Inclusive Practices in Your Classroom
Summary
TLDRThis video guide by Raynee and Tyler, graduate students from the University of Montana, offers insights on creating inclusive classrooms. It covers the benefits of inclusion, legal implications, best practices like Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and strategies for classroom community building and Response to Intervention (RTI), emphasizing the importance of high expectations and collaboration for all students.
Takeaways
- π« An inclusive school integrates general and special education, ensuring all students have equal learning opportunities.
- π Inclusive classrooms replace pull-out services with supports that are portable and brought into the regular classroom.
- π Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is implemented to accommodate all students' instructional needs, enhancing the curriculum for everyone.
- π€ Inclusion benefits all students by fostering teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, not just those with special needs.
- π Inclusive environments naturally promote equality, reduce bullying, and help students feel accepted and part of a community.
- π Inclusion is distinct from mainstreaming or integration, focusing on the child's right to participate and the school's duty to accommodate.
- π Legal requirements, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), mandate appropriate degrees of inclusion in education.
- π¬ Person-first language is crucial in inclusive classrooms, emphasizing the individual over their disability and promoting acceptance.
- π UDL guidelines in education require multiple means of representation, action, and engagement to cater to diverse learning styles and needs.
- π₯ Classroom community building is essential for creating a welcoming environment where students feel a sense of belonging and can collaborate effectively.
- π Response to Intervention (RTI) is an inclusion model that identifies and addresses students' support needs early, using a multi-tiered approach.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of the video made by Raynee and Tyler?
-The main purpose of the video is to guide teachers and administrators in developing an inclusive classroom, covering topics such as the benefits of inclusion, best practices, and tips for implementation.
How is an inclusive school defined in the video?
-An inclusive school is defined as one where general education and special education are no longer separate, and all students have an equal opportunity to learn together in a restructured environment that promotes community and equal participation.
What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and why is it important in an inclusive classroom?
-Universal Design for Learning is an approach that accommodates instructional needs by providing a flexible blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone. It is important in an inclusive classroom as it helps ensure all students have equal learning opportunities.
Why is inclusion beneficial for students, including those without special needs?
-Inclusion is beneficial for all students because it promotes a high-quality curriculum with UDL strategies, fosters experience working with peers of various ability levels, encourages natural conversations about equality and belonging, and helps combat issues like bullying by creating a sense of community.
What is the difference between inclusion, mainstreaming, and integration according to the video?
-Inclusion focuses on the child's rights to participate and the school's duty to accept the child, rejecting the use of special schools or classrooms for separation. In contrast, mainstreaming and integration are primarily concerned with disability and special educational needs, implying learners must become ready for accommodations.
What legal implications does the video mention regarding inclusion in schools?
-The video mentions the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which requires schools to offer a continuum of services for students with disabilities and to provide a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
What are some best practices for developing an inclusive classroom as mentioned in the video?
-Best practices include using person-first language, implementing UDL, creating a welcoming classroom community, using Response to Intervention (RTI) models, maintaining natural proportions of students with special needs, and providing multiple means of representation, action, expression, and engagement.
How does the video suggest creating a classroom community that supports inclusion?
-The video suggests starting the school year with ice breaker games and 'get to know you' activities to help students see their commonalities and understand their differences. Teamwork skill building activities can also help create a strong sense of community.
What is Response to Intervention (RTI) and how does it relate to inclusion?
-Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered approach that identifies a student's support needs early in their academic career. It differentiates instruction by offering increasing intensities of support and interventions, which is beneficial for inclusion as it provides tailored support to students.
What is the importance of maintaining natural proportions in an inclusive classroom?
-Maintaining natural proportions ensures that the percentage of students with special needs in a class does not significantly exceed the percentage in the school or community as a whole, preventing clustering and promoting meaningful interaction among all students.
What are some quick-start tips provided in the video for implementing inclusion in a classroom?
-The video provides tips such as practicing person-first language, making supports and assistive technology available to all students, eliminating learning barriers, promoting collaborative work, holding high expectations, providing varied expression methods, and developing lessons that cater to a range of academic abilities.
