Excerpted from "A Triangle of Supports in South Florida," by Denise Patel Henry and Nancy Frey, in Inclusive Urban Schools, by Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., & Nancy Frey, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2003 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.


Julie: Making the Most of Curriculum Supports

Julie is presently in middle school, but her journey to inclusive education began in elementary school. She has a rare migratory brain disorder that affects her speech and language, fine motor skills, and cognition. She communicates with gestures and expressions, as well as two- or three-word verbal responses, and her impairments meet the federal definition of severe disability. Julie’s early school experiences consisted of attending special day classes with other students with significant cognitive disabilities. Although she participated in some general education activities, she remained a “visitor” to her peers. Julie was likeable and friendly, but true membership in the community of the classroom eluded her.

When Julie was in third grade, her mother realized that she wanted her daughter to receive services in the general education classroom. Having a highly inclusive life outside of school, Julie’s mother felt that her school day should be inclusive as well. Julie’s parents, teachers, and school district personnel met to discuss these changes in placement and to reflect these changes in Julie’s IEP. That day, Julie became the first student with a significant cognitive disability to be included in the general education classroom at her school. With the support of the school district, Julie’s teachers received support on how to meet Julie’s needs in the general education environment. The following year, Julie entered a newly constructed school and attended general education classes every year thereafter.

When Julie entered middle school, the changes in curriculum and scheduling posed a challenge for educators. The FIN facilitator provided assistance in designing ways for Julie’s teachers to develop curriculum accommodations and modifications that increased her participation in the class. Because the school is organized in “houses” (clusters of approximately 160 students, four general education teachers, and a special educator), the potential for collaborative practices already existed. In additions, the houses also included students with less severe disabilities, English language learners, and students with Section 504 plans (which, under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 [PL 93-112], protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of disability in programs that receive federal financial assistance). To provide support that meets the needs of this diverse student population, Julie’s special education teacher and subject area teachers met regularly to plan instruction and curricular supports for all students. With the support of the school’s administration, teachers were given a common planning period as well as a meeting day once every 6 weeks to develop long-term plans. Julie’s general education teachers used an interdisciplinary approach to curriculum design (Jacobs, 1989), which made modification and accommodation significantly more meaningful. The team organized the curriculum around a central question or problem, and the students developed solutions that directed their instruction and research (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998). By providing learning experiences that linked to the central questions, students were able to understand how the curriculum related to the real world.

In Julie’s sixth-grade year, the central question was derived from news of rapid amusement park expansions in Florida. “Can you educate and entertain at the same time?” became the organizer for all of the curriculum areas, and the entire grade level was challenged to create an educational and entertaining American History amusement park. All of the students first participated in creating a concept map for an amusement park. This graphic organizer enabled the students to visualize the steps involved in developing the project, and it became an important tool in designing meaningful instruction for Julie.

The success of students in need of specialized support, including Julie, depended heavily on the collaboration between the subject area teachers and the special educator, Mrs. Parker. Using the concept map as a guide, the general education teachers identified the standards to be taught through the project. Mr. Lee, the social studies teacher, focused on the standards related to American history for sixth grade. Mrs. Martinez, the science teacher, outlined the physics and energy standards involved in the development of this project.

Although the general educators were very knowledgeable about their subjects, they were not certain how to successfully include students with disabilities in these activities. Mrs. Parker, the special education teacher, was able to support Mrs. Martinez and Mr. Lee with these concerns. Mrs. Parker suggested that the social studies and science teachers place students in cooperative groups for activities. By using cooperative grouping and assigning students tasks based on students’ strengths, all students were able to participate. As a member of the group, Julie had responsibilities that related to the class project. She worked in a ride development group, assisted in the construction of a model of the park, and co-produced a multimedia presentation with her peers. Mrs. Parker was able to provide Mrs. Martinez and Mr. Lee assistance in assessment by reviewing Julie’s goals, then developing a rubric that reflected her IEP objectives. Julie was assessed on her final project, a carousel of wagons to symbolize the westward movement across the prairies in the mid-19th century. