FOUNDATION OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE

MODULE EDUCATION

CHAPTER 10: Developing Inclusive Educational Program

Objectives:
a. Identify the different ways to enhance and develop inclusive
education.
b. Apply appropriate teaching method to the various need of the
learners.
c. Create a well-managed learning center for different learners.

Inclusive learning
provides all students
with access to flexible
learning choices and
effective paths for
achieving educational
goals in spaces where
they experience a
sense of belonging. In
an inclusive education
environment, all
children, regardless of ability or disability, learn together in the same age-appropriate
classroom. It is based on the understanding that all children and families are valued
equally and deserve access to the same opportunities.
Inclusive learning goes hand in hand with Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a set of
principles for curriculum development that gives all students an equal opportunity to learn.
According to the National Center on Universal Design for Learning, “UDL provides a
blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work
for everyone — not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that
can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.” UDL shares many commonalities
with the Theory of Multiple Intelligences espoused by Harvard Professor Howard
Gardner, whose work documented “the extent to which students possess different kinds
of minds and therefore learn, remember, perform and understand in different ways.”
School teams spend precious time creating the foundations of inclusive programs for
students with disabilities. Careful thought goes into scheduling co-taught classes, creating
balanced classroom rosters, training co-teaching partners, developing collaborative
relationships, and providing appropriate supports for students with disabilities (Walther-
Thomas, Korinek, McLaughlin, & Williams, 2000).

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However, even with well-planned inclusive services, general education teachers and co-
teaching teams often struggle with how to effectively teach students with disabilities in
general education classrooms. This article provides tips for inclusive practices that will
assist general education teachers in meeting the educational needs of their students with
disabilities.
Tips for Planning
Collaborate with special education teachers,
related service providers, and
paraprofessionals on a regular basis.
If you are co-teaching, commit to planning at
least once a week with your co-teaching partner
and determine your respective teaching
responsibilities. Write your plans down and
share the work load.
Use a variety of co-teaching methods, including:
1. Interactive Teaching - Teachers
alternate roles of presenting, reviewing, and
monitoring instruction.

2. Alternative Teaching - One person

teaches, reteaches, or enriches a concept
for a small group, while the other monitors or
teaches the remaining students.
3. Parallel Teaching - Students are divided into mixed-ability groups, and each co-
teaching partner teaches the same material to one of the groups.

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4. Station Teaching - Small groups of

students rotate to various stations for
instruction, review, and/or practice.
Be aware of student needs and provide
the accommodations listed in your
students' individualized education
programs.

Tips for Classroom Management

 Create a structured classroom. This may include designating separate areas for
group and individual work and centers for reading or art, as well as creating a daily
class schedule.
 Display classroom rules.
 Post the daily schedule incorporating color.
 Provide opportunities for purposeful movement.
 Develop classroom cues for settling down to work, getting out materials, and
quieting down.
 Plan for transition times (between subjects or tasks, before and after lunch,
changing classes).
 Help students organize their materials by using checklists, folders, and containers
to keep materials organized in desks.
 Visually monitor student activity.
Tips for Structuring Lessons
Differentiate instruction by using
flexible grouping, providing activities
that appeal to various learning-style
preferences, giving students’
choices, and creating alternative
activities and assessments
(Tomlinson, 2001).
Think "universal design" when
planning instruction. "The central
premise of Universal Design for
Learning is that a curriculum should
include alternatives to make it accessible and appropriate for individuals with different
backgrounds, learning styles, abilities, and disabilities in widely varied learning contexts"
(CAST, 2004, 3). Incorporate three qualities of universal design when planning
instruction:

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1. Multiple means of representing content

(visual and oral strategies),
2. Multiple means of students' expression
of content (writing, illustrating, speaking),
and
3. Flexible means of engagement as
students learn (videos, software, and role-
playing).

Provide opportunities for students to work in small groups and in pairs. If

cooperative learning strategies are used, five conditions must be present:
(a) The task must be authentic, worthwhile, and appropriate for students working in
groups;
(b) Small-group learning must be
the goal;
(c) Cooperative behavior should
be taught to and used by
students;
(d) Group work should be
structured so that students
depend on one another to
complete a task successfully;
(e) Students should be held
individually accountable
(Putnam, 1998).

