways to learn and interact in the classroom. Lectures and whole-class discussions can be part of the instructional day but they cannot be the only lesson format employed or even the primary format employed. Students should have opportunities to experience a wide range of lesson structures including simulations, role plays, debates, cooperative learning, projects, games, drama, workshops, stations or centers, community-based instruction and labs. Students with and without disabilities will be more engaged, retain more, learn in a deeper way, and use higher-order thinking skills when they have opportunities to investigate course content via different avenues.  

Using a variety of instructional materials will also help all students learn. Students who are studying United States geography and culture might be introduced to maps, globes of different sizes, brochures from different state landmarks, tour books, travel literature, new and “used” postcards, travel posters, vacation photos and videos from the families of students in the class, and software and websites related to the U.S. and its people. This wide range of materials is important because it offers every learner a chance to be successful and learn in a way that suits them best. One student may be unable to effectively interact with an atlas or globe, but may be able to learn concepts easily by creating and studying a salt and flour map of the continents.  

What about the standards? Is it possible to have both inclusion and a standards-based curriculum?  

The presence of students with disabilities in inclusive schools should actually help teachers in standards-based classrooms. Students with diverse learning characteristics often inspire teachers to use a wider range of teaching strategies, educational materials, and lesson formats.  

While some teachers may be apprehensive about giving up the textbook and traditional instructional practices in this climate of high-stakes testing, the effective use of diverse teaching practices can actually enhance learning for many students (Udvari-Solner, 1996). Teachers can use the standards as a curricular guide but retain multi-level and student-centered techniques and strategies. 

In other words, teachers need not respond to the standards movement by standardizing teaching and learning. Clearly, a student should not be expected to know and do exactly the same things as her same-age peers at the end of a school year. For this reason, the standards must be viewed as flexible. This orientation to the standards provides different students in the same classrooms with opportunities to work on a range of concepts and skills, based on individual abilities, needs, and interests (Covington, 1996; Natriello, 1996; Reigeluth, 1997). For example, students may meet the standard, “explain to others how to solve a numerical problem”, in dozens of different ways. Some may use calculators or manipulatives to show understanding, other students may be able to explain in a written paragraph, still others may best express their knowledge by designing flow charts. In addition, students in the same classroom may be expected to focus on problems that range in complexity with some students describing the process for adding single digits and others designing and explaining binomial equations.  

What if the child with disabilities has different learning objectives than others in the class? What can a child with significant disabilities do in an academic class? 

 Some parents and teachers assume that some students with disabilities cannot be provided an inclusive education because their skills are not “close” enough to those of students without disabilities. This is perhaps the most common misconception about inclusive schooling and the law that exists among families and teachers. Students with disabilities do not need to keep up with students without disabilities to be educated in inclusive classrooms; they do not need to engage in the curriculum in the same way as students without disabilities; and they do not need to practice the same skills as students without disabilities. In sum, there are no prerequisites needed in order for a learner to be able to participate in inclusive education.  

For instance, a middle school social studies class is involved in a lesson on the Constitution. During the unit, the class writes their own Constitution and Bill of Rights and reenacts the Constitutional Convention. Malcolm, a student with significant disabilities, participates in all of these activities even though he cannot speak and is just beginning to read. During the lesson, Malcolm works with a peer and a speech and language therapist to contribute one line to the class Bill of Rights; the pair uses Malcolm's augmentative communication device to write the sentence. Malcolm also participates in the dramatic interpretation of the Constitutional Convention. At the Convention, students- acting as different participants of the Convention- drift around the classroom introducing themselves to others. Since he cannot speak, Malcolm (acting as George Mason) shares a little bit about himself by handing out his “business card” to other members of the delegation. Other students are expected to submit three-page reports at the end of the unit but Malcolm will be assessed on a shorter report (a few sentences) which he will write on his communication device. He will also be assessed on his participation during the class activities, on the demonstration of new skills related to programming his communication device, and on how well he initiates social interactions with others during the Constitutional Convention exercise.  

The Constitutional Convention example illustrates how students with disabilities can participate in general education without engaging in the same ways and without having the same skills and abilities others in the class may have. In addition, this example highlights ways in which students with disabilities can work on individual skills and goals within the context of general education lessons. It is also important to note that the supports and adaptations provided for Malcolm were designed by his teachers and put in place to facilitate his success. Malcolm was not expected to have all of the skills and abilities as other students in order to participate in the classroom. Instead, Malcolm's teachers created a context in which Malcolm could “show up” as competent (Kluth, Villa, & Thousand, 2001).  

