UPDATE

TASH and Brookes Publishing Breakthroughs in Inclusive Education Awards Winner

The Association for the Severely Handicapped (TASH) 2007 Conference: Equity, Opportunity and Inclusion was held Dec. 5-8 in Seattle, Washington. The award for Most Promising Inclusive School District, co-sponsored by the National Institute for Urban School Improvement, was presented by Cynthia Alexander, a NIUSI partner, who is Principal of Evans Elementary in Memphis, Tennessee.

The award went to Ravenswood City School District, located in East Palo Alto, California. Ravenswood City School District is the only district in California that serves all students within age appropriate general education classrooms in their neighborhood school or school of choice. Ravenswood City School District has accomplished a fully integrated model of service delivery. All students are members of the general education classroom with all resources deployed to support all students; there are no special education classes. General educators, who are responsible for the instruction of all students receive collaborative support from special education, English language learner teachers and other specialized support services personnel. Support teachers work collaboratively with general education teachers to aid instruction in accordance with the general education curriculum.

For more information on Ravenswood City School District, please visit their website at http://www.ravenswood.k12.ca.us/.

NOTICE

NCTI 2008 Technology in the Works Competition

The National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) is currently accepting proposals for their 2008 Technology in the Works competition. The competition invites researchers and inventors to study technology and intervention for students grades K-12. Research efforts are intended for use in developing innovative methods of providing assistive and learning technologies for students with special needs. Five teams will be selected to receive $15,000 awards.

For more information click here.

SPOTLIGHT

Special Education Services, not Places

The mission of the National Institute for Urban School Improvement is to work with urban communities, schools, and families to build a sustainable urban inclusive education for all students. In connection with our mission, one of the outcomes that we continue to work towards is to significantly increase the number of students with disabilities who are served effectively in general education settings in urban schools. We collaborate with states, districts, and schools to increase their capacities to educate students in general education classrooms, where culturally responsive instruction and social supports for learning are provided. With this mission and outcome in mind, our work focuses on what Response to Intervention models call, Tier 1 - the general education classroom where universal screening, early intervening services, support for universal designs for learning, and specific, focused interventions support ALL students. This kind of classroom environment creates a context in which professional learning, based on student performance, is embedded within collaborative teams of practitioners who bring various disciplines and skills into the classroom.

As principals, families, and practitioners work together to learn, understand, and implement such environments for students, they realize a vision for prevention, support, and intervention that is both individualized and integrated within the general classroom curriculum. In such a delivery system the complexity of classroom practice begins with strong skills in universal screening, formative assessment and progress monitoring. It also involves understanding how these practices must be culturally responsive so that families and students can engage in setting learning targets and celebrating learning accomplishments.

For ideas about assessment, curriculum design, universal designs for learning, and instructional practices and interventions, we encourage you to visit our website at www.urbanschools.org to find out more about effective models of inclusive education.

RECOMMENDED READINGS

The Power of Parents by Edward M. Olivos

The Power of Parents by Edward Olivos examines the multidimensional and interactive nature of parent-school relationships, focusing on Latino bicultural parents. Olivos highlights the important roles parents can assume to counter oppressive practices found in schools that perpetuate the marginalization of minority students.

Previous literature on parent involvement documents the power of parents in improving students' academic achievement (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). However, parent involvement has been discussed largely from a Eurocentric, middle-class perspective, leaving a void in the literature regarding parent-school relationships from the perspective of families of color. In The Power of Parents, Olivos refers to the work he conducted as a bilingual education teacher with parents in a predominantly Latino community in San Diego, California.

This book is an important read for educational researchers, as well as practicing and aspiring educators. Parents may find this book useful as a guide to structure their own engagement in their children's education.

Reference:

Henderson, A. & Mapp, K. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Annual Synthesis, 2002. Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, TX.

