Inclusion:

Working with Students with Special Needs

in General Education Classrooms

Instructor Name: Dr. Florah Luseno

Phone: 509-891-7219

Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST Monday - Friday

Email: florahl@virtualeduc.com

Address: Virtual Education Software

16201 E Indiana Ave, Suite 1450

Spokane, WA 99216

Technical Support: support@virtualeduc.com

Introduction

Inclusion: Working with Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms was written to help teachers understand concepts and terms related to educating students in inclusive classrooms. The course also helps teachers learn about the continuum of placements school systems can use in providing special education and related services to students with disabilities. Information discussed is also designed to help you understand the federal definition of students entitled to special education services, as well as procedures you can use in determining whether these students can be educated in the regular classroom. The course also identifies and describes the roles and responsibilities of special and general educators in providing special education services to students educated in inclusive classrooms and instructional and classroom management strategies teachers can use to work with these students in the least restrictive environment.

This computer-based instruction course is a self-supporting program that provides instruction, structured practice, and evaluation all on your home or school computer. Technical support information can be found in the Help section of your course.

Course Materials

Title: Inclusion: Working with Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms

Instructor: Dr. Florah Luseno

Publisher: Virtual Education Software, inc.2002, Revised 2010

Academic Integrity Statement

The structure and format of most distance-learning courses presume a high level of personal and academic integrity in completion and submission of coursework. Individuals enrolled in a distance-learning course are expected to adhere to the following standards of academic conduct.

Academic Work

Academic work submitted by the individual (such as papers, assignments, reports, tests) shall be the student’s own work or appropriately attributed, in part or in whole, to its correct source. Submission of commercially prepared (or group prepared) materials as if they are one’s own work is unacceptable.

Aiding Honesty in Others

The individual will encourage honesty in others by refraining from providing materials or information to another person with knowledge that these materials or information will be used improperly.

Violation of these academic standards will result in the assignment of a failing grade and subsequent loss of credit for the course.

Level of Application

This course is designed as an informational course for K-12 regular and special education teachers, administrators, parents, and related service personnel. Information discussed is designed to help you better understand current educational models being used to educate students with disabilities in the general education classroom. This course will allow you to compare and identify how school districts in your own area are implementing inclusion programs, handling current inclusion issues, and some of the practices teachers are using to educate students in inclusive settings.

Course Objectives

· List and describe the federal definition of students with disabilities and the criteria used to determine whether they qualify for special education and related services;

· List and describe key concepts and terms related to educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms;

· Describe the continuum of placements school systems can use to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities;

· Identify and describe federal legislation and court cases that have contributed to the movement toward educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms;

· List and describe the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms;

· List and describe federal laws and regulations and procedures IDEA, NCLB, Section 504, and ADA require school systems and educators to use in assessing, identifying, and providing special education and related services to students with special needs;

· List and describe the special education and related services school systems are mandated to provide to students with disabilities;

· List and describe the pre-referral and response to intervention process schools and special and general educators are mandated to use, to ensure students are not failing due to poor instruction, before labeling them as students with disabilities;

· Describe procedures special and general educators can use to determine whether a student with special needs can be educated in the general education classroom;

· List and describe the characteristics of effective inclusive programs;

· Identify and describe the role and responsibilities of special and general educators in providing special education and related services to students educated in inclusive classrooms;

· Define the term “collaboration” and describe strategies special and general educators can use to work together, in providing special education and related services to students in inclusive classrooms;

· Describe the importance of differentiating instruction for students in inclusive classrooms and the components of instruction special and general educators have to consider in determining what to do;

· List and describe instructional and assessment accommodations and modifications special and general educators can provide to students educated in inclusive classrooms;

· List and describe factors that may result in students’ inappropriate classroom behavior;

· Define “functional assessment” and describe procedures special and general educators can use to evaluate their classroom settings and identify variables that cause students’ classroom behaviors;

· List and describe behavioral management strategies special and general educators can use to structure their classroom setting and increase students’ appropriate classroom behavior and decrease inappropriate classroom behavior;

· List and describe theoretical models that specify the relationship between students’ behaviors and learning and why it’s important for teachers to know these models.

