Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices

Student ID- 18606762

Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

Assessment 1
Final Reflection and Discussion Posts- Inclusive Education
Principles and Practices

This unit has made me understand that inclusive education is actually a human right outlined
by the United Nations which state that everyone has a right to education regardless of ability,
which is supported by legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Davis,
Gillett-Swan, Graham, & Malaquias, 2020). This knowledge allows me to demonstrate
Standard 1.6 which asks teachers to demonstrate their understanding of legislation for
students with disability (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2018).

Understanding the concepts behind both the social and medical models of disability, which I
wrote about in my Module 1 discussion post, has challenged my thinking and beliefs as it has
led me to progress to a social view of disability. Previously, I saw disability from the medical
view; as a problem that needed medical intervention and didn’t understand that society
creates disability, not impairment (Graham, Medhurst, Tancredi, Spandagou, & Walton,
2020).

Something that I found useful was learning about ‘pockets of strength’, which are about
recognising strengths associated with certain disabilities and disorders (The National Center
for Learning Disabilities, 2013). Designing learning using ‘pockets of strength’ will enable
me to demonstrate Standard 1.5 by differentiating for students based on their particular
‘pockets of strength’. For example, this may include allocating a drawing task instead of a
writing task if art is one of the student’s strengths. In reference to my Module 9 discussion
post, these ‘pockets of strength’ are definitely something that could be discussed from the
sending teacher to the receiving teacher when considering transitions in school to ensure the
child is able to demonstrate their strengths from day one. However, learning these strengths
would require some liaising with the parents/carers of the student because they know the
child best and can therefore offer more knowledge of the child. In doing so, I would be
demonstrating Standard 7.3 which asks me to communicate effectively with parents/carers
(Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2018).

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

References

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2018). Australian professional

standards for teachers. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/national-policy-

framework/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers.pdf?sfvrsn=5800f33c_64

Davis, J., Gillett-Swan, J., Graham, L., & Malaquias, C. (2020). Inclusive education as a

human right. In L. Graham (Ed.), Inclusive education for the 21st century: Theory,

policy and practice (pp. 178 - 207). Allen & Unwin.

Graham, L., Medhurst, M., Tancredi, H., Spandagou, I., & Walton, E. (2020). Fundamental

concepts in inclusive education. In L. Graham (Ed.), Inclusive education for the 21st

century: Theory, policy and practice (pp. 178 - 207). Allen & Unwin. 

The National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2013, March 6). Strengths of students with

learning disabilities and other disorders [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYHzJGTA6KM&feature=emb_title

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

Discussion Posts

Module 1- Disability in Context

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

Module 9- Transitions and Continuity

Applied Project:
Inclusion and Education Plan- Tom

Part 1- Introduction: Profile

Tom is a new Year 7 student who is exceptionally intelligent and knowledgeable, particularly
in areas of interest to him. He enjoys sharing this knowledge with others when given
opportunity. Tom is a gifted student and has particular strengths in visual-spatial processing
and general knowledge as well as an excellent memory and orthogonal thinking. Tom is also
identified as having a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This is accompanied
with diagnoses of Clinical Depression, and sensory and social anxiety. A particular strength
of Tom’s is his artistic ability, which is a skill exhibited in other children with ASD and
which can be attributed to his exceptional visual-spatial processing (Howard, 2011). Tom
thrives when he gets opportunities to demonstrate this in his learning as it makes him feel
valuable.

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

Tom has expressed enjoyment in maths, history, and gaming. He also enjoys stories
(particularly fantasy) and novels. Tom prefers to read using software such as Kindle with
Whispersync or Audible as he finds reading challenging, something which is common for
children with ASD (Knight & Sartini, 2015). Tom has a number of areas of interests such as
world architecture, World War 2 and World War 2 vehicles (planes), Steampunk and
Airpunk, Vikings, marine biology, sustainability, Japan and Japanese art styles including
Mange and Anime, shipwrecks (Titanic), mythology, inventions, and gaming (particularly
Minecraft).

