Two Signs of Ineffective Inclusion

One sign that inclusion is not being successful in a general education classroom for an exceptional student is if there is no social connection between the exceptional student and the other students.  One of the central goals of inclusion is for students with disabilities to develop their social abilities through connections with other students their age.  Often what can happen in an inclusion program is that the student experiences the island effect where he or she is still in the same classroom as other students but feels separated from the general learning environment.  It is important in an inclusion program for the general education teacher and the para educator to be working together to involve the student with a disability or disabilities in the learning and activities of the general classroom.  The emotional wellbeing of a student is often determined by the relationships that they form in the general education setting.  There are exceptions, but often a good sign of poor inclusion is the lack of a social connection between an exceptional student and others.

Another sign of poor inclusion is a lack of dialogue between the general educator, the para educator, and the special education team.  Successful development for an exceptional student is often determined by a connection between faculty over the best program or resources for an exceptional student.  Detrimental to a student’s academic and social development is a poor connection between the para educator and the general education teacher over the involvement of the student in general classroom learning and activities.  Equally detrimental is a poor connection between the special education team and the para educator and general education teacher over proper teaching methods and materials and what new learning technologies and programs are available.   It is important that the para educator and the general education teacher are continually brought up to speed on the dynamics of their responsibilities for educating an exceptional student.  The most successful learning experience for an exceptional student is when their education is the product of the collaboration of several professionals.

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Inclusion of Students with Severe Disabilities

Inclusion of students with severe disabilities in the general education classroom requires the teacher to have the desire to do whatever is necessary to help their students succeed.  This means that the teacher must be willing to help their student with putting on clothes, eating, etc.  The para-educator assisting the student with severe disabilities should be the one meeting most of the student’s needs in the classroom.  However, the presence of the para should not stand in the way of the development of a relationship between the general education teacher and the student.  It is not appropriate for the general education teacher to focus all of their time in the classroom on the student with severe disabilities.  They have been hired to teach and educate the body of students as a whole. However, (again) the general educator should be willing to do whatever is necessary to meet the needs of their students in the pursuit of developing a relational with their students for the purposes of education.

In the case of the specific types of severe disabilities mentioned in the text, this means that the teacher might find it necessary to practice new forms of instruction, learn new forms of communication, or might need to help a student develop socially or behaviorally.  For students who experience Traumatic Brain Injury, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) centered on the development of a student’s ability to learn and to focus for long periods of time is prescribed.  Special attention should also be paid to behavioral functions, social and emotional abilities and norms, and language development or reconstruction if necessary.  For students who have Deaf-Blindness, the importance of Direct Instruction and structured routines is emphasized.  Students with Deaf Blindness also require the development of specific forms of communication through hand-under-hand guidance, adapted sign language, and very specific tactile cues.  They will also require Orientation and Mobility (O&M) or training in navigating and functioning in different environments.  In the cases of both of the specific disabilities mentioned above, the student will most likely spend a great deal of time in the special education classroom before they can function in the general education classroom.  However, it is necessary that the student with severe disabilities is placed in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as soon as possible so that they can achieve their full potential under the educational practice of Normalization.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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General Education Considerations for ASD

Educational considerations for a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will depend on the kind and the degree of the disorder.  Students with varying levels of Autism will have difficulty with cognition, behavior, and communication development.  Often cognition and behavior problems relate to the student with Autism’s difficulty with communication.  Problems with communication come from a lack of a desire to communicate for social purposes.  Other factors contributing to a student with Autism’s difficulty with communication are impaired social interactions (or desires for) and abnormal sensory perceptions (unnatural reactions to auditory or physical stimuli).  Behavioral problems from a student with Autism are often repetitive behaviors (rocking, spinning, etc.) or inappropriate social interactions (biting, hitting, etc.).  Students with Autism’s cognition difficulties are unique to Autism, in that though it is similar in some ways to students with intellectual disabilities, there are often students who have an incredible ability in one area or skill.  Autistic individuals who have this incredible ability are given the title Autistic Savant.  Educational recommendations for students with Autism are Direct Instruction (Often in a one-on-one basis in a special education program), Behavior Management (also often in a special education classroom), and Instruction in a natural setting (LRE).  A student with Autism will often spend a great deal of time in the special education classroom before they develop the ability to be successful in the general education classroom.  Once they are in the general education classroom, the general education teacher will have to be aware of the educational considerations mentioned above.  A student with Autism will often need direct instruction both in academics and in appropriate behaviors and need assistance from the teacher to develop successful social interactions and friendships.  A general education teacher who has a student with Autism should be adequately informed on the condition of Autism, so that they can appropriately react to the attitude and actions of the student in the general education classroom.