Course Description

Information provided in this course has been divided into five chapters, which should be completed in the order in which they are presented in the program. Once you have completed these five chapters, you should have a better understanding of the concept of inclusion and how it came about. You are strongly encouraged to read additional journal articles, books, and research materials outside the course material to gain a better understanding of current issues related to educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms.

Chapter 1: The Concept & Federal Definition of Students with Disabilities

This chapter focuses on the definition of students with disabilities, factors that have influenced the movement toward educating students in general education classrooms, and the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of inclusion. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:

· Describe the federal definition of students with disabilities;

· Describe the criteria school systems can use to determine whether a student falls under one of the categories of disabilities;

· Describe key concepts/terms such as “normalization,” “de-institutionalization,” “integration,” and “inclusion”;

· List and describe federal legislation and court cases that have contributed to the movement toward educating students with disabilities in the regular classroom;

· Describe the terms “Free Appropriate Public Education” (FAPE) and “Least Restrictive Environment” (LRE);

· List and describe the continuum of settings school systems can use to educate students with disabilities; and

· List and describe the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of inclusion.

Chapter 2: Federal Laws & Regulations

Chapter two focuses on federal laws and regulations that specify procedures school systems are mandated to go through in evaluating and identifying students with special needs, the special education and related services that must be provided, and rights parents of students with disabilities are granted. After reading the information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:

· List and describe legal procedures IDEA 2004, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans With Disabilities Act – ADA, which criteria school systems and educators are required to use in evaluating, identifying, and educating students with disabilities, and the special education and related services needed;

· List and describe the provisions specified under IDEA and the mandate each provision specifies school systems must use in working with students with special needs;

· List and describe the provisions specified under the NCLB Act, and procedures school systems must use in working with students with special needs;

· Describe the special education and related services school systems are mandated to provide to students with disabilities;

· Describe the procedural safeguards parents of students with disabilities are granted under IDEA;

· Describe the civil rights students with disabilities are granted under Section 504, and ADA;

· Describe the purpose of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and an Individualized Family Service Plan and the components or information that needs to be specified in each document;

· List and describe the similarities and differences between regulations specified under IDEA, NCLB, Section 504, and ADA;

· List and describe procedures school systems are expected to go through at the pre-referral and referral stages;

· List and describe the Response to Intervention (RTI) process, and procedures school systems are expected to go through before a child is referred for an in-depth assessment, for the purpose of determining whether he/she has a disability and/or is labeled as a student with a specific learning disability;

· Describe the roles and responsibilities of teachers, school-based problem solving team members, and the multidisciplinary (IEP) team in identifying and providing special education and related services to students with special needs; and

· Describe procedures special and general educators can use to determine whether students with disabilities can be educated in the general education classroom.

Chapter 3: Special & General Educator Collaboration

This chapter focuses on the impact the movement toward educating students with special needs in the general education classroom has had on the roles and responsibilities of special and general educators, strategies teachers can use to work collaboratively, and procedures teachers can use to determine whether students need accommodations and modifications. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:

· Describe the impact the movement toward educating students with special needs in the general education classroom has had on teachers;

· Describe the role and responsibilities of teachers in terms of educating students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms;

· Define the term “collaboration” and describe different collaborative models special and general educators can use to provide special education and related services to students educated in general education classrooms (e.g. co-teaching);

· List and describe characteristics that must be in place for special and general educators to collaborate successfully; and

· List and describe the steps special and general educators should go through in setting up their own collaborative efforts.

