1

How to know when you How to know when you see itsee it

10 researched-based practices 10 researched-based practices

(Jorgenson, C. 2006. The Inclusion (Jorgenson, C. 2006. The Inclusion Facilitator’s Guide. Paul H. Brookes)Facilitator’s Guide. Paul H. Brookes)

2

10 Values and research-based practices

• Policies & practices based on the least dangerous assumption and high expectations

• Membership and full participation in general education classes

• Family and school partnerships• Collaborative teaming• Planning & implementing of supports

3

10 Values and research-based practices

• Appropriate augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)

• Friendship facilitation

• General and special education reform

• Encouragement of self-determination

• Person-centered planning

4

Policies and Practices that do not assume high expectations

• Emphasis on learning access or functional skills rather than acquiring ideas, content knowledge and related literacy skills

• Participation only in portion of instructional routines but not the discussion of ideas or content knowledge

• Conversing as if students are much younger than their actual age

• Absence of options, comparable to their typical peers i.e: going to college, getting a real job for real pay, when doing future planning

5

Policies and Practices that do assume high expectations

• Use of person-first language• Descriptions of students focus on their abilities

and needs, not classification systems, codes or acronyms

• Annual goals in IEPs reflect links to regular education curriculum (IRP)

• People speak directly to student rather than through paraprofessional & discuss age-appropriate topics

• Students are seen as capable and professionals refrain from predicting “will never” acquire skills or knowledge

6

Membership & Full Participation in Regular Education Classes

• Students with significant disabilities learn more in inclusive classrooms

• Students with significant disabilities can learn academic curriculum content

• Functional skills can be taught within the context of regular routines and lessons

• Diversity enhances communities

7

Membership & Full Participation in Regular Education Classes

• “Value-added” contributions exists for a diverse school community

• When students with disabilities are taught well, all students are taught better

• Negative effects are associated with separating students with disabilities from their peers

• Classmates’ education is not adversely affected by the presence of students with disabilities

8

General Education practices that do not demonstrate full membership

• Identifying classes as “inclusion classes” or students as “inclusion students”

• A lack of ownership on the part of the regular classroom teacher rather than collaborative teaming to benefit all students

• Students with disabilities are always on the receiving end of help rather than engaging in reciprocal relationships that benefit all students

• Students with disabilities participate only in disability related extra curricular events

9

General Education practices that do demonstrate full membership

• Students with disabilities are members of age-appropriate regular classes

• Students with disabilities participate in the graduation ceremony at the same average age as their classmates without disabilities

• Related services are delivered to students primarily through consultation in the classroom & in relation to regular curriculum

• Instructional materials are universally accessible to all students

10

General Education practices that do demonstrate full membership

• Students with disabilities participate in school plays, field trips, assemblies, sports day, community service activities with appropriate supports, if necessary

• Students with disabilities participate in classroom routines or typical locations such as performing jobs or errands, eating lunch in the cafeteria

• The names of all students are included on all class lists, blackboards, bulletin boards…

11

School & Family Partnerships are not working together for quality inclusive

experiences

• When the classroom teacher promotes own view of student’s education and does not listen to a family

• IEPs are developed by the school team and then presented to parents for their signature

• The family assumes negative intentions on the part of the school

• Communication between the family and the team is spotty and focuses primarily on formalities and legalities

12

School & Family Partnerships are working together for quality inclusive experiences

• School staff members respect the family’s cultural background

• The family’s priorities are evident in the IEP• The family acknowledges the teacher’s

efforts on behalf of their child• The family attends meetings on a regular

basis• The family knows about resources for

building their own advocacy and leadership skills

13

When Collaboration is not working for quality inclusive experiences

• Regular and special educators do not share responsibility for all students’ success; there is an attitude among members on the team of “my students” versus “your students”

• Roles are not clearly defined among team members

• Little collaborative planning time is available for team members, including the education assistant

• Communication, follow-through and accountability systems are not in place

14

When Collaboration is working for quality inclusive experiences

• Roles & responsibilities of all team members are reviewed and clearly understood

