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Inclusive Education at the Secondary Level
Linda SiegelUniversity of British Columbia
Vancouver, CANADA
A New Direction for Education
• The Hong Kong educational system has started on a new path – inclusive education.
• The path is long and filled with holes, rocks, tree branches and is an uphill climb.
• Educational changes occur gradually.• Self-examination is the key to success.• The goal is noble and important.
Traditional Model
• Deficit• Functional limitations stressed• Classification very important• Standardized assessment• Separate remedial instruction
What is inclusive education?
• Students are with their age and grade level peers
• Few if any special classes and no special schools
• All children in the same classroom, whatever the disability
• There can be resource withdrawal
What is inclusive education?
• Continuum of support service– Special education is integrated with regular
education• Need to review student progress
– Reading, spelling, writing (composition), mathematical problem solving, arithmetic
Why inclusive education?
• Human rights concerns – value all within the community
• Increase social acceptance• Integrate individual into educational
system• Prepare SPED student for living in a
broader social context• Help prevent bullying and aggression• Help non SPED children
Opposition to inclusion
• It costs too much• Other children will suffer• Individual student will not be able to cope• It is too difficult• People are not willing to accept it• Students will not get an appropriate
education- their needs will not be met
3 Tier Model
• 1. Classroom instruction– Early screening
• 2. Resource withdrawal
• 3. Intensive help
Characteristic of the 3 Tier Model
• Excellent, evidence based classroom instruction
• Frequent monitoring of performance• Help as soon as it is needed• Intensive assessment only as a last resort
Universal Design for Learning
• Definition – An approach to education that addresses the barriers to students’ learning
• Goal – making expert learners of all students
Universal Design for Learning
• Goals – appropriate instruction for all students
• Materials- multiple representations of content
• Methods- flexible and diverse• Assessment – flexible, provides
information to teacher and the learner
Universal Design for Learning
• Representation -the what of learninghow information is presented
• Expression -the how of learninghow the learner expresses knowledge
• Engagement -the why of learninghow the learner is motivated, engaged
Learning Styles
• Students learn in different ways.• Some students grasp information easily
when it is in print form.• others prefer information presented in an
auditory form. • still others prefer a non-print visual format.• No one means of representation will suit
all students.
Representation- Options for Perception
• Customize display of information– Graphics, charts– Features of the text
• Auditory Information – Tape record lectures
• Visual information– Films, pictures, PowerPoint
Features of the Text
• Size of the text or images• Amplitude and speed of the speech, video
or sounds• Contrast between background and text• Colour used for information or emphasis• Layout of the visual material
– Headings, boxes, white spaces, font
Universal Design for Learning
• Representation -the what of learninghow information is presented
• Expression -the how of learninghow the learner expresses knowledge
• Engagement -the why of learninghow the learner is motivated, engaged
Universal Design for Learning
• Representation -the what of learninghow information is presented
• Expression -the how of learninghow the learner expresses knowledge
• Engagement -the why of learninghow the learner is motivated, engaged
Alternatives for auditory information
• Speech to text – speech recognition – writing difficulties, shy– Tape recorder
• Visual symbols for important points– Bullets, font size
• Visual equivalents for sound effects or alerts – Sound to turn the page
Alternatives for Visual Information
• Graphics• Animation• Video• Touch equivalents• Physical objects• Spatial models – maps, 3 dimensional
Examples of Alternate Text
• Text to speech – screen reader• Talking books and textbooks• Aide or partner that can help with reading
Representation – Options for Language
• Define Vocabulary– Electronic dictionaries
• Clarify syntax– Grammar checkers
• Cross linguistic understanding– Electronic translation
• Decoding text/Mathematical symbols– Charts
• Illustrate concepts non-linguistically – Mind map
Techniques for Vocabulary & Symbols
• Pre-teach vocabulary• Prefixes, suffixes • Morphology• Compound words• Embed information within text- illustrations,
footnotes, explanations• Embed support within text - jargon,
colloquialisms, idioms
Techniques to Clarify Syntax and Structure
• Highlight structural relations to make them more explicit
• Offer less complex alternative• Make relationships explicit
– Link ideas in a concept map– Highlight transition words in an essay– Tie antecedents for anaphoric references
