Establishing Effective
Inclusion Programs:
Challenges &
Opportunities
Jim Wright
www.interventioncentral.org
http://www.jimwrightonline.com/
gulfport.html
Inclusion Workshop Agenda
1. Defining ‘Inclusion’
4. Working Effectively
With Adults
2. Creating Flexible
Learning Environments
5. Assessing Skills of
Inclusion Students
3. Individualizing
Instruction for
Special Needs
6. Evaluating the Effectiveness
of Your Inclusion Program
Solving the Puzzle:
How Effective Is
Your Current
Inclusion Program?
Domains of School Inclusion
Physical Mobility/Behavioral Independence
Different from Peers
Similar to Peers
Social Skills
Different from Peers
Similar to Peers
Academic Skills
Different from Peers
Similar to Peers
Example: Two Inclusion Students
•
STUDENT A-Robbie: Cerebral Palsy: Uses a
wheel-chair and augmentative communication
device. Cognitive potential is high average.
•
STUDENT B-Stacey: Downs Syndrome:
Enjoys athletic activities. Cognitive potential is
considerably lower than peers.
Domains of School Inclusion: Grade 4
A
B
Physical Mobility/Behavioral Independence
Different from Peers
Similar to Peers
Social Skills
Different from Peers
B
Academic Skills
Different from Peers
A B
Similar to Peers
A
Similar to Peers
Domains of School Inclusion: Grade 8
A
B
Physical Mobility/Behavioral Independence
Different from Peers
Similar to Peers
B
Social Skills
Different from Peers
B
Academic Skills
Different from Peers
A
Similar to Peers
A
Similar to Peers
Definitions of ‘Inclusion’
Education which is inclusive involves
placement in the home school and in the
general education environments(s) with
appropriate supports, aid(e)s, and curricular
adaptations designed individually for each
student eligible for special education services.
From Project CHOICES: Illinois State Board of Education
http://www.projectchoices.org/
Definitions of ‘Inclusion’
The outcome of quality education whereby a
child with disabilities receives individualized
services and supports in the school they
would attend if they did not have a disability…
True inclusive schooling can only be achieved
in the general education classroom with same
age peers without disabilities, but it cannot be
achieved by placement alone.
From TASH (formerly The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps)
http://www.tash.org/
Components of ‘Inclusion’
Fully inclusive schools are characterized by:
• A single set of standards that embraces all
students
• A broad umbrella of standards that encompasses
supplemental educational needs, including
functional or independent living skills
• Teaching which uses heterogeneous groupings
and a variety of age-appropriate instructional
strategies based upon students' learning needs
• High expectations for all students
From TASH (formerly The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps)
http://www.tash.org/
Components of ‘Inclusion’ (Cont.)
Fully inclusive schools are characterized by:
•
•
Teachers who treat each student as a uniquely
important individual and who are knowledgeable about
research based practices that assist students with
diverse learning needs to learn;
Program philosophy which emphasizes the value of
diversity, multiculturalism, social justice, and belonging
for everyone
From TASH (formerly The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps)
http://www.tash.org/
Components of ‘Inclusion’ (Cont.)
•
•
•
Fully inclusive schools are characterized by:
Access for all students to campuses and classrooms,
including co-curricular and extra-curricular activities,
that are free from prejudice and other physical and
psychological barriers;
Comprehensive, sensible and culturally competent
curricula which are effective for the full range of
learners; and,
Opportunities for all secondary school students to
participate in community and/or job skill development
programs which do not impact negatively on school
participation
From TASH (formerly The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps)
http://www.tash.org/
Mainstreaming: Selective placement of
special education students in one or more
general-education classes.
Underlying assumption:
•
Student must earn opportunity to be placed in
regular classes by demonstrating an ability to
"keep up" with the work assigned by the
regular classroom teacher.
From Wisconsin Education Association Council
http://www.weac.org/
Inclusion: Expresses commitment to
educate each child, to the maximum extent
appropriate, in the school and classroom he or
she would otherwise attend.
Underlying assumptions:
•
•
Support services should come to the child
(rather than moving the child to the services)
Requires only that the child will benefit from
being in the class –but does not have to keep
up with other students
From Wisconsin Education Association Council
http://www.weac.org/
Full Inclusion: Full inclusion means that all
students, regardless of handicapping condition
or severity, will be in a regular
classroom/program full time. All services must
be taken to the child in that setting.
Underlying assumption:
•
The child always should begin in the regular
environment and be removed only when
appropriate services cannot be provided in the
regular classroom.
