Teachers’ Desk Reference: Practical Information for Pennsylvania’s Teachers

Inclusive Practices of learning opportunities, activities, and environments that are available to all As a classroom teacher, you play an important children, including participation in the role in the lives of your students. One of the general education curriculum, nonaca- many responsibilities you are charged with is demic, and extracurricular activities to promote a safe and welcoming classroom- and school community where individual dif • mplementingI goals and objectives that ferences are valued, embraced, and evident. are aligned with the state standards, as well as implementing goals that are Building an inclusive classroom community - means implementing practices where all student specific in the general education students, regardless of cognitive or academic classroom with the appropriate supple level, have opportunities to be included in the mentary aids and services - general education classroom, participating in • Developing and implementing instruc standards-based curriculum. tional strategies and methods that increase the participation and progress in the gen- Inclusive school settings are characterized by: eral education curriculum of students with • tsAll belonging studen and being valued disabilities as equal members of the school community • ntentionallyI and meaningfully engaging students with disabilities in a wide range

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004) IDEA 2004 supports inclusive practices by requiring that “to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled; and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily” (IDEA, 2004, 612(a)(5)). Benefits of Inclusive Practices Every day, you are faced with the opportunity inclusive school environments provides many to meet the diverse learning and behavioral benefits. These benefits extend to students with needs of your students. Educating students and without disabilities, as well as their families with and without disabilities together in and teachers.

Benefits for Students Benefits for Teachers Benefits for Families

• Developing an appreciation • Exchanging information about • Feeling positive about and respect for the unique instructional activities and themselves and their children characteristics and abilities teaching strategies, thus by seeing their children of each individual expanding the skills of both accepted by others, successful general and special educators in the inclusive setting, and • Increasing abilities to help belonging to the community and support all classmates, • Developing teamwork and where they live with a sensitivity toward collaborative problem-solving others’ differences skills to creatively address • Feeling positive about challenges regarding student themselves and their children • Providing opportunities to learning by seeing their children experience diversity of society appreciate the value of in an educational environment • Promoting the recognition diversity in others and appreciation that all • Enabling development of students have strengths and • Extending opportunities friendships and strengthening are contributing members of beyond the school a positive self-image by the school community community by fostering engaging in activities with school friendships in peers neighborhood activities and social events • Promoting opportunities to communicate, self advocate, and be educated with same-age peers

Components of Inclusive Classrooms Leadership and Schools • Administrators must promote a sense of Teachers must have an awareness of the compo- responsibility and shared ownership for the nents of inclusive classrooms and schools. These academic, social-emotional growth of every components provide the building blocks neces- student in the school sary for creating a safe and welcoming school community where individual differences are val- • Administrators must ensure that evidence- ued and embraced. These components are: based inclusive practices are implemented Leadership, School Climate and Structure, Student effectively Placement, Family and Community Involvement, Collaborative Practices, Instructional Practices, • Administrators must ensure collaborative and Supplementary Aids and Services. planning time is part of the school structure

2 School Climate and Structure Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) • Educators must ensure that all students Pennsylvania’s commitment to Least are welcome and seen as contributing Restrictive Environment (LRE) recognizes and valued members of the school that the educational placement decision is community an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decision. The goal for each child is to • Collaborative relationships among staff, ensure IEP teams begin with the general families and students are nurtured education setting, with the use of Student Placement supplementary aids and services, before considering a more restrictive • Individualized Education Program (IEP) environment. teams first consider the general education classroom with a full range of supplemen- tary aids and services IEP teams begin placement discussions with a consideration of the general educa- • General educators expect to teach tion classroom and the supplementary aids students with a full range of disabilities and services that are needed to enable a in their classrooms for meaningful parts student with a disability to benefit from of the day educational services. Benefit from edu- cational services is measured by progress Family and Community Involvement toward the goals and objectives of the Families, schools, and community agencies are student’s IEP, not by mastery of the general collaborative partners education curriculum, and is not limited to academic progress alone; therefore, special Collaborative Practices education placement in a more restrictive Educators collaborate for instructional planning, environment cannot be justified solely on to minimize curricular barriers, to provide access the basis that the child might make greater to the general curriculum, and to proactively academic progress outside the general problem solve education environment.

Instructional Practices The law and PDE policy favor education Educators implement evidenced-based inclusive with nondisabled peers; however, inclusion practices through multi-level instruction, multiple or education with nondisabled peers is not methods of assessment and modified outcomes a foregone conclusion; such a decision in general education classrooms, when remains exclusively with the IEP team as appropriate they consider the provision of a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). Supplementary Aids and Services (SaS) IEP teams use a systematic and individualized For additional information, read the approach to the identification of supports and Basic Education Circular (BEC) on the services to students with disabilities in the general education classroom PDE website. Go to education.state.pa.us, click on Codes and Regulations, Basic Education Circulars, PA Codes, Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Educational Placement for Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

3 Tips for Classroom Teachers to Create Provide low-tech learning aids: and Nurture an Inclusive Environment Select textbooks and other materials that support • Sticky notes and include students who have a wide range of abilities to see, hear, speak, read, and learn. • Highlighter pens

Use research-based guidelines to select curricula • Calculators materials for diverse learners’ materials that: • Digital clocks • Emphasize “big ideas” (i.e., declarative statements that describe concepts that • Tape/digital recorders transcend grade levels). • Carbon paper note pads • Clearly include explicit strategies. • Bookbags to keep track of personal • Provide an adequate range of examples. belongings

• Include scaffolding strategies. Provide cognitive supports for content and activities: • Include strategic integration of concepts. • Provide assessments for background • Build prerequisite skills before introducing knowledge and skill level. new ones. • Summarize “big ideas” (i.e., declarative • Include sufficient, distributed, and statements that describe concepts that cumulative review. transcend grade levels).

