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SOUTH EAST ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, INC.

National Highway, Crossing Rubber, Tupi, South Cotabato

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION


___________________________________________________

LEARNING MODULE
FOR
EDUC 311: FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

_____________________________________________________

WEEK 13
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COURSE OUTLINE

COURSE CODE : EDUC 311


TITLE : Foundation of Special and Inclusive Education
TARGET POPULATION : 3rd Year students
INSTRUCTOR : MS. MARY GRACE ABAYON

Overview:
This course shall deal with philosophies, theories and legal bases of special needs and inclusive
education, typical and atypical development of children, learning characteristics of students with special
educational needs (gifted and talented, learners with difficulty hearing, learners with difficulty
communicating, learners with difficulty walking/moving, learners with difficulty remembering and focusing,
learner with difficulty with self-care) and strategies in teaching and managing these learners in regular class.

General Objective
To understand the historical, philosophical beliefs, and the barriers to accessibility and acceptance
of individuals with exceptionalities.

The following are the topics to be discussed

Week 13 PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR SUPPORTING AND TEACHING CHILDREN


WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES
Week 14-15 SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
Week 16 THE ROLE OF THE SENDCO
Week 17 SKILLS FOR COLLABORTING WITH PROFESSIONALS AND PARENTS

Instruction to the Learners

This course is designed to introduce the beginning graduate student to the field of special education.
The course material is intended to provide students with an overview of the historical and legal practices,
professional and the ethical issues that are needed to provide all students with exceptionalities with an
effective education, advocacy and supports. The units are characterized by continuity, and are arranged in
such a manner that the present unit is related to the next unit.

Students are required to set up a course resource handbook- a portfolio of ideas, sources, and cross-
references that may be useful to you in your later teaching career. For this reason, you are advised to read
this module. After each unit, there are task and exercises given. Submission of the first activity will be on
DECEMBER 18 (SATURDAY), 2021 and for the remaining activities will be on JANUARY 8 (SATURDAY),
2020. Late submission of activities will be deducted 5-points per day.

Overview of the Exceptionalities Resource Handbook

Your final draft of your course resource handbook will be submitted on the given time frame of the
instructor. While this activity may seem daunting at first, please realize that if it is done correctly, the portfolio
will be an excellent, critical resource for you in the future. It is strongly recommended that you DO NOT wait
until close to the due date to begin the activity. For this reason, you are advised to read this module. After
each unit, there are exercises to be given. Submission of task given will be every Tuesday during your
scheduled class hour.

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WEEK 13
LEARNERS WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS

I. LEARNERS WHO ARE GIFTED AND TALENTED

A. Definition

Learners who are gifted and talented are students with higher abilities than average and are
often referred to as gifted students. This group refers to students whose talents, abilities, and
potentials are developmentally advanced. They require special provisions to meet their educational
needs, thus presenting a unique challenge to teachers. They often finish tasks ahead and might ask
for more creative tasks or exercises. Exciting
and energizing activities should be provided to
continuously keep them motivated. This group
includes students with exceptional abilities from
all socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural
populations. What is the difference then
between gifted and talented? The term
giftedness refers to students with extraordinary
abilities in various academic areas. However,
talent focuses on students with extraordinary
abilities in a specific area.

There is also another way to look into giftedness


which is conceptualized by Gardner in 1993.
According to him, intelligence is multifaceted.
The following intelligences are seen in Figure
6.1.

B. Identification
To identify gifted and talented students, one
must do the following:
 Locate the student’s domain of giftedness
 Describe the student’s level of giftedness
 Describe the student’s fields of talent

C. Learning Characteristics

Not all learners will exhibit the learning characteristics listed below. However, these are the
common manifestations of gifted and talented learners.  One might possess a combination of
characteristics in varying degrees and amounts.

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 High Level of intellectual curiosity
 Reads actively
 High degree of task commitment
 Keep power of observation
 Highly Verbal
 Gets bored easily
 Can retain and recall information
 Excited about learning new concepts
 Independence in learning
 Good Comprehension of complex contexts
 Strong, well-developed imagination
 Looks for new ways to do things
 Often gives uncommon responses to common questions

D. General Educational Adaptations

Learners who are gifted and talented usually get bored since they have mastered the concepts
taught in classes. One thing that is common among gifted students is that they are very inquisitive.
Fulfilling their instructional needs may be a challenging task. These are some suggested strategies
for teaching gifted students:

 Teachers may give enrichment exercises that will allow learners to study the same topic at a
more advanced level.

 Acceleration can let students who are gifted and talented can move at their own pace thus
resulting at times to in completing two grade levels in one school year.

 Open-ended activities with no right or wrong answers can be provided, emphasizing on


divergent thinking wherein there are more possibilities than pre-determined answers.

 Leadership roles can be given to gifted students since studies have shown that gifted
students are often socially immature.

 Extensive reading on subjects of their own interest may be coordinated with the school
librarian to further broaden their knowledge.

 Long-term activities may be provided, that will give the gifted students an opportunity to be
engaged for an extended period of time.

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II. LEARNERS WITH DIFFICULTY SEEING

A. Definition

Students in the classroom will exhibit different levels of clarity of eyesight or visual acuity. There
may be some students with hampered or restricted vision. Learners with difficulty seeing are those
with issues regarding sight that interfere with academics. The definition from Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that “an impairment in vision that, even with correction,
adversely affects a child’s educational performance, which includes both partial sight and blindness.”
These students may need to have their eyesight corrected by wearing glasses or other optical
devices.

B. Identification

Learners with difficulty seeing often have physical signs, such as crossed eyes, squinting, and
eyes that turn outwards. They may also be clumsy, usually bumping into objects which causes them
to fall down. They like to sit near the instructional materials or at times would stand up and go near
the visual aids.

Learners with difficulty seeing may also show poor eye-hand coordination. This can be seen in
their handwriting or poor performance in sporting activities. Another indication is poor academic
performance as these students might have difficulty reading as well as writing.

