ERIC ED387962: Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes: The Role of the Inclusion Facilitator.

43 Pages·1993·1.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
EC 304 316
ED 387 962
Tashie, Carol; And Others
AUTHOR
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes: The Role
TITLE
of the Inclusion Facilitator.
New Hampshire State Dept. of Education, Concord.
INSTITUTION
Special Education Bureau.; New Hampshire Univ.,
Durham. Inst. on Disability.
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
SPONS AGENCY
Services (ED), Washington, DC.
93
PUB DATE
H086J80011-89
CONTRACT
43p.; Photographs by Gary Samson. Photographs may not
NOTE
copy well.
Non-Classroom Use (055)
Guides
PUB TYPE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Child Advocacy; Curriculum Development; Delivery
DESCRIPTORS
Philosophy;
Systems; *Disabilities; Educational
Educational Trends; Elementary Secondary Education;
Family Involvement; *Inclusive Schools; Information
*Program
Networks; Mainstreaming; Peer Relationship;
Implementation; Pupil Personnel Services; Regular and
Special Education Relationship; Social Integration;
*Teacher
*Special Education Teachers; Staff Role;
Role
*Inclusion Facilitators; *New Hampshire; Teacher
IDENTIFIERS
Collaboration
ABSTRACT
This guide for inclusion facilitators was developed
Hampshire's Inclusion Facilitators Support Network,
as part of New
Hampshire Statewide Systems Change
created as an activity of the New
Inclusion Facilitators to
Project. The Network provides a forum for
discuss the latest innovations
meet, share ideas and strategies, and
Systems Change Project was
in inclusive education. The Statewide
districts to include
designed to increase the capacity of school
regular education classrooms and
students with severe disabilities in
reviews the trend toward more
neighborhood schools. An introduction
special educators as
inclusive schools and considers the role of
consider aspects of the
inclusion facilitators. The next sections
specific strategies in the
inclusion facilitator's role and recommend
(3) facilitation of
(2) family involvement;
(1) advocacy;
areas of:
(5)
(4) curriculum modification;
friendships;
peer supports and
Appendices provide:
collaboration; and (6) coordination of supports.
school's or school district's practices and
a checklist to evaluate a
parent's ideas concerning the
philosophy regarding inclusion, one
meeting, a flow chart of
ideal individualized education program
and a list of suggested
curriculum modification and student supports,
modification and classroom strategies.
resources for curriculum
(Contains 35 references.) (DB)
***********************************************************************
that can be made
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best
from the original document.
Ic
***********************************************************************
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U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Olirte ot Educational Researcn ana improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
as
This document has been reproduced
ived from Ine person or organization
originating it
nmprone
C Minor changes have been made to
CRAItly
reproductron
Pointsof view og opinionsstated in thisdocu.
&kcal
mast do not necessarily represent
OERf positron or policy
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e,
The Role of the Inclusion Facilitator
Writtcn by
Carol Tashie
Susan ShapiroBarnard
Ann Donoghue Dillon
Mary Schuh
Cheryl Jorgensen
Jan Nisbet
Photographs by
Gary Samson
Instructional Services,
University of New I lampshire
Institute on Disability/University :kill lilted Program
University of New Hampshire
1993
1,,
..i
I
114.1,
I
DEDICATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 s schools work to include ail students in
Foreword
3
regular education classes and the doors of
Introduction
4
special education classrooms close. a new pt'o-
fessional role emerges...the role of the Inclusion
8
Advocacy
Facilitator. From the very beginning, the heart
Family Involvement
and soul for this book has come from Inclusion
Facilitators V. orkmg throughout the state of New
Facilitating Peer Supports & Friendships
16
is their celebrated successes and
I lampshire. It
20
the pages to follow.
Modifying Curriculum
honest struggles that
till
Without the contributions ol these committed
24
Collaboration
professionals. this book could not have been
written. Their talent and wisdom mark every
Coordination of Supports
page. Through the shar:ng of their stones, this
Conclusion
book grew [ruin a inanual of teLl'.m.ities into a
book rich with strategxs born of experience.
35
Appendices
This book is dedicated to all of the Inc lu-
39-40
References
sion Facilitators working in inclusive schools
throughout the state of New Hampshire. We give
special thanks to the following members of the
Inclusion Facilitators Support Network for their
generous contributions to this book.
Carolyn Smiles
Maureen Hutton
\loultonborough. N
Littleton, N.H.
Mary Timson
Kathy Lanzira
lampstead. N.11
Plainfield. N II
Camille Valenza
Rhonda Morgan
Newport, N.11.