Use graphic organizers to assist

students with organizing
information in meaningful ways.
For example, Bender (2002)
suggests providing students with
lesson outlines as note-taking
tools.
Use the instructional sequence of
"I do" (teacher model), "We do"
(group practice), and "You do"

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(individual practice). Provide supports or scaffolds to students as they are learning new
material and withdraw them when they are able to perform the task on their own (Bender,
2002).
Employ active learning strategies such as "think, pair, share" to promote recall and
understanding of new learning. This strategy allows students to reflect individually on a
question, pair up with a partner to share and compare answers, and finally give the best
answer (Kagan, 1994.
Teach learning strategies along
with content material. Strategy
instruction may be defined simply
as instruction in how to learn and
perform (Lenz, Deshler, & Kissam,
2004). "Learning strategies help
students learn and perform by
providing them with a specific set of
steps for: (a) approaching new and
difficult tasks, (b) guiding thoughts
and actions, (c) completing tasks in
a timely and successful manner,
and (d) thinking strategically (Lenz
et al., 2004, p. 261). Learning
strategies may include organizing materials, memorizing information, taking notes,
reading text, and taking tests.
Use ongoing informal and formal assessments to help inform instruction and monitor
student progress.
To ensure success for students with disabilities in general education classrooms,
teachers must plan collaboratively, create structured classrooms with clear rules and
expectations, and teach content in meaningful and memorable ways.

References:
https://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/articles/inclusion/effe
ctiveteach/

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Benefits of Inclusive Education

Studies have shown the benefits that inclusive classrooms offer for children with
disabilities and their peers. Instead of pulling children out of the classroom to offer them
specialized instruction, in an inclusive classroom special education teachers come into

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the classroom. This allows for general education teachers and specialists to work together
in the same learning environment, benefiting all students, who are offered additional
resources and support. This support often results in greater academic gains for students
with disabilities as well as students without disabilities.
Inclusive Education Strategies
Are you ready to introduce an inclusive education environment into your classroom? To
do so means challenging the status quo, removing curriculum barriers and presenting
educational goals in interesting ways to engage all learners and serve all students
equitably. Below are four important strategies to consider when designing an inclusive
classroom and curriculum.
Use universal design principles to create accessible classrooms
UDL is a set of principles that
were born from the desire to
offer every student an equal
opportunity to learn, based on
the idea that every person has
their own unique and
individual learning style.
According to UDL, there are
three primary brain networks
that are responsible for how a
person learns: the
recognition network, the
strategic network and the
affective network. The three
main principles of UDL —
Representation (the what of learning), Action and Expression (the how of learning),
Engagement (the why of learning) — were formed based on these three brain networks.
Understanding the foundation of UDL — the principles and brain networks — is imperative
for teachers who wish to implement UDL in the classroom.
Luis Perez, author of Mobile Learning for All, suggests starting small. In an article in The
Journal, he said, “You’re not going to apply every single (guideline) to every single lesson.
It depends on which ones are relevant to your learning goals. Start with a single lesson
or activity and then build success from that, and then start to look at other parts of your
curriculum.”

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Use a variety of instructional formats

The first principle of universal design theory is the “what” of learning. It says to use
“multiple means of representation.” While some students are visual learners, others may
grasp information better when it is presented through text or when it is spoken orally or
taught through kinesthetic learning. Some students do best with a combination of the
above. While these differentiated teaching methods may support the needs of students
with disabilities, they also offer diversity of instruction to the entire classroom, giving each
and every student an opportunity to learn in the way they do best. Similarly, using different
mediums to present information and engage students is important in inclusive
classrooms. Remember that principle two of universal design theory calls for utilizing
“multiple means of action and expression.” Some students may find that their best outlet
and means of expression comes through writing, while others may prefer to give an oral
presentation, act out a play or create a piece of art.
Each student is different and should be given the opportunity to express their knowledge
through the methods that work best for them. Additionally, teachers can use a diversity of
materials and mediums to engage students.

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Develop a Behavior Management Plan

Disruptive classroom behavior can affect not just the teacher, but the other students in
the classroom as well. Developing a behavior management plan can help you prepare for
the inevitable moment a student or students exhibit disruptive behaviors — with the
understanding that some behaviors are of much less consequence than others (talking
out of turn vs. being defiant or aggressive).The behavior plan should be shared with
parents and students, so that everyone is aware of the expectations and consequences
should those expectations not be met. The most effective plans typically involve a great
deal of positive reinforcement and a clear understanding of the expectations. There are
several different types of behavior management plans you can implement depending on
the needs of your classroom, including a whole group plan, a small group plan, an
individual plan or an individual plan designed for particularly challenging students.

References:
https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/inclusive-education-strategies/

For More Knowledge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbjAsDjZRD0

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