C. Learning Characteristics

Good visual ability is critical in learning. Most school lessons are done through blackboard
writing, presentations, or handouts, in most major subjects. Visual impairments, whether mild,
moderate, or severe, affect the student’s ability to participate in normal classroom activities. In the
past, students who are visually impaired are placed in special institutions. Nowadays, most are
enrolled with other children who are not visually impaired.

Learners with difficulty seeing have restricted ways to learn incidentally from their surroundings
since most of them learn through visual clues. Because of this, the other senses are used to acquire
knowledge. Due to the limited ability to explore the environment, low motivation to discover is
present.

D. General Educational Adaptations

Modification in teaching is needed to accommodate students with difficulty seeing. The following
strategies may be considered:

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 If the use of books is part of your lesson, students with difficulty seeing should be
informed ahead of time so that they c can be ordered in braille or in an audio recorded
format.

 Portions of textbooks and other printed materials may be recorded so that visually-
impaired students can listen instead of focusing on the visual presentation.

 All words written on the board should be read clearly.

 Students with difficulty seeing should be seated near the board so that they can easily
move close to the instructional materials used during the lesson.

 A buddy can be assigned to a student with difficulty seeing as needed. This can be crucial
to assist in the mobility of the student such as going to the other places in school] during
the day.

 Students with difficulty seeing might need more time to complete a task or homework.
This might be on a case to case basis.

 Teachers should be aware of terminology that would require visual acuity (such as over
there or like this one) which the impaired student may not possess.

 Teachers should monitor the students closely to know who needs extra time in completing
tasks.

III. LEARNERS WITH DIFFICULTY HEARING

A. Definition

This refers to students with an issue regarding hearing that interferes with academics. The

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definition from Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines it as “an impairment in
hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance
but is not included under the definition of ‘deafness’.” Deafness is considered when hearing loss is
above 90 decibels. A hearing loss below 90 decibels is called hearing impairment.

The main challenge of hearing-impaired students is communication, since most of them have
varying ways of communicating. The factors affecting the development of communication skills
include intelligence, personality, the degree and nature of deafness and residual hearing, family
environment, and the age onset. The latter plays the most hearing loss present at birth are more
functionally disabled than those hearing after language and speech development.

B. Identification

To identify learners with difficulty hearing, observe a student and see if he/she does the following
items below.

 Speaking loudly
 Positioning ear toward the direction of the one speaking ° Asking for information to be
repeated again and again
 Delayed development of speech
 Watching the face of the speaker intently
 Favoring one ear
 Not responding when called
 Has difficulty following directions
 Does not mind loud noises
 Leaning close to the source of sounds

C. Learning Characteristics

Since much of learning is acquired through hearing, students with hearing problems have
deficiencies in language and in their experiences. Since they may miss out on daily conversations,
they may miss crucial information that non-hearing-impaired students learn incidentally. Students
may overcome these problems by investing time, energy, and combined effort by both parents and
educators.

Most learners with difficulty hearing use various methods of communication. The most common
is the use of hearing aids, combined with lip-reading. These students are referred to as “oral” since
they can communicate thru speech as opposed to sign language. They might have delayed
communication skills since the development of vocabulary is slower. They understand concepts
when the sentence structure is simpler. Interacting with students can be a challenge so they prefer

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to work on their own. Some hearing-impaired students use note-takers in class since it is difficult to
lip-read and take notes simultaneously.

D. General Educational Adaptations

 There is an assumption that the only adjustment for hearing impaired students is to make all
instructional materials and techniques in written format. These are other ways to adapt to
hearing-impaired students;

 Teachers should help students with difficulty hearing to use the residual hearing they may
have.

 Teachers should help students develop the ability for speech reading or watching others’ lips,
mouth, and expressions.

 Teachers should be mindful to face the class at all times when presenting information while
ensuring that the students with difficulty hearing sit near them.

 Exaggerating the pronunciation of words should not be done for it just makes it difficult for the
student with difficulty hearing.

 Directions, as well as important parts of the lesson, should always be written on the board.

 Written or pictorial directions instead of verbal directions may be given.

 Steps to an activity may be physically acted out instead of verbally given.

 A variety of multi-sensory activities should be given to allow the students to focus on their
learning strengths.

 Teachers should be more patient when waiting to hear a response from a hearing-impaired
student which may take longer than usual.

LEARNERS WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS

IV. LEARNERS WITH DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING

Some learners are observed to have difficulty communicating, either verbally expressing their
ideas and needs and/or in understanding what others are saying. Some may have had a clinical
diagnosis of a disability while others display developmental delays and difficulty in the speech and
language domain.

To have a clearer understanding of students who have difficulty communicating, We will begin
with a definition of communication and its accompanying concepts; how learners with
communications difficulties are identified, their learning characteristics, and ways how to help them
manage and become successful in an inclusive setting.

A. Definition: Types of Communication Impairments and Disorders

Communication is the interactive exchange of information, ideas, feelings, needs, and desires
between and among people (Heward, 2013). Communication is used to serve several functions,
particularly to narrate, explain, inform, request (mand), and express feelings and opinions.

How is speech different from language?

Speech is the expression of language with sounds, or oral production. Speech is produced through

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precise physiological and neuromuscular coordination: (1) respiration (act of breathing), (2)
phonation (production of sound by the larynx and vocal folds), and (3) articulation (use of lips,
tongue, teeth, and hard and soft palates to speak).

Language is used for communication, a forrnalized code used by a group of people to communicate
with one another, that is primarily arbitrary (Heward, 2013). People decide on symbols, their
corresponding meaning, and rules that make up a language. There are five dimensions of language
that describe its form (i.e., phonology, morphology, syntax, content, and use (pragmatics). Table 6.1
provides a description for each dimension.

