Inclusion Action Project by Niki Briggs

My inclusion project includes a plan for own classroom, as well as increasing

disability awareness for the 3rd grade students and staff at my elementary school. I
chose this as my focus group because these are the students that I work with every
day, and have a relationship with. It also seems to be the age at which students
begin to notice how their peers are the same and different from themselves and
when teasing and bullying issues begin to surface. Since this will be my first time
doing this, I would like to use the 3rd grade students as my pilot group and then
expand the project to include the 4th and 5th grade students within my building.
Including the upper grades will also mean asking the other special education
teachers for help at those grade levels, and I want to have all of the bumps ironed
out before I ask them to participate.
A. Current Inclusionary Status
Our current inclusionary practices comprise of a range of students with disabilities
included in all disciplinary areas and grade levels, dependent upon their
Individualized Educational Plan. Some students are included for most of the day
(Code A: 80% or more of the day), while other students are included for things like
specials, recess and lunch.
Last year we also began the practice of team-teaching in each of our 4 buildings:
Westside Elementary (K-2 Reading), Grayside Elementary (3-5 Math), Olson Middle
School (6-8 Math) and Mauston High School (9-12 Reading and Math). This was
done on a voluntary basis starting in August 2013. We had a UW-Whitewater
professor instruct us on best practice, and then come back and observe us in our
team taught classrooms in January 2014. This resulted in varying degrees of
inclusion of students with disabilities such as: specific learning disabilities, cognitive
disabilities, emotional/behavioral disabilities, and other health impairments.
This year our Westside K-2 primary building also moved to full inclusion of students
with mild and moderate cognitive disabilities. Our 3 rd grade classrooms also
combine with the students who have mild and moderate disabilities once per month
and cook together. The students are also part of morning meeting and closing circle
each day.
B. SWOT Analysis
8 strengths
(What do we do well? What unique resources can we draw on? What do others see
as our strengths?)
A. Students have grown up with students who have disabilities their whole lives.
B. We have many Tier 3 students who receive Title services, so a lot of kids
come in and out of the regular classroom for various interventions.

C.
D.
E.

F.

G.
H.

Therefore, kids with milder disabilities do not stand out from others who are
leaving the classroom.
The teachers have had students with disabilities in their classrooms, so this is
not completely new to them.
All of the 3rd grade teachers work well together as a team. Weve been
together for 3 years.
The 3rd grade team has a really good work ethic. All members of the 3 rd grade
team are willing to go the extra mile to spend time collaborating and
discussing data without extra compensation. For example, our 3 rd grade
team meets every Monday night from 3:30-4:30 for PLC and 4:30-5:00 for
team meeting.
The teachers are really invested in seeing their students do well, and will
make accommodations without complaint. We began moving to a more
inclusive model 2 years ago when I first came. Previous to that, students
were pulled out during reading and math for 4 hours per day. It took some
modeling, reassurance and training in de-escalation procedures, but the
teachers now feel more comfortable differentiating and working with students
who struggle academically and emotionally.
We are a small school of 13 core + 3 special education teachers. Students
and staff know each other well, so relationship building is very important.
We are moving towards 1:1 devices for students. Currently, all 5 th grade
students have their own Chrome books. 3rd and 4th grade students share an
Ipad cart which is housed in the library.

8 weaknesses
(What could you improve? Where do you have fewer resources than others? What
do others see as our weaknesses?)
A. We are a school with 65% of the population receiving free and reduced lunch.
We do not have a large school budget, and are constantly looking for ways to
cut back. Sending one teacher for training and having that person train
others is becoming a common approach than allowing multiple teachers to
receive training on a topic.
B. Our IT staff is small and overworked, and our technology is not always
working correctly. Therefore, sometimes the technology we do have does not
always get used to its fullest potential.
C. Some students with disabilities have aggressive behaviors which make it
difficult for others to feel comfortable and foster friendships.
D. Even though students with disabilities are included in the regular classroom,
it does not always carry over into friendships during unstructured times such
as recess and lunch.
E. Our staff feels very overworked not only due to our current schedule, but also
because of Educator Effectiveness and Smarter Balance. Therefore, you have
to be tactful when introducing something new (unless it does not involve
more work than what the teacher is already doing). Otherwise there is an

undercurrent of resentment towards the new things being introduced. That is

why I would do the disability awareness unit by myself. I would ask the
teachers to stay and participate in the activities, but I would do all the
preparation and execution, especially the first time.
F. Some staff do not have enough training on how to best work with students
who have emotional/behavioral issues. Therefore, they may unintentionally
make a situation worse by their own reactions.
G. For staff meetings, we usually meet by grade level PLC team rather than by
building. Therefore, the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teams do not always know what
other RTI groups are doing for interventions.
H. We are still working through the process of how to best implement RTI with
the new SLD law, and we have gone through a lot of trial and error to get
there.
8 opportunities
(What good opportunities are open to you? What trends could you take advantage
of? How could you turn your strengths into opportunities?)
A. The teachers at Westside Elementary are going through inclusionary training
this year.
B. Our guidance counselor runs multiple social skills groups, and offered to run
one with me.
C. The teachers at my grade level are open to me coming into their classrooms
to teach the students about disabilities. We discussed it at PLC on 10-23-14.
D. The teachers are open to using assistive technology in their classrooms (such
as Read and Write for Google or Co-Writer) for all students who are struggling
writers.
E. We have an hour from 12-1 for recess and lunch. The kids ask if they can eat
in my classroom for lunch because we dont have a lot of down time to just
be social. This would make a great time for us to have a lunch bunch and
work on social skills, especially during the colder months when the kids dont
mind staying in.
F. My paraprofessional is a UW-LaCrosse graduate who is very tech savvy, and
has helped me on many occasions when our tech staff wasnt available.
G. One of my co-workers is going to a technology training through CESA 5 on
November 6th relating to students with disabilities and has promised to share
the information with me.
H. I get along very well with the teacher that I currently co-teach with and could
expand that into other curricular areas for next year, or team teach with
other 3rd grade teachers.
I. Our 3rd grade teachers combine with the students who have severe cognitive
disabilities once per month to cook together in the special education
classroom.
J. Our district is looking into the possibility of having a Montessori school in
place of our existing country school.

8 threats
(What trends could harm you? What is your competition doing? What threats do
your weaknesses expose you to?)
A. I think our biggest threat to inclusion is time. Disability awareness and
changing peoples hearts and attitudes takes time. As teachers, we often
face days where we have very limited time even to use the restroom, so
adding something else to a teachers plate often makes them feel
overwhelmed.
B. All of our schedules are really tight. We have 15 minutes for morning
meeting, 60 minutes for reading, 60 minutes for writing, 90 minutes for math,
30 minutes for RTI groups, 60 minutes for lunch and 1 recess, 60 minutes for
specials, 15 minutes for closing circle/end of the day pack up.
C. Sometimes teachers are so beleaguered by all that is being asked of them
that they are not following all the directives given.
D. As we move to a more inclusive model, the need for special education
teachers will diminish.
E. As we move to a more 1:1 computer approach, the need for teachers in
general will diminish because learning will become more compartmentalized
and delivered through an on-line approach.
F. One of our schools may be closing if we do not pass a referendum in August.
G. With the new SLD law, referrals for students with specific learning disabilities
have declined, resulting in smaller caseloads. This will increase the need for
Tier 3 interventionists, but decrease the need for special educators. Hence,
the reason I am working to be dually certified.
H. As a district, we have been slow in putting the pieces of RTI in place.
Therefore, some students who might possibly qualify as a student with a
learning disability are not being identified because of a lack of the proper
steps being in place.
C. Stakeholders
The students with disabilities
The students without disabilities
The parents of students with and without disabilities
3rd grade regular education teachers: Christa Chisick, Robin Wagner, Bill Hamilton,
Tricia Demmin, Tara Hansen, and Jane Bauer.
3rd grade Title teachers: Colleen Murphy and Bobbi Steele
3rd grade special education staff: Niki Briggs
Mauston Principal: Scott Tower

Mauston Technology Department: Rob Demeuse and Mark Vallier

D. Goals:
Goal #1: To build compassion and empathy for students with disabilities by
teaching 3rd grade students about common disabilities (SLD, EBD, ADHD and
Autism) and how it might feel to experience them.
Recommended
Strategies/Activi
ties

Current %

I will be going
into six 3rd grade
classrooms (for
one week per
classroom) for
30 minutes each
time. During
this time I would
choose one
informational or
narrative story
and one activity
related to the
disability.

Currently
students
receive
no formal
teaching
on
disabilitie
s. They
do
receive
some
informatio
n from
the
guidance
counselor
on
empathy.

I created a
whole unit on
disability
awareness for
my Educ 580
(Childrens and
Adolescent Lit)
class this
summer. I can
send it as a
separate
attachment if
needed.

Goal %

That all
3rd grade
students
would
receive
informatio
n and
empathy
training
pertaining
to
disabilitie
s.

Materials/Resourc
es Needed?
(What?)

Who will
Implement?
(Who?)

Target Date
for
Implementati
on (When?)