Educational considerations for students with Asperger’s Syndrome directly relate to their difficulties with social interaction and communication skills.  Students with Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty seeing the hidden curriculum, or the lessons that other students learn about social interactions through experience with others and with the teacher.  Students with Asperger’s often have to be taught directly what is appropriate in class, who they should trust outside of school, and what reactions are appropriate at what times.  Linked directly to this is their difficulty with the social uses of languages.  They often have to be taught what the appropriate thing is to say to others, what attitude they should have or communicate, and what people mean by certain phrases.  Educational considerations for students with Asperger’s include social interpreting and coaching.  Teachers, Para educators, and special education teachers need to work direct with students with Asperger’s to help them interpret social interactions and what is appropriate for conversations and interactions.  Teachers can use the SODA acronym, where students with Asperger’s are asked to Stop what they are doing, Observe what the situation is and what others are doing, Deliberate about what the best course of action in is, and Approach the person with whom they would like to visit.  Students with Asperger’s will also often need direct coaching on developing social and academic abilities.  General education teachers will need to work directly with students with Asperger’s in the absence of a para educator to help them develop their abilities in social interactions and academics.  Also, it is important that, like Autism, general education teachers are informed about the condition of Asperger’s so that they will have the appropriate reaction to the student’s comments and actions in the classroom.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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The Federal Definition of EBD

                 The federal definition of emotionally disturbed in the context of IDEA and its rules and regulations includes the following:  A condition in which an individual exhibits one of several certain characteristics often, to a marked extent, and over a long period of time.  Those characteristics can be a general inability to learn (not explained by mental or physical difficulties), an inability to construct or keep satisfactory friendships or relationships, inappropriate behaviors or feelings in general circumstances, a general mood of unhappiness or depression, and a tendency to be afraid or have specific physical symptoms in reference to personal or school related problems.  This definition includes individuals with schizophrenia but does not include individuals who are ‘socially maladjusted’ but not emotionally disturbed (Exceptional Learners, pg. 266). 

                The authors of Exceptional Learners express their belief that the exclusion of socially maladjusted individuals is unnecessary.  Often, they argue, it is difficult to differentiate or adequately determine by the wording of the definition whether or not someone who is identified as being socially maladjusted is actually not emotionally disturbed.  They bring up the fact that it will be difficult to determine whether someone can be identified as emotionally disturbed if they are performing adequately academically.  They might not fit the category of EBD (Emotional or Behavioral Disorder) if they are not having a general difficulty to learn.  The problem with this argument is that although academic achievement problems are assumed to be the focus of why someone would be identified as needing special education, the federal definition allows for an individual to have one or more of the characteristics that defines someone as having an EBD in which case it is possible for them to have other symptoms and still be performing well academically.  Also, the definition is not specific to academic problems only, in which case constant behavioral disturbances combined with clear emotional disturbance would be enough to classify the individual as having EBD.

                The Special Education Program is intended to provide a service to individuals who aren’t capable of having significant achievement in the classroom on their own.  Individuals who are socially maladjusted because of social or relational reasons are in need of service, but it would seem that their needs are better met by school counselors or school psychiatrists.  The authors seem to be eager to include as many individuals in the EBD category as possible so as to make up the difference in individuals who are identified as having EBD and individuals who are actually receiving the service.  Although it is true that there is a fine line between social maladjustment and emotional disturbance, the exclusion clause in the federal definition is there so that those who need special education receive it, while others whose needs would be better met by other services will not receive special education.  Those that require special education in the field of EBD should receive it, and the identification process should be lenient enough to make up the difference in individuals who need special services.  The exclusion clause, however, should not be removed from the federal definition.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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PowerPoint Topic Proposal

One of the most interesting and perhaps most challenging disabilities for a student in a general education classroom is Autism.  With cognitive problems and deficits in social ability and responsiveness, students with Autism present a case where Inclusion could either be extremely successful or destructive to the learning environment, depending on the teacher and the resources that are provided for the student in the classroom.  I’ve chosen to focus my Inclusion presentation on students with Autism because I’ve had many experiences with students who have varying levels of Autism, and because I find their irregular decisions and social disabilities to be very interesting and intriguing.  My heart goes out to them in their struggle to find understanding and to be successful at school and in the modern world.

Children with Autism have certain tendencies depending on their level of Autism.  They tend to have deficits in social responsiveness: Their reactions seem to be unrelated to their surroundings or stimulus (they won’t smile in social situations, but then will laugh out loud at what appears to be nothing), they tend to act differently at different times to different people, they tend to avoid eye contact, they show little interest in people and tend to focus on objects, and they often don’t have a desire to communicate and are sometimes confused to be mute.  Children with Autism will often have ritualistic motor motions that they repeat often.  Examples of this could be twirling, spinning certain objects, or rocking.  Children with Autism will also have certain cognitive problems similar to the problems that children with intellectual disabilities face.  This may be accompanied by extreme ability in one area or function that appears to be unrelated to all of the rest of the child’s learning (Autistic Savant).  The problems that a child with Autism face can be narrowed down to problems with executive functions, weak central coherence motivation (or the desire to connect understanding of many parts into a meaningful whole), and difficulty with understanding and respecting the perspectives of others.