Outlines
π Introduction to Inclusive Classrooms
This paragraph introduces Raynee and Tyler, graduate students at the University of Montana, who have created a video guide to assist educators in developing inclusive classrooms. They discuss the concept of an inclusive school where general and special education are seamlessly integrated, providing equal learning opportunities for all students. The paragraph emphasizes the benefits of inclusion, such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and how it promotes a sense of community and combats issues like bullying. It also clarifies the difference between inclusion, mainstreaming, and integration, highlighting the legal implications of inclusion as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
π Best Practices for Inclusive Classrooms
The second paragraph delves into the best practices for creating an inclusive classroom environment. It underscores the importance of person-first language to focus on the individual rather than their disability, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance. The paragraph also highlights the significance of UDL in developing a curriculum that caters to all students' needs through flexible instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments. It outlines the UDL guidelines, which include providing multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement to accommodate diverse learning styles and ensure all students can participate effectively in the learning process.
π€ Building Classroom Community and RTI Model
This paragraph discusses the importance of building a welcoming and accepting classroom community as a foundation for an inclusive learning environment. It references Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to emphasize the necessity of psychological safety and a sense of belonging before academic achievement. The paragraph introduces ice breaker activities and team-building exercises to foster a sense of community. It also explains the Response to Intervention (RTI) model, a proactive approach to identifying and addressing students' learning needs through a multi-tiered system of support, ensuring that all students receive the appropriate level of instruction and intervention based on their performance.
π Quick-Start Guide for Implementing Inclusion
The final paragraph offers a practical quick-start guide for educators to begin implementing inclusion in their classrooms. It provides eight tips, starting with the practice of person-first language and avoiding negative connotations. The paragraph encourages making supports and assistive technology available to all students to reduce isolation and promote success. It suggests considering barriers to learning and finding alternatives to eliminate them, as well as promoting collaborative work among students through various methods. The guide also emphasizes holding all students to high expectations, providing diverse ways for students to express themselves, and developing lessons that cater to a wide range of academic abilities.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Inclusive Classroom
π‘Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
π‘Person-First Language
π‘Integration
π‘Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
π‘Response to Intervention (RTI)
π‘Natural Proportion
π‘Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
π‘Best Practices
π‘Collaboration
π‘High Expectations
Highlights
Raynee and Tyler are graduate students at the University of Montana, creating a guide to develop inclusive classrooms.
Inclusive schools integrate general and special education, ensuring equal learning opportunities for all students.
Inclusive classrooms are restructured to build a community where everyone can participate and express themselves equally.
Supports in inclusive classrooms are portable, with services brought into the regular classroom instead of pull-out options.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is implemented to accommodate instructional needs for all students.
Inclusion benefits all students by promoting equality, group membership, and a sense of belonging.
Inclusive classrooms combat bullying by fostering a sense of community and mutual support among students.
Inclusion teaches students appropriate behavior in various social settings, preparing them for life beyond school.
Inclusion is distinct from mainstreaming or integration, focusing on the child's rights and the school's duty to accept them.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to offer a continuum of services for students with disabilities.
The least restrictive environment (LRE) principle of IDEA ensures education in the same classrooms for disabled and non-disabled peers.
Best practices in inclusive classrooms include using person-first language to emphasize the individual over the disability.
UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals that work for everyone through flexible, customizable approaches.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs suggests that a sense of belonging is foundational for self-esteem and academic success.
Creating a classroom community through ice breaker games and team-building activities fosters acceptance and collaboration.
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a model that identifies and addresses student support needs early in their academic career.
Natural proportion in classrooms ensures a balanced distribution of students with special needs, avoiding clustering.
A quick-start guide for inclusion provides eight practical tips for implementing inclusive practices in any classroom.
Transcripts
Hi I'm Raynee, and I'm Tyler we're graduate students in the Curriculum and
Instruction department at the University of Montana.
We made the following video as a guide to help teachers and administrators
develop an inclusive classroom.
We will cover topics like the benefits of inclusion, some best practices
and provide tips to implement inclusion into your classroom. Please use the sidebar to
follow along with the presentation.
Closed captioning is also provided along the bottom of the screen.
So, what is an inclusive school? An inclusive school is one in which general
education and special education are no longer separate from each other
and completely indistinguishable. The school has been restructured so that all
students have an equal opportunity to learn together.
