Key Points for this section:
Roles and Responsibilities of
Site-Based Administrators
Roles and Responsibilities of the General Education Teacher
Roles and Responsibilities of the Special Education Teacher
Rational Statement:
One major component, which is critical to the success of an inclusive school community, is the delineation of roles and responsibilities of school personnel. Key personnel include administrators, educators, paraprofessionals, related service providers, and other individuals involved in a student’s educational life. Roles and responsibilities must be clearly delineated so that appropriate role expectations can be set and responsibilities can be fulfilled. A clear understanding of roles and responsibilities helps to ensure that student needs are met, job performance can be appropriately evaluated and accountability is appropriately addressed.
Roles and Responsibilities of
Site-Based Administrators
Guiding
Question:
What is a site-based administrator’s role
when initiating, developing and sustaining inclusive practices?
Step 1:Gain an Understanding of What Constitutes Responsible Inclusive Practices
There are common steps administrators may take to develop, implement and sustain inclusive practices. An administrator’s first step would be to develop an awareness of what constitutes responsible inclusive practices. This understanding could be developed from a wide variety of resources including the Florida Inclusion Network (FIN), the Division of Special Education, region-based personnel, colleagues, visitation of model school sites and professional development opportunities. Administrators should have a clear understanding of the rational for inclusive practices and work to collaboratively develop a school philosophy and mission statement consistent with such practices.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES:
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Articles:
Kappan-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Co-teaching in an Urban Multicultural School. Salazar, L. & Nevin, A.
Florida Educational Leadership: ASCD, Vol5 (2) p.15-20.
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Websites:
http://inclusion.dadeschools.net/
Accessing the General Education Curriculum
Effective strategies for All Learners
Great Expectations: An Ocean of Inclusive Possibilities
Moving Forward with Inclusive Practices in M-DCPS
http://www.floridainclusionnetwork.com/
www.cecsped.org
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Recommended Texts:
Building Inclusive Schools –Tools and Strategies for Success Ann T. Halvorsen and Thomas Neary. Allyn & Bacon, 2001; www.abacon.com
A Principal’s Guide to Special Education David Bateman & C. Fred Batema Council for Exceptional Children Publication (ISBN-00-86586-374-1)
Step 2: Assess the Status of Current Inclusive Practices at Your School Site to Gain an Awareness of Practices
At the awareness level and on an on-going basis, it is important that administrators have knowledge pertaining to the current status of practices for students with disabilities at their school site. Consideration might range from where special education classrooms are located, to what opportunities are available for students with disabilities to be integrated in academic and extracurricular activities across different learning environments. Developing awareness at this level would include the identification of internal considerations (e.g., teacher attitudes, training), external considerations (e.g. scheduling,
resources), and structural considerations (e.g., accessibility of classrooms and other areas of instruction).
Awareness should also exist as to the different models of support in which students with disabilities are serviced, as well as the number of neighborhood students with disabilities who are accessing educational services at another site.
It is important to assess and understand current practices from a quantitative as well as a qualitative perspective. As a site administrator, it is important to determine if students with disabilities who are instructed in an inclusionary setting have full classroom and learning community membership. When classroom membership is evidenced it means that positive relationships with other students are fostered and that all students feel welcomed and valued as contributing classroom members. Access to learning community membership mean that curriculum, instruction and assessment has been analyzed and adjusted, if necessary, to ensure that students with disabilities have meaningful participation in the curriculum and that a student’s Individualized Educational Plan is being fully implemented. There are quality indicators of an inclusive classroom which prove useful in assessing a student’s classroom and learning community membership status.
As the percentage of students who spend 80% or more of their school day in the general education setting is published on a monthly basis through a district report, it is important that an administrator have knowledgeable of such information. While this report generates a percentage, it is important to understand that the percentage will vary from school to school depending on the unique composition of the student body. The district is aligned with the goal of the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services to increase the percentage of students with disabilities who spend 80% or more of their school day in general education program.
