TanyaS.

Pietro
May4,2017
Ed605
InclusionActionPlan

DescriptionofCurrentInclusionPractices:

InLeadinganInclusiveSchool,VillaandThousand(2016)defineinclusive
schoolingaswelcoming,valuing,empowering,andsupportingtheacademic,
social/emotional,andlanguageandcommunicationlearningofallstudentsin
sharedenvironmentsandexperiencesforthepurposeofattainingthegoalsof
education.(pg.12)Asaneducator,Ifeelthisismypurpose;thisiswhatdrives
me.IwentintoeducationbecauseIhadapassionforteachingchildren.Ihadno
ideathatmyfocuswouldbeonsomuchmorethancontentknowledge.Every
dayisspentleadinganinclusiveclassroomasdescribedabove.Iwelcome,value,
empower,andsupporteachchild,butnotonlyacademically,butalsosociallyand
emotionally.AsIcontinuetoworkonbuildinganinclusiveclassroom,Ialso
haveastrongdesiretoensureaninclusiveschool.
IteachatSugarBushElementaryinNewLondon,Wisconsinandour
schoolisinclusive,butnotfully.Allstudentsaregivenafreeandappropriate
educationintheleastrestrictiveenvironment.However,forsomestudentsthis
meansbeingpulledouttoreceivespecialeducationservices,speechand
languageservices,andoccupationalorphysicaltherapy.Theseservicestake
placeoutsideofthegeneraleducationsettingforapproximately15-60minutes
perday,dependingonthestudentsIEP.Thespeechandlanguagepathologist
doescomeintoourclassroomforapproximately45minuteseachweek,aswell.
Currentlyinmyschool,therearefewopportunitiestoco-teachwith
anotherlicensedteacher;however,educationalassistantsareoftenapartofa
co-teachingpositionwheretheyleadasmallgrouportheyareneededinaone
teach,oneassistmodelofco-teaching.Teachersareadeptatmaking
accommodations,modifications,adaptations,andprovidingother
supplementaryaidsandservicestonotonlyreachstudentswithdisabilities,but
alllearners.Teachersinmyschooluseavarietyofdifferentiationtechniques,
butitseemsthereisalackofunderstandinganduseofUniversalDesignfor
Learning.
Behavioralsupportsareconstantlyadapting.Ourschoolisworkingon
implementingPositiveBehaviorInterventionsandSupportsnextyear.The
teachersarelookingforwardtoprovidingstudentswiththebehaviorsupports
theyneed.Thiswillalsobehelpfultohaveconsistencythroughoutallthe
districtselementaryschools,especiallyforthetransientfamilies.
ThestaffinmyschoolunderstandstheIndividualizedEducationProgram,
andisinvolvedinreferrals,placements,andannualreviews;however,Iseean
opportunityforgrowthinthisarea.Staffwouldbenefitfromamorethorough
understandingoftheIEPprocessandtheResponsetoInterventionprotocol.
 SugarBushstaffhasanefficientverticalteamwhocollaborate,
problem-solve,andsupportoneanother.Weareoftenmeetingasateamto
discusscurrentpractices,effectiveteachingstrategies,issuesweneedhelpwith,
andcelebrationsoflearningandachievements.Ourcollectivestaffworkhardto
supportallstudentstosucceed.

SWOTAnalysis:

Strengths:
-ContinuumofServicesisinplace
-schoolusesLREasoftenaspossible
-RtIinplace
-training/professionaldevelopmentfor
PBIS
-desirebystafftochange(inclusionor
co-teaching)
-home/schoolcommunication
-stakeholdersareinformed
-staffcollaboration/PLC
Weaknesses:
-lackofknowledgeinSpecial
Educationlaw/IEPprocess
-notallstaffistrainedin
co-teaching/inclusion
-understandingallstudents
strengths/challenges
-difficultiescollaboratingwithall
parents
-trainingforparaprofessionals
-maturitylevelofstudents(abilityto
beselfawareandsetgoals)
-abilitytoassesscontentthrough
differentmodes
-stafftendstouseonlydifferentiated
instruction,notUDL
-lackofresources

