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Successful Preschool Inclusion: An LEA’s

Perspective

Barbara Hanft MA, OTR, FAOTA Edward Feinberg PhDSally Mastroberti MS

Institute on InclusionAugust 5, 2005

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*Federal/State Statistics*

US Dept. of Ed. 50% of all preschoolers with disabilities are

receiving services in inclusive settings. Maryland State Dept. of Ed’s LRE goal

less than 15% of students should receive services in separate special education settings;

however, many Maryland counties have high rates of segregated services.

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Status 2003: Anne Arundel Co.

39% of preschoolers receive special education services in segregated settings remainder receive speech as a single service at

their home elementary school.

2 of 567 students received services in a community-based preschool or childcare.

Service delivery model essentially unchanged since the late 1970s.

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Service system vs policy/research

IDEA All children should be educated in their natural or

LRE: Must raise expectations.

Higher standards equal higher performance.

All children should have access to regular curriculum.

Must support regular educators through quality staff development on relating to children with disabilities.

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Service system vs.

policy/research

Research

Children in inclusive settings perform better.

Children in inclusive settings behave better.

Children in inclusive settings demonstrate positive views about individuals with disabilities.

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Goal: Move from classroom to community-based system

Expand the continuum of special education services-

to increase the incidence of preschoolers with disabilities receiving special education and related services in inclusive early childhood settings.

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Results

September 2003

- Started with 5 students in inclusive settings

- 4 community-based settings involved

June 2005

- 88 students served in inclusive settings (+ 319%)

- 82 inclusive settings involved

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What can inclusive special education service look like?

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What can inclusive special education look like?Community Based Service Matrix

Individual Group Individual Group Small Large Resource Teacher Co-taught Lead ConsultationHome * School * Group Group Own session * Teacher

Family Philosophy

Schedule (wants/needs)

EnvironmentPhilosophy

Schedule

Peers

Space

Teacher's needs

Child Needs/Areas of weakness

Likes/dislikes

IEP requirements

*It must be in combination.

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Video Selections: Katelyn

Family wanted Katelyn included, no individual attention worked full-time, no time for home visits

Childcare 4 year old program, missing literature component teacher needed help in morning all students included

Katelyn Issues: Attention, fine motor, processing verbal info Setting where she had to ignore distractions Loved stories about animals

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Video Selections: Richard Family

Concern- Richard’s lack of participation in large groups

Preschool/Teachers Willing to learn, requested help for large group

instruction Class issues with social skills (hitting, not sharing etc.) Needed guidance on class management and redirection

Richard Participating in large group Answering questions with an audience Increase self-confidence for improved peer interaction Loved being teacher’s helper

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Professional development: Points to ponder

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From neurons to neighborhoods…..

The essential features of the environment that influence children’s development are their relationships with the important people in their lives – beginning with their parents and other family members, and extending outward to include child care providers, teachers, and coaches – within the places to which they are exposed – from playgrounds to libraries to schools to soccer leagues.”

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2004, p. 4

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Key myths about consultation/coaching

Can double/triple caseloads

Therapists train others to do OT/PT/SP

Never work one-one with a child

One way to consult

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The big difference………

Expert vs.

expertise

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Principles of adult learning

Identify partner’s motivators What will influence my partner to collaborate with

me and refine knowledge/information?

Respect partner’s learning environment/style

Which physical and emotional factors will promote a positive learning environment?

Help partner integrate past and current experience

What is my partner’s knowledge/experience base?

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Principles of adult learning

Promote partner’s self-direction/active involvement Involvement vs engagement

Support partner’s reflective thinking Link to role and child outcomes

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1. Be aware of power in your relationships

Power (reward, coercive and legitimate) → lack of commitment

Referent power, via identification, builds rapport, shows respect and breaks down professional distance

Harris & Cancelli, 1991

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2. Deal with entry issues

Clarify partners expectations and past efforts

What do you want for your child? Settings to participate in….. Interactions to engage….

What works? What has not?

Maximize partner’s choices about how to consult with you

Harris & Cancelli, 1991

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3. Ensure investment in the consultation

Focus on partner’s roles/concerns, rather than yours

What’ s working for this child? What’s the most challenging part of the day

caring for him/her?

Encourage questions, provide explanations vs. give advice

Ask partner to evaluation your recommendations How will this work for you?

Harris & Cancelli, 1991

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Continuation

Observation

Action

Reflection

Initiation

Evaluation

Key components of Coaching (Hanft, Rush, & Shelden, 2004)

Resolution

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Process is interactive….

Observation

Action

Reflection

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Reflecting: Asking probing ?

1. Prompt Partner to recall or gather information

Tell me about… Tell me more…. What did you want to happen? What happened when …..? What did you do/say when……? What went well? Where does that most often occur? When did you first notice this?

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How professionals talk affects How professionals talk affects caregiver participationcaregiver participation

Indirect behavior: praise/encouragement, ask ?, accepting feelings/ideas

Encourages caregivers to initiate and structure interactions- BUT-

95% of praise was about child, not caregiver actions

96% of questions were close-ended

Direct behavior: giving info, directing, criticizing

Leads to professionals giving more info

Brady et al, 2004. Journal of Early Intervention#26(2), pp.146-159

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Observations are outcome related and include:

partner’s behavior Nonverbal communication, comments,

interaction and actions in response to events, others and the coach

Reactions of others to your partner Esp. acceptance of partner’s actions

Physical and social context of child and partner

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Visual learning

partner observes coach partner observes peers

partner watches video partner reads an article and/or looks at illustration

Auditory learning

partner summarizes feedback from coach partner narrates actions watching a video partner listens to audiotape partner talks to another partner

Kinesthetic learning

partner keeps journal of actions/reflections partner rehearses actions in mind

partner practices actions partner demonstrates actions to others

Actions……

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What makes inclusion work?

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Anne Arundel Co.’s GoalStarted Sept. 2003

To expand the continuum of special education services to increase the percentage of preschoolers with disabilities receiving special education and related services in inclusive early childhood settings.

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How?

School System Awareness

Educating and sharing goals. Collaboration with other professionals.

Parental Involvement

Educating parents about their options. Providing support in choosing positive

inclusive settings. -

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How?

Community Support

Developing positive relationships with nursery schools and child care centers; expanding perspective on appropriate settings for children with disabilities.

Offering staff development, coaching, adapted materials, co-taught classes, etc.

Involving outside resources. -

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Community Support *The biggest, most positive factor*

Starts with the family First contact is critical First visit to inclusive setting creates the

atmosphere/partnership/relationship Patience leads to cooperation and respect Positive recognition leads to teamwork Communication leads to trust and openness Commitment – modeling, co-teaching, training,

literature, materials Individualize to meet everyone’s needs