Teachers’ Guides to Inclusive Practices

Modifying Schoolwork

Third Edition

by Rachel Janney, Ph.D.

Baltimore·London·Sydney

Contents

1. About the Authors
2. About the Forms
3. Acknowledgments
4. Inclusive Education: The Big Picture
   • Defining Characteristics of Inclusive Education
   • An Organizing Framework for Schoolwide Systems of Student Support
   • Improving Your Schools Inclusive Practices
5. Curricular and Instructional Practices that Promote the Inclusion and Success of All Students
   • Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction
   • Active Learning and Brain-Compatible Learning
   • Peer-Mediated Learning Structures
   • Learning Strategies
   • Graphic Organizers
   • Strategies to Increase Active Responding During Whole-Class Lessons
   • Collaborative Planning for Diverse Groups of Students
6. A Model for Creating Individualized Adaptations and Supports
   • What Is a Model, and Why Is It Necessary?
   • Creating Individualized Adaptations and Supports
7. Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating Individualized Adaptations and Supports for Students with Extensive Needs
   • Step 1: Gather and Share Information About the Student and the Classroom
   • Step 2: Schedule Instruction and Supports Across the Day
   • Step 3: Plan and Implement Instruction, with Needed Adaptations and Supports
   • Step 4: Plan and Implement More Specialized Teaching Strategies
   • Step 5: Monitor and Evaluate
8. Including All Students in Instruction in Core Curriculum Areas
   • Two Reminders: Start with Effective Teaching and Keep All Students Goals in Mind
   • Reading and Written Language
   • Mathematics and Numeracy
   • Content Areas and Natural and Social Sciences
   • Tests and Testing Procedures
   • A Final Note: Do Not Reinvent the Wheel
9. References
10. Appendix A: Blank Forms
11. Appendix B: Resources on Creating Effective Inclusive Schools and Designing Schoolwork for Inclusive Classrooms
12. Index

About the Authors

Rachel Janney, Ph.D., is an independent scholar and consultant who has worked with children and adults with disabilities in various capacities, including special education teacher, educational consultant, and author. She has a doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Martha E. Snell, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, specializing in the preparation of teachers for students with intellectual and severe disabilities.

FOCUSING QUESTIONS

Inclusive Education

1. What are the defining characteristics of inclusive education?
2. How do inclusive practices fit within schoolwide systems for student support?

This book is designed to be a practical resource for general and special educators and parents who aim to successfully educate students with diverse strengths in typical schools and classrooms. Its primary purpose is to present a coordinated approach where educational teams can plan and deliver effective instruction.

It takes great effort to prepare a school system to provide effective education in inclusive contexts. The focus of this book is on classroom strategies rather than making school systems more inclusive.

DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Inclusion is about school renewal and change to improve the education system for all students. Effective inclusion practices require a comprehensive plan for changes in curriculum, teaching methods, and student interactions.

The success of inclusive practices as a way to provide educational services depends on various factors, including teachers’ knowledge and the quality of educational experiences available. An inclusive service delivery model incorporates staffing arrangements and service delivery methods that allow students to receive special education services without removing them from their general education classes.

Key Findings on Inclusive Education

1. Given the right supports, students with disabilities can demonstrate high levels of social interaction in inclusive settings.
2. Interactive, small-group contexts facilitate skill acquisition and social acceptance.
3. Achievement of students without disabilities is not compromised by the inclusion of students with disabilities.