Are there some children for whom placement in a general education classroom (e.g., students with significant disabilities) would not be appropriate? 

 Teachers (and families) often make assumptions about what students can and cannot achieve based on beliefs they have about their label or dis/ability. Educators, however, are often wrong about students and their potential. For example, throughout history, educators have assumed that several different populations of people who behaved differently were unable to learn including people with cerebral palsy, people with autism, and the Deaf (Crossley, 1997). Historically, teachers have also made damaging negative assumptions about the learning potential of girls, students of color, and students who use English as a second language.  

Many teachers are beginning to see that students with autism, Down syndrome, and other disabilities are finding “unexpected” academic and social success when provided with opportunities to become members of the general education classroom (Kliewer, 1998; Kliewer & Biklen, 2001; Kluth, 1998; Martin, 1994; Rubin et al, 2001).  Students without reliable, functional, communication, those with significant behavior challenges, and even those who struggle to complete any classroom task or activity in a traditional way have received a successful education in inclusive classrooms. Given the opportunity to work alongside non-disabled peers, access challenging and motivating curriculum, and participate in the life of the general education classroom, many learners previously thought to be unable to read, to engage with peers, to learn academic content, and to follow classroom rituals and routines (Broderick & Kasa-Hendrickson, 2001; Dugan, et al. 1995; Jorgensen, 1995; Kluth, 1998; Rubin, et al, 2001) have been able to do so with remarkable success.

UDL in Indiana-PATINS project and blog

If you would like to connect your child's teacher with resources/training in Indiana, be sure to tell them about PATINS. The PATINS Project is an Indiana Department of Education/Center for Exceptional Learners assistive technology systems change initiative. The project is designed to impact both the organizational capacities of local public schools and the professional capabilities of school staff in the delivery of assistive technology services and the implementation of Universal Design for Learning Principles.

PATINS has established lending libraries at each of our five operational sites. Equipment, software, videos, and print materials are available to public school staff for preview and evaluation purposes. In addition, PATINS offers workshops, both onsite and offsite, and offers technical assistance to local school personnel on specific devices.

The sites are:

1 Northwest Region
2 Northeast Region
3 Central Region
4 Southwest Region 
5 Southeast Region  

They also host a tech expo each spring.  This year it is scheduled for APRIL 16

PATINS PROJECT TECH EXPO 
Junior Achievement Building Of Central IN, Inc. 
7435 North Keystone Ave. 
Indianapolis, IN 46240
FREE! 
Varied Presentations and Vendor Booths
Door Prizes and Giveaways! 

Click Here to Register

They also have a blog that discusses UDL and AT for families and educators:

http://nepatins.edublogs.org/

UDL (Universal Design for Learning)

One of the ways to make curriculum accessible to ALL learners, is to create universal design for learning classrooms. Excerpts from this conversation with Grace Meo explain it in more detail:

What kinds of teaching strategies are used in a UDL classroom?

The key to a UDL classroom is maximizing options for both students and teachers in order to enable students to learn in the most effective way. So teachers don’t limit their presentations to lectures and printed materials, since these will not engage all students or be accessible to all. They might use concept maps or graphics to enhance and illustrate concepts. Students might be encouraged to use alternate means for note-taking, such as audio recordings, depending on what works best for them. Students can also demonstrate what they know in multiple ways—for some, that means creating a diorama or writing a story. A UDL classroom might have cooperative groups where students take on different roles, share resources, and support each other’s learning. These are just a few examples.

It sounds like UDL is just good teaching. What’s the difference?

Good teachers do many of these things no matter what, so in that sense UDL in practice looks like good teaching at its best. But UDL provides a framework for being explicit about what good teaching is. It helps teachers recognize the diversity of their classrooms—because even those that might appear to be homogeneous are not. It helps them be explicit about the goals of the lessons and offer choices and alternatives for students to reach those goals.

Some children in my classroom use assistive technologies, like Braille. Is UDL intended to replace these kinds of assistive technologies?

Teachers tend to confuse the two. UDL is compatible with assistive technology, not in competition with it. There will always be a need for assistive technology. In fact, Universal Design for Learning grew out of CAST’s research and development of assistive technologies. We realized at one point that assistive technology placed an emphasis on fixing the student—retrofitting the child to accommodate inaccessible curriculum. With UDL we shifted our focus to fixing the curriculum.