From Wisconsin Education Association Council
http://www.weac.org/
Examples of When a Child Might Benefit from
Instruction Outside of General-Education Setting
•
•
•
To learn Braille, American Sign Language, or
other communication system
To work on reading skills when student’s abilities
are severely delayed when compared to those of
peers
To master daily living skill such as riding public
transportation
Physical Inclusion
3 Dimensions of
Inclusion
Academic Inclusion
Social Inclusion
TASH: The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps
http://www.tash.org
Ten Tips for Special
Educators
6
Creating Flexible Learning Environments to
Accommodate All Students
Jim Wright
www.interventioncentral.org
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/
Physical Vs. Cognitive Access to
Curriculum
“Students need both physical and cognitive access in
order to succeed in the general curriculum.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Physical Access to Curriculum
“…physical access to the curriculum includes sensory
and motor access (such as the ability to see text and
images, hear sound and speech, and manipulate
materials and expressive tools). Individuals with
physical or sensory disabilities may encounter barriers
when using traditional materials such as books, paper
and pencil, keyboards, audiotapes without text
equivalents, or videos lacking captions or video
descriptions.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Cognitive Access to Curriculum
“Examples of cognitive access to the general curriculum
include the ability to understand assignments, plan and
execute approaches to tasks, use materials effectively,
comprehend content presented in various media,
organize work, understand and use feedback, and
express ideas effectively.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Cognitive Access to Curriculum (Cont.)
“All students, but particularly students with learning
disabilities, attention deficits, developmental disabilities,
or affective difficulties, may encounter [cognitive]
barriers when using traditional materials or digital
materials if they are not designed in a flexible manner.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Barrier: Fixed Medium of
Presentation
“The single most significant barrier in the general
curriculum is the fixed medium of presentation. For
example, printed materials… cannot be modified from
their original format, nor can the information provided be
enhanced or made more supportive for diverse
learners. Videotapes, audiotapes, and even some
software are also generally "fixed" in their presentation,
making them accessible and appropriate learning tools
for some, but not for all.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Solution: Digitize Content
“[Putting learning materials into] digital form is
necessary because it provides the underlying flexibility
needed for customization. Text, images, sound, and
video, when digitized, can be converted to other forms
for accessibility to different learners at the teacher's or
learner's request. This ability to be transformed, and to
be presented in multiple forms simultaneously, is unique
to digital media.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Turning Print into
Flexible Digital
Products
Print (Paper
Text)
Scanned to
Digital Text
Word Processing
Software w/Spell
Check & Grammar
Check
Display in Web
Browser to Be
Accessed by JAWS
Text-ToSpeech
Barrier: Attitudes About Customizing
Learning Materials
“Assistive technologies [such as wheelchairs, adaptive
switches to control their environment, and speech
synthesizers] will always have a role in the education of
learners with disabilities, and UDL will not eliminate the
need for personal assistive devices. However, exclusive
emphasis on assistive technologies places the burden
of adaptation on the learner, not the curriculum. The
idea that students must procure or ‘be prescribed’
special individual tools whenever they cannot use
standard curricula undermines learning for everyone.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Solution: Provide All Learners With
Flexible Content & Choices for Access
“Exclusively print-based tools and methods,
uncaptioned videos and software, images and posters
that lack text descriptions, all create a culture of failure
for many of our children.
UDL curriculum materials assume diverse learner goals,
learner profiles, and assessment methods, and
therefore are designed with flexibility as the keystone.”
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Deriving UDL Solutions to Barriers:
Example
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
UDL Solutions: Example
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
Deriving UDL Solutions to Barriers
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
UDL Class Learning Profile: Example
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
UDL Class Learning Profile: Student
Strengths & Needs
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
UDL Class Learning Profile
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum www.cast.org
How Does Your
Classroom Work?
13
Ten Tips for
Assistive Techies
10
CAST National Center on Accessing the Curriculum
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/
Negotiating to Achieve a ‘Win-Win’
Situation
• Use objective criteria. When parties negotiate, they should
rely on objective criteria instead of subjective opinions whenever
possible to resolve disagreements.
For example, teachers on a building Disciplinary Committee disagree
with the principal about the severity of behavioral issues in the school.
After some discussion, the two sides agree to analyze office disciplinary
referrals to tabulate the frequency and severity of student misbehavior.
Ten Tips for General
Educators
4
Ten Tips for
Paraeducators
5
Ten Tips for
Caregivers
9