Exceptional Learners: An Introduction to Special Education suggests several educational strategies for working with students with Autism: direct Instruction, behavioral guidance, age appropriate natural settings, the assistance of a social interpreter, and coaching for correct social interaction from the teacher.  At the moment, according to Exceptional Learners, the most popular form of educational consideration for students with Autism is the self-contained classroom.  There is evidence, however, that students with Autism can be successful in the general education classroom especially with the assistance of a para-educator or social interpreter.  It is a worthy goal of educators and school administrators to eliminate the fear and misunderstanding surrounding students with Autism.  One healthy way that this can be accomplished is through inclusion into the general education classroom.  I will endeavor to prove in my PowerPoint that this is not only possible but can have great benefits for students with Autism and for the general student population.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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An Academic Challenge with Learners with a Learning Disability

                One academic challenge that you will face with Learners with Learning Disabilities is their difficulty with social and emotional abilities and behaviors.  Learners with LD experience social/emotional problems and will have a tendency towards depression, social rejection, suicidal thoughts, and/or loneliness.  This tendency coupled with motivational problems like learned helplessness and an external locus of control causes the learner to lack concentrated effort on schoolwork and to distance themselves both from the teacher and from other students.  This tendency will make it difficult for the teacher to motivate the student to achievement in their classroom, both in individual work and in work with other students. 

                A teacher should be inclined to assist the student who seems to have difficulty making friends in their classroom.  In the case of the Learner with LD, it is essential that the teacher have this focus in mind for social and academic reasons.  It is a responsibility of the teacher as a representative of the state to help Learners with LD understand the difficulties they’re experiencing, and to help them develop strategies to work through social and emotional difficulties.  At the primary level of education, this means that the teacher should organize as many activities that involve the Learner with LD working with other students.  Other students should be taught what the natural difficulties are of Learners with LD so that they can identify what behaviors seem odd to them.  The teacher should also work as much as possible directly with the student to help them overcome their difficulties and fears. 

                For the secondary level of education, much more subtle practices must be used to ensure social development for Learners with LD.  Group activities should still be used as much as possible as a rule.  Other students should similarly be made aware of the difficulties of LD either directly or informally.  Peer tutoring, or having another student help the student with LD measure achievement and behavior, could be extremely effective in helping the student with LD gain social ability if the student who is assigned to the student with LD volunteers and does so with the desire to help and to develop a relationship with the student with LD.  The defining factors in the process of social development for the student with LD is the desire of others to have a relationship with this individual and the patience of others in helping the student develop social ability.  Without these, the student might be made to feel like they’re a project or as someone with whom social interaction is pointless.  In the event of this, the student with LD will remove themselves from social interaction more and more until dangerous consequences occur.  It is important to realize that wherever a student is in their academic development, social development and the increase of perceived self-worth are essential to the continuation of a student’s development on any level and to the maturation of the general individual into adulthood.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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Students with Intellectual Disabilities in the General Education Classroom

Students with intellectual disabilities will experience academic challenges within a general education classroom.  They may have difficulty with general lectures and may not necessarily understand or interpret all that is taught or inferred.  This may come from a larger difficulty with understanding body language, both in understanding what they observe and in expressing themselves.  Students with intellectual disabilities may also learn at a slower pace than the other students and may need information repeated to them more than once.  They may also have difficulty applying concepts from one setting to another.  Students with intellectual disabilities may have behavioral problems like self-learned helplessness, rigidity when addressed, or the tendency to shut down when problems are too difficult.  They may have problems with social skills or have difficulty making true friends.  Very rarely will their frustration turn into aggression, but a general education teacher must be prepared to deal with that student as well.

There are several things that a general education teacher can do to provide for students with intellectual disabilities within the classroom.  They must be very direct with their instruction to their students and must look ahead to the needs of the individual.  The teacher must have very clear expectations for the student and must be willing to assist the student to meet those expectations.  Since students with intellectual disabilities may have difficulty understanding information if they are only taught in one way or one method of instruction, the teacher must be willing to alter their normal methods of teaching and must be willing to repeat information.  The teacher must also establish for the class established routines.  Students with intellectual disabilities have difficulty knowing what is expected out of them if the expectation changes from week to week.  The student must be encouraged by positive behavioral support or the rewarding of good behaviors with positive encouragement.  Students with intellectual disabilities should be supplied with whatever instructional technology they require to succeed in the classroom.  Concepts taught in class should be applied to real life examples for the future application of concepts and abilities.  Finally, the student must have a place as a member of the class and should be included with other students as much as possible.

