CHAPTER 4

COMPONENTS OF
SPECIAL AND
INCLUSIVE
EDUCATION
 I. CHILD FIND TROUGH A
PRE-REFERAL PROCESS

II. ASSESSMENT

CONTENTS III. PLACEMENT

IV. ACCOMODATIONS AND

CURRICULAR
MODIFICATIONS
V. PARENT INVOLVEMENT
 I. CHILD FIND THROUGH A
PRE-REFERRAL PROCESS

Referral for evaluation and special

education services begins by identifying
students who have additional needs and who
may be at risk for developmental disabilities.
 I. CHILD FIND THROUGH A
PRE-REFERRAL PROCESS

School guidance counselors, early

childhood teachers, primary school teachers,
and community-based daycare workers are
often the first to notice such developmental
delays in children.
 I. CHILD FIND THROUGH A
PRE-REFERRAL PROCESS

In other instances, the parents themselves

notice the delays and seek consultation with
pediatricians and other specialists.
A. PRE-REFERRAL PROCESS

A child noted to have significant difficulties in

relation to expected competencies and
developmental milestones may be referred by
parents and teachers for observation and
assessment.
 A team of professionals, known as a pre-referral
team, is comprised of special education teachers,
counselors, administrators, and psychologists who
collaborate to determine reasons for the observed
challenges (Hallahan et al.2014).
 They are not immediately referred for special
education testing but are first provided with the
necessary academic and behavioral support needed
to address noted challenges. In his assessment
model, Taylor (2009) explained that the initial step
is to determine teaching areas where a learner will
benefit from additional support through a variety
of means.
 Very young students who are at-risk or
suspected to have additional needs may also be
identified through community-based screening.
B. PRE-REFERRAL STRATEGIES

Essential in a pre-referral intervention is the use of

pre-referral strategies that are designed to provide
immediate instructional and/or behavior management
support to a child. Using such strategies lessens the
number of cases referred for special education and
makes efficient use of time and financial resources that
could have been spent for special educations assessment
(Heward 2013).
Examples of pre-referral strategies are:

Observation of the childs behavior including

interactions with parents, teachers, and peers;
Depending on the information gathered, Corresponding
changes can be made to manage the child's needs, such as
modification of the classroom environment, instructional
support, and relevant classroom and behavior management
(Mcloughlin and Lewis 2009).
 INITIAL  Recognition of potential problems.
 Parent or Teacher observation.
IDENTFICATIO
 Review of school records, classroom observation.
N

DETERMINATION
 Small- group instruction.
OF TEACHING
 Direct instruction.
AREAS AND
STRATEGIES

IMPLEMENTATION  Additional in-class or after-school support.

OF TEACHING  Modification of classroom environment and behavior.
PROGRAMS  Modification of instruction to address potential needs.

EVALUATIO OF
TEACHING  Determine effectiveness of programs on learning and
PROGRAMS behavior.
 II. ASSESSMENT

Assessment is the process of collecting

information about a child strengths and needs. It
uses a problem- solving process that involves
systematic collection as well as interpretation of
data gathered (Salvia et al. 2013).
Teachers and administrators make instructional
decisions based on the assessment results.
A. ASSESSMENT PURPOSES

Assessment has a variety of purpose in special

and inclusive education. It begins with initial
identification that was explained in the previous
section in Child find and pre-ferral process.
B. METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

Tests.
School psychologists, educational
diagnosticians, and other related professionals
use a variety of assessment tools to ensure that
results are valid and reliable.
Norm- referenced tests.
Norm- referenced tests are standardized
assessments that compare a child's performance
with a representative sample of students of the
same chronological age.
Criterion- referenced tests.
Criterion- referenced tests compare a child's
performance based on established standards and
competencies and can be used to describe student
performance (Jennings et al. 2006 as cited in
Spinelli 2011).
Informal Assessment.
Professionals also use informal or non-
standardized assessments, which are considered
more authentic and thus can be used primarily to
describe performance and inform instruction
Authentic Assessment.
Authentic Assessment provide the student
opportunity to apply knowledge and skills
meaningful, real- world settings (e.g.,home,
school, playground, etc.) and routines.
C. ASSESSMENT PRINCIPLES