• Special education staff work within the regular education classroom

• Related service providers and school staff are provided that enable students with disabilities to fully participate in the regular classroom; and to support teachers to effectively teach diverse classes

• Collaborative planning time is provided during the school day

15

When Planning & Implementing of Supports for quality inclusive experiences

is not working

• Students with disabilities are sitting idle or only work when an education assistant is beside them

• Education assistant physically acts as a buffer between students with disabilities, the classroom teacher and other classmates

• The academic performance and behaviours of students with disabilities are poor

• Adults act as the conversational go-betweens rather than students interacting directly

16

Planning & Implementing of Supports for quality inclusive experiences is working when

• Labels are not used to discuss students• Students are supported to understand their

own strengths and needs for accommodations

• Curriculum and instruction is designed right from the start to intentionally include students with different learning and communication styles

17

Planning & Implementing of Supports for quality inclusive experiences is working

when

• Support personnel help all students in a class

• Students with disabilities are being called on in class

• Student with disabilities are provided with academic materials with which to work at the same time as their classmates

• Students with disabilities talk directly with the classroom teacher and their classmates

18

The essential role of Appropriate Augmentative & Alternative communications

is not effective when

• The student with a disability does not have a communication system; and no training is provided for any system that is in place

• The communication system reflects outmoded assumptions about the student

• The communication system is designed by the speech-language pathologist without input from the family, student and school team

• People talk for the student with disabilities rather than supporting the student’s communication

19

The essential role of Appropriate Augmentative & Alternative communications

is effective when

• The student with a disability has an appropriate communication system

• The communication system is programmed with messages for social communication and academics

• The AAC system provided enables the student with disabilities to communicate for the purposes of self-determination and futures planning; as well it takes into consideration the communicative functions of any behaviours that are challenging

20

Friendship Facilitation is not working when

• The student with disabilities is always in the position of being helped

• The students with disabilities forms friendships only with students with disabilities

• The students with disabilities only participates in activities that are specialized around disability

• The student with disabilities has no or few authentic friendships in which s/he is connecting to peers outside of school

21

Friendship Facilitation is working when

• The student with disabilities has a variety of relationships: close friends, acquaintances, and with kids who share their interests

• Adults facilitate and sustain the building of social networks or circle of friends when necessary

• The student with disabilities has opportunities to provide as well as receive support

• The student with disabilities participates in a variety of inclusive and typical extracurricular activities

22

General & Special Education reform is not in place when

• The values of diversity & inclusion are not a integral part of expectations and how the school operates

• The school responds to issues by stating “It is policy” rather than espousing the values of inclusion

• Staff initiatives keep regular and special educators separate

• A school district runs two streams of education

23

General & Special Education reform is in place when

• General and special education administrators promote the values and benefits of inclusive education at meetings and in public settings

• General and special education personnel participate together in school wide improvement and reform efforts that benefit all students

24

The Encouragement of Self Determination is not

• Adults making all decisions about the student’s education and future plans

• The student with disabilities does not attend meetings at which his or her education is discussed

• The student’s IEP does not reflect choice and control issues

• A typical school day devoid of opportunities to develop one’s self determination

25

The Encouragement of Self Determination is

• The student with a disability has control in decision making that affects his or her life

• The student with a disability actively participates in IEP meetings

• The students uses AAC to communicate his or her own thoughts, concerns, opinions and wishes

• The student with a disability has the opportunity to fail and learn from mistakes

26

Person-centered Planning is not utilized when

• The student and the family are not asked about their vision for the student’s education and future adult life

• The student with disabilities is not present or directing the vision for their future

• Untrained or uncommitted people are in charge of future planning for the student with disabilities

• Futures planning only includes professionals rather than the student’s family, friends, classmates, co-workers…

27

Person-centered Planning is utilized when

• The student with disabilities family and network come together at critical transitions points to future plan

• A strength based and capacity model is used to explore opportunities for the student to live and work in inclusive settings, using natural and generic supports to the maximum degree possible

• The student and family are active participants in the planning

• The plan leads to concrete actions to enhance the student’s life

28

Things to Try for Next Time

Create a student profile

AndComplete Quality

of Inclusion Checklist