Decoding Text or Mathematical Notation
• Text to speech• Mathematical notation with voicing• Text with human voice –talking books
Cross-linguistic Understanding
• Present key information or definitions in first language in addition to English
• If possible, find cognates• Provide electronic links to dictionaries,
web translations
Illustrating Key Concepts Non- linguistically
• One form of symbolic representation complemented with an alternative form– Solar system description with a 3D model
• Illustrations or diagrams complemented with verbal explanation
• Link information in text to accompanying charts, illustrations, or diagrams
Representation – Options for Comprehension
• Provide background knowledge• Highlight important ideas• Guide information processing• Support memory and transfer
Activating Background Knowledge
• Relate new information to existing knowledge
• Advance organizers – KWL– Know Wonder Learn
• Pre-teach critical concepts• Use analogies and metaphors
Highlight Critical Features and big ideas
• Stress rule learning – multiplication tables• Use outlines• Stress key elements• Use examples and non-examples
– English plurals• Reduce irrelevant information• Use cues and prompts to draw attention to
critical features
Options to Guide Information Processing
• Prompt each step in a sequential process• Scaffolding to support strategies• Chunking information into smaller
elements• Progressive release of information
Supporting Memory and Transfer
• Checklists, post-it notes, organizers, electronic reminders
• Opportunities for review and practice• Templates for note taking• Mnemonics
Mnemonics
• My Very Exciting Magic Carpet Just Sailed Under Nine Palace Elephants.
The 11 recognized planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Eris.
Ceres, Pluto and Eris are considered dwarf planets.
Group Activity
• Describe one successful example of inclusive education in your school.
• Describe one student or group of students in your school in which inclusive education is needed.– Some possible examples – dyslexic student in
physics, student with an attention deficit in mathematics, Autistic spectrum Disorder in Chinese
Expression – Options for Physical Action
• Mode of physical response• Means of navigation• Accessing tools and assistive technologies
Mode of Physical Response
• Allow more time• Oral reports and examinations• Poor handwriting = learn typing skills
– Touch typing not hunt and peck
Accessing Tools & Assistive Technologies
• Alternative keyboards – Dvorak• Touch screens• Keyboard commands for mouse actions
– Instead of pull down menus – Control s for Save
Media for Communication
• Text• Speech – story telling, drama• Drawing, illustration• 3D models• Film, video• Multimedia web design• Music, visual art, sculpture
Composition & Problem-Solving
• Spell checkers, grammar checkers, word prediction software
• Voice recogntion, dictation, recording• Calculators• Sentence starters• Story webs, concept mapping tools• Computer aided design, music writing
software
Scaffolds for Practice and Performance
• Provide models• Provide different mentors• Provide scaffolds that yield increasing
independence• Provide feedback –often and differentiated
Expression- Options for Expressive Skills and Fluency
• Media for communication• Tools for composition and problem solving• Scaffolds for practice and performance
Expression Options for Executive Function
• Effective goal setting• Support planning and strategy
development• Facilitate the managing of information and
resources• Enhance capacity for monitoring progress
Effective Goal Setting
• Prompts to estimate effort, resources and difficulties
• Model or examples of effective goal setting• Guides and checklists for scaffolding goal-
setting
Checklist - Composing a Paper• Select topic• Do some research• Narrow the topic• Write outline• Check to see that research fits outline• Write introductory sentence• Write one sentence summary/conclusion• Write sections • Check for transitions bewteen sections• Check spelling and grammar• Write a one paragraph summary
Planning & Strategy Development
• Prompts to stop and think before acting• Checklists to set up priorities, sequence,
and schedule of steps• Coaches to model think-alouds of process• Guides for breaking long term goals into
smaller ones
Managing Information and Resources
• Graphic organizers for data collection and organizing information
• Prompts for categorizing• Checklists and guides for note-taking
Enhancing Capacity for Monitoring Performance
• Guided questions for self monitoring• Charts showing progress• Templates that guide self reflection
Template for Self Reflection for Composition
• Have I chosen the topic carefully?• Have I searched the important sources?• Have I looked up any words I did not know?• Have I made an outline?• Have I paid attention to the transitions between
paragraphs? Do I have any colloquial language?• Have I taken the role of the reader?• Have I written a one sentence conclusion?• Have I written a summary paragraph?• Have I checked for spelling and grammar errors?
