a "§ Planning Instruction by Analyzing Classroom and Student NeedsLEARNER OBJECTIVES After you read this chapter, you will be able to 41, Explain what it means to make reasonable adaptations for students with special needs 2, Describe the steps of the INCLUDE decision-making process for accommodating students with special needs in your classroom. 3. Identify and describe the key elements ofa classroom environment. 4, Describe the major components of classroom organization, and explain how they can be adapted for students, special needs. 5. Explain various ways that students can be grouped for instruction in an inclusive classroom, 6. Explain how the use of effective classroom materials and ‘instructional methods can benefit students with special MR, RODRIGUEZ TEACHES world history at a large urban high school. When he introduces ‘new content to his students, he teaches to the whole class at once. First, he re- views material that has already been covered, pointing out how that material relates to the new content being pre- sented. Next, he provides any additional background information that he thinks will help students understand the new material better. Before Mr. Rodriguez actually presents new material he hands out a partially completed outline of the major points he will make. This outline needs. KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS ‘Academic learning time (p. 161) Assistive technology (AT) (p. 171) Differentiated instruction (p. 148) Direct instruction (p. 173) INCLUDE strategy (p. 148) Indirect instruction (p, 176) Inquiry learning (p. 176) Instructional accommodations (0. 152) Instructional modifications (p. 154) Mixed-skill groupings (p. 164) One-to-one instruction (p. 164) Same-skill groupings (p. 164) Scaffolding (p. 277) Transition time (p. 161) Universal design (p. 147) helps students identify the most impor- tant information. Every 10 minutes or so he stops his lecture and allows stu- dents to discuss and modify the outline and ask questions. When Mr. Rodriguez completes his lec- ture he organizes students into cooperative learning {groups of four to answer a series of questions on the lec- ture. Manuel is a student with a learning disability in Mr. Rodriguez's class. He has a history of difficulty staying on task during lectures and figuring out what information to write down. He also has trouble remembering informa- tion from one day to the next. @ How well do you think ‘Manuel wil perform in Me Reciguez’s clas? What changes inthe ddossroom environment might help Manuel to succeed? JOSH HAS CEREBRAL PALSY. Hes in the normal range in ability. However, he has lots of trouble with muscle movements, has little use of his lower body and legs and also has problems with fine muscle coordi- nation, As a result, Josh uses a wheelchair, has trouble with his speech (he speaks haltingly and is difficult to understand) and struggles to write letters and numbers correctly. Josh is included in Ms, Stewart’ second-grade class. @ What aspects of the classroom emtronment do you think Ms. Steware will need to adapt for Josh? How do you think she could use technology to facilitate Josh’s inclusion? 145RESEARCH NOTE PMU The connection between effective instruction and positive student behavior {is well established (Scott et al,, 200%). Students who are successful have litle incentive to disrupt the class or to actin ways that get them excluded from activities, INCLUDE gives teachers a Diient other special needs arise when characteristics of individual students and various features of students’ home and school environments interact. Effective teach ers analyze their classroom environment in relation to students’ academic and social needs and make adaptations to ensure student success in the classroom. For example, Manuel has difficulty staying on task and retaining new information. However, feanures of Mr. Rodriguez's class make it easier for Manuel to function. The partially completed lecture outlines help Manuel focus his attention on specific information as he tries to lis ten and stay on task; the pauses help him catch any lecture information he might have missed. The review sessions are intended to help Manuel retain information by giving him a mechanism for rehearsing newly learned material. In another case, Josh has some serious motor problems, but he may be able to function quite independently if Ms. Stew~ art makes her classroom accessible to a wheelchair and works with special educators to use assistive technology to meet Josh’s needs in handwriting and oral communication. ‘This chapter introduces you to a systematic approach to helping all students with special needs gain access to the general education curriculum, a requirement of IDEA. Part of that approach is for you to be the best teacher you can be so that fewer of your students require individualized instruction in the first place. Despite your best efforts, however, there will always be stu- dents who require a more individualized approach. The IN- systematic process for making CLUDE strategy is provided for these students. Although adaptations for students based there are other ways to adapt instruction for students with special needs, INCLUDE gives teachers a systematic process ‘on their individual needs and for making adaptations for students based on their individual ‘the classroom demands needs and the classroom demands on or expectations of the teacher. The rest ofthe text—especially Chapters 8 through on or expectations of the 13, in which specific strategies are presented—expands and elaborates on this approach. Later chapters also present @ more in-depth look at the relationship between your class- room environment and the diverse needs of learners. An im- portant assumption throughout the text is that the more effective your classroom structure is, the greater the diversity you will be able to accommodate and the fewer in- dividualized classroom changes you will need to make. teacher. 146 low Can the INCLUDE Strategy Help You Make Reasonable Adaptations for Students with Special Needs? ‘Ata recent conference presentation that included both classroom teachers and special ‘echucation teachers, one of the authors ofthis text asked the audience how many of chose present worked with students with disabilities. A music teacher at the back ofthe room called out, “Everyone in schools works with students with disabilities!” He is right. As ‘you have learned in the previous chapters, IDEA entitles students with disabilities 10 “access,” “participation,” and “progress” in the general education curriculum. ‘These entitlements were reinforced by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), which requires that most students with disabilities meer the same standards as their classmates without disabilities. Therefore, although the professionals who specialize in meeting the needs of students with disabilities are valuable and provide critical instructional and support systems for students, ultimately, you and your peers will be the primary teach- crs for many students with disabilities and other special needs, and you will form part- nerships with special educators to meet the needs of others. ‘That makes it critical for you to feel comfortable making adaptations for students in order for them to have fair access to your curriculum.