TOOLS YOU CAN USE

NIUSI Leadership Academy: Inclusive Schooling

This professional learning module introduces the inclusive model of education, which proposes that with appropriate support structures in place all students are able to successfully learn in the general education classroom. Rather than teach students with special needs separately, general and special educators collaborate to address the needs of all students to allow them to learn together.

Academy 1 defines inclusive education, offers exemplars and non-exemplars of inclusive classrooms, and invites participants to consider the degree to which their schools might be considered "inclusive." Academy 2 describes school climates that facilitate inclusive education and provides ways to approach the implementation of the inclusion model. Academy 3 identifies features of inclusive curriculum design, pedagogy, and classroom climates.

To access and download this Leadership Academy, click here

RESEARCH BASED PRACTICE

Differentiated Instruction

All students are exceptional and learn in their own unique ways. Teachers often struggle to reach all students in diverse classrooms. Differentiated instruction is one approach that can provide opportunities for all students to be successful. Instruction can be differentiated in any of the following areas:

• Content- Allow students to learn about a topic at their level of interest and understanding.

Some students may learn one aspect of the topic while others learn about a different aspect that they find more interesting. Everyone can share what they learned with the whole group, and students will learn from each other, gaining a broader understanding of the topic than they may have if the teacher had chosen one aspect of the topic and taught it directly to everyone.

• Delivery method- Students are presented with information in a variety of modes.

Teachers can use lectures, questioning instead of telling, scavenger hunting for information, games, manipulatives, realia, music, physical movement, charts, graphic organizers, maps, animals, foods, etc. that may help a student experience the content.

• Activities- Provide a variety of activities on different academic and interest levels related to the concept.

Students have a choice in which activities they do, how they will do them, in what order or when they will complete activities and whether they do them in groups, with partners, or individually. Not all students will achieve the final learning goal through the same process or in the same depth.

• Products- Students choose how they will display their understanding of a concept.

Understanding may be demonstrated in a written essay, art project, song, skit, picture or video essay, web activity or other activity upon which the student and teacher agree.

• Assessments-Since students will be participating in different ways and creating different products, assessments must also vary.

Students are assessed on their understanding of the concept and standards as opposed to an assessment of the final product itself.

When students are given choices about their learning they are more likely to be motivated to learn, and learning will be more fun. Varied instruction allows students to learn more about each topic. Teachers and students can work together to create imaginative ways of teaching and participating which will open the doors to a whole new set of possibilities and opportunities for learning.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UPDATE

Applications for Technical Assistance

In order to provide high quality technical assistance that contributes to state capacity and sustainability, NCCRESt is now accepting applications on an open ended basis for specific and individualized technical assistance. The technical assistance requested can be short or long term and can focus on a variety of activities, including document review, strategic planning, improvement plan development, data analysis and review, professional development and training, curriculum review, evaluation and research activities, or other technical assistance that builds the capacity of the state to eliminate disproportionality and develop culturally responsive educational systems.

To download the application form, click here

FEATURED NCCRESt STATE WORK

California: Standards-Based Assessment for ALL Students

Mary Hudler, Director of Special Education Division, and Deb Sigman, Director of Standards and Assessment Division of the California Department of Education, are redesigning the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) to link it to the California's content standards. They presented information about their efforts in a December 18 teleseminar for the National Center on Educational Outcomes. Mary and Deb are working closely to model collaboration and develop a tool kit for educators that includes an assessment matrix, participation criteria for the CAPA, discussion questions for IEP teams, a guide to standards-based goals, and an informational brochure. Their efforts to improve California's alternate assessment that will produce better educational outcomes for special education students is a great example of state leaders working together to make learning accessible for all students.

FEATURED NIUSI DISTRICT WORK

Memphis City Schools, Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis City Schools is the largest school district in the State of Tennessee and the 21st largest school system in the nation, serving more than 119,000 students (87% Black/African American, 9% White, 4% other ethnicities) among 191 schools in grades K-12. As part of Memphis City Schools' commitment to being an inclusive organization, the district held a series of meetings on December with Dr. Elizabeth Kozleski, director of the National Institute for Urban School Improvement (NIUSI), to discuss how to affirm identity, build community, and cultivate leadership.