Evaluat
n

Everyone Matters:
a first look at
respect for others
by Pat Thomas.
2010.

Niki Briggs

November
10th, 2014

Pre and
post
assessm
nt done
by the
grade
student
and sta
Journal
entries
their
experie
es durin
Writers
Worksh
.

Through Grandpa's
Eyes by Patricia
MacLachlan 1980.

Since We're
Friends: An Autism
Picture Book by
Celeste Shally.
2007/2012.

(Did it
happen

My Friend Has
Dyslexia by
Amanda Doering
Tourville. 2010.

Thank you, Mr.

Falker by Patricia
Polacco. 1998.

My Mouth is a
Volcano by Julia
Cook. 2005.

Best Friend on
Wheels by Debra
Shirley. 2008.

I Know Someone
with a hearing
Impairment by Vic
Parker. 2011.

Goal 2: To assist students with disabilities with friendship making skills by

increasing their use of flexible thinking.
Recommended
Strategies/Activiti
es

Current
%

Meet bi-monthly
from 12-1 with the
students on my
caseload and
eventually open it
up to any students
who would like to
come in. This
would have to be
voluntary since it is
during our lunch
and recess time. At
first, this time
would be spent
learning the
Superflex Program,
but after that I
would just like it to
be spent playing
games together to
practice turn taking,
good

Currently
3/12 of
my
students
participat
e in a
weekly
social
skills
group
facilitated
by our
guidance
counselor

Goal %

100% of
the
students
on my
caseload
would
participat
e, and be
able to
come up
with
strategies
for using
flexible
thinking,
improve
their
social
skills and
make new
friends.

Materials/Reso
urces Needed?
(What?)

Who will
Implement?
(Who?)

Target Date
for
Implementa
tion
(When?)

Evalua
on

Super Flex
Program,
Lessons 1-12,
toys and games.

Niki Briggs

January 2015,
after
Christmas
break.

Teache
observa
on and
trackin
of daily
behavio
sheets.

(Did it
happe
)

sportsmanship, and
friendship making
skills.

Goal #3: Teachers will use the Google Read and Write program to assist
students with special needs and student who are at-risk that are included
in their regular education classrooms.
Recommended
Strategies/Activiti
es

Current
%

Using the Read and

Write for Google
program, students
will be able to have
documents read to
them. It also has
the capability of
word-prediction to
assist students with
writing.

There are
currently
5/12
students
with IEPs
using the
program.

Goal %

100% of
the 3rd
grade
students
with IEPs
will be
using the
program
independ
ently, and
other
students
at risk as
identified
by their
homeroo
m
teachers.

Materials/Reso
urces Needed?
(What?)

Who will
Implement?
(Who?)

Target Date
for
Implementa
tion
(When?)

Evalua
on

Teachers will
need to be
trained in the
programs use,
and tech support
needs to be
available. So far
our issue is that
the extension
does not always
stay connected
to the students
account, and
consequently
must be reloaded
each time it is
used, which
takes about 15
minutes per
student.

Mrs. Briggs
and her
paraprofessio
nal will do the
initial training
for students
with
disabilities.
We will also
train the 3rd
grade
teachers so
they can
implement it
with students
who may be
at risk, but
are not
identified at
this time.

Christmas
break 2014.

Studen
E-Journ
from
Writers
Worksh

E. Reflection
Doing a unit on disability awareness creates a safe place for all the kids to
ask questions and experience what it is like for their peers with
disabilities. My goal is to develop empathy for students with disabilities,
and help students without disabilities realize that their peers are not
much different from themselves. I want to foster respect for my students

(Did it
happe
)

and help others realize the perseverance it takes to accomplish many of

the things their 3rd grade peers might take for granted.
Teaching my students about the Superflex program will help them to learn
some of the social hidden rules for getting along with others. Having
them socialize and play games with others will help alleviate the isolation
that some of them feel. Hopefully it will transfer into real friendships as
well as better social skills at home, too.
Using the Google Read and Write program allows students with print
disabilities to participate in class with their peers without needing the
assistance of a staff member sitting near them. It allows them to be more
independent, which is a goal all special education teachers strive for. As
they become more proficient at the program it should be a helpful tool for
things like The Smarter Balanced Assessment, as well as daily academic
tasks such as reading material that is above their instructional level. It
will help them to become better writers, because spelling is not hindered
with the use of word-prediction software.
These goals for inclusion may be time-consuming to implement, however,
it is my hope that they will help the students on my caseload and students
without disabilities in many ways. My goal is to create more empowered
and independent students while at the same time developing empathy and
friendships with each other.