Tom is a perfectionist and is also accepting of his ASD. He may also try to leave school as he
is a flight risk. Tom may hide the fact that he is struggling, particularly during reading, so it is
important to check on him and offer assistance. He is also known to refuse to write and spell
when he is struggling. Tom does struggle with the social aspect of schooling as he is a victim
of bullying and isolation, which is a common occurrence for students with ASD (Davies &
Troy, 2020). Tom also has a fear of failure and performance.

Concerns expressed by Tom’s mother Cassie include Tom feeling isolated due to the
reluctancy of his previous school to notify Tom’s peers about his ASD, teaching practices
and inflexible curricula not giving Tom opportunity to demonstrate his strengths, as well as
teachers not being able to identify and work with Tom’s strengths.

Part 2: Supportive and Inclusive Learning Environment

Inclusive education is underpinned by Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a

framework used for implementing inclusive education in the school setting and its main aim
is to ensure that all students become successful learners, regardless of individual
circumstances (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2010). Because UDL
takes into account all learners in the process of designing teaching, it is universal as it is very
flexible in that it allows different choices and paths to be chosen in order to achieve the
outcomes set by the curriculum (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2010).

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

Learning strategies which utilise UDL enable all students to learn regardless of their physical,
mental, or intellectual ability (Bagnato, Neisworth & Pretti-Frontczak, 2010). UDL involves
three main principles which should be used to guide classroom learning including multiple
means of representation (presenting information), multiple means of expression (students
expressing what they know), and multiple means of engagement (different ways to engage
students) (Gordon, Meyer, & Rose, 2014). UDL would be practiced when teaching Tom and
his class to ensure that inclusive education is being practised and not just integration where it
“is business as usual with add-ons.” (Graham, 2020, p.38) Here, the difference between
inclusion and integration is that inclusion is about planning learning with all students in mind,
whereas integration is adjustments that are made after the planning.

In addition to implementing UDL, other constructivist theories which support UDL will be
utilised when designing teaching and learning for Tom and his class including Howard
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI), Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal
Development (ZPD), Differentiated Instruction, and Situated Learning Theory. To provide a
learning environment that caters for all students, it is essential to apply Gardner’s Theory of
Multiple Intelligences in teaching pedagogy as this theory supports the notion that there are
many types of learners who learn by doing different things (Gardner, 2011). There are 8
multiple intelligences (are outlined in appendix 1.1) and each one represents the different
ways that type of learner best learns. In an inclusive education environment such as Tom’s
class, this theory would be incorporated by offering students a variety of tasks support their
type of intelligence, and by doing so, this would also support UDL under the multiple means
of engagement principle. In Tom’s case, he has visual-spatial intelligence and it is also
explicitly mentioned in his profile that he has extreme strength in visual-spatial processing,
and as such, he would best benefit from activities which involve him drawing and visually
representing his knowledge (Gardner, 2011).

As outlined by Nuske, Hassrick, Bronstein, Hauptman, Aponte, Levato, Stahmer, Mandell,

Mundy, Kasari, & Smith, 2019), there are a number of difficulties experienced by students
with ASD who are transitioning from Primary School to High School like Tom which include
mental health difficulties, behavioural and adaptive functioning, peer relations and social
skills, student/teacher communication, and physical setting, logistics and daily structure (see

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

appendix 1.2). In their study, Nuske et al. (2019) highlighted five main teacher strategy
themes such as communication, which includes communication between teachers
(sending/receiving) and parents, planning (allow student time to process new classroom),
training (ASD training), placement (staff paired with student based on interests), and
preparing accomodations (sensory adaptations) . These strategies could be implemented in
Tom’s situation as the study found that teachers utilising these strategies was useful in
reducing the anxiety and stress of students with ASD who were transitioning in a school
setting (Nuske et al., 2019).