The above suggestions are helpful for instructing all students.  It is a good policy to make sure that information is taught to students in different ways and that there are clear expectations for what is expected of them.  Implementing the policies mentioned above will help all of your students be successful with the material taught in your classroom.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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Full Inclusion and Special Education

Supporters of Full Inclusion propose that the best policy for educating special education students is to eliminate the division between exceptional students and the general population.  They see the education of exceptional students as a civil rights issue.  Exceptional students should have the right to a general education without special education classes.  A student who has to attend special education classes is labeled as a student less capable of succeeding in education.  Less is expected of students with disabilities, who are then less prepared for life after school than general education students.  Supporters of Full inclusion argue that studies show that exceptional students who attend only general education classes perform just as well as students who were apart of the Special Education program.  They demand that special education classes be removed from schools.   The specific needs of exceptional students should be met by the general education teacher, who should be qualified to meet the need of every exceptional student. 

The problem with Full Inclusion thinking is not the desire to provide the best education for exceptional students, but rather the perspective that views the Special Education program as an intentional hindrance to students with disabilities.  The social injustice before IDEA was the unwillingness of teachers to assist students with disabilities.  Special Education programs have been created for the specific purpose of serving individuals with special needs.  To take away these programs would be to deny them access to services that are intended to directly address the specific needs or disabilities of an individual.  To ask that this service be performed by a general education teacher is to ask them to divide their attention onto the learning style and ability of every student in every one of their classes.  With the current overcrowding of schools, this means that the teacher will probably only be successful at teaching each of his students only one or two concepts per quarter.  In order for a general education teacher to be successful in his or her classroom, the teacher must be able to set a pace and establish a curriculum of common learning for the students in his or her class.  Exceptional students who attend general education classes should be equipped with the knowledge and ability to be successful with the pace established by the teacher for the class.  Special education teachers and classes exist for the singular purpose of helping exceptional students be successful in general settings.  To ask that a general education teacher be entirely responsible for this in addition to the curriculum of their class is to ask too much.  

The article by Kathie Snow solidified my original attitude towards exceptional people.  The question in my mind when I meet people with disabilities is not what level of competence do they have, but rather what stands in the way of their ability to be the most successful?  An educator’s attitude towards exceptional students should not be one of annoyance and frustration, but rather an acceptance of the responsibility of providing for the needs of an individual in need.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Snow, K. (2009).  Presume Competence: Challenging conventional wisdom about people with disabilities.  Posted to the Disability is Natural website, archived at http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pc1-pwd.pdf

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2 Important Aspects of Special Education Law for General Educators

The two most important aspects of special education law that general educators need to be aware of are the state’s policies about the process of identification of students with disabilities and the teacher’s responsibility regarding an exceptional student’s IEP. 

Most exceptional students at the middle or high school level should already be identified by the state as a student with a disability or a handicap.  It is, however, possible for students to not be identified and so the teacher must be ready to make a referral if necessary.  Every school has the responsibility by law to provide special education for exceptional students.   It is also their responsibility to identify these students requiring this kind of assistance.  General education teachers are responsible for identifying students in their classroom who require additional assistance.  As an employee of the state they are left with the responsibility of carrying out the state’s requirement of identification if exceptional students within their classroom have not already been identified as requiring special education.  Before making a referral, the teacher must be careful to properly identify a student as an exceptional student.  The teacher must check the student’s records to insure that student’s history upholds the teacher’s current assumption.  They must also hold at least one conference to discuss their concerns with the parents or guardians of the student.  And finally, they must document the behavioral and academic strategies that the teacher has attempted to help the student be successful.  Only after the teacher has accomplished these steps can and should a referral be made.  It is important for a teacher to be aware of their responsibility for identification, and the process that is required before referral.

The teacher must also be aware of what their responsibilities are in connection to an exceptional student’s Individual Education Program.  For this the teacher must have access to the portion of the student’s IEP that outlines the teacher’s responsibility.  Each IEP should outline what the goals are of the student and what the student will require from the teacher to meet those goals, both behaviorally and academically.  The teacher’s expectations for the exceptional student must be based on the exceptional student’s IEP, and the teacher must therefore be willing to balance general achievement expectations and the student’s special curriculum.  The teacher must be willing to expand the student’s IEP and goals if possible.  In fulfilling the teacher’s responsibility for the student in his or her classroom outlined on the IEP, the teacher must keep in contact with the student’s parents or guardians regarding the progress of the student.   And, finally, the teacher must be aware that hearing officers and courts can determine that IEPs are in violation of the student receiving a free appropriate public education.  The teacher must be aware of what their responsibilities are regarding an exceptional student’s IEP.

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009).  Exceptional Learners:  An introduction to Special Education.  Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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