CHAPTER 4- COMPONENTS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.pptx.pdf

COMPONENTS OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION CHAPTER 4 Submitted by; Galupo, Melanie O. Macaponggis, Sohailah O. Silvestre, Kristal Hope M. Objectives Enumerate the processes involved in Child Find through the pre-refern process,...

COMPONENTS OF SPECIAL AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION CHAPTER 4 Submitted by; Galupo, Melanie O. Macaponggis, Sohailah O. Silvestre, Kristal Hope M. Objectives Enumerate the processes involved in Child Find through the pre-refern process, Identity the assessment tools, methods, and principles in working wit children with additional needs, Identity the different placement within a continuum, Compare accommodations and curriculum modifications, Identify ways how to involve parents as part of the home-school collaboration. CHILD FIND THROUGH A PRE-REFERRAL PROCESS Referral for evaluation and special education services begins by identifying students who have additional needs and who may be at risk for developmental disabilities. School guidance counselors, early childhood teachers, primary school teachers, and community-based daycare workers are often the first to notice such developmental delays in children. In other instances, the parents themselves notice the delays and seek consultation with pediatricians and other specialists.  A. PRE-REFERRAL PROCESS A child noted to have significant difficulties in relation to expected competencies and developmental milestones may be referred by parents and teachers for observation and assessment. A team of professionals, known as a pre-referral team, is comprised of special education teachers, counselors, administrators, and psychologists who collaborate to determine reasons for the observed challenges (Hallahan et al. 2014). Taylor (2009) provided an assessment model that begins with a pre-referral process. Children with noted developmental delays and difficulties are identified through observations and use of norm- and criterion-referenced tests.  B. PRE-REFERRAL STRATEGIES Essential in a pre-referral intervention is the use of pre-referral strategies that are designed to provide immediate instructional and/or behavior management support to a child. Using such strategies lessens the number of cases referred for special education and makes efficient use of time and financial resources that could have been spent for special education assessment (Heward 2013). This will also lessen the tendency of over-referrals to special education and wasting time as children wait to be tested rather than receive the instructional and behavioral support they need. Depending on the information gathered, corresponding changes can be made to manage the child's needs, such as modification of the classroom environment (e.g., seating arrangement, group change, and teacher's proximity in class), instructional support, and relevant * classroom and behavior management (Meloughlin & Lewis 2009) PRE-REFERRAL STRATEGIES  ASSESSMENT Assessment is the process of collecting information about a child's strengths and needs. It uses a problem-solving process that involves a systematic collection as well as interpretation of data gathered (Salvia et al.2013). A. Assessment Purposes Assessment has a variety of purpose in special and inclusive education, It begins with initial identification that was explained in the previous section in Child Find and the pre-referral process. There are a variety of assessment methods that regular and special education teachers can use. This section covers the following: (1) interviews, (2) observations, (3) checklists or rating scales, and (4) tests.  ASSESSMENT B. Methods of Assessment Tests -School psychologists, educational diagnosticians, and other related professionals use a variety of assessment tools to ensure that results are valid and reliable. Norm-referenced tests_ are standardized assessments that compare a child's performance with a representative sample of students of the same chronological age. Results- are reported as percentile ranks and age and grade equivalent scores, which makes it easier for professionals to determine class and individual performance.  ASSESSMENT B. Methods of Assessment Intelligence Tests (e.g., Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Students and Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale) and Achievement Tests (Wide Range Achievement Tests and Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement) are examples of norm-referenced assessments. Criterion-referenced tests- compare a child's performance based on established standards and competencies and can be used to describe student performance (Jennings et al. 2006 as cited in Spinelli 2012). Scores are typically reported simple numerical scores, percentage of correct responses, letter grades, or graphic score reports. Informal Assessment Professionals also use informal or - non-standardized assessments, which are considered more authentic and thus can be used primarily to describe performance and inform instruction. Such assessments can be curriculum-based or performance-based, such as the teacher-made instruments used in classrooms and portfolio assessments. For example, the use of reading inventories where a teacher listens to a child read while counting for accuracy and speed is an example of an informal assessment.  Authentic Assessment Authentic assessments provide students the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in meaningful, real-world settings (e.g., classroom, playground, etc.) rather than in an artificial and contrived setting (Dennis et al. 2013). Assessment tasks that are more real-life are considered more authentic. Clay (2000 as cited in Dennis et al. 2013) identified essential information to be included in a running record: Date and time of the observation Names of children involved Location of the incident Verbatim recording of what the children said Actual events that occurred Anecdotal records contain shorter descriptions of incidents or anecdotes that teachers and specialists can use to analyze a student's behavior and plan strategies for a specific child or group of children. The different assessment methods and tools used to assess Carl after the pre-referral process are discussed in the following. C. ASSESSMENT PRINCIPLES Assessment practices should be anchored on principles as provided by the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Student (DEC) (2014), Child- and family-centered practices, a team-based approach. application of individualized and appropriate process, and use of genuine and meaningful communication that adhere to ethical and legal practice: are the recommendations provided by the DEC. Thus, a variety of assessment methods and tools, use of authentic measures, as well as involvement of the family are necessary to make decisions for placement and instructional planning (DEC 2014).  PLACEMENT Assessment results are used to decide a child's appropriate education placement within a continuum from the least to the most restrictive settings. During the evaluation, student performance is assessed and the team determines if there would be any changes in the educational placement within the continuum. Teams will base this on their observations, assessment results, and other factors, with the goal to move toward the least restrictive learning environment. Sound decisions are made to allow for fluidity in the child's placement based on the child's strengths, abilities, and needs.  