Inclusive Placement Opportunities for Preschoolers: A Systems Approach to Inclusion

1. Inclusive Placement Opportunities for Preschoolers: A Systems Approach to Inclusion

2. A project of the Virginia Department of Education and the Training and Technical Assistance Centers of Virginia

3. Outcomes • Factors to consider when arranging the preschool environment • Understanding how environment impacts behavior • Resources

4. Why use structure? Helps the person with autism . . . • Understand • Learn easier • Stay calm • Achieve independence • Learn appropriate behaviors

5. Shopping Think about a store you dislike shopping in. Why? Think about a store you love to shop in. Why?

6. Physical environment • Assess the need for physical structure • Begin with more structure and fade as appropriate • Establish clear physical and visual boundaries • Help the person with autism understand the function of different environments • Minimize potential visual and auditory distractions • Design specific areas • Design of classroom • Area specific

7. Physical structure Clear physical and visual boundaries Minimal visual and auditory distractions Established teaching areas 1:1 Break Area Large group Individual work area Schedule area Teacher’s Desk Computer Coat area Door Circle time Individual work area

8. Physical structureFind the mistakes Independent Work area Schedule area Circle Time Break area Teacher’s desk Large Group Area Door 1:1 Computer Independent work area

18. How might you change? • Think about what you just learned about structuring the environment for students with autism • Take graph paper out of your packet and sketch how you could change your classroom based on what you have just learned

19. Factors affecting the classroom environment • Arrangement of the physical environment • Classroom schedule • Program staff • Children

20. The physical environment Considerations • Natural flow of activities • Wheelchairs • Adaptive equipment • Number and characteristics of children

21. Activity areas Considerations • Areas are clearly defined relative to activities • Wide paths exist for braces, wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, etc. • Areas invite the children to explore, discover and talk about their play

22. Furniture and fixtures Considerations • Allows for active participation in activities with peers • Child-sized — there should be no dangling feet • Adaptations and modifications should be made to existing furniture, such as no tech/low tech, etc.

23. Furniture and fixtures Considerations • Commercially made furniture, such as standing tables, special chairs, outdoor playground equipment, etc. • Bathroom adaptations may be needed, including adapted seats, potty chairs and a private diaper/catheterization changing area

24. Materials Considerations – variety • Books should vary in length, complexity and genre • Puzzles should have different sizes and number of pieces • Have realistic and real play materials, such as pots, pans, clipboards, pens, flashlights, etc. • All materials should be developmentally, functionally and age-appropriate

25. Materials Organization and storage • Easily accessible • Clearly visible • Clearly labeled • Tactile cues

26. IPOP’s top 10 reasons for classroom schedules

27. The daily classroom schedule provides a tangible sequence of activities over the course of the program and the amount of time spent in each activity

28. The daily schedule Considerations • Keep waiting times to a minimum and plan for transitions and wait times • Provide adequate time for each activity • A labeled visual schedule promotes literacy and understanding of sequence

29. Arrival and greeting Considerations • Warm, loving and enthusiastic greeting • Peer or adult assistance to help with the transition • Late arrivers • Extra support for extra special kids

30. Circle Considerations • Duration • Set the tone for the day • Natural time to encourage and enhance language and social emotional skills • Developmentally appropriate for all children • Availability of technology

31. Centers and free choice Considerations • Child vs. teacher directed • Duration • Purpose • Accessibility • Availability of technology

32. Snack and lunch time Considerations • Embed language and daily living skills, objectives or benchmarks • Promote independence • Provide options for seating or positioning • Adapt utensils as necessary • Be aware of nutrition and oral sensory motor issues

33. Outdoor play Considerations: • Gross motor development • Back-up plan in case of inclement weather • Accessibility and adaptation of activities • Child-to-child interaction versus adult interaction — level of support

34. Story time Considerations • Short attention spans • Genre – ethnically diverse, children with disabilities • Child involvement vs. sitting and listening

35. Closing Considerations • Method for dismissal • Plan for the various transitions, such as individual pick-up and different bus schedules

36. Summarize with an acrosticEnvironment

37. A transition is any shift in activity that requires students to change ________or ___________.

38. A transition is any shift in activity that requires students to change locationsor materials. Project SLIDE, Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, (1998). “Effective instructional strategies to facilitate: Teacher’s guide for Project SLIDE.” Kansas City: The University of Kansas.

39. Transitions Considerations • Plan for transitions! • Should be fun and short • Remember to plan for children who need extra assistance

40. Behavior Considerations • Strategies for holding attention – novelty, seating options, high/low energy activities, etc. • Visuals to support children’s independence (behavior and communication) • Plan each transition as part of the lesson plan

41. The program staff • Communication and collaboration • Team meetings • Staff support • Continued professional development

42. The children Considerations • Number of children • Characteristics of the children • Needs of all children • Same-aged peers

43. Resources • IPOP training guides • “Promoting the Social Emotional Competence of Young Children.” Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, (2003). • Your regional VDOE T/TAC • Region 1 and 8: www.vcu.edu/ttac/ • Region 2 and 3: www.ttac.odu.edu/ • Region 2 and 3: www.wm.edu/ttac/ • Region 4: www.kihd.gmu.edu/ttac/ • Region 5: ttac.cisat.jmu.edu/ • Region 6 and 7: www.ttac.vt.edu/