INCLUSIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT Ivana Marova, Ph.D. WHAT HAVE WE TALK ABOUT ?... FACTORS AFFECTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INCLUSIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT ? Literature Review of the Principles and Practices relating to Inclusive Education for Children with Special Educational Needs The National Council for Special Education (Ireland) was established under the Education for Persons with Special (2010) SELECTED FACTORS 1) School as a safe place without barriers – Physical and other environmental (classrooms) adjustments 2) School as a place for collaboration – Collaboration between management and teachers 3) Teacher and teacher assistant – Effective cooperation in classroom 4) Curricula changes – Instructions and Assessment 5) Parents – Their role in functional inclusive education 6) Student with SEN among classmates – support of the involvement and friendship INCLUDE Strategy  Systematic approach for helping students with SEN (USA)  Universal design = instructional materials, methods and assessments designed with build-in supports (print alternatives such as graphics, video and digital text which allow students with reading difficulties to easily access the subject)  Differentiated instruction = variety of teaching and learning strategies which are necessary (include materials and tasks at varied levels of difficulty) INCLUDE Strategy  Step 1 Identify classroom demands  Step 2 Note student learning strengths and needs  Step 3 Check for potential problem areas  Step 4 Look for potential problem areas  Step 5 Use information to brainstorm ways to differentiate instruction  Step 6 Differentiate instruction  Step 7 Evaluate student progress INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM SCHOOL AS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT STEP 1: IDENTIFY CLASSROOM DEMANDS STEP 1: IDENTIFY CLASSROOM DEMANDS Classroom environment significantly influences what students learn Classroom management  Physical organization  Classroom routines  Classroom climate  Behaviour management  The use of time for instructional and non-instructional activities Classroom Grouping Instructional Materials Instructional Methods SCHOOL AS A PLACE FOR COLLABORATION INCLUSION AS COLLABORATION Collaboration  How people work together, not what they do  Style of professional choose to use in order to accomplish a goal they share TEACHER AND TEACHER ASSISTANT CO-TEACHING MODEL IN SCHOOL Co-Teaching  Two or more educators (general education teacher/special educator/other specialist) share the instruction for a single group of students  Popular service for delivery option in inclusive education  In heterogeneous classroom combining strengths of special educator and general classroom teacher create options for all students  Although, it´s not an answer for all students with disability and every classroom in an inclusive school COLLABORATIVE SERVICES IN SCHOOL FOSTER INCLUSION CO-TEACHING Co-teaching Pragmatics  In co-teaching students are often grouped = student with SEN are integrated with their peers without disabilities  In a station teaching students with SEN are likely to be in each of three groups  Both teachers take on teaching and supportive role  Otherwise, special educator will be seen as a helper without teacher status  The best approaches to use depend on student needs, the subject being taught, the teachers' experience and practical considerations such as space and time for planning  Novice-teachers may prefer station teaching of parallel teaching over teaming  The type of curriculum sometimes dictates the approach CO-TEACHING