Special EducationImplications of Inclusion for General

Education Teachers

Kristin MorseheadDoctoral Student

Kmorsehead@hotmail.com

Overview

Opening Video Policies and Laws: IDEA ->

– Categories of Disabilities– Mandates within IDEA– Changes to IDEA

Response to Intervention (RtI) -> LRE- continuum of placements -> Inclusion -> Working with students with special needs

– IEPs– Accommodations, Modification, Assistive

Technology

“Don’t Laugh at Me”

http://www.operationrespect.org/videos/videohb.mov

Visit this website to get lesson plans and units for teaching about diversity and diverse learners.

IDEA: Disability Categories

IDEA lists 13 different disability categories under which 3- through 21-year-olds may be eligible for services

ASD- autism spectrum disorder or AI BD- deaf-blindness DEAF- deafness EI, EBD- emotional disturbance (emotionally behavioral

disorder) HI- hearing impairment MR, CI- mental retardation (cognitively impaired) SXI- multiple disabilities (severely multiple-impaired) OI- orthopedic impairment (physical impairments) OHI- other health impairment (ADD, ADHD, diabetes, etc. if

it impedes on learning) SLD/LD- specific learning disability SLI- speech or language impairment TBI- traumatic brain injury VI- visual impairment (including blindness), Blind

IDEA MANDATES

Zero reject– Local school systems must provide all children,

regardless of the severity of their disability, with a free education appropriate to each child’s needs.

Non-discriminatory evaluation– Tests must be appropriate to the child’s language

and cultural background.– Assessment is to be based on several types of

evaluation and is to include cognitive, adaptive, and social performance.

Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)– Local school districts must provide educational

services that are appropriate to each individual child.

IDEA MANDATES cont

Least restrictive environment (Inclusion)– Children with disabilities must be educated

alongside students who do not have identified disabilities.

Due process– Parents must have the right to call a special

hearing when they do not agree with the school’s educational plans for their child.

Parent participation– States must provide mediation to schools and

parents if there are disagreements about children’s educational services.

Special Education Qualifications

1.) Does this child have a disability?

2.) Does this disability impede on learning?

Diagnosis

Medical Diagnosis ex: Autism, physical disability, Down’s Syndrome, etc.

OR

Socially Constructed Diagnosis (Judgmental Categories)ex: Learning Disability, Emotional/Behavioral Disorder, Cognitive Impairments (arbitrary # for IQ cut off points)

Let’s Look at Learning Disabilities: Prior to IDEA 2004

Discrepancy model (“Wait to Fail” model)– Intelligence vs. Achievement

WISC: Intelligence – Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)– Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)– Working Memory Index (WMI)– Processing Speed Index (PSI)

WIAT: achievement (example)– Reading, spelling, decoding, numeracy, oral

expression, etc.

Why is this the Wait to Fail Model?

IQ testing- most accurate around age 9(Intelligence). This is too late.

Vs.

Have to be able to read, do math, etc. to prove that you “cannot” read, do math, etc. (Achievement). This is too late.

Changes in Legal RequirementsIDEA (2004)

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 607(b), when determining whether a child has a specific learning disability as defined in section 602, a local educational agency shall not be required to take into consideration whether a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading comprehension, mathematical calculation, or mathematical reasoning

Instead of the Discrepancy Model…Response to Intervention (RtI)

What is RtI?– General Education Initiative – Early Intervention/Prevention– Decrease special education referrals– Essentially it looks at the teacher as the “problem”

rather than the student. (Teacher needs to implement more strategies to “reach” the student rather than submitting a special education referral). What am I doing wrong?

Example: Am I not using enough visuals? The student has processing delays, am I making sure I give one step directions? Is this student’s fluency interrupting their comprehension of the text?

RtI “Buzz Words”

– Universal Screening– Scientifically-based instruction/interventions

(research-based)– Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3– Progress Monitoring (all levels) – Problem-solving method – Responsive teaching– Differentiated Instruction

Response to Intervention

Behavior: RtI Model

Levels of Intervention

Tiers include increasing levels of intensity of interventions– Primary Instruction -- differentiated

curriculum and instruction for all students – Secondary Interventions -- Targeted

interventions for students at-risk– Tertiary Interventions -- Strategic/Intense

interventions for students with intensive needs

(http://www.ideapartnership.org/)

Problem-Solving Method

What is the problem?

Why is ithappening?

What should be done about it?

Did it work?

What Does RtI Implementation Look Like?

1. Students receive high quality, research-based instruction by qualified staff in their general education setting.

2. General education instructors and staff assume an active role in students’ assessment in that curriculum.

3. School staff conduct universal screening of (a) academics and (b) behavior.

4. School staff implement specific, research-based interventions to address the student’s difficulties.

(www.nrcld.org/)

TIER 1

Expectation = 80% or more of students successful with general education curriculum and instruction

Assessment = Universal screenings for academics and social/emotional growth (behaviors)

Intervention = Through differentiated instructional practices

Roles and responsibilities = primarily the general education teacher

Example: Screen all students for potential reading problems at the beginning of the year and again in the middle of the year.Provide time for differentiated reading instruction for all students based on assessments of students current reading level.