We have a lot of students who are not identified as special needs—some who are high achievers and others who struggle to learn. What does UDL offer them?

One of the things UDL points out is that we all have special needs, talents, strengths. We all struggle to learn in some ways. There is enormous diversity among us in spite of the fact that some individuals have a label attached to them.

In our trainings, teachers do an exercise in which they brainstorm how they would learn to cook an Indian meal. Suddenly you have people demonstrating widely different styles, preferences, needs. Some say, “Don’t make me read the directions. I want to experiment.” Others want an exact recipe to follow. The “Aha!” moment comes as they realize that we all are different—our students, too. Some of us work best in digital environments and need the supports they have, whereas others do fine with “old-fashioned” texts.

Because of the nature of our educational system, UDL tends to be placed in the special education category. But in fact, UDL is really a merging of general education and special education, a sharing of responsibility, resources, and ownership. It gets away from the “their kids/our kids” divide between general ed and special ed.

You can read the entire article here.

 

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Access to general education

Last week I focused on least restrictive environment and inclusion. While you may or may not agree that a general education classroom is the best placement for your child, regardless of where they learn, they are entitled to access to the general education curriculum. If your child is in a gen ed classroom, the curriculum is already present, but there may need to be accommodations and modifications made for your child to benefit and make progress. If your child is in a resource room or self contained classroom, s/he should still be taught by a highly qualified teacher and have access to the gen ed curriculum. The following posts will deal with ways to provide that access. So let's start with what it means:


In 1997, Congress made a number of important changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). One of the most significant changes is the requirement that students with disabilities receive access to the general curriculum. Under the new law, students with disabilities must (1) have access to the general curriculum; (2) be involved in the general curriculum; and (3) progress in the general curriculum. IDEA '97 states that students with disabilities must be involved in the general curriculum, and the law includes several requirements that help explain this involvement: (1) ensuring that the student's IEP goals address how the student will be involved in and progress in the general curriculum; (2) specifying in the student's IEP appropriate supplementary aids and services, accommodations, modifications, or supports that will help the student be involved in and progress in the general curriculum; and (3) explaining in the student's IEP why he or she will not participate with children without disabilities in the regular classroom. It is not enough for students with disabilities to participate in the general curriculum. The law also requires that the IEP address progress in the general curriculum. Progress in the general curriculum can be thought of as involving three parts: (1) measuring the student's progress in reaching IEP goals; (2) including students with disabilities in State and district-wide assessments, with appropriate accommodations, where necessary; and (3) developing State performance goals and indicators and providing reports on progress toward meeting these goals and indicators.

You can read the entire brief here.

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The need to belong

by Norm Kunc

In the 1950s, my motivation for advocating for the inclusion of students with severe disabilities within regular classrooms came out of a sense of social injustice. I believed that students, by being placed in segregated classrooms or programs, were being denied the opportunity to learn socially appropriate behaviour and develop friendships with their peers. In the intervening time, however, I have become increasingly alarmed at the severity of the social problems in our schools. Academic averages are plummeting, the drop-out rate is increasing, and teen pregnancy is be-coming a major social concern. Teenage suicide is increasing at an exponential rate and now has become the second leading cause of adolescent death in the United States and in Canada ((Health & Welfare Canada, 1987., Patterson, Purkey, & Parker, 1986). Extreme violence, drug dependency, gangs, anorexia nervosa, and depression among students have risen to the point that these problems now are perceived almost as an expected part of high school culture. The job description of teacher now vacillates between educator and psychotherapist and at times becomes even that of benevolent sorcerer. University and corporate establishments also are becoming increasingly vocal about the lack of preparedness of high school graduates. It is little wonder that principals are attending high-powered corporate seminars on crisis management rather than the more sedate presentations on curriculum implementation.

What we are witnessing, I believe, are the symptoms of a society in which self-hatred has become an epidemic. Feelings of personal inadequacy have become so common in our schools and our culture that we have begun to assume that it is part of the nature of being human. It is certainly questionable whether our society will be able to survive if this self-hatred is allowed to flourish.

In attempting to counter this crisis, many supposed pundits of educational reform are claming that we are in desperate need of an immediate return to those values consistent with the words, "standards," "achievement," and "curriculum." But before we run full speed back-ward, grasping at these hard words and clutching them close to our bosom, it may be wise to pause, if only for a moment, to consider that our social malady may stem not from the lack of achievement, but from the lack of belonging.

