Access to Full Participation in Schools C&T 5080 Fall 2011

Meeting Time: Monday 7:10-9:00 Meeting Location: GDH 279 Instructor: Sarah Schlessinger Office Hours: TBD Phone: (646) 389-3604 Email: sls2188@tc.columbia.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to offer an in-depth understanding of issues that frame the participation of students with disabilities in various educational settings. It will critically examine the institutional and structural framework that regulates the education of students with disabilities. The course will explore current pedagogical practices within the field of special education, while it simultaneously seeks to build the tool-kit of teachers to meet the needs of students with varying kinds and degrees of educational needs. This will involve a critical examination of classroom structures for participation that have traditionally been made available to students with disabilities as well as the exploration of alternate ones that can facilitate the learning and development of a diverse student body. CORSE OBJECTIVES: To investigate the structural aspects of schools that mitigate against the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education and examine frameworks that can support the inclusive schooling of all students. To explore pedagogical approaches that support students with disabilities in general education classrooms. To acquire increased familiarity with pedagogical methods to support the personalized learning of diverse learners within a classroom. To examine the impact of technology in enabling the communication of students with disabilities. To critically examine classroom management approaches and investigate their usefulness in supporting inclusive classrooms. To investigate the importance of relationships within classrooms (between students with disabilities and their peers; between students and educators) in supporting inclusive practice.

REQUIRED BOOKS: Thousand, J., Villa, R., & Nevin, A. (2007). Differentiating instruction: Collaborative planning and teaching for universally designed learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Rose, D. A., Meyer, A. & Hitchcock, C. (2005). The universally designed classroom: Accessible curriculum and digital technologies. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press. Smith, T.J. (2007). Teaching the children we fear: Lessons from the front. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press. OPTIONAL BOOKS: Kluth, P. & Danaher, S. (2010). From tutor scripts to talking sticks: 100 ways to differentiate instruction in K-12 inclusive classrooms. Baltimore: Brookes. Udvari-Solner, A. & Kluth, P. (2008). Joyful learning: Active and collaborative learning in inclusive classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS: Class Participation (20 Points) Weekly Assignments (15 Points) Special Topic Presentations (15 Points) Audit Trail (25 Points) Pedagogical Reflection Paper (25 Points)

Class Participation (20 Points): All students are expected to arrive on time for class and stay for the entire period. Students are expected to attend all sessions. We will spend a significant amount of time discussing assigned readings. As such it is anticipated that you will come to each class prepared to participate in said discussion. As per the nature of this course, various methods of participation will be recognized reflecting the students own understanding of participation. Weekly Assignments (15 Points): Weekly assignments will require each student to observe and analyze within the context of his or her school placement. These assignments will vary from week to week to reflect the content of the reading and draw parallels between theoretical and practical work. Special Topic Presentation (15 Points): You will select one topic form a given list, research the topic, and give a 10-15 minute presentation on the topic. Your presentation can be interactive, PowerPoint, Prezi, whatever you like as long as you convey the basic themes of the topic. Think of these as cliffs notes or Wikipedia pages on common topics in the field. You can work on these presentations individually or in pairs according to your preference. Topics: Functional Academics- October 17- Lidj Systematic Instruction- October 24- Lefred Reciprocal Teaching- October 31- Brendan & Tracy Alternate Assessments- November 9- Pat & Carolyn TEACHH- November 14- Daniel ABA- November 21- Joel& Ambar Block Scheduling- November 28- Hayley& Matt Audit Trail (25 Points): Using the pedagogical commitments paper from C&T 4001, you will create an audit trail of a practice of your choice that supports students in your setting gain access to full participation. Using one or two chosen commitments you will document the questions, successes, obstacles, doubts, and failures that emerge from your work. This documentation will be done electronically on a shared wikischolar page. Students are encouraged to include images, video, and classroom artifacts in addition to written explanations.

Pedagogical Reflection Paper (25 Points) This culminating paper asks students to reflect back on their practices throughout the semester with a theoretical lens. Using your audit trail and the assigned readings, present a coherent pedagogical stance as reflected by your practices or desired changes. This paper should incorporate readings two 1) support a theoretical framework from which you position your work and 2) support or critique your own choices within the classroom. Papers must be double spaced, 12point, Times New Roman, standard APA.