Table 6.1 Components of Language

Components Description
Phonology Phonology refers to the sound system of a language. A phoneme is the smallest
unit of sound within a language. For instance, the word dog is made up of three
phonemes, namely /d/-/o/-/g/ while beans has four phonemes, /b/-/e/-/a/-/n/-/s/.
Morphology Morphology of a language refers to the smallest unit of language that had
meaning and which are used to combine words. Sounds, syllable, or whole
words are examples of morphemes.
Syntax Syntax is the system of rules governing the meaningful arrangement of words,
which also include grammar rules. For instance, the sentence, Ready get for the
exam does not make sense until arrange in the right sequences as Get ready for
the exam.
Semantics Semantics refers to the meanings associated with words and combination of
words in a language. This also includes vocabulary, concept development,
connotative meanings of words, and categories.
Pragmatics Pragmatics revolves around the social use of language, knowing what, when,
and how to communicate and use language in specific context. There are three
kinds of pragmatic skills: (1) using language for different purposes (e.g.,
narrating, explaining, requesting, etc.), (2) changing language according to the
context (e.g., talking to a peer as compared to speaking to a well-respected
professor), and (3) following rules for conversations and story-telling (e.g., taking
turns, rephrasing when unclear, how to use facial expressions and eye contact,
etc.) (America Speech-Language Hearing Association, 2011 cited in Heward,
2013).

Knowing these terms is necessary to understand the different disabilities that are associated
with communication disorders, namely Speech Impairments and Language Disorders.

Speech Impairments are communication disorders such as stuttering, impaired articulation, and
language or voice impairment. Such disorders are significant enough that they can adversely affect
a student’s academic performance. There are four basic types of speech impairments: articulation,
phonological, fluency, and voice disorder (see Table 6.2).

Speech impairment Description Examples

Articulation Disorder A child is unable to produce a “I want a blue lollipop.”


given sound physically. Severe
articulation disorder may render a “I want a boo wowipop.”
child’s speech unintelligible.
“Can I get three bananas?”
Examples are substitutions,
omissions, distortions of speech An I et tee nanas?”
sounds.

Phonological Disorder A child produces multiple patterns “That pie is good.”


of sound errors with obvious
impairment of ntelligibility. There is “Cat by is tood.”
also noted inconsistent

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misarticulation of sounds (i.e.,
sometimes a child is able to
articulate it but not in other words).

Fluency Disorder Difficulties with the rhythm and Blocks:


timing of speech. Stuttering is an
example marked by rapid-fire “I want a… banana.”
repetitions of consonant or vowel
(blocks)
sound especially at the beginning
of words, prolongations, Prolongations
hesitations, interjections, and
complete verbal blocks (Ramig “I waaaant a bbbanana.”
&Sahames, 2006 cited in Gargiulo
2012). Repititions

“I want a ba-ba-ba-banana.”

Voice disorder Problems with the quality or use of Phonation disorder


one’s voice resulting from
disorders of the larynx. Voice may (breathiness, hoarseness)
be excessively hoarse, breathy, or
Hypernasality
too high-pitched.
Hyponasality

Language Disorders involve problems in one or more of the five components of language and are often
classified as expressive or receptive. Language disorders are characterized by persistent difficulties in
acquiring use of language that result from deficits in comprehension that include reduced vocabulary, limited
sentence structure, impairments in discourse, that limit a child’s functioning (American Psychiatric
Association 2013). To receive a diagnosis of language disorder, the difficulties must not be due to an
accompanying medical or neurological condition and other developmental disability (i.e., intellectual
disability or global developmental delay).

There are different types of language disorder-expressive, receptive, and a combination of the two. An
expressive language disorder interferes with the production of language. A child may have very limited
vocabulary that impacts communication skills or misuses words and phrases in sentences. On the other
hand, a receptive language disorder interferes with the understanding of language. A child may have
difficulty understanding spoken sentences or following the directions a teacher gives. Some children may be
found to have a combination of receptive and expressive language disorder.

ACTIVITY 13

Discussion Points and Exercise Questions

Direction: Read and understand this module. Provide what is being asked.

TASKS:
1. Create a 4A’s detailed lesson plan that shows useful activity appropriate for a student with specific
learning disabilities (write it on a long bond paper). Then, record yourself and submit it through
messenger along with the picture of your lesson plan.

CRITERIA:
Delivery 30

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Mastery 20
Lesson Plan 30
Application and congruence of instructional materials 20
TOTAL 100

End of 13th Week


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National Highway, Crossing Rubber, Tupi, South Cotabato

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION


___________________________________________________

LEARNING MODULE
FOR
EDUC 311: FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

_____________________________________________________

WEEK 14-15
____________________

WEEK 14-15
SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
INTRODUCTION

School experience in a special needs provision can be exciting, enlightening and rewarding. It can
challenge many ideas and beliefs you may already hold, and for some it can shape future career decisions.
It can, however give rise to anxiety and trepidation, often due to an unavoidable lack of experience or
knowledge. But with guidance and support from both your teacher education provider and special needs
provider, you can gain pedagogical skills which are transferable in both special and mainstream setting, as
good-quality teaching is essential, and valuable intersections between special and mainstream education
must not be missed (Cochran-Smith and Villegas, 2016: 439).

This chapter aims to give a practical, rather than a theoretical overview of your placement, as the theory
should have been covered by your teacher education provider. On the other hand, trainees often feel that
they need information and guidance on the practical experience of their placement to include opportunities
to:

learn skills and approaches that are not


exclusive to special provision but can enhance
all aspects of teaching and learning;

learn about the wide range of professionals


involved in specialist provision and the
importance of tem working;

Try out new approaches and be able to accept


that outcomes are not always predictable and
that behavior
EDUC 311: Foundation of Special and Inclusive Educationcan play a big part in this;
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link theory to practice to enhance professional


development.
THE THEORY BEHIND THE PRACTICE

The Code of Practice covers children and young people from 0 to 25 years, to facilitate successful
transitions, with greater emphasis on obtaining the views of children and young people, especially in
decision-making processes. There is a greater focus on multi-agency collaboration between education,
health and social care services, (Dfe, 2015).

