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Chapter 2. Ensuring Progress in the General Curriculum Through Universal Design for Learning and Inclusion. Chapter 2 Objectives. At the end of this chapter you should be able to:. Describe how students with disabilities interact within systems of accountability
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Chapter 2 Ensuring Progress in the General Curriculum Through Universal Design for Learning and Inclusion
Chapter 2 Objectives At the end of this chapter you should be able to: • Describe how students with disabilities interact within systems of accountability • Illustrate uses of universally designed learning • Differentiate among various placement opportunities • Recall key characteristics of inclusion • Explain the importance of progressing through the general curriculum for students with disabilities 2-1
Case Study Who Are Heather and Star Morgan? • Heather and Star are sisters; Heather is in the 3rd grade; Star is in the 1st grade. • Both Heather and Star are adopted; both girls have mental retardation to differing degrees. • Heather loves to read. In class, she reads in groups with her age-appropriate peers. • Star is shy, yet shows a bright personality. She cannot speak verbally, but uses sign language. The other first grade students can sign along. • The school faculty is currently deciding if Heather will take the statewide assessment, and they will have to do this again when Star reaches third grade. 2-2
Progress in the General Education Curriculum What does progressing in the general curriculum mean? Assessing student progress: • Toward specified outcomes based on standards in the general education curriculum 2-3
Progress in the General Education Curriculum Standards-Based Reform For many years: • States and local education agencies did not have a clear curriculum for all students • Teachers thought that students with disabilities should neither participate in nor be expected to master the general curriculum 2-4
Progress in the General Education Curriculum Standards-Based Reform • IDEA requires that students with disabilities participate AND show progress in the general curriculum • The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) overcomes low expectations by: • Requiring states to establish content and performance standards for ALL students 2-5
Progress in the General Education Curriculum Standards-Based Reform • Academic Content Standards • Define the knowledge, skills, and understanding that ALL students should attain in academic subjects • Student Achievement Standards • Define the level of achievement that students should meet in order to demonstrate proficiency in a subject • States may establish alternative achievement standards • For students with significant cognitive disabilities • Must still align with academic content standards 2-6
How does the general education curriculum benefit students with disabilities? Connecting the Curriculum to the Standards • Establishes content and achievement standards • Develops and implements a general curriculum based on content standards • Assesses student progress in meeting the general curriculum’s performance standards 2-7
How does the general education curriculum benefit students with disabilities? Making Accommodations in Assessments • IEP teams must consider any accommodations needed in the assessment process • Accommodations that do not affect the content of the assessment include: • Changes in presenting information • Changes in responding • Changes in timing • Changes in setting 2-8
How does the general education curriculum benefit students with disabilities? Making Accommodations in Assessments • Alternative Assessments • Determined by the IEP team • For students who cannot perform on grade-level • Aligned with the state subject area standards • Serve the same purposes as the standard assessments: • Accountability • Decision-making 2-9
How does the general education curriculum benefit students with disabilities? Making Accommodations in Assessments • Students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds may be disadvantaged when it comes to assessments • The research gives evidence that students from European or Asian backgrounds scored higher than African American and Latino students. 2-10
Why is progress in the general education curriculum valued? In Favor of Standards-Based Reform • Comparable standards will result in higher expectations and higher levels of student achievement • By being part of the standards process, students with disabilities will also be part of the education reform movement 2-11
Why is progress in the general education curriculum valued? Against Standards-Based Reform • Holding students to the same standards can conflict with IEP goals • Students will become frustrated, discouraged, and drop out of school 2-12
How to Support Progress? How Do Supplementary Aids and Services Support Progress? • Aids, services, and other supports are provided in general education classes or other education related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with non-disabled children to the maximum extent appropriate. • Considered to be non-instructional modifications and supports 2-13
How to Support Progress? Supplementary Aids and Services(Figure 2–1) 2-14
How to Support Progress? What is Universal Design for Learning and How Does UDL Facilitate Progress? • Universal design seeks to make learning accessible to all students • Promotes flexibility in: • Representing content (curriculum materials) • Presenting content (instruction) • Demonstrating content mastery (evaluation) • NIMAS standards • Go to CAST for more information. 2-15
How Does Inclusion Support Progress? Placement Trends(U.S. Department of Education Yearly Report) • Increasing trend of including students with disabilities • Students with milder disabilities are more likely to be included • Elementary students are more likely to be included than high school students 2-16
How Does Inclusion Support Progress? Six Placement Categories (Figure 2–4) • Special education outside the regular classroom for less than 21% of the day • Special education outside the regular classroom for more than 60% of the day • Public separate facility • Private separate facility • Public residential facility • Private residential facility 2-17
How Does Inclusion Support Progress? Special Education Environments: 2003-2004, Ages 6-21 (Figure 2–5) 2-18
How Does Inclusion Support Progress? What Issues Are Related to Different Placements? • Residential/Home/Hospital settings • Special-school placements • Specialized-settings placements within typical schools 2-19
What Is Inclusion? Four Characteristics of Inclusion • Home-school placement • Principle of natural proportions • Restructuring teaching and learning • Age- and grade-appropriate placements • Which includes: • Eliminating the continuum of placements • Increasing the amount of time students spend in general education classrooms 2-20
What Is Inclusion? Research on Perspectives Toward Inclusion(Figure 2–7) • Educators’ Perspectives • Parents’ Perspectives • Students’ Perspectives 2-21
What Student Outcomes Are Associated with Inclusion? Student Outcomes • Positive outcomes • Concerns • Issues with research 2-22
How Does Inclusion Facilitate Progress? Facilitating Progress • The general education classroom is where the general curriculum is most likely to be taught • Students can receive individualized education in the general education classroom when UDL and the four characteristics of inclusion are met • IDEA and NCLB have changed the focus on access to the general curriculum from “Where” to: • “What,” a focus on what the student is taught (curriculum mastery) AND • “How,” a focus on methods and pedagogy 2-23
How Does a Student’s IEP Assure Progress? Individualized Education Program • Assure individualization • The student’s right to participate • The student’s right to make progress in the general curriculum • The student’s unique learning needs 2-24
How Does a Student’s IEP Assure Progress? Four “Must-Have” Components for IEPs • Supplementary aids and services • Special education services and specially designed services • Other educational needs that must be met in order to make progress in the general education classroom • Related services 2-25
How Does A Student’s IEP Assure Progress? IEP Decision Making Progress (Figure 2–8) 2-26
Supporting Progress What Should Educators Do to Support Progress? • Create learning communities • Design units and lessons • Cognitive taxonomies • Implement school-wide instructional strategies 2-27
Case Study Looking to Star’s and Heather’s Future • Heather can live on her own as an adult and be economically self-sufficient. • She will have friends, the same opportunities as those friends to participate in community life, and have equal opportunities. • Star will also live and work in the community, but with more supports. • She may live in a group home with other adults. • She will also have friends in the community. • Continued access to the general curriculum will allow them to live out these goals. 2-28