CLASS SCHEDULE: This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change. Additional readings may be assigned week by week but will be emailed by the professor. September 12: Course Introduction September 19: Disability in Context Dunn, L.M. (1969). Special education for the mildly retardedis much of it justifiable? Exceptional Children, 35, 5-22. Ferguson, D.L. (1995). The real challenge of inclusion: Confessions of a rabid inclusionist. Phi Delta Kappan, 77(4), 281-288. Hart, S., Drummond, M.J., & McIntyre, D. (2007). Learning without limits: constructing a pedagogy free from determinist beliefs about ability. September 26: Rethinking Participation Ferguson, D.L. & Baumgart, D. (1991). Partial participation revisited. JASH, 16(4), 218-227. Rose, Meyer, & Hitchcock. Chap. 1 & 2 Thousand, Villa, & Nevin. Chap. 1, 2, & 3. October 3: Personalizing Learning Jorgensen, C.M., Schuh, M.C., & Nisbet, J. (2006). Ten promising practices in inclusive education. In The Inclusion Facilitators Guide (pp.25-64). Baltimore: Paul Brookes. Biklen, D. & Burke, J. (2006). Presuming competence. Equity & Excellence in Education, 39, 166-175. Donnelan, A. (1984). The criterion of the least dangerous assumption. Behavioral Disorders, 9(2), 141-150. Thousand, Villa, & Nevin. Chap. 4. October 10: Power, Knowledge, Discourse In class: Audit trail intro Readings to be emailed. Rabinow Allan Cochran-Smith Vasquez

October 17: Special Education Legislation Special Topic Presentation: Functional Academics 5

Yell, M.L. (2006). The history of the law and children with disabilities. In The law and special education (pp.61-81). New Jersey: Pearson. Gartin, B.C. & Murdick, N.L.(2005). IDEA 2004: The IEP. Remedial and Special Education, 26(6), 327-331. Taylor, S.J. (1998). Caught in the continuum: A critical analysis of the principle of the Least Restrictive Environment. Journal of the Association for Persons with Sever Handicaps, 13(1), 41-53. Hehir, T. et al (2005). Comprehensive management review and evlaution of special education. Chapters I and IV (pp. 4-25; 63-84). Report submitted to the New York City Department of Education. Allan, J. (1999). October 24: Individualized Planning in the Context of Standards Special Topic Presentation: Systematic Instruction Ford, A., Davern, L., & Schnorr, R. (2001). Learners with significant disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 22(4), 214-222. Childre, A., Sands, J.R., & Pope, S.T. (2009). Backward design. Teaching Exceptional Children, 41(5), 6-14. Thousand, villa, & Nevin (2007). Chapter 5. Rose, Meyer, & Hitchcock. Chapter 4. October 31: Literacy and Communication Special Topic Presentation: Reciprocal Teaching Due: Audit Trail check in #1 Blackman, L. (2005). Reflections on language. In D. Biklen, Autism and the myth of the person alone, (pp.144-167). New York: New York University Press. Kluth & Chandler-Olcott. (2008). A land we can share: Teaching literacy to students with autism (pp.25-74). Kliewer, C. & Biklen, D.P. (2007). Enacting literacy: Local understanding, significant disability, and a new frame for educational opportunity. Teachers College Record, 109(12), 2579-2600. Downing, J.E. (2005). Teaching communication skills: First steps. In Teaching communication skills to students with sever disabilities (pp.113-146). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing. November 9: RTI Special Topic Presentation: Alternate Assessments Mceneaney, J.E., Lose, M.K. & Schwartz, R.M. (2006). A transactional perspective on reading difficulties and Response to Intervention. Reading Research Quarterly, 41(1), 117-128.

Mesmer, E.M. & Mesmer, H.A.E. (2008). Response to Intervention (RTI): What teachers of reading need to know. The Reading Teacher, 6(24), 280-290. Orosco, M.J., & Klinger, J. (2010). One schools implementation of RTI with English Language Learners: Referring into RTI Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(3), 269-288.