FOCUS ON PRACTICE

The main objective of this chapter is to help you put theory into practice, to understand the practical
implications associated with a short placement in a special school setting, and to fulfill the Teacher’s
Standards.

UNDERSTANDING INCLUSIVE PRACTICE

Inclusion on education involves:


 Valuing all students and staff equality;
 Increasing the participation of students in, and reducing their exclusion from the cultures, curricula
and communities of local schools;
 Restructuring the cultures, policies and practices in schools so that they are more responsive to the
diverse needs of their students;
 Reducing barriers to learning and participation for all students, not only those with impairments or
those who are categorized as ‘having special educational needs’;
 Learning from attempts to overcome barriers to the access and participation of particular students to
make changes for the benefit of all students;
 Viewing the differences between students as resources to support learing, rather than as problems to
be overcome;
 Acknowledging the right of students to an education in their locality;
 Improving schools for staff as well as for students;
 Emphasizing the role of schools in building community and developing values, as well as in increase
achievement;
 Fostering mutually sustaining relationships between schools and communities;
 Recognizing that inclusion in education is one aspect of inclusion in society.
(Booth, 2011)

While it is vitally important that all schools are inclusive, and that pupils with SEND and disabilities
should be able to access mainstream education through appropriate training, strategies and support, we all
need to be realistic and realize that this is not always an option.

Special needs provision is often the most viable option for some pupils, but inclusion must not be taken
for granted in these settings, as it can be as difficult to achieve as it is in the mainstream school.

Inclusion can be hard work. Consider a class of eight pupils in a special school. The school caters for all
aspects of SEND and there is full inclusion in the sense that all classes have a wide range of abilities and
needs. But what about the planning? What about the environment? What about the resources? What about
the delivery? Children with different needs may require different provision. All of these aspects must be
inclusive, and this must be inclusive, and this may be one of your greatest challenges, but having first-hand
experience of inclusive practice is the best way to learn.

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PUPILS ON THE ASD SPECTRUM

Most pupils who have autism as an identified need will be able to fully or partly included within the usual
classroom routine. However, some specific provisions may have to be considered for these pupils, including
the use of quiet areas, individual workstations, clear routines, visual time-tables picture exchange
communication and social stories.

MAKATON

This method of signing support communication and is now used widely in both special and mainstream
settings. It is used by many pupils to communicate and is accepted as the norm in some classes or settings.
Makaton gives you the ideal opportunity to learn alongside your pupils, many of whom will be more than
eager to point out your mistakes. The speech and language therapist will be able to offer you training
manuals to support Makaton, and by learning this technique you are addressing inclusive practice.

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

Just as the behavior in a special school can seem extreme, so can the strategies to control it. If a pupil is
deemed as being a danger to themselves or others, and all other strategies have failed, the pupil may have
to be handled using trained technique. Under no circumstances should you be involved in this, as only staff
members fully trained in the techniques of handling are allowed to use these. Most school use the Team
Teach method, which ensures that all handling is carried out safely and for the shortest time possible. Staff
undergo training in order to obtain a Team Teach qualification, and this must be updated and renewed every
year.

SUGGESTED TASK TO BE UNDERTAKEN

Teaching activities need to enable trainees to observe, assist and then teach small groups, and if
possible to gain whole-class/group teaching experiences, including the management of support staff. This
can be undertaken through the following phases.
1. Introductory Phase- shadowing both the teacher and teaching assistant, assisting with lessons and
participating in discussions about pupil’s needs or the SEND provision.
2. Development Phase- increased involvement with teaching and learning by taking increased
responsibility for planning, assessing, recording and the teaching of individuals or small groups of
pupils. During this phase you might also wish to team teach with the teacher.
3. Consolidation Phase- improving the quality of your teaching through feedback and self-reflection.
Suggested activities include planning and leading a whole morning or afternoon session including
breaks; managing teaching assistants, and reflection and analysis by planning for a second lesson
following feedback from an initial session.

It is envisaged that trainees working with pupils with severe and/or complex needs and/or disabilities will
require extra support and supervision. This does not detract from your abilities, but is to ensure the well-
being and safety of both you and the pupils.

POSSIBLE DIRECTED TASKS

The following tasks will help to develop your knowledge and understanding of SEND provision:
1. Acoustic experience of classrooms- explore how easy/difficulty it is for pupils to hear the teacher in
different environments. Consider the physical environment, the teacher’s delivery and the pupil’s
ability to hear. Concentrate on aspect that can be governed by the teacher.
2. Physical accessibility and circulation of pupils in the school- how easy and difficult is it for pupils
to move around the school? Observe pupil movements in differing situations How has the physical
environment been adapted to facilitate movement around the school?
3. Organization of classroom for learning- make observations of how teachers adapt classrooms
according to pupil needs. How does classroom organization relate to the learning objectives of the
lesson, the individual learning goals of pupils, and fostering independence in learning?
4. Production of learning materials and resources- consider the resources produced by the teacher

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and teaching assistants. Discuss with them the roles in this process. Establish with class staff how
the materials and resources are designed to foster learning, how the materials enable a diversity of
learning needs to be met, and how staff decide on the content and form of the materials and
resources.
5. Planning of lessons and learning objectives- interview teachers and teaching assistants both
collectively and individually to understand the process of lesson planning and the setting of
objectives.
6. Learning and development in informal situations- observe pupils in informal settings such as the
playground or dining hall, focusing on pupils’ speaking and listening skills.
7. Storytelling and retelling- the aim of this task is to find effective ways of storytelling using sensory
stories. Observe a sensory story session first and then plan and deliver one. This will give opportunity
to create a wide range of resources, props and materials, and will help you to understand the wide
range of communication methods that can be deployed.
(Tasks taken from TDA, 2OO8)

ASSESSMENT

Assessment is a vital tool in the special needs setting, especially with pupils who do not ‘fit’ the normal
assessment criteria. Pupils with SEND tend to learn in a very ‘fragmented’ way, often achieving a desired
target one day, while being unable to do so the next day. They may often complete only a small part of a
learning target, but then show skills and abilities that match a lower or even higher target.
It is very important, therefore, that the assessment ‘fits’ the pupil rather than the pupil ‘fitting’ the
assessments. Many schools devise their own methods of assessment, while some buy in commercially
produced materials.