The degree of underachievement and unfulfilled potential in our society may not be the result of widespread laziness. It may result from a sense of apathy, apathy that so often accompanies the constant demand to be perfect enough to belong. What is needed in our society and especially our education system is not more rigorous demands to achieve and master so that our youth will move closer to the idealized form of perfection. What is needed is a collective effort among all of us to search for ways to foster a sense of belonging in our schools, not only for students, but for the staff as well. For when we are able to rely on our peers' individual strengths rather than expecting to attain complete mastery in all areas, then belonging begins to precede achievement, and we may be welcomed into community not because of our perfection, but because of our inherent natural and individual capacities.

Inclusive education represents a very concrete and manageable step that can be taken in our school systems to ensure that ALL students begin to learn that belonging is a right, not a privileged status that is earned. If we are to create schools in which students feel welcomed and part of a community, then we must begin by creating schools that welcome the diversity of all children.

The fundamental principle of inclusive education is the valuing of diversity within the human community. Every person has a contribution to offer to the world. Yet, in our society, we have drawn narrow parameters around what is valued and how one makes a contribution. The ways in which people with disabilities can contribute to the world may be less apparent: they often fall outside of the goods and service-oriented, success-driven society. Consequently, it is concluded that no gift is present. So, many educators set about trying to minimize the disability, believing that by doing so their students will move closer to be-coming contributing members of society.

When inclusive education is fully embraced, we abandon the idea that children have to become "normal" in order to contribute to the world. Instead, we search for and nourish the gifts that are inherent in all people. We begin to look beyond typical ways of becoming valued members of the community, and in doing so, begin to realize the achievable goal of providing all children with an authentic sense of belonging.

As a collective commitment to educate ALL children takes hold and "typical"" students realize that "those kids" do belong in their schools and classes, typical students will benefit by learning that their own membership in the class and society is something that has to do with human rights rather than academic or physical ability. In this way, it is conceivable that the students of inclusive schools will be liberated from the tyranny of earning the right to belong. It is ironic that the students who were believed to have the least worth and value may be the only ones who can guide us off the path of social destruction.

from

The Need to Belong:Rediscovering Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs by: Norman Kunc

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What is inclusion?

 Do you know that many students with disabilities are successfully learning and joining in the same classroom with their friends and neighbors who are not disabled?  Inclusion is possible for ALL students, including YOUR child.  The key to success for inclusion is to build the services and supports necessary to insure a good program.

 Inclusion means:

 1.      Educating all children with disabilities in regular classrooms regardless of the nature of their disabling condition(s).

 2.      Providing all students enhanced opportunities to learn from each other’s contributions.

 3.      Providing necessary services within the regular schools.

 4.      Supporting regular teachers and administrators (e.g., by providing time, training, teamwork, resources, and strategies).

 5.      Having students with disabilities follow the same schedules as non-disabled students.

 6.      Involving students with disabilities in age-appropriate academic classes and extracurricular activities, including art, music, gym, field trips, assemblies, and graduation exercises.

7.      Students with disabilities using school cafeteria, library, playground, and other facilities along with non-disabled students.

 8.      Encouraging friendships between non-disabled and disabled students.

 9.      Students with disabilities receiving their education and job training in regular community environments when appropriate.

 10.   Teaching all children to understand and accept human differences.

 11.   Placing children with disabilities in the same schools they would attend if  they did not have disabilities.

 12.   Taking parents’ concerns seriously.

 13.   Providing an appropriate individualized educational program.

INCLUSION DOES NOT MEAN:

 1.      It does not mean “dumping” students with disabilities into regular programs without preparation or support. 

2.      It does not mean providing special education services in separate or isolated places.

 3.      It does not mean ignoring childrens’ individual needs.

 4.      It does not mean jeopardizing students’ safety or well being.

 5.      It does not mean placing unreasonable demands on teachers and administrators.

 6.      It does not mean ignoring parents’ concerns.

 7.      It does not mean isolating students with disabilities in regular schools.

 8.      It does not mean placing students with disabilities in schools or classes that are not age-appropriate.

 9.      It does not mean requiring that students be “ready” and “earn” their way into regular classrooms based on cognitive or social skills.

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Our School Doesn't Offer Inclusion

by Paula Kluth, Richard A. Villa and Jacqueline S. Thousand 

Common misunderstandings about schools' legal responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act have slowed implementation of the law. School authorities who understand the law can provide a better education for all students.

