Removing the Barriers: Planning for ALL!

Summary

In 'Five Moore Minutes' episode 'Reducing the Barriers: Planning for All,' Shelley Moore discusses the need to shift educational paradigms towards inclusivity and equity. She highlights the limitations of the traditional special education model, which focuses on fixing students rather than addressing environmental barriers. Moore advocates for a social model approach, emphasizing the importance of anticipating and reducing contextual barriers to support all learners effectively. This perspective aligns with universal design for learning, response to instruction, and collaborative support models, urging educators to create inclusive environments from the outset.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The existing educational model is a significant barrier to inclusivity and equity in schools.
• 🔍 The traditional approach in education has been to create a plan for most students and then provide special support for those who do not succeed with that plan.
• 🤔 The special support model often focuses on identifying what's wrong with the student and adapting the plan to fit them, which can be inefficient.
• 🌟 The idea of creating a single, inclusive plan for all learners from the start is proposed as a more effective approach.
• 👩‍⚕️ Special education has evolved from a medical model that reacts to students' struggles by identifying problems and offering fixes.
• 🛠️ The current system relies heavily on processes that emphasize student failure, costly evaluations, and intervention systems focused on deficits.
• 💡 Learning from the disability community, the video suggests that struggling does not mean being broken and that people do not need fixing.
• 🔄 A shift from the medical model to a social model is advocated, where success is hindered by environmental barriers rather than individual deficiencies.
• 🌐 The social model views a person's struggle as a result of contextual limitations rather than personal shortcomings.
• 🚗 Shelley Moore's personal experience in Hong Kong illustrates how environmental factors can impact a person's independence and success.
• 🛣️ The video emphasizes the importance of anticipating barriers and assessing the environment to reduce individual needs for support.
• 🔗 The social model of support is foundational to universal design for learning, response to instruction, and collaborative models of support.
• 🛠️ The challenge is to look beyond the student and focus on fixing the context to reduce barriers, rather than trying to fix the student.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the 'Five Moore Minutes' episode titled 'Reducing the Barriers: Planning for All'?

The main topic of the episode is about shifting the educational paradigm towards more inclusion and equity by addressing the infrastructure of the existing educational model and planning for all learners from the start.

What is the traditional model of special education described in the script?

The traditional model of special education described in the script is one where a plan is made for most students, and special support is offered to those who do not succeed in the original plan, often focusing on figuring out what was wrong with the student and offering adaptations and modifications.

Why does the speaker suggest that the traditional special education model may not be effective in diverse classrooms?

The speaker suggests that the traditional model may not be effective because it can lead to an overwhelming feeling that inclusion is a lot of work, as more students require retrofit support to be successful, and no teacher can effectively follow more than one plan.

What is the alternative educational model proposed in the script?

The alternative model proposed in the script is a social model, where the focus shifts from fixing the individual to addressing the barriers in the context that limit success.

How does the speaker use their personal experience in Hong Kong to illustrate the concept of the social model?

The speaker uses their personal experience in Hong Kong to illustrate the social model by explaining how they required more support due to barriers such as language and unfamiliarity with the environment, rather than because of any personal deficiency.

What is the significance of the speaker's inability to rent a car or understand signs in Hong Kong?

The significance is to highlight that the speaker's need for support was not due to personal limitations but rather due to the environmental barriers present in Hong Kong, emphasizing the social model's focus on context rather than individual deficits.

What is the connection between the social model of support and universal design for learning?

The social model of support is foundational to universal design for learning, as it encourages the anticipation of barriers and the reduction of those barriers in the learning environment, making it more accessible and effective for all students.

Why is it important to anticipate barriers in the learning environment according to the script?

It is important to anticipate barriers because waiting for students to fail before addressing their needs is not proactive. By anticipating and addressing barriers, educators can create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment from the start.

How does the script suggest educators should respond to students who are struggling?

The script suggests that educators should respond by moving away from a medical model that focuses on fixing the student, and instead adopt a social model that identifies and reduces barriers in the learning environment to support the student's success.

What is the challenge presented to educators at the end of the script?

The challenge presented is to look around the student to identify and fix the context to reduce barriers, rather than focusing on fixing the students themselves in their areas of deficit.

What resources are suggested for further exploration of the ideas presented in the script?

The 'Five Moore Minutes' podcast is suggested for further exploration of the ideas presented in the script, where they dig deeper into these big ideas.

Outlines

00:00

🔄 Shifting Educational Paradigms

In this introductory paragraph, Shelley Moore, the host of 'Five Moore Minutes,' sets the stage for a discussion on inclusivity and equity in education. The main theme revolves around the need to shift from the traditional educational model, which often relies on special education support for students who do not fit into the 'one-size-fits-most' plan, to a more inclusive approach. The current system is criticized for its focus on identifying student deficits and retrofitting support, which can be overwhelming and inefficient. Moore emphasizes the importance of creating a single plan that accommodates all learners from the outset, thereby reducing the need for individualized adaptations. She introduces the concept of moving away from a medical model of education, which reacts to problems, to a social model that addresses barriers within the educational context itself.