Exeter, N IL
Michelle Widdison
Valerie Morse
Bedford. N H.
Windham/Pelham. N H
Marty Rounds
Amherst, N 11
FOREWORD
the Project. provided them with training and
1.0, New Hampshire's Inclusion
gn
technical assistance. The Inclusion Facilitatots
acilitators Support Network w as created
Support Network was a logical extension of this
Statewide
as an activity of thc New Hampshire
Its commitment to redefine and
assistance.
n
N _etwork provides
Systems Change Project. ...1e
restructure educational roles and practices for all
share
a forum for Inclusion Facilitators to meet,
New Hampshire educators became the impetus
ideas and strategies. and discuss the latest mno-
for the de \ elopment of this book. We hope that
vations in inclusive education.
both new and experimced Inclusion Facilitators
The Statewide Systems Change Project.
a
will learn from the hard work and trial and error
joint project of thc Institute on Disability/LAP
of their New Hampshire colleagues
and the New Hampshire Department of Educa-
of
tion, was designed to increase thc capacity
nve-ycar proiLLt
The St.newtile ;vstems Change Proico
school districts in New Hampshire to include
S Pepartment of Lducation office of
lunded by the
#1108ol8001
Education and Rchabditative
students with severe disabilities in regular edu-
!iw Nrw 1-Limp:hire pci. iii ldii ation Buicau tot an
ALL-ardcd
schools. In
cation classrooms and neighborhood
inclusive eduLation proicet \kith the In,titute on 1:q.abilitLA..1r
University ol New Hampshire The Loments of this book do not
order to encourage Inclusion Facilitators in their
Departmint
necessarily reprctent the p.)liev or po.ition ot the
and beliefs.
ncw roles and to enhance their skills
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MAGGIES STORY
Ckn
parents and teaci:ers, and together they worked
ege with a
aggie graduated Irom
...o..II
her. students into regular
OW Ways to include
clet::-ee in special education and spent
classes. Maggie would be the lirst to tell vou it
Id years teainng students with moderate and
wasn't always easy: -trial and error' were the
schools and
evere disabilities in a number ot
words she lived by. But Maggie CIIIIckly SAW the
classes She taught in a state institutiont resi-
immense gains that the students were making in
dential -,. Ivol, and a regional day school solely
In fact.
regular classes and with typical peers
IL)88. Maggie
lor studen:s with autism.
In
especially how to
Maggie. too. was learning
moved to New Hamrshire and began teaching in
balance her dcsire to -hokl on- to
her
kids
educe 'on classroom in a
a sell-coni,uned special
while knowing that "letting go- would best meet
ol her
small publk: elementary school. Of all
their educational needs.
lobs. this was the one that Maggie will always
Much of what Maggie was doing lrorn the
reler to as the -turning point- in her career.
start was offering support to the other teachers in
rhm %car, the -winds ol inclusion- were
I hese teac hers M1CW t hat Nlaggic w as
her school
blowing tiirough New Hampshire. Because ol
their resource, and daily they sought Maggie's
her interests and her experience. Maggie began
Interacting with other teachers in
her
attending workshops that focused on a com-
help.
building was extremely satisfying, but Maggie
pletely new and somewhat challenging idea
was hungry to find other special educators who
including svadents w ith severe disabdittes in reg-
were taking on this new role. The idea was so
ular cdtication classes. Maggie knew in hcr hcart
new in New Hampshire that there weren't many
that this idea could work (although she had lit-
others. -Someday,- Maggie remembers thinking,
tle idea or how to make it work) and she eagerly
there will be plents ol educatois
approached her school principal
throughout the state doing w hat
with the idea -Give it a try,- the
m doing because its the right
principal said encouragingly
thing to do and it works
Maggie began slowly but
'he met
regularly with
surely
EVOLUTION OF CHANGE
Educating students with disabilities in regular
educationis in life. change is constant.
neighborhood schools and classrooms meant
lust about
like
onEducational practices
--
that educators, related service providers, and
every other -solid and tested- theory
have
families had to change the way in which they
changed dramatically throughout the years.
practices
educational
promoted
for
best
As Maggie learned in 1988. the old "tried
all students.
and true- practices of educating students with
Today, we no longer assume that the special
disabilities were not the best. As recently as the
tudent will arrive by spet.h.il bus at a specia;
lass
early 1080.s. educational practices dictated that
taught by a special teacher according to a special
Audents with severe disabilities be educated in
schedule and cumculum. In fact, we generally try
separate schools and classes, apart from their
to avoid using the word speLial when planning
typical peers However, parents and educators
and describing the education of students who
began to face the evidence that this practice was
have chsabilities.
