Running Head: FRUSTRATIONS in IMPLEMENTATION

Assisting General Education Teachers 1

Running head: ASSISTING GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

Assisting General Education Teachers to Work with Students with Disabilities:

Literature Review

ED 512

Kaplan University Assisting General Education Teachers 2

Literature Review

Since the mid-eighties, more and more students with disabilities have been educated within the general education classroom setting (Rea, McLaughlin & Walther-Thomas, 2002).

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1997 mandated the inclusion of students with disabilities in general state and district assessments (Carnine &

Granzin, 2001), which resulted in general education teachers having more responsibility for the education of students with disabilities. Due to IDEA, there is much more focus on placing students with disabilities in the general education setting to help boost test scores. Bauer and

Shea (as cited in Frolin, Hattie, & Douglas, 1996) noted that general education teachers are now required to cater to a more diverse range of student abilities. Due to increased push for students with disabilities to be placed in classrooms with their non disabled peers, general education teachers have been facing the stressful situation of teaching a group of students they do not feel prepared to teach.

This literature review seeks to provide information for special education teachers to use in order to act as resources for general education teachers. This review also seeks to assist special education teachers and general education teachers to be supportive of each other when working with students with disabilities in order to decrease frustration levels for teachers and students.

Teacher Attitude

There is a relationship between teacher attitudes toward their students and the quality of interaction that takes place in the classroom (Cook, 2001; Bender, Vail, & Scott, 1995). Stress seems to play a significant role in a teachers’ ability to be committed to and sympathetic toward their students (Farber, as cited in Frolin, Hattie, and Douglas, 1996). When asked, general Assisting General Education Teachers 3 education teachers indicated that it was 5 times more stressful to have a child with mild intellectual disability in their classroom; they also indicated that dealing with the children without disabilities when there is a child with disabilities in the classroom is 3 times more stressful than it would be if there were no children with disabilities (Frolin, Hattie, & Douglas,

1996). Teachers seem to “give up” on students with behavioral, social, and attitude problems

(Cook). Bender, Vail, and Scott (1995) mentioned that general education teachers do not implement many modifications for students with disabilities other than those recommended by the teacher’s instruction manual that comes with the text books. Not implementing adequate modifications or implementing them incorrectly could inadvertently contribute to the level of stress that a classroom teacher feels, resulting in a negative attitude toward students with disabilities.

Collaboration

“Collaboration among general and special educators has been viewed as imperative to the success of learners with disabilities being served in general education classrooms” (Dettmer,

Thurston, & Dyke; Friend & Cook; Johnson & Pugach; Voltz, as cited in Voltz, Elliott, & Cobb,

1994). Dover (2005) stated that special educators should be providing consultation and support to general educators and paraprofessionals as well as direct and indirect services to students with disabilities (p.32). Extra effort must take place in order to increase interaction and cooperation between general and special education teachers (Voltz, Elliott, & Cobb, 1994). Voltz, Elliott, and Cobb (1994) conducted a study of collaboration between special and general education teachers which indicated that a major barrier to collaboration between special and general educators is time. Neither group of teachers was provided any time during the contracted school Assisting General Education Teachers 4 day to meet; one teacher indicated that she met with the resource teacher in a bathroom due to the lack of common free time (p.534). With support from administration, general and special education teachers should be able to arrange for a common meeting time at least once per month or more frequently if necessary. Some school districts provide substitute teachers so that general education and special education teachers can have a shared planning day one or two days per year. The onus for collaboration should not fall explicitly on the special education teacher; rather it should be a team effort between the general and special educators (Voltz, Elliott, &

Cobb, 1994). In a study done by Rea, McLaughlin, and Walther-Thomas, it was noted that special education teachers were not often members of grade-level general education teams, nor did they attend team meetings (p. 209). This information indicates that steps need to be taken to ensure adequate time and effort in collaboration between general and special education teachers.

Dover (2005) offers some suggestions for educators to work together to more appropriately support students with disabilities in the general education setting. Suggestions offered are:

 Develop written schedules to make it easier to schedule a common time for general and

special education teachers to meet (Dover, 2005).

 Collaborate when developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to gain important

information about present levels of performance and develop appropriate goals Dover,

2005).

 Actively listen to any needs or concerns that may arise for general education teachers or

paraprofessionals and address them accordingly Dover, 2005).

 Special educator may assist the classroom teacher to prioritize instructional objectives to

make the most effective use of time (Dover, 2005). Assisting General Education Teachers 5

 Review test results or other assessment materials with the general education teacher and

develop an action plan together (Dover, 2005). pa

Dover (2005) also makes several additional suggestions for the special education teacher to implement in order to fully support the general education teacher and students with disabilities, such as taking over for a paraprofessional who normally provides services for a student with disabilities so as to gain a better understanding of the needs of the child (p.34).

When teachers and other school personnel work together to do what is in the best interest of children, all children benefit, not just students with disabilities.

Student Expectations

Students with disabilities are expected to participate in state and district wide assessments with accommodations (Carnine & Granzin, 2001). Studies have shown that students with disabilities who have been placed in inclusive classrooms with higher expectations, appropriate peer role models, and opportunities for generalization of skills have demonstrated a higher level of improvement than those who remained in pull out settings (Rea, McLaughlin, & Walther-

Thomas, 2002). When students are held to higher standards, it stands to reason that they will perform better, regardless of disability. The study completed by Rea, McLaughlin, and Walther-

Thomas (2002) demonstrated that students with learning disabilities are able to be successful in a program that focuses on standard school curriculum and provides appropriate accommodations within a general education setting (p.219). With adequate support, the general education teacher should be able to provide the necessary accommodations so that students with disabilities can be successful with the general education curriculum. Special educators have devoted significant Assisting General Education Teachers 6 attention to working more effectively with general educators to provide a more appropriate education for students with disabilities (Cannon, Idol, & West, 1992).