05:02

🌐 Embracing the Social Model of Support

This paragraph delves deeper into the social model of support, contrasting it with the medical model that has traditionally dominated special education. Moore uses a personal anecdote from her trip to Hong Kong to illustrate how environmental and contextual factors can significantly impact a person's independence and success. She highlights the importance of anticipating and addressing these barriers proactively rather than waiting for students to fail. The social model posits that success is not solely dependent on the individual but is influenced by the context and support structures around them. Moore calls for a shift in educational practices to focus on reducing barriers within the learning environment, which in turn reduces the need for individual interventions. She connects this approach to broader educational frameworks such as universal design for learning, response to instruction, and collaborative support models, emphasizing that these cannot be effectively implemented without a foundational understanding of the social model.

Keywords

💡Inclusion

Inclusion refers to the practice of ensuring that all students, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, are fully supported and engaged in the learning environment. In the video, the theme of inclusion is central to the discussion of educational models and the need to shift paradigms to better accommodate diverse student needs. The script emphasizes the importance of moving towards a model that inherently supports all students rather than retrofitting support for those who struggle.

💡Equity

Equity in education means providing each student with what they need to succeed, recognizing that different students may require different resources and support. The video discusses the barriers to equity within the current educational infrastructure and suggests that a shift in planning and support is necessary to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to learn and thrive.

💡Educational Model

An educational model is a framework or system that guides how education is delivered and structured. The script critiques the existing model, which is described as being designed around a 'one-size-fits-most' approach, and calls for a new model that starts with a plan for all learners, reducing the need for individual retrofitting.

💡Special Education

Special education is a field within education that focuses on providing additional support and services to students with disabilities or special needs. The video script discusses the origins of special education as a reaction to students' struggles, rather than as a proactive approach to learning, and suggests that a shift towards a social model is necessary.

💡Medical Model

The medical model is an approach to disability that views it as a problem within the individual that needs to be fixed. In the context of the video, the medical model is criticized for its focus on diagnosing and fixing students' deficits rather than addressing the environmental barriers that may be hindering their success.

💡Social Model

The social model of disability posits that disability is not an inherent personal limitation but a result of societal barriers and lack of accommodations. The video advocates for shifting from the medical model to the social model in education, emphasizing that the focus should be on removing barriers in the environment to support all learners.

💡Diversity

Diversity in the classroom refers to the variety of students' backgrounds, abilities, and learning needs. The script highlights the growing diversity in classrooms as a reason for the increasing need for a more inclusive educational model that can accommodate a wide range of student differences.

💡Retrofit Support

Retrofit support refers to the process of making adjustments or providing additional help to students after they have already struggled with the initial educational plan. The video argues against this approach, suggesting that it is inefficient and instead advocates for planning that includes all learners from the outset.

💡Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Universal Design for Learning is an educational framework that aims to create learning environments and materials that can accommodate all learners from the start. The script connects UDL to the social model of support, suggesting that it is a key component of a more inclusive educational approach.

💡Response to Instruction

Response to Instruction (RTI) is an educational strategy that involves adjusting teaching methods and support based on a student's response to instruction. The video implies that RTI is more effective when combined with a proactive approach to identifying and reducing barriers in the learning environment.

💡Collaborative Models of Support

Collaborative models of support involve multiple educators and stakeholders working together to provide comprehensive support for students. The script suggests that such models are more effective when they are based on understanding and addressing the barriers in the learning context rather than focusing solely on the student.

Highlights

The episode 'Reducing the Barriers: Planning for All' discusses the need to shift paradigms for more inclusion and equity in education.

The existing educational model's infrastructure is identified as a significant barrier to inclusion and equity.

Traditional special education is critiqued for its focus on fixing students rather than adapting the educational environment.

The concept of a 'one-size-fits-all' plan is challenged, proposing the need for a more inclusive approach from the outset.

Shelley Moore emphasizes the importance of planning for all learners to avoid retrofitting support for those who don't fit the initial plan.

The idea that inclusion is labor-intensive due to diverse classroom needs is addressed.

Teachers are highlighted as unable to follow more than one plan, suggesting a need for a unified approach to teaching.

The medical model of special education is critiqued for its focus on student deficits and the need for a reactive approach.

The disability community's perspective is introduced, advocating that struggling does not equate to being broken.

A shift towards a social model is proposed, where the context, rather than the individual, is the focus for addressing struggles.

Shelley shares a personal experience in Hong Kong to illustrate the impact of context on independence and success.

The importance of anticipating barriers and not waiting for students to fail is emphasized.

Resources should be allocated to assessing and improving the educational environment rather than solely focusing on individual student interventions.

The social model of support is connected to universal design for learning, response to instruction, and collaborative support models.

The challenge is set to look beyond the student and consider how the context can be improved to reduce barriers.

The episode concludes with a call to action to fix the educational context rather than trying to fix the students.

Encouragement to subscribe and engage with the 'Five Moore Minutes' podcast for deeper exploration of these concepts.

Transcripts

- Welcome to "Five Moore Minutes,"

useful videos in about five minutes

that support the teaching and learning of all students.

