Promoting Inclusive Practices

Laurie A. Dinnebeil, Ph.D.William F. McInerney, Ph.D.

University of Toledo

Focus of the Morning Characteristics and benefits of inclusive

service delivery Rationale for Consultative Itinerant

Services

Focus of the Afternoon Where do we go from here? Choosing a strategic direction and follow-

up training Designing action plans to move us forward

Schedule for the Day 9:00-10:30: Overview 10:30-10:45: Break 10:45-12:00: Presentation Continued 12:00-1:00: Lunch 1:00-3:30: Small Group/Strategic

Plan

Position Statement on Inclusion“Early childhood inclusion embodies the

values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts of full members of families, communities, and society” (DEC, 2009).

http://dec-sped.org/uploads/docs/about_dec/position_concept_papers/PositionStatement_Inclusion_Joint_updated_May2009.pdf

Why Inclusion?

Inclusive experiences give children with disabilities and their families:

a sense of belonging, support positive social relationships and

friendships, and promote development and learning so

children can reach their full potential.

Features of High Quality InclusionAccess

Participation

Supports

Access

Young children with disabilities have access to a full range of activities and learning opportunities in diverse early care and education programs and other natural environments

Participation

Adults find ways to help young children with disabilities participate and engage fully in a variety of activities. They promote children’s meaningful ‘belonging’ in intentional ways.

Supports

Adults who promote early childhood inclusion have the supports they need to help young children with disabilities. These supports include ongoing training and professional development.

What is the Least Restrictive Environment?

To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with typical peers.

Separate schooling only when nature and severity of disability prevents satisfactory education in regular education (with use of supplementary aids and services).

LRE for Preschool Natural environment includes child's home, or

other ECE community-based programs in which children without disabilities participate.

Educational Environments, 3-5source: ideadata.org

In the regular early childhood program at least 80 percent of the time.

In the regular early childhood program 40 to 79 percent of the time.

In the regular early childhood program less than 40 percent of the time.

Unduplicated total who attended an early childhood program and were in the early childhood program for _____ percent of the time

Educational Environ., ages 3-5, cont. Separate Class. Unduplicated total who attended

a special education program in a class with less than 50 percent nondisabled children.

Separate School. Unduplicated total who received education programs in public or private day schools designed specifically for children with disabilities

Home. Unduplicated total who received special education and related services in the principal residence of the child’s family or caregivers and who did not attend an early childhood program or a special education program provided in a separate class, separate school, or residential facility.

Educational Environments, ages 6-11source: ideadata.org

In the regular class: 80 percent or more of the day. (previously

“regular class”) 40 to 79 percent of the day. (previously

“resource room”) less than 40 percent of the day. (previously

“separate class”)

Separate School. Unduplicated total who received education programs in public or private separate day school facilities.

Educational Environ., ages 6-11, cont. Residential Facility. Unduplicated total who

received education programs and lived in public residential facilities during the school week.

Homebound/Hospital.

Parentally Placed in Private Schools. Unduplicated total who have been enrolled by parents or guardians in parochial/private schools and whose basic education is paid through private resources, and who receive special education and related services at public expense.

Supports

Adults who promote early childhood inclusion have the supports they need to help young children with disabilities. These supports include ongoing training and professional development.

Itinerant ECSE ServiceThe Ohio Department of Education defines

Itinerant ECSE services as…….services provided by preschool special

education teachers or related services personnel which occur in the setting where the child or the child and parent(s) is located as opposed to providing services at a centralized location.  

What is Effective PD?

Effective professional development (PD) occurs through individualized assistance and training.

Coaching and Consultation provides this individualized assistance that is critical to supporting early childhood inclusion.

In Ohio, a consultative itinerant model is recommended as “best practice”.

Rule 3301-51-09 Delivery of Services (Operating Standards for Ohio’s Schools Serving Children with Disabilities)

(3) The school district shall ensure early childhood intervention specialists

(b) Support regular education teachers in serving and/or consulting about children with and without disabilities so that the regular education personnel, in partnership with the special education service providers, can implement the child’s IEP in the least restrictive environment;

Itinerant Service Delivery: Direct or Consultative (Indirect)? ConsultativeAssist educators and primary

caregivers to provide specialized instruction and plan ways to address IEP goals within the course of the child’s typical day and routine activities.

DirectTutor the child focused on IEP

goals within the context of ongoing activities or outside of the child’s typical day. IEP-based instruction is limited to the Itinerant Teacher’s visit.

Consultation: Preferred Method of Itinerant Service DeliveryProject DIRECT focuses on consultation because we

believe it is the BEST way to support successful early childhood inclusion. While there may be LIMITED times when a direct approach is preferred, in the overwhelming majority of cases, a consultative approach is most effective at helping children achieve positive outcomes. (ODE’s Policy Statement)

Definition of Consultation

Through a series of meetings and conversations, the consultant [itinerant ECSE teacher] helps the consultee [ECE teacher or primary caregiver] through:• Systematic problem solving• Appropriate use of social influence• Professional support. In turn, the consultee helps the ‘client(s)’ [child/children] with full support and assistance from the consultant.