Engagement – Options for developing interest
• Increase individual choice and autonomy• Enhance relevance and value• Reduce threats and distractions
Options for Increasing Individual Choice & Autonomy
• Allow some choice in tools for information gathering
• Allow some choice in timing of completion of subtasks
• Allow some choice in the design of activities – individual vs. group and who they work with
• Involve students in setting their own goals
Enhancing Relevance & Value
• Socially relevant activities• Activities that communicate to real
audiences• Provide tasks that allow for active
participation and experimentation
Reduce Threats & Distractions
• Charts, calendars, and schedules that increase predictability of daily activities
• Availability of breaks• Spaced vs. massed practice
– Spaced practice – shorter periods, learning over several days rather than in one long period
Salience of Goals
• Prompt – requirement to restate goals • Display concrete goal• Divide long term goals into short term
objective• Hand held or computer based scheduling• Prompts for visualizing desired outcome
Challenge & Support
• Differentiation of degree of difficulty– More advanced students get special problems
• Opportunities for collaboration• Variations in acceptable performance
– Not counting spelling in the grade• Emphasize improvement and effort as
alternatives to competition and external evaluation
Fostering Collaboration
• Cooperative learning groups– Lessons in working together as a group
• Prompts to guide students in when to ask for help from peers and teachers
• Peer tutoring and support• Construction of virtual communities
– Shy student
Increasing Mastery Oriented Feedback
• Feedback to encourage perseverance and self-awareness
• Feedback that emphasizes effort, improvement and achieving a standard rather than comparison with others
• Frequent feedback • Feedback that encourages strategies for
success – trying again, understanding difficulty
Goal Setting and Expectations
• Prompts, checklists, guides that focus on small goals to reduce frustration
• Coaches that understand strengths and weaknesses
Coping Skills and strategies
• Managing frustration• Seeking support• Develop internal controls
– Cognitive behavioural skills – self talk– Positive self reinforcement
Self-assessment and Reflection
• Devices to help students collect and record data from their progress
• Monitoring progress should be timely, frequent and understandable
Engagement - Options for sustaining Effort and persistence
• Heighten salience of goals and objectives• Vary levels of challenge and support• Foster collaboration and communication• Increase mastery oriented feedback
Engagement – Options for Self- Regulation
• Guide personal goal setting and expectations
• Scaffold coping skills and strategies• Develop self-assessment and reflection
Challenges for Inclusive Education
• Assessment• Team work• Teacher preparation• Restructuring of Lessons• Individual Education Plan - IEP
Assessment – Examination Accommodations
• Increased time• Oral examinations• Allow the use of a computer• Allow the use of a calculator• Reader – person, screen reader• Scribe – writes down what the student
says
Increased Time for Examinations
• Is it fair?• Describe study• Describe results• Conclusion• Written on transcript if there are
accommodations
What makes inclusion work?
• Teacher preparation• Smaller class size• Not too many special ed students in one
class• Classroom climate• Discussion of the individual differences
with the students
What makes inclusion work?
• Educators assume responsibility• Teachers work closely with all children• Children are prepared for difference• Characteristics of SPED children• ∞responsiveness• ∞strengths• Parent support
What are the characteristics of lessons that support inclusion?
• Recognize and build on the diversity of student experience
• Reflect difference in student knowledge and abilities
• Accommodate different rates at which students learn
• Allow for differences in learning style
What are the characteristics of lessons that support inclusion?