Assessment practices should be anchored on

principles as provided by the Division for Early
Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Student
(DEC) (2014).
 Child- and family- centered practices, a team-
based approach, application of individualized and
appropriate process, and use of genuine and
meaningful communication that adhere to ethical
and legal practices are the recommendations
provided by the DEC.
 III.PLACEMENT

Assessment results are used to decide a

child's appropriate education placement
within a continuum from the least to the
most restrictive settings.
 III.PLACEMENT

During the evaluation, student

performance is assessed and the team
determines if there would be any changes in
the educational placement within the
continuum.
 III.PLACEMENT

Teams will base this on their observations,

assessment results, and other factors, with the
goal to move toward the least restrictive
learning environment.
Sound decisions are made to allow for
fluidity in the child's placement based on the
child's strengths, abilities, and needs.
 III.PLACEMENT

A general education classroom is the least

restrictive environment for a child with
additional needs. Access to the same learning
experiences and opportunities is provided as to
typically developing students.
 III.PLACEMENT

Thus it is considered as the "most normalized

or typical setting" (Gargiulo, 2012). Additional
support in the form of accommodations or
changes in expectations through curriculum
modifications may be provided but still within
the same classroom as peers within the year
level.
 III.PLACEMENT

Another option for placement is to be in a

general education class but the child receives
supplementary instruction and services such as
speech, physical, and occupational therapy or
counseling services during the school day.
Options may be provided when such sessions
are conducted, either during school or as an
after-school service.
 III.PLACEMENT

Students who may be part of a general

education class are pulled-out of their class to
receive instruction from a specialist teacher in a
resource room.
 III.PLACEMENT

In such a placement, it is assumed that the

child will benefit more from either a small-
group or individualized instruction with a
specialist teacher who will be able to more
intensively target his learning needs.
Other students need more intensive support
that is not provided in general education class.
 III.PLACEMENT

Moving up in the placement continuum,

some students who need more intensive
instruction and supports are educated in a
special education class in a special education
school.
 III.PLACEMENT

On the other end of the continuum is the

most restrictive or isolated setting, such as a
residential facility where students live and
receive their educational support twenty-four
hours a day.
 III.PLACEMENT

Finally, children with multiple disabilities,

often of the severe kind, are provided with
home- or hospital- based programs to manage
their medical condition and learn as much as
they could
 III.PLACEMENT

Inclusive education espouses that all

students, to the maximum extent possible, is
provided access to general education classroom
with the provision of support to remove barriers
to enable success.
Figure 4.2 presents this continuum of
educational placement options (Spinelli 2012).
III.PLACEMENT
 IV. ACCOMODATIONS AND
CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS

Students with disabilities and additional

needs who are studying in an inclusive general
education classroom may need
accommodations in the form of instructional
support and other supplementary services.
A. ACCOMODATIONS

Supports provided to students to help gain full

access to class content and instruction, without
altering the curriculum standards and
competencies expected and to demonstrate
accurately what they know.
1. PRESENTATION ACCOMODATIONS

Children with disabilities may need specialized

presentation formats especially those with
sensory impairments so they can learn the same
content alongside typically developing peers.
 TABLE 4.1. ACCOMODATIONS IN
PRESENTATION
LEARNING EXAMPLES OF
NEEDS ACCOMODATIONS
Minimize visual distraction
Visual cues (e.g. use color-
VISUAL coded text, highlighting)
SUPPORT Use of larger print materials
(font size, illustrations)
Use of sign language
Videos with closed captioning
LEARNING EXAMPLES OF
NEEDS ACCOMODATIONS
Read aloud by a peer
Audio books
AUDITORY AND Digital text that reads aloud or
COMPREHENSIO gives definition of words
N SUPPORT
Text-to-speech software
Advance organizer or story
guide
Highlighting or color coding
LEARNING EXAMPLES OF
NEEDS ACCOMODATIONS
Advance organizer
Explicit verbal or visual cues;
LISTENING physical prompts
AND Repeat/clarify directions and
FOCUSING important information
Note-taking support
 Copy of directions
2. RESPONSE ACCOMODATIONS