For more information about NIUSI please visit http://urbanschools.org/ on the Web.

FEATURED NIUSI-Leadscape PRINCIPAL WORK

Dr. Angela Whitelaw, Westhaven Elementary, Memphis City Schools

Dr. Whitelaw is leading the transformation of Westhaven Elementary into a fully inclusive school. She is working with NIUSI's LeadScape project in a network of schools that are focused on increasing inclusive practices for all students. As a former special education teacher, Dr. Whitelaw brings additional skills and experience to the task of designing instruction that is accessible to a wide range of student abilities and needs.

Westhaven is in its second year of inclusion, and the faculty has been enthusiastic and progressive in implementing research-based inclusive practices that allow all students access to the curriculum. They are seeing improved outcomes for their students with disabilities, and 90% of the 4th grade students with disabilities scored at proficiency or above on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test last year!

The vision statement posted on Westhaven's website reflects Dr. Whitelaw's inclusive philosophy:

We envision that all students can learn and become successful students, productive citizens and life long learners in this complex society for the 21st century. Westhaven strives to help each student develop intellectually and creatively so that they may fully enjoy the opportunities of life.
Equity through Empowerment
Dignity through Accomplishment
Education for Life

NIUSI-Leadscape is excited to be working with Dr. Angela Whitelaw and her excellent staff. For more information about Westhaven, visit their website at: http://www.mcsk12.net/schools/westhaven.es/site/index.shtml

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"People say, "I have heart disease," not "I am heart disease." Somehow the presumption of a person's individuality is not compromised by those diagnostic labels. All the labels tell us is that the person has a specific challenge with which he or she struggles in a highly diverse life. But call someone "a schizophrenic" or "a borderline" and the shorthand has a way of closing the chapter on the person. It reduces a multifaceted human being to a diagnosis and lulls us into a false sense that those words tell us who the person is, rather than only telling us how the person suffers. -Martha Manning

FEATURED WEBSITE

http://www.PACER.org

The Pacer Center is a non-profit organization located in Minnesota that is dedicated to improving all aspects of life for children with disabilities and their families. The Pacer Center implements a "parents helping parents" framework to carry out its mission. Assistance is offered via individual assistance by parents of children with disabilities, workshops on relevant issues, and resources for parents and professionals. The Pacer Center works toward achieves its mission for all children by employing staff from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, offering services translated into different languages and addressing topics relevant to families of differing cultures. Workshops include topics such as "IDEIA: Understanding an IEP" and "Skills for effective partnership," which outline skills for communicating with school personnel regarding a child's special education needs. Additionally, the Pacer Center has worked to create a user-friendly website so that information is easily accessible for parents and professionals.

DID YOU KNOW

Studies have shown that symptoms of depression may be 2 to 10 times more common in individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses, and depression is one of the most common "secondary conditions" associated with disability and chronic illness. (Thompson, K. (2002) Depression and Disability: A Practical Guide. The North Carolina Office on Disability and Health)

According to the Council for Exceptional Children website, current estimates state that between 30 and 40% of students in self- contained classes for students with Emotional Disabilities and 10-20% of students in similar classes for students with Learning Disabilities suffer from depression.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2008 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting and Exhibition

2008 AERA Program Theme: Research on Schools, Neighborhoods, and Communities: Toward Civic Responsibility
Monday, March 24 - Friday, March 28
New York, NY

This year, the American Educational Research Association's (AERA) annual meeting will be held in New York City, NY March 24-28, 2008. Discussions will be centered on topics such as higher education and community development, education and social service partnerships, and community-based teacher education.

