Inclusion: Helping All Students Succeed

“Children that learn together, learn to live together

Irene Elliott

Director, Pupil Personnel Services

Encinitas Union School District

All Children are General Education Students FirstAll Children are General Education Students First

"Inclusion involves all kinds of practices that are ultimately practices of good teaching. What good teachers do is to think thoughtfully about

children and develop ways to reach all children. "Ultimately good teaching is a relationship between two people; teachers

get good results because they enter into that relationship. Inclusion is providing more options for children as ways to learn. It’s structuring

schools as community where all children can learn. But there’s no recipe for becoming an inclusive teacher or an inclusive school. It’s not a

mechanized format." -- Dr. Chris Kliewer, Associate Professor of Special Education, University of Northern Iowa, (taught second grade

in an inclusive school in Syracuse, NY, for four years).

Historical Perspective

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954)• Civil Rights movement (1950’s/1960’s)• The Education for all Handicapped Children Act

(PL 94-142)• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA) (1990)• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Historical AssumptionsAbout Student Differences

Students are responsible for their ownlearning

When students do not learn, there issomething wrong with them.

Schools must figure out what’s wrong with asmuch precision as possible so that studentscan be directed to the track, curriculum,teachers and classrooms that match theirlearning ability profile. Otherwise, no learningwill occur.

Requirements in the Law

• I.D.E.A. Reauthorization and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require that individuals with disabilities are to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) which must occur in the least restrictive environment (LRE), with supplementary aids and services, when necessary.

Least Restrictive Environment

To the maximum extent possible, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions and other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the general education environment occurs only when the nature of the severity of the disability of the child is such that education in the general class with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. Section 612 (a) (5) (A)

Key Concepts of LRE

• Must be individually determined and based on a student’s individual needs

• Applies to all children with disabilities• The general education class is always the first

choice• Consideration and use of supplementary aids and

services to make the general education class a first and viable option is required

Supplementary Aids and Services

Aids, services, and other supports that are provided in general education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with non-disabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance

with 300.500-300.556.

Full Inclusion vs. Mainstreaming

• Mainstreaming: Special Education class is primary placement; student is brought to the services

• Full inclusion: General Education class is the primary placement; services are brought to the student

• Decisions are based on the ability of the child to benefit from the placement

New Assumptions About Inclusion &Students with Disabilities

Inclusion was about changing schoolingexperiences for students with disabilities.

Inclusion was a good that redressed thediscriminatory and disenfranchising educationalpractices of the past.

Schools needed to develop a consensus abouteducating students with disabilities and adopt ashared mission that included them.

Teachers needed to work together collaborativelyto create successful learning experiences andoutcomes for students with disabilities.

Inclusion is “happening” in schools across the country.

Roughly half of the students in a “typical” school receiving specialeducation services spend at least 80% of their time in generaleducation classrooms.

Students with all types and degrees of disability (except for deaf-blindness) increasingly received schooling in general educationclassrooms.

At the same time, students with more severe disabilities (e.g., deaf-blindness, serious emotional disturbance & multiple disabilities)continue to be disproportionately represented in separate schools.

Where a student with disabilities lives is the most significantdeterminant of placement.

In Socorro, TX the percentage of students enrolled in specialeducation dropped from 12% - 10% from 1998 – 2001 while theschool population grew by more than 7,000. The percentage ofspecial education students more than 80% of their time in generaleducation classrooms jumped from 27% - 82%.

Of the hundred largest, urban districts, more than 80% placethe largest percentage of their students with IEPs in resourcerooms, separate classes or schools for more.

Minority students and students living in poverty areoverrepresented in high incidence categories.

Students in special education are more likely to be African-American and Latino than European-American or Asian-American.

Among the most frequent reasons for referral to specialeducation are reading difficulties and behaviour problems

Interventions to improve reading and classroom managementhave been demonstrated to reduce the number of children whofail or are referred to special education.

There are no mechanisms in place to guarantee that studentswill be exposed to state of the art reading instruction orclassroom management before they are identified as having a“within-child” problem.

An inclusive classroom is a supportive, caring learning community in which every student

feels accepted

• "Inclusion works when teachers believe that all children can learn." dayle timmons

• Inclusion is changing the rules of the game so that everyone can play and everyone can win.

Full Inclusion is • Believing that all children

can learn

• Welcoming all children and their unique gifts

• Addressing each child’s educational needs

• Good for all children

• A collaborative way to teach and learn

• A right of all children regardless of their disability

Teachers have the opportunity for: setting an example for nondiscrimination and

acceptance of people’s differencesusing creativity in their teachingworkings closely with parents to understand

student strengths and needsworking with a wider circle of teachers and

specialistsbeing a leader and role model for other educators eliminating preconceived ideas about students

with disabilitiesmaking significant change in the life of a student

with disabilities as well as others in the class

Goals of Inclusion

• Better Instruction• More time on task• Fewer interruptions• Closer monitoring• Higher self-esteem• Sense of belonging• More risk taking

• Fewer labels• Teacher teamwork• Ownership by all

Positive self-esteem comes from engaging in a

challenging task and succeeding

Benefits of Inclusion

• Students with disabilities have the opportunity for:experiencing full citizenship in school and

the community forming a wide circle of friendsexperiencing academic challengesenjoying the satisfaction of achievements learning to rely more on friends than teachers taking new risks finding they can master activities they may not have tried

in special ed classes

Students without disabilities have the opportunity for:

realizing that each person has gifts, talents and challenges learning to move beyond their stereotypes of people with

disabilities developing a better understanding of citizenship for all

people appreciating the similarities and differences among all

people working on the sense of their own shortcomings increasing their level of comfort around all people serving as role models solving real life challenges by finding creative approaches

to problems faced by students with disabilities

Classroom Expectations

• Student response• Teaching style• Assessment• Grading Textbooks• Rules• Written work Identify what it takes for a Identify what it takes for a

student to succeed in your student to succeed in your classroomclassroom

• "A bonus associated with learning to make modifications is that you can then use these to help all learners. Not only will this help you reinforce the idea that all people learn differently, but it will also help you teach that everyone needs e xtra help once in awhile." -- Golomb & Hammeken. (January/February 1996). Learning.

Curriculum Modification Planning• What is everyone else doing? ________________

• Can ______participate just like everyone else?

If yes, go for it!

• If no, what can we do to include _________?

• Can we give _________some help from friends?

From who_________?

• Can_______use different materials? What materials?__________How will they be used?_______

• What else can ______do that is related to what the class is doing?___________________

Dewey (1902)says..........

What the best and wisest parentwants for his child, that must thecommunity want for all itschildren. Any other ideal for ourschools is narrow and unlovely;acted upon, it destroys ourdemocracy.