To best prepare the school faculty for inclusive practices, it may be beneficial to conduct a needs assessment and to observe classrooms for indicators of student classroom and learning membership. In this way, preparation and on-going training could be tailored to the unique needs of faculty members with the intention of developing an action plan. Goals developed on the action plan may be integrated into the School Improvement Plan (SIP).
AVAILABLE RESOURCES:
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Websites: Inclusionary Practices in MDCPS, Schools Percent Report
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Tools:
Assessing Campus Practices and Selecting Future Priorities
Learning About Models of Support
Creating a Profile of Current Practices
Quality Indicators of Effective Inclusive Practice
Step3:
Develop an Action Plan for
Strategies to Implement Inclusive Practices
At the planning and development stage, the administrator’s role should be to assist with the establishment of a school team to guide the development of inclusive practices and to collaboratively develop an action plan with set goals. It is recommended that the school team be comprised of key individuals including an administrator, a parent, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and support staff. The function of the team is to serve as a steering committee to guide the planning process and then to provide continual support during the implementation phase. In-service training is periodically offered to members of the steering committee (All Students- All Schools).
Since collaboration is an important element of inclusive practices, members of the steering team are encouraged to visit model school sites implementing outstanding inclusive practices, based on a recommendation from district or regional area offices. Networking with other administrators and teachers is an essential part of the learning and growing process.
Information gathered by the school team should be disseminated to faculty members, as planning is a collaborative process. Consideration should be given to key components in planning for inclusive practices such as pairing of individuals for in-class support models, accessing professional development opportunities, creating a master schedule, providing service documentation, and allocating resources and collaborative planning time. Within each regional area, additional school support is available through assigned district personnel who serve as curriculum support specialists.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES:
Faculty Needs Assessment
Action Plan Template
Video:www.powerof2.org
Record Keeping
Keeping a Grade Book (In-class support)
Issuing Grades
Addressing the IEP
Data Input
Screen PF17
Screen PF4
Coding Classes
Scheduling:
Continuum of Services Model Description
A Step-by Step Approach to Staffing and Scheduling
Scheduling forms
Sample schedules (elementary, middle and senior high)
Scheduling for Collaborative for Planning Time
E-handbook –Planning for MAC scheduling
In-Class Support Models
Recommendations for selection of teachers in in-class models of support
Recommended practices that support inclusive education
Cooperative Learning Structures
http://www.cooperative learning.com
Curriculum Accommodations
Curriculum Modifications
Differentiated Instruction
Positive Behavioral Supports
Peer Support Systems
TIPS
for Administrators: (put “Tips” on inclusion website)
Scheduling
ü Recognize and support the value of collaboration for planning, group problem solving, designing a schedule which allows it to occur
ü Schedule for special education students first, then for the general education population.
ü Design the schedule as a team so that input comes from a variety of key stakeholders
ü Stagger schedules so that the SPED teacher can service multiple grade levels/subject areas, as appropriate. It is best not to assign the special education teacher too many different subjects/classes, as co-planning is an essential component of collaborative teaching
Using resources
ü Be flexible and creative in the use of staff assignment. Remember that paraprofessionals, under the guidance of a special education teacher, may serve in the capacity of a support facilitator
Classroom Composition/Instruction
ü Maintain the recommended ratio of gen.ed. and special education pupils in co-taught classrooms (1/3SPED and struggling learners/2/3GEN ED heterogeneously grouped).
ü Students who are receiving external support (services of consultation/collaboration) should be placed in classrooms other than a co-taught model. A co-taught model is meant for a student who needs the support of a special education teacher for all or the abundance of the instructional period.
ü
Ensure that co-teachers have a clear
understanding of the different teaching structures when providing in-class
support, as well as their r roles and responsibilities. (Video-Power of
2-available on Teacher’s Choice-WLRN)
Other
Considerations
ü The mission of the school reflects the development of a positive and welcoming learning environment where all students are equally valued and challenged to achieve to their greatest potential
ü When selecting general education and special education teachers to provide in-class support, consider the compatibility of philosophies, certification area(s), beliefs, values, methodology etc.
