CHAPTEI Toye: NTS OF Lege 5 2 saint a ere Introduction In Chapters 2 and 3, policies and practices on how to make schools inclusive « ‘arners have been presented. Such school-wide changes in policy and cultur: ia pesential to provide the support and resources needed by teachers and staft In this chapter, the aim is to describe the components and processes involved in identifying children through assessment and providing varied means of support. At the end of this chapter, you are expected to: allle Objectives: " Enumerate the processes involved in Child Find through the pre-referral process z tt Identify the assessment tools, methods, and principles in working with children with additional needs Fe Identify the different placement within a Compare accommodations and curricul Identify ways how to involve p collaborationThe least restrictive pi Setting should be considered as cement for children with disabilities, when providi e Poa accommodations, teachers change level playing ma t@ndards and content to provide a Playing field for children with disabilities. . Programs for children with disabilities become more effective and successful when children and families are involved, |. CHILD FIND THROUGH A PRE-REFERRAL PROCESS ____Referral for evaluation and special education services begins by identifying students who have additional needs and who may be at risk for developmental disabilities. school guidance counselors, early childhood teachers, primary school teachers, and community-based daycare workers are often the first to notice such developmental delays in children. In other instances, the parents themselves notice the delays and seek consultation with pediatricians and other specialists. A. Pre-referral Process A child noted to have significant difficulties in relation to expected competencies and developmental milestones may be referred by parents and teachers for observation and assessment. A team of professionals, kn a pre-referral team, is comprised of special education teachers, administrators, and psychologists who collaborate to deter to meet the needs of children with d Taylor (2009) provided an al process. Children wiOnce a program of pre-referral intervention has been designe, implementation and evaluation follow to determine how effective it is addressing the needs of the child. Figure 4.1 shows the pre-referral proces and strategies. B. Pre-referral Strategies Essential in a pre-referral intervention is the use of pre-referra| Strategies that are designed to provide immediate instructional and/or behavior management support to a child. Using such strategies lessens the number of cases referred for special education and makes efficient use of time and financial resources that could have been spent for special education assessment (Heward 2013). This will also lessen the tendency of over-referrals to special education and wasting time as children wait to be tested rather than receive the instructional and behavioral support they need. Examples of pre-referral strategies are: observation of the child's behavior, including interactions with parents, teachers, and peers; interview of parents and teachers to gather more information about the child; review of school records; and analysis of the child’s academic output through error analysis, portfolio assessment, and criterion-referenced and curriculum- based assessment (Taylor 2009). Depending on the information gathered, corresponding changes can be made to manage the child’s needs, such as modification of the classroom environment (e.g., seating arrangement, group change, and teacher’s proximity in class), instructional support, and relevant classroom and behavior management (Mcloughlin & Lewis 2009).E If des; ‘ persist, Reo of additional support, struggles and difficulties if Such services ane qe re erred for assessment either within the school, assessment. What ve vulable: oF referred to a professional for further essential at this point is that the teachers have implemented a vari Bosiaca, variety of approaches and practices to ensure that support is efore formal assessment. Carl's Pre-Referral Process Meee : 3rd Grade teacher, has always been baffled by one of her itera j : 3 ae that Carl is very creative. He loves to draw and Pave. it. He is fluent and conversant in English and can create such ries. She noted, however, that unlike his peers who can already read short stories for Grade 3 and write paragraphs well, Carl is still struggling at the word level. Although he can create his own stories through oral narration, he can’t seem to write them down without having spelling errors. He gets very frustrated in such tasks that when he needs to answer essay questions in a test, he just scribbles a word or two and stops trying altogether. Ms. Reyes, together with the other subject teachers and the Guidance Counselor, discussed Carl's behavior and performance in terms of his strengths, needs, and strategies that have worked in the past. They have noted that giving him a list of high-frequency words and sight words has been helpful. They suggested to pair him up with a classmate, who is an able reader to help him during writing tasks. They had a meeting with his parents and informed th that he will be given supplementary reading and writing p)(Salvia etal. 2013). Teachers and administrators make instructional decisions based on the assessment results. A. Assessment Purposes Assessment has a variety of purpose in special and inclusive education. It begins with initial identification that was explained in the previous section in Child Find and the pre-referral process. The results of an assessment are used to decide on a child’s educational placement and to plan instructional Programs for a child identified to have additional needs. Progress monitoring and evaluation of teaching programs and services is another, the purpose of which is to determine how effective programs are to assist the inclusive teacher and the special education teacher (Giuliani & Pierangelo 2012). There are a variety of assessment methods that regular and special education teachers can use. This section covers the following: (1) interviews, (2) observations, (3) checklists or rating scales, and (4) tests. t B. Methods of Assessment Tests. School psychologists, educational diagnosticians, and related professionals use a variety of assessment tools to ensure that are valid and reliable. Norm-referenced tests are standardized that compare a child’s performance with a representative sai of the same chronological age. Such tests are rigorously Results are reported as percentile ranks and age and grade ¢ which makes it easier for professionals to determine cl performance. While such quantitative reporting mal the test performance of children in a class, it has use in instructional planning. Intelligence Te: Scale for Students and Stanford-Binet Intellige Tests (Wide Range Achievement Tests a Achievement) are examples of norm-rInformal Assessment, Professionals also use informal or non- Standardized assessments, w ‘hich are considered more authentic and thus be performance and inform instruction. Such m-based or performance-based, such as the ed in classrooms and portfolio assessments. For example, the use of reading inventories where a teacher listens to a child read while counting for accuracy and speed is an example of an informal assessment. can be used primarily to descri assessments can be curriculu: teacher-made instruments us: Authentic Assessment, The use of tests, whether formal or informal, if one method of assessment. There are other ways of assessing students considered atrisk for developmental delays or have additional needs. One that is highly recommended by professionals is the use of authentic assessment methods and tools. Authentic assessments provide students the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in meaningful, settings (e.g., classroom, playground, etc.) rather than in an artificia contrived setting (Dennis et al. 2013). Assessment tasks that ¢ life are considered more authentic. ‘a uaee only An example of authentic assessment i they interact with family members, peers, and activities across settings (e.g., home, scho During observations, teachers and :Carl’s Assessment Despite the instructional support and after-school remedial class, Carl continued to display difficulties in reading, spelling, oral reading fluency, and written expression. Because such difficulties persisted, Ms. Reyes and the team decided to refer him to a developmental pediatrician and a school Psychologist to conduct a psycho educational evaluation to determine the underlying reasons for Carl's literacy difficulties The school psychologist used a battery of tests: intelligence and achievement tests in reading, spelling, written expression, and math. He also interviewed Carl, his parents, and his teachers to know about his interests, strengths, and views about himself, and gathered some of Carl’s school work. The school psychologist then analyzed the results and eventually diagnosed him with a specific learning disability or dyslexia (see Chapter 6). Carl's current grade level: Grade 3 1Q Average to High Average Level Reading level Beginning Grade 1 Spelling Beginning Grade 1 Written expression Below Average Reading Comprehension Beginning Grade 1 Listening Comprehension Grade 4 Math Average Based on this clinical diagnosis, instructional decisions were made to deter- mine the appropriate placement for Carl. C. Assessment Principles Assessment practices should be anchored on principles as provided by the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Student (DEC) (2014). Child- and family-centered practices, a team-based approach, application of individualized and appropriate process, and use of genuine and meaningful communication that adhere to ethical and legal practices are the recommendations provided by the DEC. Foundations of Special and Inclusive EducationThus, a variety measures, as well of assessme! Ssment methods and tools, use of authentic decisions for pi as involy vement jaceme of the f PLACEMENT rule amily are necessary to make and instructional planning (DEC 2014). Assessment re: placement mite : used to decide a child’s appropriate a During the ovata i nwUM from the least to the most restrictive settings. determines if there guy utent Performance is assessed and OYE ai Within'the contimuam tee eae En educational placemet results, and othe nen Teams willbase this on their observations: assessment learning cnn aCtOrs: With the goal to move toward the least restrictive chila’s icewnent a tt Sound decisions are made to allow for fluidity ased on the child’s strengths, abilities, and-needs- Activity 4.2: sults are education What Is the Best Placement for Carl? Before we continue, let us pause and think about our sample case, Carl. Refer back to Carl's Assessment to review his background and the assessment results. What do you think is the best placement for him? If he stays in his current school, what support does he need to meet academic expectations? Should he be pulled out of the school and study in a special school? Turn to a partner and discuss your insights. Be ready to share with the class. ‘A general education classroom is the least restrictive environment for a child with additional needs. Access to the same learning experiences and opportunities is provided as to typically developing students. Thus it is considered as the “most normalized or typical setting” (Gargiulo, 2012). ‘Additional support in the form of accommodations or changes in expectations through curriculum modifications may be provided but still within the same classroom as peers within the year level. ‘Another option for placement is to be in a general education class but the child receives supplementary instruction and services such as speech, physical, and occupational therapy or counseling services during the school day. Options may be provided when such sessions are conducted, either during school or as an after-school service. students who may be part of a general education class are pulled of their class to receive instruction from a specialist teacher in a room. In such a placement, it is assumed that the child will benefi ap ecounce!62 a specialist teacher s learning needs. ‘d more inten: s Pr i ovided in a general education cla sive support that is not pr a Teams may decide to recommend placement for a ane a more restrictive