An Introduction to Inclusive Education

By:
Whitney H. Rapp, Ph.D.
Katrina L. Arndt, Ph.D.
St. John Fisher College

About the Authors

Whitney H. Rapp, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Inclusive Education
St. John Fisher College, Rochester, New York
Dr. Whitney H. Rapp is an Associate Professor of Inclusive Education at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York, where she teaches courses on inclusive education pedagogy, assessment, classroom management, and diversity issues. She is currently serving as Associate Dean of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., School of Education. Dr. Rapp holds a B.A. in elementary education and psychology from the State University of New York at Potsdam and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in special education from Michigan State University. Prior to her 14 years of experience in teacher education programs, Whitney taught many different grade levels in a variety of settings, from fully inclusive classrooms to residential special education schools. All of these experiences reinforced her belief that all children can learn and that all children should learn together in inclusive settings. Whitney's current research interests include universal design for learning particularly strategies to support executive functioning abilities. She presents often at local, state, and national conferences on differentiation of instruction and teacher education. Whitney's spare time is spent with her husband and three children, riding bikes, hiking.

Katrina L. Arndt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Inclusive Education
St. John Fisher College, Rochester, New York
Dr. Katrina L. Arndt is an Associate Professor of Inclusive Education at St. John Fisher College. She teaches courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs in inclusive pedagogy, collaboration, assessment, classroom management, and diversity issues, and has supervised student teachers and graduate-field placements. Before entering higher education, she was a preschool teacher, paraprofessional, and special education teacher in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for 10 years. She then worked as secondary English co-teacher in the Rochester, New York, area. Dr. Arndt holds a B.A. in philosophy from Grinnell College and an M.A. in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her Ph.D. in special education and her Certificate of Advanced Study in disability studies are from Syracuse University. She joined the faculty of St. John Fisher College in 2005, and was a part of the group of faculty who voted to merge the Special Education, Adolescence Education, and Childhood Education Departments to become a single inclusive education department in 2010. Her research interests focus broadly on inclusive practices in schooling and narrowly on sharing the perspectives of children, youth, and adults who are visually impaired, blind, and deafblind. Katrina spends her free time enjoying the outdoors with her partner Lauren, visiting her many nieces and nephews, and hiking.

CHAPTER 10: Collaboration

How this chapter prepares you to be an effective inclusive classroom teacher:

• This chapter emphasizes the importance of valuing all family groupings and being sensitive to the many aspects of diversity. This chapter also emphasizes the importance of asking for help when it is needed—a direct connection to being a lifelong learner. This helps you meet CEC Standard 9: Professional and Ethical Practice.
• This chapter teaches the components of collaboration and the importance of having good collaborative skills. The relationships special education teachers have with other teachers, related service providers, teaching assistants, and community agencies are reviewed. This chapter addresses that teachers are viewed as specialists by myriad people who actively seek their help to effectively include and teach all students. You will also learn that teachers are a resource to their colleagues in understanding the laws and policies relevant to all students.

Collaboration Best Practices

What is collaboration?

Collaboration is working with others. Collaboration happens when two or more people talk to each other and work to meet a common goal. In schools, collaboration happens all the time, every day. Teachers work with each other—general education teachers collaborate with special education teachers, content area teachers collaborate within and across content.

Key Elements of Collaboration:

• Know Your Strengths: Understand your own strengths and the strengths of others to work effectively together.
• Communication Skills: Develop good communication skills to express ideas and collaborate effectively.
• Be Flexible: Be open to new ideas and approaches to create a collaborative environment.
• Take Risks: Be willing to try new methods or ideas, as this is crucial for growth in teaching and collaboration.

Summary of Key Practices

1. Knowing Your Strengths and Others: Use tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory and Kaleidoscope to help you understand your and others' strengths.
2. Expressing Information: Communicate clearly and effectively, ensuring that all materials are accessible to your audience.
3. Ask for Help: Recognize the importance of seeking help and that it’s okay to not know everything.
4. Common Goals: Establish shared goals to improve collaboration and minimize misunderstanding.
5. Cultural Consciousness: Ensure that students’ cultures are valued in the learning process.

Table 10.1: Learning Preferences and Styles

Table 10.2: Ways to Connect with Families