In 1975, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142), guaranteeing for the first time that all students with disabilities would receive a public education. The law, whose name changed in subsequent reauthorizations in 1990 and 1997 to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 101-476; Public Law 105-17), set the stage for inclusive schooling, ruling that every child is eligible to receive a free and appropriate public education and to learn in the least restrictive environment possible. Specifically, the law ensures

that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions and other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled. (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1412 [a][5])

In 1994, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs issued policy guidelines stating that school districts cannot use the lack of adequate personnel or resources as an excuse for failing to make a free and appropriate education available, in the least restrictive environment, to students with disabilities.

Schools have taken much time to implement the law. Although many schools and districts have been educating students with disabilities in inclusive settings for years, families often still have to fight to get their children into general education classrooms and inclusive environments.

An analysis of U.S. Department of Education reports found that in the dozen years between 1977 and 1990, placements of students with disabilities changed little. By 1990, for example, only 1.2 percent more students with disabilities were in general education classes and resource room environments: 69.2 percent in 1990 compared with 68 percent in 1977. Placements of students with disabilities in separate classes declined by only 0.5 percent: 24.8 percent in 1990 compared with 25.3 percent in 1977. And, students with disabilities educated in separate public schools or other separate facilities declined by only 1.3 percent: 5.4 percent of students with disabilities in 1990 compared with 6.7 percent of students with disabilities in 1977 (Karagiannis, Stainback, & Stainback, 1996).

More recently, the National Council on Disability (2000) released similar findings. Investigators discovered that every state was out of compliance with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and that U.S. officials are not enforcing compliance. Even today, schools sometimes place a student in a self-contained classroom as soon as they see that the student is labeled as having a disability. Some students enter self-contained classrooms as soon as they begin kindergarten and never have an opportunity to experience regular education. When families of students with disabilities move to a different district, the new school sometimes moves the student out of general education environments and into segregated classrooms.

In some cases, districts may be moving slowly toward inclusive education, trying to make a smooth transition by gradually introducing teachers and students to change—but moving slowly cannot be an excuse for stalling when a learner with a disability comes to school requiring an inclusive placement.

Clearly, more than 25 years after the law came into effect, many educators and administrators still do not understand the law or how to implement it. Three common misunderstandings still determine decisions about students with disabilities in U.S. schools.

"Our School Doesn't Offer Inclusion"

We often hear teachers and families talking about inclusion as if it were a policy that schools can choose to adopt or reject. For example, we recently met a teacher who told us that her school "did inclusion, but it didn't work," so the school "went back to the old way." Similarly, a parent explained that she wanted her child to have an inclusive education, but her neighborhood school doesn't "have inclusion."

Special education is not a program or a place, and inclusive schooling is not a policy that schools can dismiss outright. Since 1975, federal courts have clarified the intent of the law in favor of the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education (Osborne, 1996; Villa & Thousand, 2000a, 2000b). A student with a disability should be educated in the school he or she would attend if not identified as having a disability. The school must devise an individualized education program that provides the learner with the supports and services that the student needs to receive an education in the least restrictive environment possible. 

The standard for denying a student access to inclusion is high. The law clearly states that students with disabilities may be removed from the regular education environment only

when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1412 [a][5])

If schools can successfully educate a student with disabilities in general education settings with peers who do not have disabilities, then the student's school must provide that experience.

You can read the entire article here. I recommend joining the Kidstogether listerv as well.

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Time to refuel your "tank"

Special Education is Not a Place: Avoiding Pull-Out Services in Inclusive Schools

© 2005 Paula Kluth   

Since the inception of inclusive schooling, teachers have worked hard to provide students with disabilities access to both a typical education in the general education classroom and to the individual supports and services they need to find success in that classroom. In many classrooms, however, educators stumped at how to do both resort to pulling students out of the classroom for short bits of instruction, or in some cases, for large periods of the school day.  

Clearly, some students need special tutorials, individualized instruction, extra skill practice, or reinforcement of key concepts. Removing students from their classrooms to receive these supports, however, may not be necessary. Some educators and scholars have argued that pulling students out of their general education classroom is necessary if students are to get the individual support they need while others insist that students lose access to general education curriculum, instruction, incidental learning, and social skills when they leave their classroom and that the potential benefits of pull-out services are not worth the cost of leaving. Perhaps educators do not need to debate these points; teachers may not need to choose between personalized instruction and a general education experience. In today's inclusive classrooms, students can often get both. In this article I explore three questions teachers often ask about pull-out services and personalized instruction and suggest a variety of ways in which students can receive appropriate instruction alongside peers without disabilities in general education classrooms.  