setting such as a self-contained special education : Still located in a general education school. In this learning cavironment, all students receive individualized and group instruction with Peers with disabilities and additional needs from a special education teacher. Depending on the program goals, students may be given the opportunity to interact with typically developing peers through school community-building activities, Moving up in the placement continuum, some students who need more intensive instruction and supports are educated in a special education class in a special education school. Teams of professionals, along with the special education teacher, work with students with disabilities and additional needs ina highly specialized setting. On the other end of the continuum is the most restrictive or isolated setting, such as a residential facility where students live and receive their educational support twenty-four hours a day. Finally, children with multiple disabilities, often of the severe kind, are provided with home- or hospital- based programs to manage their medical condition and learn as much as they could. Inclusive education espouses that all students, to the maximum extent possible, is provided access to general education classroom with the provision of support to remove barriers to enable success. Figure 4.2 presents this continuum of educational placement options (Spinelli 2012). Foundations of Special and Inclusive EducationSpecial e Pecial education class in a special education Self-containe ntained special education ¢ general education General e, al education class with resource center z instruction eneral educa ‘ducation class (inclusion or co-taught with a special education teacher) Ganeval‘el i eneral education class with related services General education class with modifications Figure 4.2. Educational placement options. DIFICATIONS re studying in Iv. ACCOMMODATIONS AND CURRICULAR MO Students with disabilities and additional needs who a! an inclusive general education classroom may need accommodations in the form of instructional support and other supplementary services. Others who need more intensive support are provided with curricular modifications. A. Accommodations Based on the definition, accommodations are supports provided to students to help gain full access to class content and instruction, without altering the curriculum standards and competencies expected and to demonstrate accurately what they know. When accommodations are provided in a general education classroom for children with disabilities, barriers are removed from accessing education. As a result, children can work around the effect of their disabilities. Examples of accommodations are altering instruments, toys Or materials, changing the room during specific activities, providing time extensions or allowances for tests and tasks, and changing response formats in worksheets. ‘Accommodations may be provided both during assessment and instruction, depending on the learning profile and needs of a child and may vary in terms of presentation, response, setting, and scheduling (Beech 2010). CHAPTER 4 Components of Special and Inclusive Education ” 61. Presentation Accommodations Children with disabilities may need specialized presentatj formats especially those with sensory impairments so they es learn the same content alongside typically developing peers Table 4.1 presents examples of accommodations in presentation. ‘ Table 4.1. Accommodations in presentation Learning Needs Examples of Accommodations Visual support Minimize visual distraction Visual cues (e.g., use color-coded text, highlighting) Use of larger print materials (font size, illustrations) Use of sign language Videos with closed captioning Auditory and Read aloud by a peer comprehension yaedio Heals | support Digital text that reads aloud or gives definition of words | Text-to-speech software Advance organizer or story guide Highlighting or color coding Listening and focusing | Advance organizer Explicit verbal or visual cues; physical prompts Repeat/Clarify directions and important information Note-taking support Copy of directions 2. Response Accommodations Response accommodations allow students with disabilities and additional needs a variety of ways to complete assignments, written tests, performance tasks, and other activities. Providing such instructional and assessment supports allows them to access the same learning experiences as other students in a general education classroom. Table 4.2 summarizes examples of response accommodations for students with disabilities ‘and additional needs. 64 Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education7 Table 4.2. Response accommodations Learning Needs Examples of Accommodations “Sa. Different size/diameter of pencil, marker, or crayon Writing difficulty (e.g., Pencil or pen grip (triangular, pear-shaped) errors in spacing, visual- perceptual or spatial- orientation, illegible handwriting) Scribe to record dictated responses Finger spacer Handwriting template/guide on the student's desk Visual cues on paper Different types and sizes of paper Written expression difficulty Electronic dictionary with spell check Online dictionary Word processor with spelling and grammar check Writing cue cards List of sight words Writing templates, outlines, and graphie Calculator Concrete models and mi Visual representation Problemvsolvingaccommodations. Students with slower ability in processing information and directions well as with focusing issues may need these types of accommodation. Some examples of accommodation that can modify scheduling are: (1) extending time for assignments andassessments;(2)providingbreaksinbetweentasks;(3) providing a visual schedule or a checklist of individual responsibilities; (4) Providing predictable routines and procedures; and (5) providing an electronic device with alarms and cues. B. Modifications Curriculum modifications are provided for students with significant or severe disabilities where’ content expectations are altered, and the performance outcomes are changed in relation to what are expected of typically developing students of the same age (DEC 2007). When instruction and assessment