Conclusion

There are many considerations to be made for a special education teacher when providing an appropriate level of support to the general education teacher. A major concern is finding adequate common meeting time during the contracted school day. With effort on both sides, positive changes can be made to better provide services to students with disabilities who are placed in a general education setting through collaboration and support. Assisting General Education Teachers 7

References

Bender, W.N., Vail, C.O. & Scott, K. (1995). Teachers’ attitude toward increased

mainstreaming: Implementing effective instruction for students with learning disabilities.

Journal of Learning Disabilities 28 (2), 87-94, 120.

Cannon, G.S., Idol, L., & West, J. F. (1992). Educating students with mild handicaps in general

classrooms: Essential teaching practices for general and special educators. Journal of

Learning Disabilities 25 (5), 300-317.

Carnine, D. & Granzin A. (2001). Setting learning expectations for students with disabilities.

School Psychology Review 30 (4), 466-472.

Cook, B.G. (2001). A comparison of teachers' attitudes toward their included students with mild

and severe disabilities. Journal of Special Education 34 (4), 203-213.

Dover, W.F. (2005). 20 ways to consult and support students with special needs in inclusive

classrooms. Intervention in School and Clinic 41 (1), 32-35.

Frolin, C, Hattie, J., & Douglas, G. (1996) Inclusion: Is it stressful for teachers? Journal of

Intellectual & Developmental Disability 21, 199-217.

Rea, P.J.,McLaughlin,V.L.& Walther-Thomas, C. (2002). Outcomes for students with leaming

disabilities in inclusive and pullout programs. Exceptional Children 68 (2), 203-222.

Voltz, D.L., Elliott, R.N., & Cobb, H.B. (1994). Collaborative teacher roles: special and general

educators. Journal of Learning Disabilities 27 (8), 527-535. Assisting General Education Teachers 8

Literature Review Assignment Rubric Scoring Mastery Proficient Practiced Emergent Introductory No Progress Earned Criteria/ Level Level Level Level Level Points Course 0 and Level 5 4 3 2 1 CLA Assessmen Score t Criteria

Course At all times, Consistently Usually Inconsistently Rarely Failed to Level developed an: developed a: developed an: developed an: developed an: developed an CLA Assessmen Score t (CLA)  excellently  well written  acceptably  acceptably  acceptably  acceptably (outcome Criterion written literature written written written written literature #1): (Course literature review literature literature literature review __5__/5 Outcome review review review review #1)  insightful  well written  sophisticated synthesis of  well written  well written  well written synthesis of synthesis of published synthesis of synthesis of synthesis of published Synthesize published research published published published research published research research research research research on  on a well  on as acceptable identified  on a well chosen  on as  on as  on as specific topic/issue chosen specific acceptable acceptable acceptable issue/topic into written specific issue/topic specific specific specific literature issue/topic issue/topic issue/topic issue/topic  that review.  that demonstrates  that demonstrates  that  that  that adequate demonstrate critical demonstrat demonstrat demonstrat thought s critical thinking es adequate es adequate es adequate thinking thought thought thought  adequate understanding of  outstanding  solid  adequate  adequate  adequate current literature understandin understandin understandi understandi understandi g of current g of current ng of ng of ng of  selection of at literature literature current current current least six relevant literature literature literature appropriate peer  selection of  selection of reviewed at least at least seven  selection of  selection of  selection of research articles seven excellent at least six at least six at least six outstanding peer relevant relevant relevant  misinterpretation peer reviewed appropriate appropriate appropriate of facts Assisting General Education Teachers 9

reviewed research peer peer peer research articles reviewed reviewed reviewed articles research research research  sophisticated, articles articles articles 0 POINTS  insightful accurate  and accurate interpretation  accurate interpretatio of facts. interpretati  mostly  inaccurate n of facts. on of facts. accurate interpretatio interpretati n of facts on of facts. 237-213 POINTS 212-188 211-163 162- 125 250 250-238 POINTS POINTS POINTS POINTS: POINTS POINTS 230 Writing Assignment is Assignment Assignment Assignment Assignment Fails to use Mechanics free of has very few, if has some has several has many appropriate No CLA and spelling, any, spelling, spelling, spelling, spelling, mechanics and Timeliness grammar, or grammar, grammar, grammar, grammar, APA. punctuation punctuation punctuation punctuation punctuation errors. errors. and APA and APA and APA Citations and Citations and errors. errors. errors. reference list reference list are properly are properly formatted in formatted in APA style. APA style.

28-26 POINTS 0 POINTS POINTS: 25/30 30 30-29 25-23 22-20 19-15 POINTS POINTS POINTS POINTS POINTS Timeliness Submitted on Submitted 1-2 Submitted 3-5 Submitted 6-7 Submitted 8-10 Submitted more No CLA time. days late. days late. days late. days late. than10 days late.

18-17 0 POINTS 20-19 POINTS 16-15 14-13 12-10 POINTS: 20 POINTS POINTS POINTS POINTS /20 POINTS Total Points: ____/300 Instructor Summative Comments: Assisting General Education Teachers 10