not meeting the needs of students with disabili-
Undoubtedly one ol the biggest changes for
general
ties, nor the needs of the community in
schools embracing inclusion is the elimination of
1088. Fox, 1987;
(Bik len. 1985: Brown et
al
.
the model of exclusion or 'pull out services. We
Gartner & Lipsky, 19871. Through evaluation
now bring support semces to the students in
and questioning, parents and educators began
regular education settingsillowing them to
the search for alternatives, for new ideas. for a
learn in classes with their peers (Ford. 1989;
"new wind,- so to speak.
Giangreco. 1990; Janney & Meyer, 1990: Stain-
We now know that students with disabili-
back, Stainback & Forest, 1989; Thousand &
full-time
ties are best educated when they are
andercook & lork,
Villa, 1990
members of typical agc-appropri-
1989) Educa-
1989, lotk et al
ate classrooms in neighborhood
related ser ice
pros iders,
tors,
1985; Brinker,
schools (Biklen.
students and families now work
NM, Brown et al
1988; Brown.
,
collaborati% c team
together
as
Nietupski &. Hamre-Nietupski,
members not isolated e \pelts In
1976, Halvorsen & Sailor, 1990;
e all pm ide the sup-
this %a)
strully kSz.. StrullY. 1087. Thousand
pons necessan lot students \\ ith
villa. 1089"
disabillue, to be suk_cessfulk edu-
With this change. systems
piLal peers
cated aloniride then
support
develop
to
had
to
tcaLhers. ,md parents.
-.indents.
,..
HOW TO BEGIN
A NEW ROLE
ur purpose for writing this book is to
necessitated by the
n unportant change
ifq
provide guidance tdare we siv words of
of
.new wind- of inclusion is the evolution
wisdom-?) to both new and experienced Inclu-
special education
a new professional role. The
sion- Facilitators. Each chapter includes anecdo-
teacher takes on ncw responsibilities character-
discussion. and strategies. Our
stories,
tal
.ng with all teach-
ized by collaboratively consulti
research and information comes from you and
and parents This
ers. related Service providers,
your colleagues who shared their stories as well
for
new role also includes coordinating services
this
as their -best practices-. Contributing to
regular class-
students who are members ol
book were Inclusion Facilitators who told us
provide and
rooms. Quite simply, this role is to
they wanted to assist others in forming a process
coordinate the supports that enable the success-
to best support the value they hold dear
ful inclusion of students with disabilities.
schools must he welcoming places for all stu-
As this new role evolved, the search began
dents. This book highlights the best in all of us
lor an appropriate lob title. We have chosen the
as evidenced in the stories and examples woven
"inclusion Facilitator as thc term used
title
is important to recognize. how-
throughout. It
throughout this book, as we believe it accurately
lies a
ever, that behind every success story, there
reflects the true mission of the person accepting
and
journey in which commitment, hard work,
this role.
humor paved the way The purpose ol this book
Throughout New Hampshire, an Inclusion
Inclu-
is not to create unrealistic expectations for
Facilitator is that person whose job it is to facili-
sion Facilitators, but to create a vision for the
the full inclusion of
tate, however necessary,
potential or. this new and exciting role.
students who have disabilities as active, partici-
The tole of the Inclusion Facilitator is a
classes
pating learners in regular age-appropnate
dynamic one, changing and growing as inclusion
and neighborhood schools.
practices become increasingly comprehensive
Given the move toward fully inclusive
and sophisicated. Clearly, Inclusion Facilitators
education, the demand for skilled
Inclusion
their
must maintain professional flexibility as
Facilitators has greatly increased during the past
role descriptions evolve to keep pace with the
educa-
five \Tars. In 1988 we knew of only one
changes occurring in schools and communities.
had a job description
tor in New Hampshire who
This evolution is both exciting and t.hallenging
which reflected her role as an Inclusion Faulita-
know
as New Hampshire Inclusion Facilitators
than (10 members
tor. Today, there arc more
first-hand The Institute on Disability/I 'AP. Uni-
Facilitators
Inclusion
ol New Hampshire's
celebrate
versity ol New Hampshire. is proud to
work daily to
!-t.ipport Network These members
these dedicated professionals who work so
schools and in
support lull inclusion in their
diligently to keep the vision. spirit, and reality ol
the state
inclusion alive
,