Foundations of Inclusive Education

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Foundations of Inclusive Education

• Best practices of Education Assistants

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Discuss Things to Try for Next Time

• Learning in Inclusive Environments Observation
  Checklist
• And
• 2. Thought Question High school students with
  significant disabilities were asked to
  characterize their relationships with
  paraprofessionals. What do you think they said?

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General approach to supporting students

• M.I.S.G.O.

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M.I.S.G.O.

• Do not have a chair for yourself to sit in next
  to the student
• Do not talk with the student while the teacher is
  talking to the student either individually or as
  part of a small group or whole class presentation

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M.I.S.G.O.

• Roam the classroom and support all students as
  appropriate
• Use recess and lunch periods as excellent
  instructional opportunities (particularly for
  functional and social skill development)

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M.I.S.G.O. revealed

• MOVE IN SQUAT GET OUT!

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Research 16 self advocates discuss education
assistants

• Paraprofessional as their only friend
• Paraprofessional as teacher
• Paraprofessional as mother
• Paraprofessional as protector

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Reflective Discussion Questions

• How will you demonstrate and clarify the
  differences between being friendly and being a
  friend?
• How do students with disabilities feel about
  their experiences of not having the teacher work
  with them?

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Reflective Discussion Questions

• How would you feel having your mother follow you
  around in school, all day, every day? How does
  mothering interfere with a students ability to
  make friendships?
• How does your team work with students who are
  victims of bullying to support and broaden their
  circles of support and friendship?

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How to be a ParaPro

• Space Cadet
• No sense of what students need, nor how to
  provide support. Inappropriately follow
  recommendations
• The Parrot Para
• Simply repeat all teacher directions dont
  individualize or shift from auditory to visual
  supports

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How to be a ParaPro

• The Know-it-all
• Not willing to consider input from others, let
  alone learn from the student
• The Helicopter
• Hovers smothers hinders rather than
  facilitates learning creates learned
  helplessness and prompt dependency (uses
  intrusive verbal prompts)

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How to be a ParaPro

• The Invisible
• Attends to matters outside the needs of students
  fails to see cues that signal impending problems
• The Fire Fighter
• Employs reinforcements that often maintain a
  behaviour or situation

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How to be a ParaPro

• The Automatic Pilot
• Task-oriented not student oriented uses highly
  intrusive supports
• The Traffic Cop
• Directs rather than facilitates often forgets to
  involve students

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How to be a ParaPro

• Knows students
• Analyzes situations makes sound judgments
• Has a repetoire of strategies
• Promotes self determination and independence
• Facilitates participation
• Willingness to learn

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Research Helping or Hovering?

1. Interference with ownership and responsibility by
   general educators
2. Separation from classmates
3. Dependence on adults
4. Impact on peer interactions

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Research Helping or Hovering?

• 5. Limitations on receiving competent instruction
• 6. Loss of personal control
• 7. Loss of gender identity
• 8. Interference with instruction of other students

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A Competent Education Assistant

• ? Heart beliefs, attitudes, personal
  attributes
• ? Hand skills
• ? Head knowledge

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Evaluation

• SSEAC values your feedback. Please complete the
  evaluation form. It will be forwarded to the
  project evaluator. Thank you.

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Summative Assessment