Definition continued…

The purpose of consultation is to address the immediate concern or goal as well as to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future (Buysse & Wesley, 2005).

Consultation & TRIADIC Intervention “[A]n indirect, triadic service delivery

model” Indirect and triadic—the focus of the

work is still on meeting the needs of the child. However, the person who directly addresses those needs is the partner teacher or parent, not the itinerant.

Consultation & TRIADIC InterventionIn early childhood education, consultation is defined as an INDIRECT intervention model in which a consultant (Itinerant ECSE teacher) and a consultee (ECE teacher or parent) work together (in a triadic service delivery model) to address an area of concern or common goal for change.

The TRIADIC Model

The triadic service delivery model is an INDIRECT intervention model in which the Itinerant ECSE teacher supports children’s development by working primarily with another teacher or parent rather than directly with the child.

Itinerant ECSE

Teacher

Child

ECE Teacher

or Parent

What’s so special about a triadic approach?Other adults spend more time with children then an itinerant teacher does. Through a triadic approach, an itinerant ECSE teacher can help a parent or another teacher do what she does best—better help the child learn and reach his or her IEP goals.

What’s so special about a triadic approach?A triadic model helps improve the FREQUENCY and QUALITY of IEP-based instruction that occurs between the visits of the itinerant ECSE teacher.

A recent federal study indicated that very little specialized services are provided to preschoolers with disabilities by general early childhood teachers (PEELS, 2008)

What about challenges?

A consultative approach to itinerant service delivery isn’t easy (but many things that are worthwhile aren’t easy!)

What are some of the challenges in adopting CONSULTATION practices that you can think of ?

How might these challenges be addressed?

Consultation vs. One-to-One and Small Group Instruction in Itinerant ECSE Services: Which is More Efficient ?

• The adoption of a consultation model as the primary mode of intervention in IECSE services must be based on the the effectiveness of instruction vs. traditional patterns of practice

Rationale for Consultation / Coaching in IECSE Services If periodic or episodic intervention (usually 60-

90 minutes per week in traditional IECSE service delivery) is as efficient as distributed or spaced instruction (or practice), then there is no need to adopt a consultation model as the primary mode of intervention

• However….. if distributed or spaced instruction or practice is a more efficient model of learning, then adoption of a consultation approach to IECSE intervention is warranted

Rationale for Consultation / Coaching in IECSE Services

If consultation is to be considered as a preferred alternative to 60-90 minute, one-to-one or teacher-directed small group instruction, then the research base related to efficiency of child learning must be examined

Research Base for Consultation in Itinerant ECSE ServicesEmpirical evidence is related to the use of behavioral consultation in the fields of EI/ECSE. Effectiveness of consultation, however, is well established in the fields of special education and school psychology (Gresham & Kendell, 1987; Noell, Witt, Gilbertson, Ranier, & Freeland, 1997; Sheridan, Welch, & Orme, 1996)

Consultation Supports Other Evidence-Based PracticesConsultation, as a service delivery model, is supported by several other principles of special education instruction that are relevant to early childhood special education, including:

Phases of Learning Distributed vs. Massed Practice Embedded Learning Opportunities Naturalistic Intervention

Phases of Learning The intensity of instruction changes as a

function of the Phases of Learning. In the initial or acquisition phase of learning, errors are frequent. This is the phase of learning in which direct instruction or massed practice may be helpful establishing reliable behavior or skill levels……

Phases of Learning…continued After learners have acquired a skills and

demonstrate minimally acceptable performance, they transition through the phases of FLUENCY and MAINTENANCE to GENERALIZATION (the gold standard for learning).

This transition becomes easier if learners have multiple opportunities to ‘practice’ and expand their use of skill or behavior across materials, persons and environments……

Phases of Learning…continued Teachers can help learners use skills or

behaviors in different ways (e.g., with different materials and different people) and in different situations (e.g., in different routines and activities) through the use of incidental instruction, embedded learning opportunities (ELO) and DISTRIBUTED practice.

Distributed vs. Massed PracticeInstruction is most effective when opportunities to acquire and practice skills occur across the day as opposed to single points during the day (Hemmeter, 2000; Sandall & Schwartz, 2002; Wolery, 2000; Wolery, Ault, & Doyle, 1992)

Difference Between Massed and Distributed Practice Massed Practice

• Students are provided multiple opportunities to practice WITHIN a single learning session. These learning opportunities are provided continuously, without a break.

For example, the itinerant teacher provides 20 minutes of instruction targeting children’s vocabulary development in a single session, in one day.

