Normalization and Full Inclusion

Full inclusion was initially intended for students with mild disabilities to be educated in the regular education classroom. The inclusion process has expanded over the years to include students with all disabilities. The federal education law, Public Law 101-476, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed by Congress in 1990. According to IDEA, a disability is defined as “having (i) hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance (hereinafter referred to as ‘emotional disturbance’), orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities; and (ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.” (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). IDEA does not require full inclusion only that students are educated in the least restrictive environment. Most students, if not all can be educated in the regular education classroom if additional resources and supports are in place.

Commonly, student disabilities are developmental in nature. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), between 2006 and 2008, 1 in 6 students had a developmental disability ranging from speech and language impairments to cerebral palsy and autism (Center for Disease Control , 2015). Every student and every disability has a unique set of characteristics and needs. Two of the more common disabilities observed in the classroom are attention deficit disorder (ADD)/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The CDC additionally indicates that 1 in 68 children will be diagnosed with ASD before the age of 18 (Center for Disease Control , 2015). Students with ADD/ADHD typically struggle with inattentiveness, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and disorganization in the regular education classroom. ASD students typically require explicit instruction in order to generalize concepts and skills (Autism Speaks, 2012). Research has additionally shown that students with ASD struggle with communication, language, social and cognitive skills. According to National Science Teacher Association (NSTA), students with ASD benefit from visual aids, imitation and structured environments (National Science Teacher Association, n.d.).

The following action plan includes modifications and action step for transitioning two special needs students with ADHD and autism spectrum disorders into the regular high school science classroom. Students who are transitioning from a special education to a regular education classroom will require several modifications to assist in the transition. In a report on inclusion of special needs students in the high school agricultural classroom, surveyed teachers indicated emphasizing hands on activities, providing IEP specified modifications, modifying testing, providing additional one on one time with individual students, not penalizing for spelling errors and strategically assigning partners are the most effective strategies for inclusion. Overall, emphasizing hands on activities was by far the most effective technique in teaching students with special needs as indicated by the surveyed teachers. (Stair & Moore, 2010) Stair and Moore (2010) additionally indicate that separate rubrics, providing opportunities for guided notes or outline and focus on essential vocabulary are specific strategies that should also be implemented in the classroom.

In order to aide in the transition of students with ADD/ADHD and ASD, teachers should initial review Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for each of the incoming students. Following the IEP review, meeting with parents of students as well as their current special education teachers and student paraeducator aides should be scheduled to assess each of the student’s unique learning needs.  Prior to the new students entering the classroom, the delivery model and educational aides should be modified to include the modifications necessary to meet the needs of the special needs students.

Implementing differentiated instruction strategies as well as cooperative learning strategies are beneficial not only for the students with special needs but for all students in the regular education classroom. Cooperative learning strategies provide teachers “with alternative methods to traditional classroom arrangements of lecture, demonstrations, and independent study.” (Shook, Hazelkorn, & Lozano, 2011) Experimentation and demonstrations increase a student’s literacy in science. Hands on activities are essential in the high school science classroom. Adding additional hands-on demonstrations into the existing delivery model will aid in the transitioning and comprehension of the concepts for the new and existing students. 

Vocabulary is essential to science literacy and understanding content knowledge in the high school science curriculum. Regular emphasis on vocabulary through multiple choice warm up vocabulary definition questions will assist in reinforcing vocabulary, and content knowledge. Understanding science vocabulary will reduce the instructional time for content knowledge as students will understand the concepts more quickly. In a research study by Shook, Hazelkorn and Lozano (2011), weekly vocabulary quiz scores were increased from an average 75% to a 93% score using Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR). Scores for all students in the classroom increased, however, students with disabilities showed the greatest overall improvement. The strategies implemented included groups of various abilities, teacher designed vocabulary note cards and activities for each content unit and daily practice using the strategy. Additionally providing online vocabulary quizzes and vocabulary learning aides into content units will further emphasize science vocabulary. Utilizing the CSR technique as well as other differentiated vocabulary activities will increase science literacy for ADD/ADHD and ASD students as well as all other students.   

Stair and Moore (2010) indicate separate rubrics and guided notes are effective strategies for teaching students with special needs, specifically students with ADD/ADHD and ASD benefit from these educational aides. Note taking is a difficult skill for all students to master. Outlines, fill in the blank worksheets, copies of lecture notes, concept maps and graphical organizers can be created to assist in understanding content and developing science skills. Uploading lecture notes and videos of demonstrations to classroom websites can be additional aides for all students to review. (Watson & Johnston, 2007) NSTA suggests video modeling as an effective technique for students with ASD who require repetition to master concepts (National Science Teacher Association, n.d.). Additionally, using computer aided technology such as Boardmaker that converts texts to be converted into visual images assists in comprehension for visual learners such as many students with ASD.

Research has shown that students increase their science literacy through focusing on vocabulary and hands on activities. Increasing the number of demonstrations, streamlining instruction and utilizing cooperative learning strategies will increase the science literacy in students. Through meetings with parents and paraeducators, and reviewing IEPs prior to students transitioning into the classroom, the student’s unique educational needs can be assessed. Instructional aides should be modified prior to the students transitioning in order to allow for a more seamless transition while also preparing the existing students for changes in the lesson delivery. Providing differentiated instructional aides will benefit all students not just students with disabilities.

References

Autism Speaks. (2012). Educating Students with Autism. Retrieved from Autism Speaks: https://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/sctk_educating_students_with_autism.pdf

Center for Disease Control . (2015). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Retrieved from Center for Disease Control (CDC) : http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html

National Science Teacher Association. (n.d.). Science for Students with Disabilities: Autism. Retrieved from National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) : http://www.nsta.org/disabilities/autism.aspx

Shook, A. C., Hazelkorn, M., & Lozano, E. R. (2011). Science Vocabulary for All: Strategies to improve vocabulary in the inclusive biology classroom. Science Scope, 45-49.

Stair, K., & Moore, G. E. (2010). Including Special Needs Students in Ag Ed. Techniques, 52-55.

U.S. Department of Education . (2004). Sec. 300.8 Child with a disability. Retrieved from Individuals with Disabilitys Education Act: http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,regs,300,A,300%252E8,

Watson, S., & Johnston, L. (2007). Assistive Technology in the Inclusive Science Classroom. The Science Teacher, 34-38.