Opportunities:
-bookstudy
-PBIStrainings
-whenusingUDL,instructionismore
accessibletoall
-interestinco-teaching
-professionaldevelopmentthrough
CESA6
-professionaldevelopment
collaborationdays(gradelevel)
-differentsourcesofdataisavailable
onstudents
-collaboration/involvementofparents
ofspecialneedsstudents
Threats:
-minimaltimeforcollaboration
-personalityconflicts
-limitedflexibilityin
content/curriculum
-numberofstudentsperclass
-paraprofessionalavailability
-specialeducationcaseloadsize
-specialeducationteachergetspulled
outofclasstime
-disproportionatespecialneeds
percentageinclasses
 -grants

ListofInclusionStakeholders:

Students
Parents
Teachers
Principals
Specialists
Membersoftheschoolcommunityincluding:
educationalassistants
busdrivers
custodians
administrativeassistants
lunchroomstaff
recessdutystaff
substituteteachers
Schoolboard
Districtadministrators
Community

Goals,Activities&Strategies:

Goal1:
Thefirstgoalistoincreaseknowledgeinspecialeducationlaw,Response
toInterventionprocess,andIndividualizedEducationPlanprocess.

Activities/Strategies:
Inordertoincreaseknowledgeofspecialeducationlaw,Iwouldprovide
readingmaterialonimportantand/orcurrentcaselawtoteachers.Thismaterial
wouldbehelpfulforteacherstounderstandthecourtsdecisionsregarding
studentswhoreceivespecialeducationservicesandtheexpectationsofthe
schoolandstaffwhenprovidingservices.Educatorscanthenhaveadiscussion
abouttheselawsandhavetimetoaskandanswerquestionsregardinghowthis
affectsourschoolandstudents.
Oureducationalteamhasmeetingswherewecandiscusssupportsneeded
forstudents.Thiswouldbeanidealtimetoprovidestaffwithknowledgeof
ResponsetoInterventionprotocolandmakesureallteachersareawareofthe
interventionrequirements.Forexample,ifastudentisbehindhis/herpeersin
anarea,thisteamcoulddevelopaninterventionplan,includingdocumentation,
duration,progressmonitoring,andspecificskillstobeaddressed.Thisinitial
meetingwouldensurethatinterventionsarebeingdonetofidelityandthatthe
studentsneedsarebeingmet.Thisteamcouldalsomeetattheendofthe
interventiontodetermineifitwaseffectiveandwhetherthestudentshould
proceedwithanadditionalintervention.Ifthestudentisstillnotmakinggains,
teacherswouldneedtobemadeawareofthereferralprocess.
ItwouldbebeneficialtohaveLaurieSchmidtandthespecialeducation
teacherprovideastaffinserviceontheIndividualizedEducationPlanprocess
includingthespecificsofwritingofanIEP,suchashowthegoalsand
accommodationsaredecidedupon.

Goal2:
Thesecondgoalisforteachersinourschooltobecomeknowledgeableand
increasetheuseofoneaspectoftheUniversalDesignforLearning,beginning
withusingmultiplemeansofexpressionforassessingthecontentthatwas
taught.

Activities/Strategies:
TheUDLapproachisbeneficialtoallstudents;however,itisadifferent
wayofthinkinganddesigninglessonsthanwhatmostteachersareusedto,so
thismaytakesometime.IfteacherscouldbegintouseoneaspectofUDLto
beginwith,Ibelieveitwouldbemoremanageablethanexpectingthemtoredo
alloftheirlessons.
IwouldbeginbyteachingstaffasimplifiedpresentationofUDLwiththe
concentrationbeingonusingmultiplemeansofexpressionforassessingthe
contentthatwastaught.Iwouldalsogivethemexamplesofhowtheteachers
couldincorporatethisintotheirlessons.Ithinkteacherscouldeasilygive
optionsforstudentstoshowwhattheyvelearned,whetherthestudentschoose
towritepapers,makeaposter,recordavideo,etc.Bytargetingonesubjectarea
atatimeoroneunitatatime,thisfirststepwouldbeamanageableonefor
teacherstobecomefamiliarwithanaspectofUDL.
TosupportteachersastheybegintheprocessofincorporatingsomeUDL
practicesintotheirownlesson,Iwouldoffertositdownwiththemindividually.
Duringthistimeofcollaboration,Icouldwalkthemthroughincorporating
multiplemeansofexpressionforassessingthecontentthatwastaughtinscience,
socialstudies,language,etc..Wecouldbrainstormseveralwaysstudentscould
showtheirlearningandworkthroughanyconcernstheteachermayhave.Once
theeducatorhascompletedthelessonwiththestudents,Iwouldmeetbackwith
themtodiscusshowtheythoughtthelessonwent,whattheycoulddodifferently
nexttime,andanyotherthoughtstheymayhaveonincorporatingthisone
aspectofUDL.