Appendix 1.1

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

(The Better Toy Store, 2018)

Appendix 1.2

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

(Nuske et al., 2019)

Part 3: Teaching Plan

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 Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

SMARTER outcome: Tom will select a text to read on Kindle (with Audible/Whispersync)
and complete at least two matrix activities (visual-spatial activities) based on this text by the
end of Week 3.

Key:
Multiple means of representation
Multiple means of expression
Multiple means of engagement
Lesson Plan 1
Syllabus: English Stage: Stage 4 Topic: Wide Reading

Outcomes Assessment Students learn about Students learn to

EN4-1A: responds to and Formative (informal) - Features of - Engage
composes texts for - Students texts such as personally with
understanding,
interpretation, critical
verbally sharing plot, setting, texts in
analysis, imaginative their characterisation meaningful,
expression and pleasure. understanding and form. authentic, and
of the text creative ways
EN4-2A: effectively uses a - Working on the - Respond to and
widening range of
processes, skills, strategies
matrix activities compose texts
and knowledge for  - Read for
responding to and  pleasure,
composing texts in different enjoyment,
media and technologies. ideas, and
EN4-5C: thinks
information
imaginatively, creatively,
interpretively and critically
about information, ideas and
arguments to respond to and
compose texts.

Time Teaching and Learning Activities

Teacher
15 mins  Lesson outline to be posted on
Google Classroom for students to
access
 Play relaxing music on entry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6xDyPcJrl0c
 Instruct students to get the text they
are reading out and begin silent
wide reading for 15 minutes
 Mark role
Student
 Students enter class quietly to
music
 Read text silently for 15 minutes
(may use physical book, eBook,
Kindle, Audible, Whispersync, or
other approved mode)

5 mins  Ask students to share what their  Some students may choose to share
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 Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

book is about to the class (only what their book is about to the
select students who are class
comfortable sharing)
40 mins  Provide students with a copy of the  Students begin selecting and
‘Matrix Worksheet’ (provide both working on the ‘Matrix Worksheet’
a hardcopy and a digital copy on individually or in pairs using their
Google Classroom) (this worksheet workbooks or devices.
is a table with various activities of
what the students can choose to do
to demonstrate their understanding
of their text.)
 Students can:
o Compose a book review
(written or video)
o Create a website for the text
(including multimodal
elements)
o Design a new book cover
o Write a poem
o Write a script
o Compose a rap song
o Create a Powerpoint/Prezi
o Create a Kahoot
o Draw a storyboard for a
scene
o Draw a comic strip
o Write an alternate ending or
beginning
o Create and complete their
own Matrix activity (must
be approved)
 Provide scaffolds for all activities
(e.g. features of a book review)
 Provide summary sheets of all texts
students are reading for students to
refer to when completing matrix
activities
 Teacher should be going around
the classroom to assist students,
provide feedback, and check
understanding.
 Teacher should sit and work one-
on-one with as many students as
possible, particularly students who
are struggling.
 Students will be working on these

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 Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

matrix activities self-directed for

the next 4 lessons, so they are
encouraged to select at least 2
activities

Lesson Plan 2
Syllabus: English Stage: Stage 4 Topic: Wide Reading

Outcomes Assessment Students learn about Students learn to

EN4-1A: responds to and Formative (informal) - Features of texts such - Engage
composes texts for - Guided reading as plot, setting, personally with
understanding,
interpretation, critical
- Student characterisation and texts in
analysis, imaginative reflection form. meaningful,
expression and pleasure. - Working on the authentic, and
matrix activities creative ways
EN4-2A: effectively uses a - Respond to and
widening range of
processes, skills, strategies
compose texts
and knowledge for - Read for
responding to and pleasure,
composing texts in different enjoyment,
media and technologies. ideas, and
EN4-5C: thinks
information
imaginatively, creatively,
interpretively and critically
about information, ideas and
arguments to respond to and
compose texts.