ACTIVITY 14-15

Discussion Points and Exercise Questions

Direction: Read and understand this module. Provide what is being asked. Submit your output as a file.
TASKS:
Make a course resource handbook along these lines:
1. Your Philosophy of Special Education. What is special education? How do special education and
regular education relate to one another? Put some quotations or inspirational messages here about
your own reflections on special education.

2. Specific Disabilities. Determine your tutee’s learning disabilities and complete what is asked.
a. Definition of the exceptionality
b. Implications of teaching in each area of disability and modifications of teaching
approaches. What channels can be used to work with? Explain general approaches that work
with specific disabling condition. Provide activities and materials (commercial or teacher-made)
most suited to the particular disability (e.g., how the blind can use tape recorders to both record
the lesson and write a paper; how a teacher might assign a talking book to a student with learning
disabilities. (5points each- total of 35 points)
c. Specific technology used frequently by people with certain disabilities. For example, the TTY can
be used by individuals with hearing impairment o enable them to use the telephone system. (5
points each, total of 35 points)

3. Service Learning Experience (50 points)


Students may choose one of the following two activities for this component of the handbook.

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 OBSERVATIONS: Complete four (4) observations of children with exceptionalities throughout
the course of the semester. You may select each observation population. Use a non-
discriminatory method of data collection during the observation to organize your notes, and
then provide a reflection on what you learned about the student and about his or her
educational (or social, family) experience. Relate your own reflections to the information
presented in class (module, textbook or other sources). For this observational task, you are to
observe children (ages 0-18) in educational, social and/or family environments.

 ONLINE TUTORING: Complete four session of tutoring with a student with an exceptionality.
Create a tutoring portfolio that indicates the goal of the tutoring relationship, the objectives of
each tutoring session, activities conducted during each session, assessment of session of how
the theoretical principles of educational psychology apply to this practical experience. Your
tutoring portfolio must contain references to the textbook and other reading for each session.
Your portfolio may include photographs, illustrations and sample student work in addition to
you written reflections on each session.

* The student is responsible for selecting the tutee and prior approval to from the instructor
with regard to the tutoring situation is mandatory. Students are allowed to conduct their
activity within their specified area only (1vs1 online tutorial via zoom or messenger).
Attached to the next page is the parent’s consent.

PARENT’S CONSENT

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

One of the requirements of third year students of College of Teacher Education with the subject EDUC
311: Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education, is to conduct a tutorial session to create a tutoring
portfolio that indicates the goal of the student-teacher tutoring relationship, the objectives of each tutoring
session, activities conducted during each session and assessment of session to this practical experience.
Due to this COVID-19 pandemic, the student is allowed to conduct his/her activity only at his/her home (1vs1
online tutorial via zoom, skype, messenger, et cetera).

In connection with this, I allow ______________________________ to undergo a 30-minute tutorial


session (8 sessions) within 2 weeks and must be completed within this given time frame which will be
conducted by ___________________________, an education student of South East Asian Institute of
Technology as a requirement for the fulfillment of his/her said subject.

_________________________________

Guardian’s Signature over Printed Name

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National Highway, Crossing Rubber, Tupi, South Cotabato

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION


___________________________________________________

LEARNING MODULE
FOR
EDUC 311: FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

_____________________________________________________

WEEK 16
__________________

WEEK 16
THE ROLE OF THE SENDCO

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SENDCo ROLE


The Code of Practice (DfE,1994) placed as statutory obligation on all schools to appoint a teacher with
responsibility for the coordination of educational provision for pupils with SEND. The Teacher Training
Agency (TTA) produced a set of nation standards for SENDCos in 1998, enabling them to audit their
knowledge and skills, and identify their professional development needs. These were offered as guidance. At
this time, professional development courses for SEND coordination were introduced by local authorities and
higher education institutions to provide SENDCos with professional training and accreditation, although
there was no mandatory requirement for SENDCos to participate in the training (Layton, 2005).

The TTA stated that:


The SENDCO, with the support of the head teacher and governing body, takes responsibility for the
day-to-day operation provision made by the school for pupils with SEN and provides professional
guidance… in order to secure high quality teaching and the effective use of resources to bring about
improved standards of achievement for all pupils.
(TTA, 1998: 5)

The focus for SENDCos was to coordinate four man areas of SEN provision:
 Strategic direction and development of SEND provision;
 Teaching and learning;
 Leading and managing staff;
 Efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources.

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The SENDCo was responsible for developing a whole-school approach to the coordination of SEN, but
there was never an expectation that the SENDCo would have exclusive responsibility for pupils whose
learning needs threatened to challenge the teaching approaches or classroom organizations with which
teaching colleagues were more familiar (Layton, 2005: 54)

When the 1994 Code of practice was revised in 2001 (Dfes, 2001) the new code explicitly made
reference to the fact that many mainstreams primary and secondary schools find it effective for the SENDCo
to be a member of the senior leadership team (DFES, 2001:51, 66). This was later reinforced in the Labor
government’s SEND strategy Removing Barriers to Achievement, which stated that:

We want schools to see the SENDCO as a key member of the senior leadership team, able to
influence the development of policies for whole school improvement.
(Dfes,2004:58 para 3.14)

The House of Common’s Education and Skills Select Committee (2006) recommended that the
SENDCo should be a member of the school leadership team, but this was not made a statutory requirement
(Pearson, et. al, 2014). However, subsequent legislation (DCSF, 2008) stated that all newly appointed
SENDCos would be required to undertake that National Award for SEND Coordination in which they would
be required to demonstrate their ability to influence strategically the development of an inclusive culture,
policies and practices across the whole school.