How Can Students Get Personalized Instruction In the Inclusive Classroom?  

Many students with disabilities are pulled from their general education classrooms because teachers feel they need a more individualized learning experience than can be provided in a general education setting. It is certainly true that many students with academic needs and learning differences require individual or small group help or individualized teaching strategies. However, teachers must always consider the answers to the following questions when planning individual instruction:

* How can this support be delivered in the most effective and meaningful way?  

* Does the student need to leave the general education environment for this instruction?  

* If the student leaves the classroom for instruction, what will he or she gain? What will he or she lose?     

* Can the student get the content or strategies he or she needs without losing access to the general education classroom?  

If after addressing those questions, the team determines the learner would profit from the general education classroom experience, the following strategies can help educators provide personalized instruction in those inclusive environments:  

Co-Teaching  

When two teachers are available to deliver instruction, roles can be differentiated, the teacher to student ration goes down, and instruction can be tailored to meet the needs of a wider range of students. During student work time, instructors can move through the classroom addressing the needs of individual learners and providing extra enrichment or help as needed.  

Station Teaching  

Using stations or center-based instruction is one way busy classroom teachers individualize instruction for all. This model is also often used by co-teaching teams. During a stations teaching model, students in the class can be instructed to visit some or all of the stations, depending on individual goals and needs and teachers can design tasks at stations that give students opportunities to tackle individual goals and learn new skills.  

Integrated Therapy  

When therapists, social workers, counselors, and other related services professionals enter general education classrooms, all learners benefit. When Tyler, a student with autism, began receiving his speech and language supports in his first-grade classroom, he was able to study the same stories as his peers while gaining much-needed competencies in the areas of articulation and language development. Tyler's speech therapist also profited from this experience as she began to function as an instructor for a small group of six-year-olds; she learned new ways to teach Tyler communication skills and, after observing the classroom teacher, she discovered new ways to teach using standards-based and curriculum-based strategies.  

Independent Instruction  

In some instances, students are pulled from their classes to learn new skills, other times they are pulled to practice skills that have already been introduced. There are many ways learners can direct their own learning- by selecting work from in a teacher-created study folder, by “testing” themselves using flashcards, individual games (e.g., crossword puzzles, memory games); workbooks, activity kits, or computer programs.  

Peer-Support 

Before students are pulled out for instruction or skill practice, teachers should always consider the possibility of using peer support or tutoring to meet student needs. One school responded to the need for individual support by pairing all students with a partner for a part of the school day that was challenging and novel- working with technology. Both students were learning something new so neither one had more knowledge or skill than the other. In another classroom, teachers used cross-age tutors to support their classrooms. Sixth-grade students came into the fourth-grade classroom twice a week and helped struggling readers write their own books.  

Study/Work Time  

In almost every classroom (including those in secondary schools), teachers designate some part of the school day or week for individual work, project-based work, or partner learning. If teachers plan together up front, this can be a time where any learner in the classroom can meet with a teacher (special educator, speech therapist, enhancement/gifted education teacher, reading specialist, parent volunteer, community mentor, cross-age tutor).  

You can read the entire article here.

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What is LRE (least restrictive environment)?

This week I'm going to focus on LRE (least restrictive environment). To me, it's one of the most important components of IDEA, and often misunderstood. I've actually had more than one special education teacher explain it to me incorrectly.

So, what is it? School districts are required to educate students with disabilities in regular classrooms with their nondisabled peers, in the school they would attend if not disabled, to the maximum extent appropriate. That is what LRE means.

There is actually an Indiana document that explains it in greater detail. The link I have for it is no longer valid, so I'm posting excerpts of it here. If you are struggling to secure LRE for your child, and would like the entire set of guidelines, please email real.in.mom@gmail.com and we will send the document to you.

Guidelines for Implementation of the Least Restrictive Environment Provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Indiana’s Article 7

The material is intended as a practitioner's guide to the complex decision and planning process that addresses a key element of each student's free appropriate public education: the requirement that special education support be provided in the environment that is least restrictive of interactions with nondisabled peers. 

Despite substantial progress serving students with disabilities, a number of problems persist.

Over referral. More students are referred for special education than are actually eligible under state regulations. Significant resources are spent on assessment to determine eligibility without yielding educationally useful information, or providing assistance with the problems that lead to the referral. Many students who need support to succeed "fall through the cracks" and have no access to services because the system serves only those who meet stipulated criteria. Out of frustration, teachers and psychologists may continue the process of assessment until they find an instrument which enables a child to qualify under a particular categorical designation. Qualifying a student as eligible takes precedence over dealing with the presenting educational problems.