Chapter 4: Differentiated Instruction, Accommodations, & Modifications

Chapter four focuses on why special and general educators need to differentiate instruction and provide instructional and assessment accommodations and modifications to students educated in inclusive classrooms. After reading the information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:

· Specify regulations that mandate that students should be provided with adaptations;

· Define the terms “differentiated instruction,” “curricular adaptations,” “accommodations,” and “modifications”;

· List and describe instructional accommodations and modifications teachers can provide to students educated in inclusive classrooms;

· List and describe the steps special and general educators can use to determine accommodations and modifications students may require in inclusive classrooms;

· Describe steps special and general educators can go through in determining whether a student will or will not participate in state or district-wide assessment programs; and

· List and describe types of assessment accommodations teachers can provide for students during testing.

Chapter 5: Methods for the Classroom

Chapter five focuses on procedures special and general educators can use to structure their classroom environment and manage students’ behaviors. After reading information provided in this chapter, you should be able to:

· List and describe factors that may result in students’ inappropriate classroom behavior;

· Define “functional assessment” and describe procedures educators can use to evaluate their classroom setting;

· List and describe strategies educators can use to structure their classroom setting and increase students’ appropriate classroom behavior and decrease inappropriate classroom behavior; and

· List and describe the importance of identifying the relationship between students’ behaviors and learning.

Student Expectations

As a student, you will be expected to:

· Complete all information chapters, showing a competent understanding of the material presented.

· Complete all chapter exams, showing a competent understanding of the material presented.

· Complete a review of any chapter on which your examination score was below 70%.

· Retake any examination, after completing an information review, to increase that examination score to a minimum of 70% (maximum of three attempts). *Please note: Minimum exam score requirements may vary by college or university; therefore, you should refer to your course addendum to determine what your minimum exam score requirements are.

· Complete a course evaluation form at the end of the course.

Examinations

At the end of each chapter, you will be expected to complete an examination designed to assess your

knowledge. You may take these exams a total of three times. Your last score will save, not the highest score.

After your third attempt, each examination will lock and not allow further access. Your final grade for the

course will be determined by calculating an average score of all exams. This score will be printed on your final

certificate. As this is a self-paced computerized instruction program, you may review course information as

often as necessary. You will not be able to exit any examinations until you have answered all questions. If you

try to exit the exam before you complete all questions, your information will be lost. You are expected to

complete the entire exam in one sitting.

Instructor Description

Dr. Florah Luseno, an associate professor at Chicago State University, developed Inclusion: Working with Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms. She received her Ph.D. in administration and supervision of special education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Her background experience is in the area of special education, with specific interest in emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disability, and inclusion. Dr. Luseno has conducted research on inclusion and has presented at several workshops and conferences on strategies for assessing and teaching students with disabilities.

Contacting the Instructor

You may contact the instructor by emailing florahl@virtualeduc.com or by calling (509) 891-7219 Monday through Friday. Calls made during office hours will be answered within 24 hours. Phone conferences will be limited to ten minutes per student, per day, given that this is a self-paced instructional program. Please do not contact the instructor about technical problems, course glitches, or other issues that involve the operation of the course.

_____________

Technical Questions

If you have questions or problems related to the operation of this course, please try everything twice. If the problem persists please check our support pages for FAQs and known issues at www.virtualeduc.com and also the Help section of your course.

If you need personal assistance then email support@virtualeduc.com or call (509) 891-7219. When contacting technical support, please know your course version number (it is located at the bottom left side of the Welcome Screen) and your operating system, and be seated in front of the computer at the time of your call.

Minimum Computer Requirements

Please refer to VESi’s website: www.virtualeduc.com or contact VESi if you have further questions about the compatibility of your operating system.

Refer to the addendum regarding Grading Criteria, Course Completion Information, Items to be Submitted and how to submit your completed information. The addendum will also note any additional course assignments that you may be required to complete that are not listed in this syllabus.

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Course content is updated every three years. Due to this update timeline, some URL links may no longer be active or may have changed. Please type the title of the organization into the command line of any Internet browser search window and you will be able to find whether the URL link is still active or any new link to the corresponding organization's web home page.

Updated 4/18/12 JN