The role of SENDCO in promoting whole-school inclusion over their specialist knowledge of SEND-
related issues has to some extent led to ambiguity in relation to the requirements of the role (Rosen-Webb,
2011). The debate focuses on whether the SENDCo is a ‘change agent’ for whole school inclusion (Hallet
and Hallet, 2010) or whether the role should be more focused on the strategies to support individual
students with highly specific needs. Additionally, the notion of the SEND ‘expert’ has been subjected to
critical debate. It has been emphasized that all teachers and teachers of pupils with SEND (Norwich, 1990)
and that the introduction of a specialist role may make it easier for teachers to effectively abdicate their
responsibilities for education of pupils with SEND to those with more experience, knowledge and higher
quaalifications.

THE ROLE OF THE SENCO

The SENCO has a critical role to play in ensuring that children with special educational needs and
disabilities within a school receive the support they need.
Gradually over the years the status and import of the role has developed with successive guidance
validating and substantiating the role.

In the most recent Code of Practice, the SENCO must be a qualified teacher (why ever were they not!)
and a newly appointed SENCO must achieve a National award in Special Educational Needs Coordination
within three years of appointment.

The SENCO has ‘an important role to play with the head teacher and governing body in determining the
strategic development of SEN policy and provision and will be most effective if they are part of the school
leadership team’.

The type of responsibilities a SENCO has are:


Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy.

 Supporting the identification of children with special educational needs.


 Coordinating provision for children with SEN.
 Liaising with parents of children with SEN.
 Liaising with other providers, outside agencies, educational psychologists and external agencies.
 Ensuring that the school keeps the records of all pupils with SEN up to date.
Clearly the role of the SENCO as a leader in a school has never been more important.

CHALLENGES OF THE SENDCO ROLE

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Research (Cole and Johnson, 2004) has indicated that the role of the SENDCO is challenging, stressful
and demanding on many levels due to limited time, resources, funding and fear of parental litigation. Very
often SENDCos appear to be overworked but remain completely committed to their struggle on behalf of
children with special education needs (Cole, 2005b: 298).

Education operates within a quasi-market that privileges school performance, parental choice and
engenders a culture of competition. According to Cole, within this contentious context, the role of the
SENCO was never going to be an easy one (2005b: 296). While SENDCos tend to be advocates of
inclusion and agents of change, they are also accountable for the achievement of pupils with SEN and/or
disabilities. Their practice is often underpinned by the principles of equity and social justice, and an
unquestionable commitment to care (Cole, 2005b). However, these values need to be balanced against
market principles, and it is possible that SENDCos might increasingly have to sacrifice their deep-rooted
professional values in order to focus on maximizing the performances of pupils with SEND with respect to
school performance indicator.

THE ROLE OF THE SENDCo IN THE NEW CODE OF PRACTICE

The Code of Practice (Dfe, 2015) includes several statements about the roles and responsibilities of the
the SENDCo. These include:

 Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEND policy;


 Coordinating provisions for pupils with SEND;
 Liaising with the designated safeguarding teacher where a looked-after child has SEND;
 Advising colleagues on a graduated approach to send support;
 Advising on the use of the delegated budget or other resources that have been allocated;
 Liaising with parents of pupils with SEND;
 Establishing links with other education settings and outside agencies liaising with potential future
providers of education;
 Ensuring that the school is fully compliant with the statutory obligations of the Equality Act 2010;
 Ensuring that SEND records are kept up to date;

Specific statements relating to the roles and responsibilities of SENDCos taken directly from the Code of
Practice are listed below:

6.84 Governing bodies maintained mainstreams schools and the proprietors of mainstream academy
schools (including free schools) must ensure that there is a qualified teacher designated as SENCO for the
school.

6.85 The SENCO must be a qualified teacher working at school. A newly appointed SENCO must be a
qualified teacher and, where they have not previously been the SENCO at that or any other relevant school
for a total period of more than twelve months, they must achieve a National Award in Special Educational
Needs Co-ordination within three years of appointment.

6.86 A National Award must be a postgraduate course accredited by a recognized higher education
provider. The National College for teaching and Leadership has worked with providers to develop a set of
learning outcomes. When appointing staff or arranging for them to study for a National Award schools
should satisfy themselves that the chosen course will meet these outcomes and equip the SENCO to fulfill
the duties outlined in this Code. Any selected course should be at least equivalent to 60 credits at
postgraduate study.

6.87 The SENCO has an important role to play with the head teacher and governing body, in determining
the strategic development of SEN policy and provision in the school. They will be most effective in that role if
they are part of the school leadership team.

6.88 The SENCO has day-to-day responsibility for the operation of SEN policy and coordination of specific
provision made to support individual pupils with SEN, including those who have EHC plans.

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6.89 The SENCO provides professional guidance to colleagues and work closely with staff, parents and
other agencies. The SENCO should be aware of the provision in the Local Offer and be able to work with
professionals providing a support role to families to ensure that pupils with SEN receive appropriate support
and high-quality teaching.

6.90 The key responsibilities of SENCO may include:


 Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy
 Coordinating provisions for pupils with SEN
 Liaising with the relevant designated Teacher where a looked-after pupil has SEN
 Advising on the graduated approach to SEN support
 Advising on the development of the school’s delegated budget and other resources to meet pupil’s
need effectively
 Liaising with parents of pupils with SEN
 Liaising with early years’ providers, other schools, educational psychologists, health and social care
professionals, and independent or voluntary bodies
 Being a key point of contact with external agencies, especially the local authority and its support
services
 Liaising with potential next providers of education to ensure a pupil and their parents are informed
about options and a smooth transition is planned
 Working with the head teacher and school governors to ensure that the school meets its
responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 with regard to reasonable adjustment and access
arrangements
 Ensuring that the school keeps the records of all pupils with SEN up to date

6.91 The school should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these
functions. This should include providing the SENCO with sufficient administrative support and time away
from teaching to enable them to fulfill their responsibilities in a similar way in other important strategic roles
within school.