Time Teaching and Learning Activities

Teacher
15 mins  Lesson outline to be posted on
Google Classroom for students to
access
 Play relaxing music on entry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6xDyPcJrl0c
 Instruct students to get the text they
are reading out and begin silent and
guided wide reading for 15 minutes
(one group with the same text
reading with the teacher)
Student
 Students enter class quietly to
music
 Read text silently or guided for 15
minutes (may use physical book,
eBook, Kindle, Audible,
Whispersync, or other approved
mode)

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 Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

 Mark role

10 mins  Collect reflections for marking  Students to write or draw) a

reflection on their reading in this
lesson. (e.g. what events happened,
character development, symbols
from the text).
35 mins  Students self-direct the remainder  Students continue to work on their
of the lesson by continuing on with matrix activities individually or in
their matrix activities. pairs using their workbooks or
 Teacher should be going around devices.
the classroom to assist students,
provide feedback, and check
understanding.
 Teacher should sit and work one-
on-one with as many students as
possible, particularly students who
are struggling.

Part 4: Create and justify a plan for collaboration and continuity

Key stakeholders in Tom’s situation include himself, his mother Cassie, the school principal,
his other teachers, his psychiatrist, his clinical psychologist, and his occupational therapist.

One of the main actions to implement as Tom transitions to High School is to compile a
student fact and tip sheet to be given to all of Tom’s teachers as well as casual teachers, much
like the profile in part 1. This will have information about Tom’s diagnoses, how he best
learns (visual-spatial), what not to do, and other relevant information such as his interests and
strengths. This fact sheet would be strengths-based and should therefore not focus on things
that Tom struggles with, but this information could be included minimally. Other actions to
implement include regular meetings with Tom’s mother Cassie to check Tom’s response to
the transition at home, as well as meetings with the principal and other teaching staff to
discuss learning and teaching strategies that Tom responds well to or does not respond well
to. It is important to ensure that this information, particularly the student fact sheet stays
confidential, but Tom’s mother has expressed an encouragement to notify Tom’s peers about
his ASD.

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

References

Bagnato, S. J., Neisworth, J. T., & Pretti-Frontczak, K. (2010). LINKing authentic

assessment and early childhood intervention: Best measures for best practices (2nd

ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Board of Studies NSW. (2012). English K-10 syllabus.

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/english-

year-10/english-k-10

Davies, D., & Troy, M.F. (2020). Child development: A practitioner's guide (4th ed.).

Guilford Publications.

Gardner, H. (2011). Frames of mind : The theory of multiple intelligences. Basic Books.

Gordon, D., Meyer, A., & Rose, D. (2014). Universal design for learning : Theory and

practice. CAST Professional Publishing.

Graham, L. (2020). Inclusive education in the 21st century. In L. Graham (Ed.), Inclusive

education for the 21st century: Theory, policy and practice (pp. 178 - 207). Allen &

Unwin. 

Knight, V. F., & Sartini, E. (2015). A comprehensive literature review of comprehension

strategies in core content areas for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal

of Autism and Developmental Disorders,  45(5), 1213-1229.

http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/10.1007/s10803-014-2280-x

National Center on Universal Design for Learning. (2010, March 17). UDL: Principles and

practice [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=pGLTJw0GSxk&feature=emb_logo

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Unit- Inclusive Education Principles and Practices
Student ID- 18606762
Tutor- William Nketsia
Tutorial- Tues 11am

Nuske, H.J., Hassrick, E.M., Bronstein, B., Hauptman, L., Aponte, C., Levato, L., Stahmer,

A., Mandell, D.S., Mundy, P., Kasari, C., & Smith, T. (2019). Broken bridges- new

school transitions for students with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review on

difficulties and strategies for success. Autism : The International Journal of Research

and Practice, 23(2), 306-325. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361318754529

The Better Toy Store. (2018). Multiple intelligences.

https://www.thebettertoystore.com/multiple-intelligences

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