Ed-D 420

Inclusion of Exceptional Learners

Charter of Rights and Freedoms

“Every individual is equal before and under

the law and has a right to the equalprotection and equal benefit of the lawwithout discrimination based on race,national or ethnic origin, colour, religion,sex, age or mental or physical disability.”

Government of Canada, 1982.

Exceptional Education in Canada Special Education means:

“programming and or services designed to accommodate students within the public school system whose educational needs require interventions different from or in addition to those needed by most students”

Accommodation – changes in how (e.g., Braille) a student is taught

Modification – changes to what (e.g., telescoping or calculators in place of long division) a student is taught

BC is different (as always) and speak to adaptation and modification of the what and the how is more across designations

Dominant Themes for Exceptional Students in Canada:

To move from a goal of access for as many as possible to success for as many possible (inclusion to accountability)

This is usually accomplished with an IEP (written guideline of accommodations, modifications and services to be provided.

Three concepts we will discuss that aid in this idea of “learning for all.”

1.Universal design for learning ~ digital curb cut

2.Differentiated instruction ~ task, group, assess

3.Progress monitoring ~ RTI

Exceptional Learners are Students:who are Gifted or Developmentally Advancedwith Learning Disabilities (LD)with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD)with Speech and Language Exceptionalities with Behaviour andwith Intellectual Disabilitieswith an Autism Spectrum Disorderwho are Hard of Hearing or Deafwith Visual Impairments or Blindwith Physical Disabilities

Inclusive LanguageDo not use or say Do use or sayThe blind; visually impaired impairmentConfined to a wheelchair;wheelchair-bound Crippled The deaf The hearing impairedEpilepticFit The handicapped Insane; mentally diseasedhas schizophrenia; person who has depressionMentally retarded Normal Physically challenged

Do use or sayPerson who is blind; person with a are visual Impairmentwheelchair-bound Person who uses a wheelchair; wheelchair userperson with a spinal cordinjuryPerson who is deaf, hard of hearingPerson who has epilepsy SeizurePerson with a disabilityPerson with a mental health disability; person whohas schizophrenia; person who has depressionPerson with an intellectual disabilityPerson who is not disabledPerson with a physical disability

The ADAPT Strategy

Step 1 Accounts of students’ strengths

and needs ~ file and IEPStep 2 Demands of the classroom ~

academic physical, emotionalStep 3 Adaptations ~ adapt or bypassStep 4 Perspectives and consequences ~ how does this fit with your approach

Step 5 Teach and assess the match

The Inclusive Classroom How does Penny ensure that the students with

special needs get the help they need without overlooking the other students in the class?

In what ways do the teachers demonstrate co-operative teaching? What are the benefits of working together, as opposed to Penny working with her students in a separate group?

The Inclusive Classroom ~ next step Most students with learning disabilities currently

receive their instruction in general-education classrooms. Some fear that students who are fully included in the regular-education classroom will not get the academic support they need. What would you say to a parent who voiced this concern? When and how should remediation occur when a student is lacking specific prerequisite academic skills, such as writing in complete sentences?

What kinds of accommodations might be made for a student with learning disabilities in the regular-education classroom? How would you make these accommodations without negatively influencing the other students in the class?