Allow students with disabilities and additional

needs a variety of ways to complete assignments,
written texts, performance tasks, and other
activities.
 TABLE 4.2. RESPONSE ACCOMODATIONS

LEARNING EXAMPLES OF
NEEDS ACCOMODATIONS
Different siżełdiarmeter of pencil, marker,
or crayon
 Pencil or pin grip (triangular, pear-shaped)
WRITING Scribed to record dictated responses
Finger spacer
DIFFICULTY Handwriting template/guide on the student's
desk.
Visual Cues on paper
 Different types and size of paper
LEARNING EXAMPLES OF
NEEDS ACCOMODATIONS
 Electronic dictionary with spell
check
WRITTEN  Online dictionary
EXPRESSION  Word processor with spelling
and grammar check
DIFFICULTY  Writing cue cards
 List of sight words
 Writing templates, outlines and
 graphic organizers
LEARNING EXAMPLES OF
NEEDS ACCOMODATIONS
 Calculator
 Concrete models and
MATH manipulatives
DIFFICULTY  Visual presentation
 Problem-solving guides
 Graphic organizers
 Special paper- graphing paper
for computation
3. SETTING ACCOMMODATION

Changes in the location or conditions of the

educational setting or environment May be
necessary for student who need support in term of
behavior, attention and organizations of space and
materials.
 Accommodation is a setting may allow a child
who gets easily distracted to work in a quiet
corner of the classroom in his own study carrel so
that he will not be sidetracked by environmental
stimuli.
4. SCHEDULING ACCOMMODATION

Changing time allotment, schedule of tasks and

assessment and management of time are some
type of scheduling accommodation. Students with
slower ability in processing information and
direction well as with focusing issues may need
this types of accommodation.
Example of accommodation that can modify
scheduling are:

1. Extending types of assignments and assessment.

2. Providing break in between tasks.
3. Providing a visual schedule of a checklist of
individuals responsibilities
4. Providing predictable routines and procedures.
5. Providing an electronic device with alarm and
cues.
B. MODIFICATIONS

Curriculum modifications are provided for

students with significant or severe disabilities
where content expectations are altered, and the
performance outcomes are changed in relation to
what are expected of typically developing
students of the same age (DEC 2007).
 This include changes in instructional level,
content and performance criteria, as well as the
breadth and depth of content being learned by
students. Students with disabilities or additional
needs may be given more, less, or different
content and resource materials altogether.
 Educational teams responsible for instructional
planning may indicate curricular modifications in
the student's Individual Educational Plan (IEP).
 CARL'S LEARNING SUPPORTS
Centered Given the significant delays in Carl's reading and spelling
performance, the team decided to provide him with different types of
accommodation that adjusted the presentation of what is learned, how
he responds, as well as the timing when tests are given. Ms. Santos
prepared his reading materials and worksheets using a bigger font size
and more space in between lines to allow him to point to words as he
reads, and to use a ruler so he would not lose his place while reading.
In tests that require extensive writing, he is still made to write as much
as he could and after which he is asked to either give a verbal
explanation to support what he has written or he dictates his oral
responses to a scribe.
The teacher now considers the oral exam as a respectful
accommodation as Carl is still able to access the same learning
standards and opportunities despite his difficulties.
V. PARENT INVOLVEMENT
A. HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
1. PARENT-TEACHER
2.CONFERENCES
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
3. DIGITAL
COMMUNICATION
4. HOME-SCHOOL CONRACTS
B. OTHER WAYS TO INVOLVE PARENTS

A. PARENT EDUCATION

B. PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS

Thank you for listening!