Goal3:
ThethirdgoalistoincreasetheuseoftheUniversalDesignforLearning
anddecreasetheneedfordifferentiation.

Activities/Strategies:
OnceeducatorshavebegunincorporatingoneaspectofUDL,Iwould
providethemapresentationonUDLinitsentirety.Iwouldprovidestaffwitha
videoexplainingUDL,avideoofUDLinaction,andahandoutofthethreegoals
chart.
Iwouldsharewithstaffcommonstrategiesforincorporatingmultiple
meansofrepresentation,includingideasforprovidingstudentswithmultiple
waysofaccessingthecontent.Wewouldalsocovermultiplemeansofactionand
expression,andhowtoapplyittotheirgradelevel.
Theywouldalreadybefamiliarwithprovidingstudentswithmultiple
meansofactionandexpressionforassessingstudentsandtheycanexpandupon
thisinfuturelessons.
Wewouldalsodiscussideasforprovidingmultiplemeansofengagement.
Teacherscanlearnhowtorecruitinterest,encouragesustainedeffort,
persistence,andself-regulation.
OnceeducatorsareknowledgeableaboutthebenefitsofUDLpracticesfor
allstudentsandaretaughthowtoplanaccordingly,Ithinktheywouldbegin
designingtheirlessonsfollowingUDLpracticesmore.Inturn,fewerstudents
wouldneeddifferentiationwhenitcomestolessonsasthedifferentiationisbuilt
rightintothelearningrightfromthestart.

Reflection:
SugarBushElementarycurrentlyutilizesmanyinclusivepracticesandthe
entireeducationalcommunitypullstogethertosupportandencourageall
students.Thereareafewareasthatourschoolcouldimproveon.
Currentlyitseemsasthoughtheinterventionandreferralprocessdoesnot
goassmoothlyasitcould.Asanewclassroomteacher,Ivebeenasking
colleaguessomanyquestionsandlearningthehardwayhowtobesthelpmy
students.Theschoolsstaffhasbeensohelpfulinguidingmethroughthe
process,butIthinkwewouldbenefitfromaproactivecomprehensive
understandingofRtI,interventions,thereferralprocess,andIEPdevelopment.
Bymakingteachersmoreknowledgeable,Ianticipatestudentsneedsbeingmet
inamoreefficientway.
OurteachersatSugarBushareoftendifferentiatingtomeetthestudents
needs.Sincetheyalreadyworksodiligently,Ithinktheywouldvaluelearning
moreaboutUniversalDesignforLearning.Inthiscase,insteadofthemworking
hardatretrofitting,theywouldbegintodesignthelessonsforallstudentsin
mindfromthebeginning.AsVillaandThousand(2017)wrote,Differentiated
materials,methods,andassessmentalternativesareconsideredandcreatedin
advancewiththefullrangeofstudentsdifferencesinmind.(p.127)Ifwe
begansmallandworkedtowardsutilizingUDLthroughoutourday,students
wouldneedlessdifferentiation.Teacherswouldbeopentothisnewapproach,
especiallyoncetheyunderstandthatitbenefitsallstudents.

InLeadinganInclusiveSchool,VillaandThousand(2017)continueto
describeinclusiveschoolingasmakingacommitmenttoprovideeachstudentin
thecommunity-eachcitizeninademocracy-withtheinalienablerighttobelong
andnottobeexcluded.(p.12)Aseducators,weneedtohaveinclusive
classroomsandinclusiveschools,becausewearetherole-modelsthatthe
childrenlookupto.Inclusionisabelief,amindset,thatweliveoutandour
studentswillsharethisbeliefthateverybodyiswelcomed,valued,empowered,
andsupported.Thatswhenwellseerealinclusivity.


 WorksCited

Villa,R.A.,&Thousand,J.S.(2017).LeadinganInclusiveSchool.Alexandria,VA:
ASCD.

Villa,R.A.,&Thousand,J.S.(2016).Theinclusionchecklist:Aself-assessmentof
qualitypractices.PortChester,NY:NationalProfessionalResources.