It changes the classroom to build a community where everyone has equal
opportunities to participate and express themselves.
In an inclusive classroom supports are portable and pull out services replaced by bringing
the services into the regular classroom.
Universal Design for for Learning is implemented to accommodate instructional
Universal Design for for Learning is implemented to accommodate instructional
Why is inclusion good for everyone? An inclusive classroom still offers the
same high quality curriculum,
just with the addition Universal Design for Learning, or UDL strategies
to help all students have equal learning opportunities.
Inclusion is also good for all students in the classroom,
not just the students with special needs or behavioral differences.
In an inclusive classrooms, students get experience working together
with students with a variety of ability levels. In these classroom settings,
conversations about equality, group membership, and opportunity
naturally occur which help all children to feel like they're accepted and a part
of the classroom community.
A community setting helps to combat
issues such as bullying, as children feel that they are all working together and
looking out for one another.
An inclusive classroom is also an opportunity for students to see how to
behave appropriately in a classroom
or in certain social settings. Is there a difference between inclusion and
mainstreaming or
integration? It's important to note that inclusion is not the same thing is
mainstreaming or integration.
Integration and mainstreaming tend to be concerned principally with disability
and special educational needs and
imply learners changing or becoming ready for or deserving
of accommodations by mainstreaming. By contrast, inclusion is about the child's
rights to participate
and the school's duty to accept the child. Inclusion rejects the use of special
schools or classrooms to separate students with disabilities from students
without disabilities.
A premium is placed upon full participation by students with
disabilities and upon respect for their social
civil and educational rights.Inclusion gives students with and without
disabilities
additional skills such as collaboration, teamwork, and problem-solving
that they can use in and out of the classroom. Legal implications of
Inclusion.
Not only is inclusion good for all types of learners
but appropriate degrees of inclusion are also required by law.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
or IDEA does not support an all-or-nothing education system
in which children with disabilities attend either regular or special
education classes.
Instead the Act requires schools to offer a continuum of services for
students with disabilities.
The least restrictive environment or LRE
one of the six principles of IDEA requires that children with disabilities
receive a free and appropriate education
in the same classrooms as their non-disabled peers to the greatest
extent
appropriate. The degree of inclusion varies from student to student
and is very flexible. As a student develops, the maximum appropriate
inclusion
in a general classroom can develop to. How can best practices be introduced in
your classroom?
In education, best practices is defined as a wide range individual activities
policies and programmatic approaches to achieve positive change in student
attitudes or academic behaviors.
When developing an inclusive classroom, there are several important aspects to
ensure best practices.
Person first language is important when working with students who have a
disability.
This puts an emphasis on the person not the disability
and it helps them to fit in and be an accepted member of the classroom.
It's important that students care more about how they're similar instead of how
they're different.
An example a person first language would be to use the term such as
a child who has dyslexia instead of saying a dyslexic child.
UDL is another important aspect to best practices in an
inclusive classroom. UDL helps the teacher develop a curriculum
that gives all students an equal opportunity to learn. It's a blueprint
for creating instructional goals,
methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone by using a flexible
approach that can be customized and
adjusted for individual needs. Guidelines for UDL require that multiple means
representation are provided.
This helps to maximize every student's strengths because it does not limit
instruction to only engage in one sense.
It allows all the senses to be engaged and used in the learning experience.
By providing information multiple ways students can work to their strengths
while building
understanding through multiple sense avenues. A second guideline to UDL is to
provide multiple means action and expression.
Learners differ in the ways that they navigate a learning environment and
express what they know.
There is not one means of action and expression that will be optimal for all
learners.
Providing options for action and expression is essential.
The final guideline for UDL is to provide multiple means engagement.
Learners differ markedly in the ways in which they can
be engaged are motivated to learn. Information that does not engage
learner's cognition
is in fact inaccessible. Relevant information goes unnoticed and
unprocessed,
not allowing the child to learn. Providing multiple options for
engagement is the only way to attract all students attention and engage them
in the
learning process. Classroom Community Building.
A welcoming and accepting classroom is key to the successful creation
an inclusive learning environment. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
states that both psychological and safety needs must be met before person
can address their needs related to social acceptance
and a sense of belonging. However many believe that a student's social and
belonging needs must first be addressed
and that self esteem comes from a sense of belonging. Many schools push students to
achieve so they can belong
instead of helping students feel belonging before asking them to achieve.