Stigma. Eligibility for special education is intended to provide access to an appropriate array of specialized services to meet the needs of the student with a disability. Unfortunately, labeling a child can result in stigma. The existing systems of classification and labeling promote stereotypical images and result in the child being seen in terms of a label, not being viewed as a whole person. The child may experience a diminished self-concept, reduced interest in learning, and a social circle limited to others within the labeled group.

• Isolation. Many students served by special education spend little or no time in the general education environment. The delivery of educational services in separate classrooms and with special staff creates a climate of educational and social isolation. Children with disabilities lose valuable opportunities to learn and play with their non-labeled peers. Research has shown this isolation typically extends well into adult life.

Programmatic disruption with pull out model. When students are pulled out of the educational mainstream to provide the supports they need to succeed, there is considerable programmatic disruption. Research demonstrates that the "pulled-out" child spends no more time on task than in the general education classroom and that teacher expectations are significantly lowered.

Dislocation from home community. At present, many students with disabilities receive special education and related services, not in their neighborhood school but in "cluster" schools. Students may be bussed to a school not in their neighborhood to receive educational services. Students and their families are denied the opportunity to participate in neighborhood parent-teacher associations, after school activities, and to attend class with their friends and neighbors.

Many of these difficulties are not limited to special education per se. They are characteristic of the larger system that has tended to respond to increasing diversity of the student body by a succession of categorical programs that add to, rather than change, the nature of the basic system. Questions of stigma, disruption, and isolation are raised in contemporary discussions of services for students identified as gifted and talented, for students served by English as a Second Language Programs, and for students served by Chapter I or at-risk programs.

Special education cannot remain a separate or second system of schooling where "regular education" teachers refer out those students who do not fit the status quo. It is time to shift thinking to emphasize that all children belong to the mainstream community school system and that the role of special education is to provide the supports necessary for each student to have the opportunity to participate and experience success to the fullest extent possible in that system.

The inclusion of all students in effective neighborhood schools is not exclusively a special education issue. The student body in today's schools is increasingly diverse, racially, ethnically, culturally, and economically. The overarching goal of our public schools must be to cope successfully with, and incorporate this diversity, rather than continuing to develop more programs for more students outside the educational mainstream. Quite naturally, realizing the goal of effectively serving all students presumes a restructured "mainstream" where diversity is valued.

Underlying assumptions. A number of assumptions are basic to Indiana's guidelines for implementing the least restrictive environment provisions of state and federal law. These are briefly discussed below.

 

1. The goals of schooling for all students-including those with disabilities-- include more than academic achievement. Home school attendance and community integration significantly influence outcomes of employment, community life, and productive citizenship. Participation in the mainstream of school life facilitates the development and maintenance of social interaction skills, self advocacy, and critical decision-making. The inevitable and powerful socialization process provided during the school years also forms the basic self worth/self concept of the student. These opportunities are lost or underutilized in isolated educational arrangements.

2. The characteristics of excellent schools and effective instruction are consistent across "general" and "special" education. Excellent "general" education schools are shifting from a focus on improving curriculum and instruction to accommodation of an increasingly diverse school population. Effective schools are characterized by strong instructional leadership, high student expectations, multiple opportunities for learning, and parent and community involvement. Best practices in special education also emphasize high student expectations, social and academic integration, diverse learning opportunities, and active parent and community involvement.

3. Students with disabilities are more like typical peers than they are different, and the delivery of special education must reflect that similarity. The practice of removing students from general education classrooms (or never serving them in general education) must shift to the practice of providing all students an opportunity for appropriate instruction within typical classrooms. Service delivery methods must focus on adding resources to the classroom rather than removing students from the classroom. In-class support will benefit the many students who may not be eligible for special education but who still need education support to succeed. Bringing resources to the general education classroom also promotes collaboration and cooperative teaching between special and general education professionals and related service personnel such as occupational and physical therapists and speech/language specialists.

4. Implementing the least restrictive environment provisions with require systems change. It is a truism that change is difficult. Re-examining the LRE provision with the perspective gained from nearly 20 years experience will undoubtedly set change in motion. The shift to emphasize that students with disabilities should attend their neighborhood schools, unless specifically required and justified by their IEP goals to attend elsewhere, will result in attendance patterns that are quite different from the status quo in most communities. When students are served in their neighborhood schools, no school would have disproportionately large numbers of students with disabilities or serve students from a single disability category, but most schools would serve students with a range of disability labels.

