KYPT - Inclusion

Collaboration

By now, you have likely gotten the idea that inclusion can be a very complicated undertaking. The requirement of IDEA, Transformations, Academic Expectations, the curriculum, IEP objectives, the demands of teaching a group of students, the unique support needs of students with disabilities, individual modifications, and numerous other factor are on your teacher’s daily agenda. Yet, we all know not everyone can be an expert in everything. There is a reason some teacher teach science, some social studies, some English, and some focus on different teaching strategies for students who learn differently. As an example, think about your high school band. In order to make meaningful and powerful music, each person must come together to produce a harmonious sound. Those who play the flute cannot also play in the trombone section, the trombones cannot also be playing the drums, and so on. No one person is an expert in all areas. So how can inclusion work? The right answer is it is not just one person’s job. Inclusion is a team sport!

In order for students with disabilities to be successful in regular education classes, it is important that regular education teachers, special education teachers, and para-professionals work together as a team. Other professionals who might be part of this team include speech therapists, occupational therapists, or physical therapists. Collaboration occurs when these people work together to plan instruction, create modifications, and to problem-solve.

*ACTIVITY*

To find out more about what collaboration is, look at the following website:

http://www.quasar.ualberta.ca/ddc/inclusion/schoolcaring/sb1.htm

There are various models of collaboration used by special education teachers and regular education teachers. Sometimes the special education teacher may co-teach with the regular education teacher and monitor the learning of all students. The special education teacher might also observe the special education student or the class as a whole, looking for a targeted behavior. He or she could work one-on-one with the student with special needs on targeted skills. The teachers must be able to work together and share ideas and strategies in order for the student to be successful.

· What are some of the characteristics commonly found in successful inclusion programs? Look at the following website to find out.

· Describe some of the ways that the teachers described in the scenario collaborated.

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/Including.Students.html

How do teachers and others in your school collaborate? How could they do an even better job at it? What problems do you run into when you have to do a collaborative project? Do you think teachers run into the same difficulties? What are some ideas about how to work through the problems of collaboration and build an effective team?