are modified, a student with disability is still given the right to access the same learning opportunities as other students in the general education class, but the tasks are more respectful and appropriate to the student’s abilities and needs. Curricular modifications include changes in instructional level, content and performance criteria, as well as the breadth and depth of content being _ learned by students. Students with disabilities or additional needs may be _ given more, less, or different content and resource materials altogether. They _ may also be assessed using different standards that are more appropriate o the student’s needs and abilities, such as being provided with fewerpared his reading materials and worksheets using a bigger font size id more space in between lines to allow him to point to words as he eads, and to use a ruler so he would not lose his place while reading. In _tests that require extensive writing, he is still made to write as eel e could and after which he is asked to either give a verbal e: eee to support what he has written or he dictates his oral r _seribe. The teacher now considers the oral exam ectful accommodation as Car] is still able to access the same and opportunities despite his difficulties. , PARENT INVOLVEMENT F ri Another component of an inch planning, and management of essential as they are the their children. s an ry, which stat rereSchools differ when it ci teacher conferences. One best at the beginnin, ‘omes to the frequency of parent practice is to hold a meeting with 8 Of a school year as part of goal setting : Period (e.g., every quarter, trimester, and semester) i. shat progress, changes, and results can be communicated and “cussed with parents and agree on necessary action plans. 2. Written Communication Home-school communication may also be conducted through written messages, such as the use of a home-school communication notebook, where teachersand parents write homeworkassignments, the student’s behavior in the classroom, as well as progress on program goals. A written communication may be time consuming, but some parents prefer this form of collaboration as the messages are documented and they can provide a copy to a developmental specialist when needed. ae Digital communication With the influx of mobile devices, many parents are more able to communicate through ele: means such as email, text messages, and social n systems. A study found that par ‘i technology as an effective tool to pre thus value its use for communica’ is instant and real-time, p able to receive 1 eeeondin, a ePPropriate) on specific objectives and corresP . mforcements or rewards when they are met. One example of a home-school contract is a Daily ae ee Ndividualized intervention used in schools that is anchore: on the behavioral Principles of operant conditioning. The card indicates specific behaviors targeted for a child with disability that Fhe med As positive, dtateriente Ie targets for {mprevernents. xhe use of a dally report card has beer RERGOnEm Bemencal in helping a child with Attention Defielt Hyperactivity Disorder in school and in promoting daily collaboration between teachers and Parents (Moore et al. 2016; Mautone et al. 2012). This will be further discussed in Chapter 6. ; an ii Other Ways to Involve Parents Parents also have strengths, abilities, intuit ive knowledge, and commitment to help their own child. They become advocates heir own children. To maximize their involvement, schools Provide other opportunities such as parent education training, workshops, and parent support groups. 3 the of t @ Parent education may take the form of providing se: workshops to parents to equip them with a better of their child’s disability and accompanying strengths as well as specific techniques and strategies that th at home. Such training sessions can be for a few | a quarterly basis or for a regular period, such depending on the needs of the parents the based approaches so that there will be implemented between the home and sccurricular modifications, and parent involvement. components, a team approach is highly recommended member—the child, parents, general education education teacher, therapists, and other and collaborate in planning and making d with disabilities, Activity 4.3: Anticipation ¢ After reading the chapter, and indicate your answers (eith Reading column. Were yt mM1 ed in the What are the different processes as well as strategies used in pre-referral system in an inclusive school? Ee Bet oe rr a ee i dto identify the What are the different assessment methods and tools ee ence: strengths, abilities, needs, and placement of childre! How are accommodations different from modifications? _ Why should parents of children with Process of planning and decision makin[practice 1. Vhic! Which of the following statements is false about the pre-referral process in inclusive and special education? a. The pre-referral process begins with observation of the child b. T ne final step in the pre-referral process is the diagnosis of a child’s disability. c. Looking into the child’s academic history is a step in the pre-referral process. d. Changing the classroom environment is an example of a pre-referral strategy. 2. Which type of assessment tool compares a child’s performance based on established standards and competencies and can be used to describe student performance? a. Norm-referenced tests b. Portfolio assessments c. Informal assessments d. Criterion-referenced tests _ How will an educational team determine the best placement for a child with disabilities? Create a flowchart or a mind map show the different aspects to be considered for a child’s prop placement. | 4, Five-year-old Renee has been observed by her teachers | restlessness and hyperactivity during whole-class activ she enjoys singing, dancing, and listening to stories abo and unicorns. What steps in the pre-referral proce: suggest to the team to find ways to help Renee? REFERENCES Beech, M. (2010). Accommodations for Students With Di st Florida: Department of Education. at Dennis, L. R., Simpson, J. & R. Ruetenj(Z0iay establishing a clear foundation for ct ‘school Failure 57 (4):189-195, Division of Early Childhood. (2014). *