More on TIER 1

(www.nrcld.org/)

TIER 2

Expectation = 15% of students may be at risk and in need of targeted interventions

Assessment = progress monitoring of student response to specific intervention

Intervention = standard protocol treatment intervention as available from the research; evidence-based intervention as available in the literature

Roles and responsibilities = variety of personnel as determined at the local site

Example: Provide intensive, systematic instruction on up to three foundational reading skills in small groups to students who score below the benchmark score on universal screening. Typically, these groups meet between three and five times a week, for 20 to 40 minutes.

More on TIER 2: Successful Intervention

(www.nrcld.org/)

More on TIER 2: Unsuccessful Intervention

(www.nrcld.org/)

TIER 3 Expectation = 5% of students may be at significant

risk and in need of intense interventions Assessment = progress monitoring of student

response to specific intervention Intervention = standard protocol treatment

intervention as available from the research; evidence-based intervention as available in the literature; unique intervention based on teacher expertise

Roles and responsibilities = variety of personnel as determined at the local site

Example:Provide intensive instruction on a daily basis that promotes the development of the various components of reading proficiency to students who show minimal progress after reasonable time in tier 2 small group instruction (tier 3).

Beyond Tier 3

~This usually results in referral to special education.

Special Education Services and General Education

According to IDEA, a student must be placed in their Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Spectrum of placements always starting with Inclusion

Let’s look at placements:

<--•-----•-----•---•-----•----•----•-----•-----•-----•--->

LRE: The Daniel R.R. Two-Part Test

Part 1: Can education in the regular classroom, with supplementary aids and services be satisfactorily achieved?

Part 2: If it cannot, and the student is removed (from gen.ed), is he/she mainstreamed to the maximum extent appropriate?

<--•-----•-----•---•-----•----•----•-----•-----•-----•--->

Yell. (2006). The Law and Special Education. 2nd ed. Pearson Education, Inc.

What is Inclusion?

Different from mainstreaming The student is fully a part of the general

education classroom Definition:students with disabilities are

supported in chronologically age-appropriate general education classes in their home schools and receive the specialized instruction delineated by their individualized education programs (IEP's) within the context of the core curriculum and general class activities

Other Models to Support Inclusion

Co -Teaching– General Education teacher and Special

Education teacher in the same classroom Push-In

– The special education teacher may come to the classroom to assist special education students

Full Inclusion Schools– All special education students are fully included

in the general education classroom

*These models mean that general education teachers WILL increasingly have special education students in their classrooms.

General Education Teachers

Two major responsibiltiies for students with special needs– Teach IEP goals– Teach curriculum at grade level.

Q: How do I do this when I am teaching 5th grade and this student reads at a K level?

Differentiation

Example: 3rd grade, Non reader, cannot write.

Standard: Demonstrate comprehension by identifying answers in text

How might we differentiate to all reach the same end goal?

Another Example:

Ex: 3rd grader, cannot write their name

Standard:– Create a single paragraph that a.develops a topic sentence

b.includes simple supporting facts and details

How might we differentiate for this student?Ex: journals

Modifications, Accommodations, and Strategies

Modifications: refer to changes made to curriculum expectations in order to meet the needs of the student. Modifications are made when the expectations are beyond the students level of ability. Modifications may be minimal or very complex depending on the student performance. Modifications must be clearly acknowledged in the IEP.

Examples: taped books, math charts, additional time, oral test, oral reports, preferred seating, study carrel, amplified system, braille writer, adapted keyboard, specialized software, etc.

http://specialed.about.com/cs/teacherstrategies/a/terminology.htm

Modifications, Accommodations, and Strategies

Accommodations: refer to the actual teaching supports and services that the student may require to successfully demonstrate learning. Accommodations should not change expectations to the curriculum grade levels.

Examples: second language exemptions, withdrawal for specific skills,include student in same activity but individualize the expectations and materials, student is involved in same theme/unit but provide different task and expectations

http://specialed.about.com/cs/teacherstrategies/a/terminology.htm

Modifications, Accommodations, and Strategies

Strategies: refer to skills or techniques used to assist in learning. Strategies are individualized to suit the student learning style and developmental level.

Examples: highlighting,rehearsal,color coding,memory joggers,visual cues,number lines,alphabet strips,keyring sight words,flip chart, organization/transition cards, jello powder, play doe, seed spelling,window paint, bingo dapper, stencils, ink stamps

http://specialed.about.com/cs/teacherstrategies/a/terminology.htm

Main Components of an IEP

Present Levels of PerformanceGoals/ObjectivesProgress ReportingPlacement/Services: LRE

(time/day/frequency)– Related Services: Speech, PT, OT, etc.

Classroom adaptation; Testing accommodations

What about IEP Goals?

LD IEP goals “should” be taken from grade-appropriate curriculum.

Life Skills student - functional goals

Binder: example

Examples of Goals and Short-term Objectives

(handout)Example of a Annual Goal

– Sally will recite the main idea, problem, and solution in a text at the third grade level.

– Ideas of short term goals?

In Summary

With the push for inclusion, general education teacher will be increasingly responsible for special education students including:– Implementing IEPs– Progress monitoring of goals– Providing adaptations and access to

general education curriculum.

"If you exclude anybody, you ultimately exclude a part of yourself.”

KokHeong McNaughton

Resources/References

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/special-education/resource/5347.html

http://www.ideapartnership.org/ http://www.operationrespect.org/ www.pbis.org www.miblsi.cenmi.org Yell. (2006). The Law and Special Education. 2nd ed. Pearson

Education, Inc. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/

rti_reading_pg_021809.pdf