Inclusive Practice Final Reflection

            As future educators, we undoubtedly will be working with a wide range of students with diverse needs and interests.  One of the best forms of preparation for the future is to be practicing needed skills now.  Throughout this semester, we as class explored different types of disabilities that we will surely encounter, if we have not already done so.  I came away with a stronger understanding of a least restrictive environment and inclusion.  Students- regardless of their abilities, interests, and needs- should be able to work effectively within the class.  They should learn just as all other students can.  Bearing these concepts in mind, I recognize many aspects that I have learned from this semester.

            The history involved in getting inclusion for students with disabilities to where it is today was a rocky one.  I was disgusted to learn about the eugenics movement and institutionalization that existed throughout history.  For me, learning about special classes and other forms of separation only solidified my zeal for inclusion now.  Special education is a civil right of the citizens.  According to the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), there is zero rejection for individuals with disabilities.  Everyone is entitled to a free and appropriate public education.  It is important to note that the term “appropriate” is different for many.  What may be a completely appropriate way of learning for one student may not be appropriate for another.  That being said, every individual deserves a least restrictive environment in which they learn in a way that is most similar to non-disabled students as possible while still benefiting them.

            I am in awe of my own lack of knowledge and understanding about IEP plans and 504 plans before this semester.  These two, essential components of the class are undoubtedly a huge element in the classroom.  I have learned so much about both.  IEPs are primarily based on the IDEA education law.  There is a narrower focus of which students can get on an IEP than on a 504 plan.  Students must have at least one of several designated disabilities proven to have an adverse effect on their learning.  From there, a team assembles to create an IEP.  The team consists of a parent/ guardian, a special educator (who is knowledgeable about the special education services available and who will traditionally write the IEP), the general/ regular educator, an administrator or someone authorizes to commit district resources, the student if age appropriate, and anyone else that could benefit the meeting.  The path to getting a 504 plan is a different.  Rather than stemming directly from IDEA, the 504 plan comes from the 1974 Rehabilitation Act.  In other words, breeching the 504 plan is a civil rights violation rather than just an education one.  The criteria for getting on a 504 plan is less narrow.  The main criteria is that there is a disability or situation that has an impact on major life activities.  This can include diabetes, broken bones, drug addiction, or a variety of other things. Like the IEP, the 504 plan is reviewed annually.  I did not understand a single component of either process before this semester.  However, I as a future educator must be completely in the loop of these processes and the laws associated with them.  I will be a vital member to the pre-referral process, referral process, and TEAM meetings.  There is a responsibility to know and understand these components.

            One of the significant learning aspects of this semester came from my observation hours at a local middle school.  I spent several hours a week in Ms. Kelly’s 7^th grade humanities class.  I went in armed with the task of observing and participating in order to learn about special education services.  Now that I understood the main components of IEPs and 504 plans, I was better able to recognize the services at work within the classroom and school setting.  Ms. Kelly was a great example for me in learning how to incorporate different elements into each lesson in order to meet the needs of all of her students.  She practiced basic aspects of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in planning her classes.  She thought ahead to her target goals, and reworked traditional strategies in order to benefit everyone.  As a participating member in her class, I got to witness firsthand the degree of effort she put into each lesson and the benefits it had on the class.

    

        When considering the importance of inclusion in the school environment, I was interested to find just how many types of disabilities exist.  We are constantly bombarded with ideas about what qualifies a learning disability, for example, without actually understanding what a learning disability is.  We hear of ADHD as though it is a switch that a person can turn off with just more effort or better focus rather than recognizing it as an actual challenge for the student in learning.  Rather than insisting we know best in regards to helping students with disabilities, we can work with the students to develop a plan that suits their needs.  Using accommodations and modifications may be exactly what is needed for students with differing needs.  Interventions do not have to be some significant, obtrusive, class-altering thing.  Teachers can prepare ahead of time to ensure best learning potential.  Students with ADHD, for example, may require some extra time on assignments or checklists.  Teachers can easily provide these things.

            An underlying theme throughout the semester was the importance of full inclusion.  A useful way to accomplish this is simply to follow the UDL.  Using multiple means of representation, action, and engagement in order to support recognition, strategic, and affective learning should always have a place in the classroom.  Everything can be built around in.  The more we provide in terms of resources, time, and creativity can help reach students individually and collectively.  Varied instructional methods and materials coupled with a slew of formative assessments and progress monitoring can ensure that each student is being recognized.  Technology is a significant component in all of these things, as well.  Options for students help to serve each student best.  They can decide and work based on how they best learn.

            This semester has proved to be an incredibly useful one in terms of practical skills and knowledge that directly infuse the teaching progress.  I learned tips and concrete matters that I will be surely using in the future.  However, there is no time like the present to engage in a mindset of creativity and planning ahead when it comes to meeting students’ needs.  I can look for opportunities to use diverse strategies and approaches now.

Works Cited

Collaborative Group Work. 2014. Image. http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/inclusin-in-the-classroom.jpg.

Learning Knows No Bounds. 2012. Image. http://www.nsta.org/disabilities /images/LearningKnowsNoBounds.gif.

UDL Components. 2013. Image. https://udlhcpss.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/udl.png.