6.92 It may be appropriate for a number of smaller primary schools to share a SENCO employed to work
across the individual schools, where they meet the other requirements set out in this chapter of the Code.
Schools can consider this arrangement where it secures sufficient time away from teaching and sufficient
administrative support to enable the SENCO to fulfill the role effectively for the total registered pupil
population across all of the schools involved.

6.93 Where such a shared approach is taken the SENCO should not normally have a significant class
teaching commitment. Such a shared SENCO role should not be carried out by the teacher by head teacher
at one of the schools.

6.94 Schools should review the effectiveness of such a share SENCO role regularly and should not persist
with it where there is evidence of a negative impact on the quality of SEN provision, or the progress of the
pupils with SEN.
(DFE, 2015: 108-9)

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National Highway, Crossing Rubber, Tupi, South Cotabato

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION


___________________________________________________

LEARNING MODULE
FOR
EDUC 311: FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

_____________________________________________________

WEEK 17
________________________

WEEK 17
SKILLS FOR COLLABORATING WITH PROFESSIONALS AND PARENTS

1. Listening Skills
The skills required for effective listening are outlined below and discussed in more detail elsewhere
(see Hornby et al. 2003). These skills are underpinned by the work of Carl Rogers who emphasized the
importance of empathic understanding, genuineness, and respect in developing facilitative relationships
with others (Rogers 1980).

a. Attentiveness. Effective listening requires a high level of attentiveness. This involves focusing one’s
physical attention on the person being listened to and includes several components, which are
outlined below.

b. Eye Contact. The importance for the listener of maintaining good eye contact throughout the
interview cannot be overemphasized. For situations in which listeners feel uncomfortable with direct
eye contact, it is usually satisfactory for them to look at the speakers’ mouth or the tip of their nose
instead.

c. Facing Squarely. To communicate attentiveness, it is important for the listener to face the other
person squarely or at a slight angle. Turning one’s body away from another person suggests that you
are not fully paying attention to them.

d. Leaning Forward. Leaning slightly forward, toward the person being listened to, communicates
attentiveness. Alternatively, leaning backward gives the impression that you are not listening, so
should be avoided.

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e. Open Posture. Having one’s legs crossed, or even worse one’s arms crossed, when listening gives
the impression of a lack of openness, as if a barrier is being placed between the listener and the
person talking. Attentiveness is therefore best communicated by the adoption of an open posture with
both arms and legs uncrossed.

Non-distracting Environment

The room used should be as quiet as possible with the door kept closed to avoid distractions. Telephone
calls can be put on hold and a “meeting in progress” sign hung on the door. Within the room, the chairs used
should be comfortable with no physical barriers, such as desks or tables, between the speaker and the
professional who is listening.

Passive Listening

Passive listening involves using a high level of attentiveness combined with other skills. These are
invitations to talk, nonverbal clues, open questions, attentive silence, avoiding communication blocks, and
minimizing self-listening.

Nonverbal Clues

There are various sounds or short words that are often known as “nonverbal clues,” because they let the
speaker know that you are paying attention to them without interrupting the flow. For example, “Go on,”
“right,” “Huh Huh,” “Mm Mm.” It is particularly important to use these while listening to someone on the
telephone because the speaker cannot gauge the listener’s attentiveness through the usual visual clues.

Avoiding Communication Blocks

Certain types of comment tend to act as blocks to the communication process and therefore should be
avoided (Gordon 1970). When used they stop people from exploring their concerns and ideas. A common
example is reassurance, such as saying “Don’t worry, it will work out all right.” Other types of blocks that are
particularly annoying to parents are denial or false acknowledgment of feelings, such as suggesting that
parents should “Look on the bright side” or telling them “I know exactly how you feel.” More blatant blocks to
communication are criticism, sarcasm, and advice giving. Other common blocks involve diverting people
from the topic, either directly or by the use of excessive questioning or by excessive self-disclosure when
people go on about themselves or others they have known who have had similar problems. Further blocks
involve moralizing, ordering, or threatening, that is, telling people what they ought or must do. Finally, there
are blocks in which diagnosis or labeling is used, for example, telling someone that they are “a worrier.” All
these blocks tend to stifle the exploration of concerns or ideas and are therefore best avoided

Active Listening

Active listening involves trying to understand what the person is feeling and what the key message is in
what they are saying, then putting this understanding into your own words, and feeding it back to the person
(Gordon 1970). Thus, active listening involves the listener being actively engaged in clarifying the thoughts
and feelings of the person they are listening to. It builds on attentiveness, passive listening, and also
paraphrasing, in that the main aspects of what is being communicated are reflected back to the person. This
is done to develop empathy and provide a kind of “sounding board” to facilitate exploration and clarification
of the person’s concerns, ideas, and feelings.

Gordon (1970) suggested that certain attitudes are essential prerequisites to active listening. These are:

 The listener must really want to hear what the other person has to say.
 The listener must sincerely want to help the other person with his or her concern.
 The listener must be able to respect the other person’s feelings, opinions, attitudes, or values even
though they may conflict with his or her own.
 The listener must have faith in the other person’s ability to work through and solve his or her own

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problems.
 The listener must realize that feelings are transitory and not be afraid when people express strong
feelings such as anger or sadness.

The process of active listening involves reflecting both thoughts and feelings back to the speaker. The
speaker’s key feeling is fed back along with the apparent reason for the feeling. When learning how to use
active listening it is useful to have a set of formula to follow. The formula “You feel.... because......” is typically
used

. For example: You feel frustrated because you haven’t finished the job.
You feel delighted because she has done so well.

When people gain confidence in their use of active listening, the formula is no longer needed and
thoughts and feelings can be reflected back in a more natural way. For example, “You are angry about the
way you were treated,” “You’re sad that it has come to an end,” You were pleased with the result, and “You
were annoyed by her manner.”