When using technology be sure to: • Include explicit strategies to make clear the goals and methods of instruction. • Provide captions for audio presentations. • Provide scaffolding for learning and • Provide educationally-relevant descrip- generalization. tions for images and graphical layouts and videos. • Build fluency through practice.

• Put important course content online, if Good teaching tips: possible. • Give immediate feedback, clarify instruc- Permit and encourage the use of assistive tions, ask for questions, repeat or give technology: additional examples.

• Word processors • Relate new topics to already learned topics or real-life examples. • Special keyboards • Go from concrete to abstract. • Voice-output devices • Use peer mentoring, group discussions, • Speech software and cooperative learning situations.

• Braille printers • Make content personal.

• Translation software • Develop study guides.

4 • Give shorter, more frequent exams. as active participants with nondisabled peers as well as to enable their access to the general • Consider alternative assessment methods. curriculum.

• Offer multiple ways for students to interact Supplementary aids and services should be: with and respond to curricula and materials. • Available to all students who need them • Offer assignments where students choose method of learning. • Designed to provide meaningful educational benefit • Offer assignments where students choose method of demonstrating knowledge. • Provided in a manner that avoids stigmatizing students • Offer assignments where review material is individualized to student’s interests or There are an infinite number of possible SaS to preferred learning style. be considered and implemented by IEP teams. Court decisions have required school districts • Learn about the cultures of your students to make a concerted and good faith effort to use and reflect on how that will affect them. SaS to address behavioral issues in the general classroom. The provision of positive behavioral • Develop a close collaboration with the interventions, strategies, and supports is designed special education staff. to foster increased participation of children with disabilities in general education environments or • Don’t try to change everything at once. other less restrictive environments, not to serve as a basis for placing children with disabilities in more restrictive settings. Supplementary Aids and Services Supplementary aids and services (SaS) means It is important that IEP teams contemplate edu- aids, services, and other supports that are cational placement in the general education provided in general education classes, other classroom not only as it currently exists, but also education-related settings, and in extracurricular as it might be modified through the provision and nonacademic settings. The purpose of pro- of SaS (see SaS Framework, page 6). viding SaS is to support students with disabilities

For more information and resources on Inclusive Practices, including DVDs, welcome packets and posters for schools, and short-term loan kits, visit the PaTTAN website at www.pattan.net and click on Educational Initiatives, Inclusive Practices.

5 Framework for Considering the Full Range of Supplementary Aids and Services (SaS)

Category Examples

Collaborative • Scheduled time for coplanning and team meetings • Instructional arrangements that support collaboration (e.g., Adults working together coteaching, paraeducator support) to support students • Professional development related to collaboration • Coaching and guided support for team members in the use of assistive technology for an individual student • Scheduled opportunities for parental collaboration • All school personnel collaborate in the development and delivery of SaS

Instructional • Providing modified curricular goals • Providing alternate ways for students to demonstrate learning Development and delivery • Providing test modification of instruction that addresses diverse learning needs • Providing alternate materials and/or assistive technology (e.g., materials on tape, transcribe text into Braille, large print, alternate computer access) • Providing instruction on functional skills in the context of the typical routines in the regular classroom • Changing method of presentation • Using reader services • Providing research-based supplementary materials • Providing instructional adaptations (e.g., preteaching, repeating directions, extra examples and nonexamples)

Physical • Furniture arrangement in environments • Specific seating arrangements Adaptations and • Individualized desk, chair, etc. modifications to the physical environment • Adaptive equipment • Adjustments to sensory input (e.g., light, sound) • Environmental Aids (e.g., classroom acoustics, heating, ventilation) • Structural Aids (e.g., wheelchair accessibility, trays, grab bars)

Social-Behavioral • Social skills instruction • Counseling supports Supports and services • Peer supports (e.g., facilitating friendships) to increase appropriate behavior and reduce • Individualized behavior support plans disruptive or interfering • Modification of rules and expectations behavior • Cooperative learning strategies

Etscheidt, S. and Bartlett, L. (1999). The IDEA Amendments: A Four Step Approach for Determining Supplementary Aids and Services. Exceptional Children, 163-74.

6 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Tom Corbett Governor

Department of Education Carolyn C. Dumaresq, Ed.D. Acting Secretary John J. Tommasini Director, Bureau of Special Education

Vol. 1 No. 6 11/13