Education Commons^™

Taking It Personally: The Role Of Memoirs In Teacher Education, Sharon A. Hollander

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The current popularity of memoirs and book groups is a cue to education faculty. When complemented by discussion groups and writing assignments, memoirs can be used to facilitate the process of inclusion in the schools by teaching both general and special educators about children with disabilities and their families. These works can also promote quality reading and writing, inspire original and insightful responses from students, and foster a sense of community in class. Some advantages and previous applications of this method are described and recommendations for implementation are made.

The National Board For Professional Teaching Standards: Professional Assessment For Teachers Of Students With Exceptional Needs, Ronald G. Helms Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has established five areas of Exceptional Needs as new certification areas: Early Childhood through Young Adult/Exceptional Needs (birth to 8 years), Mild and Moderately Impaired (5 to 21+ years), Severe and Multiply Impaired (5 to 21+ years), Visually Impaired (birth to 21+ years), and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (birth to 21 + years). Pre K - 12+ Exceptional Needs teachers may now be recognized by their schools, communities, state, and nation as master teachers. Teachers are clearly central to planning, implementing, developing, and modifying NBPTS policies and procedures. Only Special Needs educators will …

Reframing Educational Psychology For The New Millennium, Jill Lindsey North Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The role of education psychology in the 21st century must be to provide a research-based pedagogical foundation upon which preservice and practicing teachers can draw to develop the habits of mind necessary to ensure all students learn. Historically, the field of educational psychology is the study of how people learn (Crowel, Podell, & Kaminsky, 1997). However, the work most associated with the field of educational psychology during the 20th century has been the development of tests and measurements to identify learners' capacities and abilities. Much of the work by educational psychologists has been focused on identifying extremes of performance in …

Book Review: The Paraprofessional's Guide To The Inclusive Classroom: Working As A Team, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

In a special education program, working with paraprofessionals can be either an asset or a nightmare of tension and conflicting role expectations. As a supervisor of student teachers, the complaint that is heard most often is the difficulty establishing a smooth, coherent working relationship with paraprofessionals in the classroom. Often many school districts do not adequately define the roles and expectations for paraprofessionals and do not provide training and preparation for this position. The purpose of this text is to provide a format and structure for creating just such a working relationship.

Mighty?, Craig Davis

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The following poem was written by a teacher candidate at Wright State University in response to viewing the movie, The Mighty. This movie reveals the challenges and the triumphs two students with disabilities face as they forge a unique and enduring friendship.

Inclusive Elementary Schools And Those Who Lead Them, Mary Ellen Bargerhuff

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This qualitative study examines how principals' leadership qualities influence effective elementary inclusion programs. Guiding questions address principals' perceptions of the beliefs, knowledge, and behaviors essential to leadership in an inclusive school. Sites for this study were three fully included elementary schools (no self-contained classes) in southwest Ohio. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, observations, shadowing, and document review. The conceptual framework of relational leadership, particularly the attributes of caring, collaboration, courage, vision, and intuition organized the study. Findings illustrated that the principals believe relational leadership is necessary for the success of inclusive learning communities; they make collaborative, proactive leadership by …

Lessons Learned From Special Education Leadership Development Knowledge Diffusion And Schools As Organization, Jason Earle Ph.D., Susan G. Clark Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Foundations and Leadership, recognized that to facilitate the successful implementation of IDEA provisions in local schools, educators need a sound conceptual understanding of congressional intent and best practice and opportunities to collaborate in new ways with school organization colleagues. To this end, the State Superintendent's Task Force for the Preparation of Special Education Personnel awarded UA a $25,000 grant to provide school teams, rather than individuals, with the needed skills to implement the IDEA in their organization. Six area school/districts were invited to send a four-person team to attend a series of four weekend workshops centered on the law and …

Inclusion: What Are Teachers Doing To Accommodate For Special Needs Students In The Classroom, Brenda Stevens Ph.D., Caroline Everington Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Elementary teachers (N=42) from a district implementing inclusive practice were surveyed to determine: a) if the frequency of curricular modifications made differ by type of student disability, b) if there is a difference in the frequency of curricular modifications made for special and typical students, and c) if a relationship exists between modifications made for special needs students and for typical students. Results indicate the frequency of teachers’ curricular modifications does not differ by type of disability; that they make significantly more frequent modifications for special needs students; and that there is a significant relationship between the frequency of modifications …

Including A Student With An Attention Problem: Strategies For Including A Student With An Attention Problem In The General Education Classroom, Mark S. Brown Ed.D., Patricia Ilderton

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A student with an attention problem may meet with academic problems when she is placed in the general education classroom. The general education teacher with assistance from the special education intervention specialist should collaboratively develop curriculum and environmental adaptations that will allow the included student to meet with greater academic and social success. This observational study offers strategies for working with a child with an attention problem for both the general education teacher and the special education intervention specialist. Academic and curriculum strategies are presented to proactively address the social and academic strengths of a student with attention problems who …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the fifth edition of the Electronic Journal of Inclusive Education. With this edition the conversation concerning the inclusion of student with special needs in regular education classroom continues with a number of scholarly articles.

The edition begins with Kathy Adam's discussion of inclusive practice for students from urban and low socio-economic backgrounds. These students are often wounded in the high stakes results of poor proficiency test scores. Ms. Adams provides insight concerning inclusive decisions for these children.

Dr. Mary Ellen Bargerhuff provides a qualitative look at the necessity of strong leadership when implementing inclusive practice. Her research reveals …

Stages Of Preservice Development In A Professional Development School For Teachers Of Students With Emotional Disturbance, Suzanne Tochterman

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This study was designed to identify and describe the stages of preservice development in a Professional Development School (PDS) for teachers of students with emotional disturbance. This study investigated two questions: (a) How does a preservice teacher for students with serious emotional disturbance in a one year full time PDS progress through a series of developmental stages, and (b) what are the opportunities that contribute to the learning of the preservice teacher in a PDS?

This was a qualitative study in which seven data sources from preservice teachers were collected over a nine-month period. These included videotaped teaching episodes, informal …

Inclusion No More, Kathy Adams

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Observations made in fourth grade classrooms in a neighborhood urban school after the implementation of the Ohio Proficiency test (OPT) demonstrated the loss of one schools exemplary inclusion models. In addition, identified special education students may have been harmed and there was the possibility that the misplacement of some students occurred. Literature warns of the possibility that high stakes tests, like the OPT may increase the number of identified special education students.

Life And Times Of Individuals With Mental Retardation: 40 Years Of History, Rhonda S. Black Ph.D., Beverly A. Salas

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

If we look to the not so distant past, we see a history of lost opportunities for employment and the chance to meaningfully contribute to society for individuals with mental retardation (Murphy & Rogan, 1995). Many issues surround why these individuals have not been more included within our society, particularly in the employment sector. Fears, questions, and concerns abound when looking at these issues. Such questions are: Why would I want to hire an individual with mental retardation? How much cost is associated with various accommodations that may be required? What unknowns are involved in hiring a person with mental …

Preclusion: The Solution To The Inclusion Confusion, Terry L. Shepherd Ed.D., Randel D. Brown Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Many public schools in the United States are implementing inclusion programs; however, some research has shown that students with disabilities are not benefiting from inclusion. Part of the difficulty with inclusion lies with the implementation practices of the schools. Stigmatizing by labeling a child is another concern; even through inclusion, ownership of the child is questionable. It is also illogical to take children from the general education classroom, label them as having a disability, and then return them to the same classroom with modifications and support. Modification and support could easily be provided without referring children for special education services. …