A general education classroom is the least restrictive environment for a child with additional needs. Access to the same learning experiences and opportunities is provided as to typically developing students. Thus it is considered as the "most normalized or typical setting" (Gargiulo, 2012). Additional support in the form of accommodations or changes in expectations through curriculum modifications may be provided but still within the same classroom as peers within the year level. Inclusive education espouses that all students, to the maximum extent possible, is provided access to general education classroom with the provision of support to remove barriers to enable success.  ACCOMMODATIONS AND CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS Students with disabilities and additional needs who are studying in an inclusive general education classroom may need accommodations in the form of instructional support and other supplementary services. Others who need more intensive support are provided with curricular modifications. A. Accommodations Based on the definition, accommodations are supports provided to students to help gain full access to class content and instruction, without altering the curriculum standards and competencies expected and to demonstrate accurately what they know. When accommodations are provided in a general education classroom for children with disabilities, barriers are removed from accessing education. As a result, children can work around the effect of their disabilities. Accommodations may be provided both during assessment and instruction, depending on the learning profile and needs of a child and may vary in terms of presentation, response, setting, and scheduling (Beech 2010).  ACCOMMODATIONS AND CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS 1. Presentation Accommodations Children with disabilities may need specialized presentation formats especially those with sensory impairments so they can learn the same content alongside typically developing peers.  ACCOMMODATIONS AND CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS 2. Response Accommodations Response accommodations allow students with disabilities and additional needs a variety of ways to complete assignments, written tests, performance tasks, and other activities. Providing such instructional and assessment supports allows them to access the same learning experiences as other students in a general education classroom.  ACCOMMODATIONS AND CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS 3. Setting Accommodations 4. Scheduling Accommodations Changes in the location or Changing time allotment, conditions of the educational schedule of tasks and setting or environment may be assessments, and management necessary for students who need of time are some types of support in terms of behavior, scheduling accommodations. attention, and organization of space and materials. Accommodation in a Students with slower ability in setting may allow a child who gets processing Information and easily distracted to work in a quiet directions well as with focusing corner of the classroom in his own issues may need these types of study carrel so that he will not be accommodation. sidetracked by environmental stimuli.  ACCOMMODATIONS AND CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS B. Modifications Curriculum modifications are provided for students with significant or severe disabilities where content expectations are altered, and the performance outcomes are changed in relation to what are expected of typically developing students of the same age (DEC 2007). Educational teams responsible for instructional planning may indicate curricular modifications in the student's Individual Educational Plan (IEP).  PARENT INVOLVEMENT Parent involvement is crucial in inclusive and special education for children with disabilities and additional needs. This is based on Bronfenbrenner's Human Ecological Theory, which outlines five environmental systems: microsystem, mesosystem, and mesosystem. Within these systems, children interact with parents, teachers, peers, and others, while the mesosystem connects family experiences to school experiences. The Division of Early Childhood of the Council of Exceptional Children (DEC) advocates for family-centered practices in early childhood assessment and instruction. This model honors family choices, adopts a strengths orientation, and makes the entire family the unit of support. Teachers and administrators can use these principles when communicating with parents and families of students with disabilities. Parent involvement is linked to academic achievement and school performance improvements. A. Home-School Communication #1. Parent-Teacher Conferences Having established the critical Parent-teacher conferences are face-to-face meetings role of parents in a student's between parents and teachers to discuss a child's developmental and academic background, strengths, abilities, difficulties, and home progress and achievement, it interventions, enabling coordination of efforts and is essential that there is a services for both school and home support. Schools vary close home and school in frequency of parent-teacher conferences. A best collaboration and practice is to hold meetings at the beginning of a school communication. To establish year for goal setting for students with disabilities, partnerships, establishing rapport and allowing communication about problem-solving, two-way communication, and shared progress, changes, and action plans. decision making are some of the practices needed. Communicating with parents may be done in several ways.  #2. Written Communications Home-school communication can involve written messages, such as using a notebook, where teachers and parents document homework assignments, classroom behavior, and program progress, which some parents prefer for documentation and specialist access. A. Home-School #3. Digital Communications Communication Mobile devices have revolutionized communication between parents and families, enabling instant and real-time updates about students. Technology promotes parent involvement, but drawbacks include potential disrespect of time and personal space. Therefore, it's crucial to establish boundaries and maintain respectful boundaries for effective communication.  #4. Home-School Contracts A home-school contract contains an agreement between teachers and parents regarding behavioral A. Home-School and/or academic goals for a student with disability. One Communication example of a home-school contract is a Daily Report Card, an individualized intervention used in schools that is anchored on the behavioral principles of operant conditioning.  A. Parent education- involves seminars and B. OTHER WAYS TO workshops to provide parents with a better INVOLVE PARENTS understanding of their child's disability, strengths, and uniqueness. These sessions can Parents also have strengths, be quarterly or regular, depending on parents' abilities, intuitive needs and school capacity, ensuring continuity knowledge, and the commitment to help their in home-school practices. own child. They become advocates of their own children. To maximize their B- Parent support groups- provide parents involvement, schools provide other opportunities with tips and techniques for working with their such as parent education children, empowering them to participate in training, workshops, and planning and organizing meetings, sharing parent support groups. techniques, strategies, and frustrations.  SUMMARY This chapter discusses inclusive and special education components, emphasizing a team approach involving child, parents, teachers, therapists, and specialists in planning and decision-making for disabled children. THANK YOU!