ü Value the co-teaching model, attempting not to pull the special education teacher
unless they are carrying out responsibilities that must be fulfilled as part of their job roles.
ü Secure information about professional development opportunities and encourage participation
Step 4:
Implement and Monitor Inclusive
Practices
Once consideration has been given to the above factors, an administrator can assist with the implementation process. As responsible inclusive practices are being implemented, it is important for leadership to assume a positive and supportive posture realizing that a positive change evolves over time. Leadership should monitor the progress of inclusive practices and celebrate success by sharing information with the faculty.
When problem solving is necessary, the steering committee, regional or district personnel as well as colleagues are available to provide assistance.
Step 5:
Evaluate and Readjust, as necessary
On both a formative and summative basis, data should be collected to identify both positive aspects of inclusive practices and areas where readjustment might prove beneficial. Data may come from informal or formal student/teacher observations and communications. It is important to remember that good inclusion takes time, training, resources, effort and evaluation of practices.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES:
Tools:
Quality Indicators of In-Class Support
Put on/create form (adaptations being implemented, multilevel instruction, flexible grouping for instruction; use of instructional technology, activity-based instruction)
(e.g., Special education students are not singled out or grouped together- Is classroom assistant servicing students with and without disabilities?
Roles and Responsibilities of the General Education Teacher
Introduction:
Although general educators have been involved with the education of students with disabilities since placement in the least restrictive environment was mandated by PL 94-142 (The Education of All Handicapped Children Act), they are now servicing a greater number of students with disabilities within the general education environment for a larger percentage of the school day. This calls for close collaborative efforts between general education and special education teachers and other individuals involved in a student’s educational life. As members of an educational community work collaboratively, the delineation of roles and responsibilities becomes essential. The roles and responsibilities of the general education teacher will be dependent on the type of model that is being implemented to meet the student’s needs (external support, in-class support), as determined by the IEP team.
Guiding Question: What are the roles and responsibilities of a general education teacher who is servicing students with special needs in an inclusive setting (external / in-class support)?
External Support Model
The role of the general education teacher who is involved in external support services
is to consult or collaborate with other individuals identified on the student’s IEP, so that the IEP can be fully implemented. The frequency of this supplementary aid and support is identified on the IEP and meetings must be documented. While consultation involves the sharing of information between teachers, families, agencies and others to address the student’s needs, collaboration involves more intense proactive work. It is a joint effort among participants where they work cooperatively to plan and carry out interventions designed to meet the student’s unique needs. Discussions during the meetings might include: the use and efficacy of accommodations/ and or modifications identified on the student’s IEP; the student’s progress toward meeting established goals and benchmarks; and the appropriate use of the classroom assistant (if one is in place). When concerns in any area exist, teachers and others involved in the student’s educational life should work together to engage in collaborative problem solving.
The general education teacher is also responsible to assist in the development of a student’s individualized educational plan, bringing information to the IEP meeting that will be helpful in determining the student’s educational abilities and needs. The general education teacher can provide input pertaining to positive behavioral interventions and strategies, supplementary aids and services and other supports that should be considered to support the involvement of the student with special needs in the general education environment.
In-class Support Models
The role of the General Education Teacher in Support Facilitation
Support facilitation refers to a specific type of in-class support model. In this model approximately 8-12% of students in the class are students identified with special needs (this is the natural proportion of students with special education needs, identified on a national level). In this model a special education teacher, or a paraprofessional under the guidance of a special education teacher, provides support in a general education classroom to students with and without disabilities for part of the instructional period. While scheduling may be flexible, support is consistent.