At the meeting, participants will have the opportunity to explore current issues in educational research and talk with one another about the implications this research has on children in the schools. The emphasis on neighborhoods and community impact will help re-shape ideas about learning to incorporate more than just the individual characteristics of the child. Culturally responsive education integrates these ideas to form classrooms where children are given adequate opportunities to learn. This is an exciting event where professionals can gather to communicate educational research, history, and ethical issues.

For more information see the AERA website

FOR PARENTS

NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know & Do

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are two of the nation's most important federal laws relating to the education of children. While NCLB seeks to improve the education of all children, IDEA focuses on rights of children with disabilities. It is important that parents become familiar with the ways the two laws have been positioned to work together to improve academic achievement of students. The National Center on Educational Outcomes has summarized relevant information for parents in a booklet titled NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know & Do.

Parents may obtain an electronic copy (in PDF format) at http://cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Parents.pdf

Source: Cortiella, C. (2006). NCLB and IDEA: What parents of students with disabilities need to know & do. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

FOR STUDENTS

Self-Advocacy

Self-advocacy is knowing yourself, including what things you can do easily and what things are more difficult, your personal goals, and your legal rights and responsibilities, so that you can help others to understand you and your needs. Simply put, it is the ability to understand and explain your needs to others. Teachers try their best to help you, but if they do not know how you learn or what you need to be able to learn, they may not give you what you need. Learning will be easier for you if your teachers know these things. Here are some suggestions on how you can become a good self-advocate:

1. Know Yourself
   It is important to learn about your disability and how it affects your learning. The person who evaluated you for special education eligibility can explain your evaluation report and help you understand your strengths and weaknesses as a learner. It is important for you to understand how you learn best. This will help you to help the teacher design instruction and assignments in ways that you will understand more easily.
   
   
2. Know What You Need
   It is important to remember that no learning disability affects two people the same way. Your parents, teachers, school psychologist, and Individual Education Plan (IEP) team can help you determine what interventions, accommodations and/ or modifications are necessary for you to learn and perform your best.
   
   
3. Know Your Rights
   There are laws designed to protect your rights. Asking for the help you need is expected because you have the legal right to receive these services.

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is an education law which guarantees special education and related services to eligible children with disabilities.
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a disability in programs that receive federal funding.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, public services, and accommodations.

4. Know How to Get What You Need
   If you are struggling with school work, or otherwise need help that you are not getting, no one will know unless you speak up. There are some things you can do to get those needs met:

• Identify your Supporters
  Know which adults are available to help you. This could be a parent, relative, teacher, administrator, counselor, mentor, or tutor. Anyone who you trust and feel comfortable talking to can help you to solve whatever problems you may have. They can even help you to communicate your needs or concerns to your teachers.
• Meet with your teachers.
  Discuss your needs with your teachers so they can provide the accommodations and modifications you need. They will not know how to help you if you do not tell them. An important part of this is participating in conferences and IEP meetings. This is the place where everyone is there to help you and you can let them know what you feel are your strengths, interests, talents, and needs.

The better you understand your disability, needs, and rights, and the better you can communicate this information, the easier self-advocating will become. Once you know what your individual needs are, you must be prepared to tell people that you have a disability, provide current documentation (such as your IEP) and make a formal request for specific accommodations or modifications, based on your learning strengths and challenges.

Newsletter Editors: Wendy Duran and Crystal Rueb, ASU

EquiNews reflects the collaborative relationship between the National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt), the National Institute for Urban School Improvement (NIUSI), and NIUSI-LeadScape. With a new issue every month, EquiNews can communicate with the broadest audiences and provide the most innovative, vital and current information on issues in education, school reform, cultural diversity, disproportionality, inclusive practices, and much more. EquiNews will keep you informed of the work of these projects as well as other news and information in related fields.

For questions or comments on this newsletter, please email the editors of this newsletter - Crystal Rueb (Crystal.Rueb@asu.edu) or Wendy Duran (wdduran@mainex1.asu.edu).

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