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Creating an Inclusive Environment. Inclusive Education & Community Partnership Kristin Hoefflin, MFT, BCBA August 18, 2013. What is Inclusion?*. *The following slides on Inclusion were adapted from a presentation prepared by IECP Founder & Director, Rick Clemens (2013). Basic Premise….
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Creating an Inclusive Environment Inclusive Education & Community Partnership Kristin Hoefflin, MFT, BCBA August 18, 2013
What is Inclusion?* *The following slides on Inclusion were adapted from a presentation prepared by IECP Founder & Director, Rick Clemens (2013).
Basic Premise… • When it comes to including individuals with special needs into age-appropriate, natural and inclusive environments, one can create 100 reasons why it is not possible… • He’s not ready • Not fair to the other students/people • Nobody would want to hire her • There are already homes/places for people like that • He is a biter
…Or you can decide it is important enough and make it work!!!
Basic Presumptions • Individuals can be included regardless of their ability and/or functioning level • There is no “cookie cutter” approach to including individuals • Individuals with special needs can learn incidentally from their peers and will model behavior given the right learning environment and interventions
Where Can Inclusion Occur? • School (all grade levels) • Play Dates • Community Activities • Community Associations • Community Events • Family Functions • Living Arrangements • Work EVERYWHERE!!!
Match Environment Person
Addressing Inclusion Concerns • “The child with special needs will not get the specialized attention he/she needs to learn” • “The other children in the environment will suffer”
Planning & Preparation • For the adults • For the person with ASD or other disorder • For the peers • Of the environment
Planning for Adults • Three most important components are: • COLLABORATION • COLLABORATION • COLLABORATION • Collaboration between adults occurs before the individual is included into the environment and ongoing while the individual is included in the environment
Collaboration Between Adults Includes: • A team consisting of a minimum of: • The leader of the inclusive environment (e.g. teacher, coach, counselor, employer, program staff, etc.) • A “expert” on the individual being included and on inclusion principles (e.g. parent/caregiver, agency staff, YOU!!) • The individual being included (if appropriate) • A review of the individual • Strengths, challenges and needs • Creation of goals for the individual in the environment • Development of necessary strategies for success
Planning for the Individual • Most important components include: • Priming • Observation • Teaching
Priming • Priming of the environment (visits, pictures, videos, discussion) • Priming of the people (visits, pictures, discussion) • Priming of the schedule (visuals, rehearsal, discussion) • Priming of the activities and materials (visits, concrete objects, discussion) All priming should include positive connections to the individual’s past experiences
Observation • Observation of the individual in the environment in which they are included on a regular and ongoing basis • Observation of the other people in the environment and the similarities and differences between their behavior/ functioning/performance and that of the individual with special needs
Teaching • Teaching of the actual skills involved in the activity and/or related skills to maximize active participation in the activity or environment • Teaching occurs both during the activity as well as outside of the activity or environment (before and after)
Strategies for Activity Adaptation • What is the rest of the class/group doing? What is the activity and what are the expected learning outcomes? • What are the desired learning outcomes for the youth? What are the youth’s goals? What are the youth’s strengths? • Choose the least restrictive, most appropriate activity adaptation level from the hierarchy listed below:
As Is: Can the youth do what the rest of the group is doing without any adaptations? • Adapt Materials or Rules: Can the youth do what the rest of the group is doing with the use of adaptive materials and rules? • Multi-Level Curriculum: Can the youth work within the activity, but from a different level of mastery? • Curriculum Overlapping: Can the youth be involved in the same activity as the rest of the group, but have a learning outcome from a different area? (e.g. social vs. skill mastery). • Substitute Curriculum: Have the youth work on an alternative activity that meets his/her needs in an appropriate and functional way.
Planning for Peers • In regards to planning for the peers, the most important components include: • EDUCATION • EDUCATION • EDUCATION • The more knowledgeable they are, the more helpful they will be!
Peer Education & Ability Awareness • An understanding that we all have unique strengths and challenges • A discussion of the different members of the environment’s strengths and challenges • An understanding of the individual with special need’s strengths and challenges leading to an acceptance of the individual as a person • An understanding of what they can do to assist each other with their challenges (team building and team responsibility
Planning the Environment • Identify potential challenges • Identify opportunities for success • Identify necessary adaptations • Set up the environment for success as part of the planning and collaboration process
Addressing Challenging Behavior • ALL children exhibit challenging behavior • Positive praise • Whenever possible, rely on natural consequences in the environment • Premack Principle • Planned Ignoring