Placement decisions that reflect the LRE provisions will require problem-solving, and in many instances, the initiation of service patterns that are quite different from the status quo. As always, there will be some discomfort in moving to a new way of thinking--and implementing--the least restrictive environment provision for students with disabilities.

Key Elements of the LRE Provisions

The principle of the least restrictive environment guides decisions regarding where and how a student's IEP will be implemented and the extent to which each learner will participate in the general program of his or her school. Least restrictive environment comprises a number of key provisions:,

• Education with typical peers. Federal regulations require that to the maximum extent appropriate children with disabilities are educated with children who are not disabled. This emphasis on an integrated education extends to children who receive their education in public or private institutions or other care facilities. Integration with peers without disabilities is a concept that extends to nonacademic and extra- curricular activities as well as the academic components of a school's program.

• General education as the initial consideration for planning. Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment should occur only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes, even with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

Indeed, the federal regulations identify only three reasons for removing a student with a disability from placement in a general education class.

1. When the nature or severity of a child's disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily .

2. When the regular class placement would have a harmful effect upon the student with a disability or the quality of services .

3. When the child's placement in the general class is so disruptive that the education of other students is significantly impaired .

As a rule, students with disabilities should be counted as part of the general class roster in order to ensure that teachers understand that students with disabilities are a shared responsibility of the entire educational system.

• Individualization. Federal regulations stress that the placement of each child must be made on an individual basis and that an army of possible service options must be available to each child. The decision where to implement a student's IEP comes only after careful decision making about what academic, social, or other goals are appropriate for him or her.

The individualized education program required by law creates the opportunity for a personalized education for each student with a disability and sets the occasion for team problem-solving around each student's educational needs. There is the expectation that the general education environment will make "reasonable accommodation" or "reasonable modifications" in order to support students with disabilities. Accommodations may include modification of curriculum, instructional methods, staffing, materials and equipment, classroom organization, physical environment, assessment of learning, and reporting of pupil progress to permit effective participation of eligible students.

• Attention to neighborhood school placement. While emphasizing individual decision- making, the regulations are clear that unless the IEP require some other arrangement, the student must be educated in the school that he or she would attend if not disabled .

• Concern for services close to home. If it is not possible to implement a student's IEP in the neighborhood school, the regulations stress that services are provided as close to home as possible. Indiana regulations require documentation when transportation time for a student with a disability is longer than the transportation time of peers without disabilities .

The regulations leave placement decision making to the case conference committee that is convened annually to review and the IEP. Nonetheless, federal monitoring guidelines do clarify several impermissible grounds for decision-making, used alone or in combination. Placements may not be based upon:

• The category of handicapping condition. Each student's educational needs, as indicated in the IEP, must be examined individually. Although a student may be eligible for special education and related services because of a specific disability, the disability category per se does not determine the placement nor dictate the specific special education or related services to be provided to support learning.

• The current configuration of the service system. Decisions concerning where special education services are provided cannot be determined based on the existence of categorical program in the district. Where to implement a student's IEP comes only after a determination of appropriate academic, social, or other goals. While common practice may be described as "label and place" in categorical programs, both federal and state regulations require that students are provided access to the general education program in both academic and nonacademic programs. In addition, provision must be made to provide specialized services in conjunction with a general class placements .

• The availability of space. Lack of space in a particular building cannot be a consideration for placing a student outside his/her home school. Educational space for students enrolled in special education must be consistent with students of the same chronological age in the same building .

• The availability of educational or related services. Placement decisions must not be based on the availability of specialized educational or related services. The guiding principle of "portability" establishes the requirement to determine whether a needed method or related service could be feasiblely provided locally. As a rule, special education and related services are to be taken to the child rather than the child moved to the site of services. (Roncke v. Walter 700 F.2d 1058 (6th Cir., 1983)

• Curriculum content or methods or curriculum delivery. If a curriculum approach needed by a student is currently used at a school other than the student's neighborhood school, it is generally not permissible to send the student away from the home school. Curriculum content and methods (such as community-based training or whole language instruction) are clearly portable and thus able to be brought to the student rather requiring the student to travel to a different school.

• Administrative convenience. Grouping similarly labeled students may not occur for cost or other reasons of administrative convenience (i.e. transportation costs for related services, concentration of "expense").

The determination of least restrictive environment is a complex and dynamic process and one of the most important tasks of each case conference committee.

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