I'm your host, Shelley Moore,

and today's episode is called

"Reducing the Barriers: Planning for All."

(upbeat music)

Okay, everyone.

Today, we're talking about something very important.

Today, we're talking about shifting a paradigm!

Now, one thing that I'm not sure everybody realizes

that in our efforts to move towards

more inclusion and equity in our schools,

is that one of the biggest barrier

is the actual infrastructure

of the existing educational model.

You see, me, like many of us who work in education,

we were taught to support students

through a special education lens.

That is a model where a plan is made for most students,

and then special support is offered to those students

who don't have success in that original plan.

This special support, then, seeks to figure out

what was wrong with the student in question,

and then offer support in a way by offering

adaptations and modifications,

so that they can fit into the first plan.

What if nobody fits into the plan?

Because of how we were all taught to support students,

as our classrooms have become more diverse,

there's been this overwhelming feeling

that inclusion is so much work

because more and more students need this type

of retrofit support in order to be successful.

Okay, now listen.

I have never met a teacher

that can follow more than one plan.

So a big question emerging here is,

"How do we make one plan for all learners, from the start,

so that we can be effective and efficient

and then not have to retrofit

for all of the learners that don't fit?"

In order to do this,

we need to shift how we think about

and respond to students who are struggling.

You see, special education evolved out of a medical model.

So for example, like, if you break your leg,

you go to the doctor, and then they fix you.

And if they can't fix you, they send you to a specialist.

We get medical attention when something is wrong.

This is special education.

It's designed to react to students when something is wrong.

And as a result,

our educational system has become so heavily reliant

on processes that emphasize failure, expensive evaluations,

and intervention systems that focus

on the deficits in students.

Well, something that we can learn

from the disability community

is that just because a person is struggling,

doesn't mean they're broken.

People don't need to be fixed.

So then, how do we respond to students

in a way that meets their needs

without creating programs and following processes

that only targets what's wrong?

Well, I will tell you this.

We need to move away from the medical model,

that's for sure!

So what can we do instead?

Well, one alternative is to shift towards a social model.

In a social model, if someone isn't having success,

it's not because they have a disability

or because something's wrong with them as an individual,

but instead it's because there's something around them,

in the context, that's limiting their success.

Now, listen.

I spend a lot of time traveling,

mostly throughout North America,

but about two years ago,

I had the opportunity to speak at a conference in Hong Kong.

Now, I was so excited about this.

I've never been to Hong Kong,

so my wife and I, we packed our bags,

and we were ready to go on our great Hong Kong adventure!

Well, I was so excited that I didn't really anticipate

that I would have different needs in Hong Kong

than I do in North America.

Typically, I would feel pretty independent in my travels.

I would rent a car; I would drive, no problem.

I would be able to navigate conversations

and menus and directions

and be able to find the conference hall

that I'm presenting in, easy peasy.

But in Hong Kong, I realized I needed much more support

to be able to do these very similar things.

Like, I wasn't able to rent a car.

I didn't have the right driver's license.

I wasn't able to have many conversations, read menus,

or follow directions

because there was a language barrier.

I also had no idea where I was speaking

because I couldn't read any of the conference signs.

I needed a lot of support in Hong Kong.

Thank goodness, the organization who brought me there

anticipated this

and made three Hong Kong EAs available to me

if I needed them.

I had a driver and a translator; I had a host.

But I couldn't help think to myself, like,

"That's so many resources for one person."

What's important to know about this example

is that whether I'm in North America

or whether I'm in Hong Kong,

I'm still the same person.

My success and independence in Hong Kong

had very little to do with me as an individual

and had more to do with the barriers that existed around me.

Now, I want you to imagine

all the students that you work with.

Every teacher they interact with;

every classroom and school they go to.

I want you to think about all these different contexts

as possible different countries.

Students are the same, regardless of where they go.

What changes is the context around them?

And every context is going to have more or less barriers

that can either support or limit success.

So how do we support kids this way?

Well, first of all, we have to anticipate these barriers,

which means we can't wait for students to not be successful.

We can't wait for them to fail.

Second, we have to stop putting all of our resources

into trying to fix individuals.

If we move away from this kind of student diagnosis

and intervention as the first strategy,

it allows us to assess the environment and the context first

to find out what's getting in the way.

Because the big idea here is this, my friends:

the more we support a context to reduce barriers,

the less individual resources

a person will need to be successful.

The social model of support

is a foundational understanding to planning for all students

and directly connects to universal design for learning,

response to instruction,

and collaborative models of support.

It would be very difficult to try and implement

any of these frameworks

if we were only looking at students

through a medical and deficit-based perspective.

Students are not broken.

They may need support, but today's challenge is asking,

instead, look around the student

to see how can we fix the context,

so that barriers are reduced,

instead of looking at what we can do to fix the students

in their deficit area?

Thank you for tuning in to this episode

of "Five Moore Minutes."

Make sure you take a look

at the "Five Moore Minutes" podcast

where we dig deeper into some of these big ideas.

Give us a like; don't forget to subscribe.

You don't wanna miss any of these episodes.

I'll see you next time!

(upbeat music)