Creating that classroom community environment can help students feel
accepted and appreciated
and provides a great background for collaboration, understanding,
and
academic success. It can be very simple to create a classroom community.
At the beginning of the school year students can participate in ice breaker
games and "get to know you" activities
so they can learn about each other and begin to see their commonalities
and understand their differences. Students can also participate in team
work skill building activities
so that they are better able to see and apply each other's strengths
and create group many experiences. Even these simple activities can help to build
a strong classroom community
in which individuals are accepted and appreciated. Response to Intervention or
RTI is another inclusion model. Instead of the way to fail model
that waits until students show signs of failure before intervening.
RTI is a multi-tiered approach that identifies a student's support needs
early in their academic career. The multi-tiered approach
is used to efficiently differentiate instruction for students by offering
increasing intensities and instruction and offering specific
research-based interventions to match student needs.
The first, or bottom tier of the RTI triangle
is where all students receive high quality, scientifically based instruction
provided by qualified personnel to ensure that their difficulties are not
due to inadequate instruction.
Students not showing adequate progress under Tier 1 instruction
are moved up to Tier 2. In Tier 2,
students are provided with increasingly intensive instruction
matched to their needs on the basis of levels of performance and rates progress.
This instruction often takes place in a small group setting.
If a student isn't showing adequate progress through Tier 2 instruction,
they are then considered for the more intensive instruction in Tier 3.
Students receiving Tier 3 instruction participate in
individualized intensive instruction interventions that target the student's
skill deficit.
if a student isn't showing adequate progress in Tier 3 instruction
they can be evaluated and considered for special education services.
It is important to remember that a student's placement
any of the three tiers of instruction is not fixed. For example,
if a student receiving Tier 3 instruction begin showing progress with
fewer supports
they can move back into Tier 2 or even Tier 1 instruction.
Natural proportion is important to keep in mind in inclusive classroom.
Natural proportion ensures that the percentage of students with special
needs in any particular class
does not significantly exceed the percentage in the school as a whole.
This ratio should also be similar to that of the population in the community
in which the school is located.
If too many students with disabilities are placed together, or clustered,
the range of needs will make the class difficult to teach and many the benefits
of inclusive
education, such as peer models and high expectations will be lost.
when children with severe disabilities are clustered in the classroom,
they're often put in a separate part the classroom with an aide or
paraprofessional
which eliminates opportunities for them have meaningful interaction with their
classmates.
A quick-start guide for inclusion in your classroom.
Use the following 8 tips to start implementing inclusion in your classroom.
1. Practice person first language.
2. Avoid terms a project and unnecessarily
negative connotation, like deformed, poor
unfortunate, or victim. 3. Make supports and assistive technology
available to all students,
not just students with disabilities. This will lessen the isolation
an individual using supports can feel and help all students be successful
learners.
4. Think of barriers to learning
and try to come up with alternatives to eliminate those barriers.
5. Have students work collaboratively.
This can be done in a variety of ways. You can have students work in a buddy
system
which helps build relationships and increases community interaction for all
students.
You could also develop a school-based peer mentoring program.
In a peer mentoring program, the relationship between the mentor and
mentee
gives the mentee a sense of being connected to the larger community
where they may otherwise feel lost. Group projects are another great way to get
students to work collaboratively.
However, in group projects it's important to emphasize equal input and rolls for
all members of the group
to ensure relevant participation by all members and equal opportunities
for expression.
6. Hold all students to high expectations.
You want to push them to achieve to their highest abilities.
Even if you have to reduce the workload for some students,
you can still hold high expectations for them. 7.
Provide a variety of ways for students to express themselves and their
knowledge.
students work harder when they have some choice in what they're doing.
8.
Develop lessons with children on both the high-end and low-end of
academic abilities in mind. Don't build the lesson thinking only of the middle.
This helps to give all children opportunities to learn to their highest
ability.
We hope this video will help you implement inclusion into your classroom.
The resources listed are helpful if you have any questions along the way.
With careful thought and consideration all children can learn together in your
classroom and school!
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