The role of the general educator in a support facilitation model can include:
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Modeling appropriate behaviors for interaction (teacher- teacher/teacher to student)
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Valuing and holding high expectations for all learners
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Collaboratively planning with the support facilitator so that they have predetermined classroom roles (creating, implementing and evaluating the use of accommodations/modifications; pre-teaching/re-teaching concepts; facilitating peer supports; assisting students with the use of learning strategies etc.)
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Problem-solving with the support facilitator to promote academic and behavioral student improvement
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Providing the support facilitator with information pertaining to established classroom practices, procedures and materials
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Gaining input from the support facilitator with respect to grades/ IEP status report progress
The role of the General Education Teacher in a Collaborative Teaching Model
When a general education teacher and a special education teacher are involved in co-teaching, both teachers assume equal responsibility in terms of planning, instructing and assessing student performance. An administrator must give considerable thought to pairing and training teachers to maximize their impact in the instructional setting.
When teachers are paired, it is important for both to be recognized and supported by administration.
Expectations that an administrator might have for a general education teacher instructing in a co-teaching model include:
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Modeling appropriate behaviors for interaction (teacher- teacher/teacher to student)
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Valuing and holding high expectations for all learners
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Engaging in planning with the special education teacher, co-delivering instruction and assessing all classroom members
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Having effective transition signals and procedures in place that facilitate the flow of the school day for all students
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Collaboratively grading students
Sample Questions which might be addressed:
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How will daily assignments/ tests/home learning activities be prepared ?
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How will all students be provided with feedback and reinforcement?
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How will parental concerns be addressed?
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How will grades be recorded/ kept?
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How will we address student needs in terms of implementing accommodations and/or modifications and reflecting on their efficacy?
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How will teachers arrange time to reflect on their practices/ address needs?
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What teaching structures will be in place for lesson delivery?
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Who will provide guidance if there is a classroom assistant to enable then to fulfill their roles and responsibilities?
Tools:
Roles and Responsibilities- Who Does What to Support the Included Student
Form- Roles and Responsibilities in Implementing Inclusive Education: Who is Responsible? (Handout#13)
Roles of the Support Facilitator Can Include
The Roles and Responsibilities of a Special Education Teacher in a Co-Teaching Model
When a general education teacher and a special education teacher are involved in co-teaching, both teachers assume equal responsibility in terms of planning, instructing and assessing student performance. An administrator must give considerable thought to pairing and training teachers to maximize their impact in the instructional setting.
When teachers are paired, it is important for both to be recognized and supported by administration.
Expectations that an administrator might have for a special education teacher instructing in a co-teaching model include:
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Review of pertinent information on a student’s IEP with all general education teachers
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Co-planning, instructing and assessing for all classroom members
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Providing the general education teacher with information about adaptations/ developing adaptations/ reflecting on the efficacy of adaptations to enable students with disabilities to access the curriculum
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Facilitating the use of natural classroom supports (peers, technology etc.)
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Providing direction to a classroom assistant (if one is in place)
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Providing input for grading
Resources:
Power of 2 Video
Paraprofessional personnel assist with the inclusionary practices in a variety of ways. They may function in the role of an individual or classroom assistant when they are designated as such on an individual’s IEP or as a support facilitator working under the guidance of a special education teacher.
An administrator should expect a paraprofessional to:
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Follow classroom policies developed by the teacher
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Model appropriate adult to adult /adult to student interactions
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Be aware of pertinent information on IEP’s that are necessary from a health/safety/ instructional perspective.
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Reinforce concepts previously introduced by instructional personnel.
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Implement accommodations/modifications, as trained by the special education teacher related service personnel, or other individuals involved in the student’s educational life.
When paraprofessionals support a student as a result of a designation on the IEP, they are `typically noted on the IEP as a “classroom assistant”. Often, specific responsibilities are placed in the conference notes section of the IEP. It is important to note that paraprofessionals work under the direction of a special education teacher. Paraprofessionals may work with students with and without disabilities who share classroom membership.
Doyle, M.B. (1977). The paraprofessional’s guide to an inclusive classroom. Baltimore: Brooks