• Learning aims are clear• Recognize student strengths• Avoid mechanical copying• Work done by
individuals/pairs/groups/whole class• Variety of activities discussion, oral
presentation, audio-visual, writing, library• Variety of ways to record work
What are the characteristics of good teacher preparation for inclusion?
• Fostering an understanding of how children develop reading, spelling, arithmetic, problem-solving and social skills
• Developing an understanding of social and emotional development
• Developing positive attitudes toward student diversity
What are the characteristics of good teacher preparation for inclusion?
• Knowledge of the categories of special ed students
• Practicum experience with special ed students
• Understanding of working with paraprofessionals
• Understanding the parents’ feelings and concerns
What is good leadership in regard to inclusion?
• Knowledge of practice• Ability to communicate vision• Enthusiastic about inclusion• Maintain morale• Understand power structure• Provide support to teachers• Aware of parent concerns
Role of the Principals (Headmasters)
• Select staff who agree with inclusion• Recognize the need for program and staff
development• Total responsibility for all students• Understand the benefits of inclusion for all
students• Identify services• Understand the role of technology
The Individual Education Plan (IEP)
• A description of the students current functioning in all areas, including strengths
• A description of what should be done to help the student with areas of difficulty
• A description of what will be done in the classroom to help the student
• A description of what resource people will help the student and in what areas
What would you like to know?
• Behaviour• Past history of learning • Past difficulties, if any• What interventions have been tried?
• First language• Strengths
Outline of an IEP
• Chinese reading and writing problems– Level of functioning– Specific problems- types of errors– What will you do to help her?– Who will help her?– What accommodations will be made in the
classroom– How will you monitor her progress?
Template for an IEP• Major concern• Difficulties• Strengths• Factors – first language, family factors• Past History of interventions• Planned interventions• supports needed• People responsive• Team meetings planned
Task 1
• Prepare an IEP for a Form 3 student in English– Dyslexic– Poor vocabulary, handwriting, and spelling– Inadequate phonics skills – Stumbles over longer words– Trouble with English grammar– Difficulty in English composition– Strengths – artistic, excellent computer skills, good
imagination
Task 2• Prepare an IEP for a Form 2 student for a Chinese
language class• Dyslexic• Poor handwriting• Makes mistakes in stroke placement• Poor composition skills• Composes music, sings and plays the guitar very well• Has attention difficulties• Likes movies, especially Jackie Chan movies
Task 3
• Develop an IEP for a student in Physics – Form 2– Student reads and writes well– Student has difficulty with mathematics– Student has trouble remembering formulas– Student is very anxious about his
performance
How can we help students learn together?
• Build interpersonal and communication skills
• Teach about bullying and teasing• Role play and simulation about disabilities
– Blind– Deaf– Wheelchair– Learn Arabic writing – copy script
The voices of children
• Boy with cerebral palsy– People think he is helpless and unable to
understand anything– People feel sorry for me– Adults make decisions without consulting me
as if I have no brain– Wants to be involved in decision making
Joining In
• SPED children feel useless, sometimes bored because they are left out
• Felt they do not have the language skills• Aggression is a problem• Should teach social communication and
collaborative skills
Adult help
• Can facilitate• Some children felt it prevented children
from finding their own ways to solve things• May be embarrassing
Learning Together
• Negative behaviour of others toward them– Shouting– Not listening– Dominating– Excluding them– Picking on them
Influences feeling of self worth
What children say• Asking for help• Ignoring• Saying stop• Listening• Making friends – but need to know how• Supporting each other• Giving help• Negotiation -accept others ideas and give their
own
Tools to Evaluate Inclusion
• Staff development help staff respond to students• Support is coordinated• All students are welcome• Staff and manage work well together• Policy is inclusion• Staff appointments and promotions are fair• Physically accessible buildings• School resources are fairly distributed
Learner Centered Classroom
• Chairs around tables & comfortable places to work
• Walls – students’ work – not just the best– Schedule information– Charts that help
• Class discussion– Students question each other– Students ask questions
• Tasks- different activities simultaneously