Final Reflection:Inclusion

1.What makes inclusion of children with exceptionalities successful?
 Inclusion in the classroom can be successful with a few factors. For instance, its important for Teachers to have knowledge and skills needed to select and adapt curricula and instructional methods according to individual students needs. The school should provide adequate number of personnel, including aides and support staff. Each staff member should have knowledge of the individual disabilities and instructional methods needed to meet the need of the student. The school should also make sure the student receives the services. Support resources, such as speech therapy, for students with disabilities may be integrated into the general education classroom. Parents should be encouraged to be involved and provided an oppportunity for collaboration and communication.
2.What are some barriers to successful inclusion?
A barrier that stands in the way of successful inclusion is the absence of supportive attitudes. If the general education teachers do not support the change in the classroom, it will not be successful. If the teacher doesn't know how to adapt the curricula to meet the child's need, then it will not be successful. Also another barrier is failure to accept the child. Sometimes special education students face being ridiculed and stigmatized when placed in the general education classroom. Lack of interprofessional collaboration is also a barrier to successful inclusion.
3. Who should be included in the general classroom? How can you determine if inclusion is appropriate for a child?
Support resources such as parents,speech therapists, physical therapists, and special education teachers should be included in the general classroom. At times it can be difficult determining whether a child  with a disability should be placed in a general classroom. I believe that it depends on the child and degree of severity. Some children have impairments that require them to be in a self contained environment. Some special needs students can't handle the distractions found in a full size regular ed classroom. They function better in a class that provides smaller size and one on one instruction.

Inclusion

Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with special educational need. It's more then just placement in the regular class within school. It's being a part of what everyone else is, and being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs. I believe inclusion is beneficial if the child is capable of being successful in the regular classroom. Meeting all of a child's needs should not be conditional upon placement. Being physically placed in the regular class should never mean that any needs of the child is overlooked or sacrified. I believe that if the child's needs are better met in a excluded setting, then that's where the child should be placed.

Assistive Technology

Assistive technologies are tools and strategies that act to liberate the use of technology for all students as well as to provide new ways to assist interactions and learning. I have had a little experience with assistive technology in the classrooom. One of the major AT tools/strategies I have implemented is the use of enlarging texts and using visuals, picture cards, and labels on equipment in the classroom. Also I read aloud often to all the students in the classroom and for those who need more one on one assistance, I use visual communications. For example, my daily schedule uses pictures so that the students can understand the classroom routine. In my future as a professional, I see AT growing more and more. Being defined as anything that makes it easier for a student to turn things on, get dressed, read, write,see, get around, move, communicate or play. I see myself utilizing the computer microphone to write and creating interactive books for my students.

Task Analysis

I am choosing to teach my student about the importance of hand washing. Preschoolers should be encouraged to stay healthy everyday. My student has difficulty remembering to wash his hands after activities throughout the day. Washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds can help reduce germs and diseases from spreading among children and adults in the classroom. This is a day to day activity that children can do at school or at home. During circle time, I will discuss the importance of hand washing.
Discuss that washing and bathing prevents us from getting sick. Ask children when they need to wash our hands.
• before eating or touching food in any way (like if you're helping cook or bake)
• after using the bathroom
• after blowing your nose or coughing or putting your hands in your mouth
• after touching any pets or animals
• after playing outside
• after visiting a sick relative or friend
Then I will demonstrate to my focus child how to properly wash his hands by breaking down the task, step by step being sure to use pictures for each step. Using visuals will assist him with learning the process. Also I will use a fingerplay and a song to help him to remember each step.

Communication Strategies

There are several forms of communication. As educators we are required to communicate with our students and with parents. One way I will use communication strategies in the classroom is by providing my students with various choices with activities throughout the day.  Children love to have toys, puzzles, games, etc that they can relate to and are interested in. By providing students with a variety of activities, you are helping them to develop thinking and rational skills. Decision making is a skill that children need to learn early in life. It is a skill that they will utilize for their entire life. The ability to process information and make decisions is a necessary skill for preschoolers as well as adults. Another form of communication I will provide for my students is access of materials. The powerpoint presentation discussed denying the child access to materials by putting them out of reach or in the control of someone else. This will require the child to initiate a conversation with the other child or the teacher. I like the idea of having the child initiate the conversation even if it means providing the child with the words needed to properly communicate their thoughts. During free play, I will comment on what my students are doing in centers. For example, if I see a child is stacking blocks. I will describe what I see, "Wow, I see you have three blocks stacked on top of each other." Then I would wait for a response from the child. At times I would enter the center and build with the child, this is another way to initiate communication. The dramatic play center is one of the greatest centers in the classroom where communication/conversations take place. Students take on pretend roles and it's easy to join in, not to mention fun.

Motor and Self Help Skills

How do we get good at something? We practice, practice and practice some more. If we want a child to do well at writing, run well or simply develop gross/fine motor skills; we must allow them to practice daily. Teachers should develop activities that help their students develop motor and self help skills. For instance, my focus child, J.J. needs assistance with developing his self help skills in Toileting. I can implement activiites that allow him to practice pouring, filling, and dumping toys and water in the sensory table. Also he can participate in a game of naming body parts. He can use the Mr. Potatoe Head to identify the parts of the body and/or sing and dance to the song Head Shoulder, Knees and Toes.
Plenty of physical activitiy is important to a child's gross motor development. J.J. will be allowed to run, jump, hop and skip daily. He will be encouraged to climb up and down the slides on the playground and utilize the balance beams. We will play a game of kick ball and soccer.
There are various activities teachers can implement in the classroom to assist students with developing motor and self help skills. For example, teachers can have a center set up for students to play with play dough or cut straps of paper. These simple activities help to build fine motor skills. J.J. will be encouraged to play in the dramatic play center and dress the puppets and dolls. He will get practice with buttoning and unbottoning shirts. This is a self help skill that he needs assistance with.  There are various ways teachers can implement activities to assist students with motor and self help skills.

Social Story

 The behavior that will be the focus of my social story is aggression and transitions. J.J. has difficulty with a change in the classroom routines and teacher redirection.  He displays aggression when he is upset or when he is redirected to do an activity he doesn't want to do.The story will show J.J. different ways to handle changes in  his daily routine. The story will also focus on ways he can approach his peers and adults and various ways to express his needs and wants without aggression.