Inclusion

Inclusive EducationWhen every child is welcomed and valued regardless of

ability or disability.

Inclusion concerns us all; how do we ensure that all children and young people reach their full potential ?

How does your school promote Inclusive Practice?

How can the RTLB service support Inclusive Practice within your school?

What is inclusive education?

• Educational inclusion is about creating a secure, accepting, collaborating and stimulating school in which everyone is valued, as the foundation for the highest achievement for all pupils.

In an inclusive school:

• the inclusive ethos permeates all school policies so that they increase learning and participation for all pupils

• school practices reflect the inclusive ethos and policies of the school.

(adapted from Index for Inclusion, CSIE)

Inclusive Education is an Attitude

• It means the doors to schools, classrooms and school activities are open to every child and they are afforded every opportunity to be included with their non-disabled peers.

…individualized supports that give kids with disabilities the extra help they need to learn

from general curriculum.

Inclusion IS. . .

Students can’t learn general curriculum unless they are in the

room where it is being taught.

It’s not about the place!!!

• All students must have access to general curriculum.

• This is true no matter what class they are in.

• Even students in the most segregated classes MUST have access to the general curriculum for their age and grade.

Inclusive education IS not:

• Dumping kids with disabilities into general classrooms without the supports and services they need to be successful.

• Cutting back special education services as a “trade off” for being in the general education classroom.

• Sacrificing the education of kids without disabilities so kids with disabilities can be included.

Why Inclusion?

Inclusive experiences give children with disabilities:

• a sense of belonging, • supportive positive social

relationships and friendships, and

• the ability to promote development and learning so they can reach their full potential.

What is Inclusion?

ACCESS

LEARNINGOBJECTIVES

TEACHINGSTYLES

Setting suitable learning challenges

Overcoming potential barriers to learning

Responding to pupils’ diverse needs

Inclusion is Tied to the General Curriculum

• There must be a connection between the general curriculum objectives and the student’s IEP goals and objectives.

• The Team surrounding the student must decide what the student will learn about each subject the class is studying.

• The Team must decide which and how many general curriculum objectives are to be taught.

• The Team must also make general curriculum objectives functional and meaningful for this student.

Is pull out best?“Pull out” means removing the student from class for a small group of 1-to-1 instruction. Ask:

Why can’t the skill be taught in the general classroom?

Are there ways to change it so it could be taught there?

While the student is in pull out, s/he misses what is going on in the general classroom.Think about:How do you help the student catch up on what s/he missed?

How will skills learned in pull out time help the student spend MORE time in the general classroom?

Do they need an extra appendage?

• Is having an adult with them all day making the student MORE dependent?

• Does the educational assistant take away the student’s need to communicate and make choices?

• Does having an educational assistant there make peers less likely to interact with the student?

• Is the student ever alone with peers?

• Is the student at least arm’s length away from the educational assistant when possible?

• Would the student be better off having help from several different people rather than always the same assistant?

What is the Least Restrictive

Environment?• To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with typical peers.

• Separate schooling only when nature and severity of disability prevents satisfactory education in regular education (with use of supplementary aids and services).

• Starts with the assumption the student will be in the general classroom, with supports as needed.

• If that won’t work full time, pull the child out of the general classroom for part of the day for therapies or resources. This should be done as seldom as possible.

• Only if all other options fail should the child be separated from the general classroom.

How can you foster good inclusive

practices? Be flexible Be collaborative Be prepared to problem solve Be a planner Be aware of the language used when

describing students Be aware of how you spend your time Be prepared to play a key role in

beginning and maintaining an inclusive focus

Schools

What can be done/is being done with the individuals in the school you work in to promote an inclusive culture you value?