7B: Answers to Jonathan Bacak's 5 Questions by Karen Pavlansky

1. What are some instructional concepts in your school that teachers use when they are teaching inclusion classes?

There are three research based, proven strategies that I use in my inclusion classroom that could be used school wide, but has not been implemented.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the first strategy that I use with the general curriculum to ensure all students can access academic content information.  UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone, not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.  There are three elements of UDL.  First, multiple means of representation, which relates to the materials the teachers use to represent the content they are asking their students to learn.  Second, multiple means of action and expression, concerns how the materials provide alternative ways for student to demonstrate knowledge.  Third, multiple means of engagement, deals with how the materials take advantage of student interests and motivation to engage them in learning. 

The second strategy to benefit all students is Response to Intervention (RTI).  RTI is a means to determine whether any student, regardless of type of disability, needs more intensive instruction.  RTI is a multilayered system for struggling learners that provide increasingly intense levels of academic interventions and assessment.  CEC’s stance on RTI as a school-wide initiative, with special education as an explicit part of the framework, spanning both general and special education in collaboration with families.  The RTI process represents an inclusive partnership between all school personnel and families to identify and address the academic and behavioral needs of learners beginning as early as the preschool years. (CEC 2011)  RTI is a multi-tiered approach that may reduce the numbers of students referred for special education.  RTI promotes effective early intervention, provides diagnostic information to consider in the identification of a disability, and may reduce the impact of a disability on a child’s academic progress. 

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is the third strategy.   Schools actually are required to have school-wide Positive Behavior System in place.  PBS is a systems-level, problem solving, data-based approach to reducing problem behavior, improving appropriate behavior and achieving important academic, social and communication outcomes for a particular student and for all students, throughout the school building.  Teachers instruct students to replace their problem behavior with appropriate behavior, enabling them to benefit much more effectively from the general curriculum.  Our school formed a committee (I was a member) and we developed a school wide PBS plan.  We met for many hours and had everything in place to begin implementation at the start of this school year.   A few teachers complained to the administrator and it was nixed.  

All three of these strategies work and require very little cost.  Even if schools are not utilizing them school wide, individual teachers can implement them within their classroom. 

 2. In your opinion, is the concept of inclusion the best way to educate students with disabilities?

In my opinion, I think inclusion is the best way to educate most of students with disabilities.  It provides them with access to the general curriculum.  With the change in the common core standards to better prepare students by having a curriculum that is geared towards college and career readiness beginning in Kindergarten through 12^th grade.  Inclusion allows students this opportunity for preparation for transition beyond high school.  Your research paper pointed out that inclusion students not only learn the general curriculum, but inclusion tries to build the self-confidence of the child. “Having students with a disability with the general population of students can motivate them to work harder, be more involved in group activities, and participate more in general lecture (Brandes & Crowson, 2010)”.   But I also agree that there are certain situations where inclusion isn’t the best for some students with certain disabilities.  Ultimately, it comes down to the families, schools and all the educators involved to make the determination for inclusion. My opinion also is that in the early childhood years, inclusion is the best placement for all students with disabilities.  The development of the whole child, socially, emotionally, and academically is such an evolution process that unless you try whom really knows what the capacity of development is for any child. 

 3. What are some of the co-teaching models that are used in your school systems? Are they effective? Give examples and support your answer.

Co-teaching is a huge disappointment in my school building.  I say building because I am aware that co-teaching is working in our intermediate and middle school buildings.  The special education teachers and general educators have been through professional development for co-teaching, but what they actually do is quite different and disappointing.   They often just have one of the two teachers teaching while the other one tends to unrelated jobs or duties, preparing lessons and or materials. Unfortunately, there isn’t any accountability of what should be happening but isn’t.  I believe in co-teaching and its effectiveness in best serving all students but it just isn’t happening in my school. 

 4. How can we as educators change the negative criticism about inclusion that is brought upon from society?

I think to change the criticism there has to be a collaboration of administration, general educators, special educators and families of students with exceptionalities.  The system of inclusion can and does work.  The problem, which leads to criticism, is that inclusion and the use of best practices and full collaboration isn’t happening.  Students with disabilities are being placed in the general education classrooms and teachers aren’t receiving professional development or the support services necessary for success.  Funding is the other issue that prevents many of inclusion students from being serviced properly. 

5. What are some activities that we as educators can use to boost the morale of students with disabilities in the classroom? 

Schools thrive with diverse student populations when there is fairness and equity for all.   The school educators and administration need to have a collaboration and positive school morale to begin with.  When teachers are stressed out over working conditions, lack of support and the added demands of the educational process with extra duties it can be demoralizing for everyone.  Administrators can do a lot to alleviate much of this. 

Having special activities that build on getting to know each and every student really could boost the morale.  It also provides an opportunity to really discover who everyone really is and building relationships.  Themed days can be another way to get everyone involved and in a fun way.  Any type of extra social activity can be a lot of fun and get everyone involved in knowing each other in a better way.  Think Fun!  Think Positive!