November 14: Assessing Learning Special Topic Presentation: TEACHH Salend, S.J. (2005). Report card models that support communication and differentiation of instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(4), 2834. Rose, Meyer, & Hitchcock. Chap. 6. Thousand, Villa, & Nevin. Chap. 6 & 7 November 21: Understanding Behavior Special Topic Presentation: ABA Due: Audit Trail check in #2 Smith, T.J. (2007). Teaching the children we fear: Lessons from the front. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press. (the whole book) November 28: No class December 5: Positive Behavior Supports Special Topic Presentation: Block Scheduling Jones, V. & Jones, L. (2004). Comprehensive classroom management: Creating communities of support and solving problems. Seventh edition. (Chap. 8 and 10, pp.301-330); 372-428) New York: Perason. Weiss, N.R. & Knoster, T. (2008). It may be nonaversive, but is it a positive approach? Relevant questions to ask throughout the process of behavioral assessment and intervention. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 10(1), 72-78. December 12: Peer Supports Copeland, S. R., Hughes, C., Carter, E., Gluth, C., Presely, J., Williams, C., & Fowler, S.E. (2004). Increasing access to general education. Perspectives of participants in a high school peer support program. Remedial & Special Education, 25(6), 342-352. Fitch, F. (2003). Inclusion, exclusion, and ideology: Special education students changing sense of self. The Urban Review, 35, 3. Naraian, S. (2010). Why not have fun? Peer perceptions of an inclusive high school program. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 48(1), 14-30.

Falvey, M.A., Forest, M.S., Pearpoint, J., & Rosenberg, R.L. (2002). Building connections. In Creativity and Collaborative Learning, (pp.29-54). Baltimore: Paul Brookes. December 19: Looking Ahead Due: Pedagogical Reflection Paper Due: Audit Trail Eskow, K.G., & Fisher, S. (2004). Getting together in college: AN inclusion program for young adults with disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36(3), 26-32.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS Satisfactory completion of assignments on time: Assignments that are submitted on time contribute to a meaningful dialogue between students and instructor. Conversely, assignments that are submitted late will also be assessed and returned late. Only students who hand in their assignments on time can expect significant written feedback from the instructor; late assignments will be graded, but feedback will be minimal. If an assignment is late, grades will be reduced depending on the circumstances. Typically, for each day your assignment is late, the grade will be reduced by a grade. All assignments are expected to be clearly and coherently written with attention given to the organization and structure of the paper as a whole, as well as to the editing of basic mechanics of language usage such as spelling, punctuation, and grammar. APA style, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins. Services for students with disabilities: The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities for information about registration (166 Thorndike Hall). Services are available only to students who are registered and submit appropriate documentation. I would be happy to discuss specific needs with you as well. Incomplete: The grade of Incomplete is to be assigned only when the course attendance requirement has been met but, for reasons satisfactory to the instructor, the granting of a final grade has been postponed because certain course assignments are outstanding. If the outstanding assignments are completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of term in which the grade of Incomplete was received and a final grade submitted, the final grade will be recorded on the permanent transcript, replacing the grade of Incomplete, with a transcript notation indicating the date that that the grade of Incomplete was replaced by a final grade. If the outstanding work is not completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of term in which the grade of Incomplete was received, the grade will remain as a permanent Incomplete on the transcript. In such instances, if the course is a required course or part of an approved program of study, students will be required to re-enroll in the course including repayment of all tuition and fee charges for the new registration and satisfactorily complete all course requirements. If the required course is not offered in subsequent terms, the students should speak with the faculty advisor or Program Coordinator about their options for fulfilling the degree requirement. Academic Integrity: Students who intentionally submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to the original source, fabricate data or other information, engage in cheating, or misrepresentation of academic records may be subject to charges. Sanctions may include dismissal from the college for violation of the TC principles of academic and professional integrity fundamental to the purpose of the College as noted in the TC Student Handbook.

Please note: Using the wording of others or a close paraphrasing of the wording of others as the major part of an assignment is NOT acceptable, even if you give the authors credit. Email communication: Teachers College students have the responsibility for activating the Columbia University Network ID (UNI), which includes a free Columbia email account. As official communications from the College- e.g,, information on graduation, announcements of closing due to severe storm, flu epidemic, transportation disruption, etc.- will be sent to the students Columbia email account, students are responsible for reading email sent to their Columbia email account. Use of electronic devices in class: When immediate classroom discussions can be enhanced by the quick retrieval of information or documents online, students are encouraged to utilize the necessary electronic devices. The use of personal computers, cell phones, or other electronic devices during class time for personal correspondences or other personal tasks is regarded as unprofessional and disruptive to the classroom community.

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