However, active listening involves much more than simply using this formula. It requires listeners to set
aside their own views in order to understand what the other person is experiencing. It therefore involves
being aware of how things are said, the expressions and gestures used, and, most importantly, hearing what
is not said but which lies behind what is said. The real art in active listening is in feeding this awareness
back to the person accurately and sensitively. This, of course, is very difficult, but the beauty of active
listening is that you don’t have to be completely right to be helpful. An active listening response which is a
little off the mark typically gets speakers to clarify their thoughts and feelings further. However, active
listening responses that are way off the mark suggest to the speaker that the other person isn’t listening and
therefore can act as blocks to communication.

2. ASSERTION SKILLS

Assertiveness involves being able to stand up for one’s own rights while respecting the rights of others
and being able to communicate one’s ideas, concerns, and needs directly, persistently, and diplomatically. It
also involves being able to express both positive and negative feelings with openness and honesty, as well
as being able to choose how to react to situations from a range of options. Teachers and other
professionals, such as psychologists and counselors, need to use assertion skills in working with parents
and for collaborating with their practitioner colleagues. Professionals will have to deal with criticism or
aggression from time to time and will need to make and refuse requests as well as be able to give
constructive feedback. Finally, they will be called on to help solve problems. The skills involved in these
situations are outlined below.

Basic Elements of Assertiveness

There are three aspects of assertiveness that apply in any situation. These are:
1. Physical Assertiveness
2. Vocal Assertiveness
3. Assertion Muscle Levels

DEALING WITH AGGRESSION

Kroth (1985) has provided some guidelines for dealing with aggressive behavior from parents or
colleagues. Professionals decrease their effectiveness when they:

 Argue with a person who is behaving aggressively


 Raise their voices or begin to shout
 Become defensive and feel they have to defend their position
 Attempt to minimize the concern which the other person is expressing
 Take responsibility for problems which are not of their making
 Make promises which they won’t be able to fulfill All of these responses are the ones that are

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commonly used by people confronted with aggression, but they are likely to inflame the situation
and make the other person more aggressive.

The following responses are far more likely to lead to a constructive resolution of the situation. Professionals
increase their effectiveness when they:

 Actively listen to the other person


 Speak softly, slowly, and calmly
 Ask for clarification of any complaints which are vague
 Ask what else is bothering them in order to exhaust their list of complaints
 Make a list of their concerns, go through the list, and ask if it’s correct and complete
 Use the techniques of problem solving, discussed below, to work through the list of concerns in
order to resolve problems or conflicts, starting with the one of highest priority to the other person

3. COUNSELING SKILLS

The counseling model that is proposed for use with practitioners and parents of children with SEND is
based on a general approach to the use of counseling skills that can be used with children and adults in a
wide variety of situations. It is grounded in the belief that individuals have the ability to solve their own
problems given appropriate support (Rogers 1980). The model involves a three phase approach to
counseling with phases of listening, understanding, and action planning. It is a problem-solving approach to
counseling which was developed from previous models by Egan (1982) and Allan and Nairne (1984) and
that I have used for many years. The majority of parents will not ask for counseling directly, but will typically
go to teachers with concerns about their children. If professionals use listening skills in order to help parents
explore their concerns, then the parents’ need for help will emerge. This is when it is useful for professionals
to be able to help parents by using basic counseling skills. Parents are much more likely to be willing to talk
about their concerns with someone who is working directly with their child, such as a teacher, than with a
professional counselor who they do not know. What teachers and other professionals need therefore is a
counseling model which is practical, simple to learn, and easy to use. They also need to have contact with
other professionals, such as psychologists or counselors, who can support them in its use and be someone
to refer on to when situations start to go beyond their level of competence.

The rationale for using such a model is based on the idea that any problem or concern which parents
raise with professionals can be dealt with by taking them through the three phases of the model in order to
help them find the solution that best suits their needs. First of all, the professional uses the skills of the
listening phase to establish a working relationship with parents, to help them open up, and to explore any
concerns they have. Then, the professional moves on to the second phase, using the skills of the
understanding phase in order to help parents get a clearer picture of their concerns, develop new
perspectives on their situation, and suggest possible goals for change. Finally, the professional moves on to
the third phase, of action planning, in which possible options for solving parents’ problems are examined and
plans for action are developed. Thus, different skills are needed at each phase of the model: skills for
listening in the first phase, skills for understanding in the second phase, and skills for action planning in the
third phase.

ORGANIZATION OF PARENT GROUPS AND WORKSHOPS

A parent workshop format that has been found useful in a wide range of contexts is outlined below, with
more details in Hornby and Murray (1983). A summary of the main aspects of workshop organization is
presented first.

FORMAT FOR PARENT WORKSHOPS

The format for parent workshops that has been found the most effective is one that consists of four
sections: introduction, lecture presentation, small-group discussion, and summary (Hornby and Murray
1983).

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

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Professionals who work with children with SEND, such as educational psychologists, social workers,
school counselors, and teachers, need to have good interpersonal communication skills in order to work
effectively with parents and with each other. Listening, assertion, and counseling skills have therefore been
elaborated in this chapter. The skills required for effective listening that were discussed include
attentiveness, passive listening, paraphrasing, and active listening. The assertion skills that were described
include techniques for making and refusing requests, giving constructive feedback, handling criticism, and
problem solving. The basic counseling skills that were discussed were set within a three phase problem-
solving model of counseling which involves listening, understanding, and action planning skills. The
knowledge and skills required for working with groups of parents were outlined, including the benefits of
group work, leadership skills, group dynamics, and the format and organization of parent workshops. The
following chapter discusses the importance of professionals in the field of inclusive special education being
empowering individuals who facilitate the development of parents as people rather than simply helping them
to overcome their difficulties. This includes discussion of the stress management skills that professionals
need in order to work in this field and which they can also teach to parents and their colleagues.

End of 17th Week


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