Difference Between Massed and Distributed Practice…continued Distributed Practice:

• Students are provided with many PLANNED learning opportunities across the day and throughout the week when the targeted skill is most likely to be required.

The child’s teacher or primary caregiver plans for and provides opportunities for children to learn new vocabulary or practice using vocabulary at different times across the day or week when those words are meaningful and opportunities to use these words are in CONTEXT

Importance of Distributed Practice Since itinerant ECSE teachers have limited time

with children, it is difficult to implement a distributed practice model. However,• Early childhood teachers are present all day

and can provide opportunities for distributed practice across the day and during the week

• But they cannot be effective, if they do not have the knowledge and skills to do so…..

Research Support: Adults

Ebbinghaus, 1885/1964 Donovan & Radosevich, 1999, meta-analysis Cepeda, Pashler, Vul, Wixted & Rohrer, 2006, meta-analysis

Children - ages 3 months to 8 years old Childers & Tomasello, 2002 (word learning)

Rea & Modigliani, 1985 (spelling, math) Rovee-Collier, 1995 (visual recognition) Seabrook, Brown, & Solity, 2005 (phonics)

Massed vs. Distributed PracticeMassed Practice• Child instructed with same materials, multiple times in single session, without a break

• EXAMPLE: Identifying basic shapes for 20 minutes in one day

Distributed Practice• Child practices with

same or different materials, multiple times, with breaks between instruction/ practice

• EXAMPLE: Practice identifying basic shapes for 10 mins. during sessions scheduled several times per week

Research with ChildrenRea and Modigliani,1985 3rd graders (8.5 years) taught spelling words and

math facts Students ranked as Level 1 (top half of class) or Level 2

(bottom half of class) Results:

Better on spelling and math tests when had spaced instruction rather than massed instructions

Spaced instruction was better for both Level 1 and 2 students (ability level didn’t matter)

Seabrook, Brown & Solity, 2005 Experiment

Task: 34 children (mean age 5 years.6 mos.) taught phonics over two weeks

Schedule: Clustered = one, 6-minute session per day within a

regular classroom setting. Distributed = three, 2-minute sessions per day

within a regular classroom setting

Results: Children in distributed condition had test scores 6 times greater than children in clustered condition

Childers and Tomasello, 2002

How many times (and how many days) does a 2-yr old need to hear a word to learn it?

In 2 experiments, 2 yr olds were taught ‘silly’ nouns and verbs (words they had never seen) over the course of a month in sessions lasting 5 - 10 min

Childers and Tomasello, 2002Results:

• Best learning occurred when teaching was distributed

• The more days that children heard the words, the better able they were to learn the words Best = 4 days, 3 days Worst = 1 day, 2 days

• Children learned words better if they heard the words 1x/day for 4 days rather than 8x/day for I day

Major Findings Spacing (distributing) instruction

benefited children and adults whether the tasks were physical or cognitive.

Spacing instruction within the day (e.g., three 2-min sessions/day) or across days (e.g., 1x/day for 4 days) helped children learn.

Implications for Education

Practice Current laws state that educational practice

needs to be research-based (NCLB; IDEIA, 2004)

How should we schedule instruction for young children? Massed vs Spaced ? Research supports Spaced

How should we schedule the Itinerant ECSE teacher’s time? Direct instruction vs. Consultation / Coaching ?

Research suggests Consultation/Coaching

Consultation & Distributed PracticeItinerant teachers should spend their

time helping their ECE ‘partner’, discussing and planning for learning opportunities that will be distributed across the day and will occur during the week between itinerant visits.

A Hierarchical Planning Model for Consultation

Step 1- What does student need to learn Review IEP objectives

Step 2 - What environmental modifications will facilitate acquisition of skills/behaviors?

Conduct observation of learning environment Complete Activity x IEP Objective Matrix

Step 3 - Which learning strategies will facilitate acquisition of these skills/behaviors?

Identify appropriate indirect/incidental and direct instruction options

Step 4 - Which consultation strategies will be effective in transferring knowledge to partner? Identify ‘partner-friendly’ consultation strategies /

interpersonal communication

Step 5 - Which consultation strategies will be effective in transferring skills to partner? Identify ‘partner-friendly’ consultation strategies /

interpersonal communication

Step 6 - How will efficacy of consultation be determined? Strategies to monitor child progress Strategies to monitor partner relationship

A Hierarchical Planning Model for Consultation cont’d…

Next Steps related to:Facilitating the PRACTICE of INCLUSION

Form Letters re: IECSE Model Allocation of time and effort models re: ‘weighting’ of

students MEPI Model for Analysis of IEP Objectives MATRIX Planning (IEP Objectives/ODE

Standards/Classroom Activities/Teaching Strategy) Embedded Instruction Distributed Instruction DIRECT and INDIRECT Instruction Strategies Consultation Planning Log PIECES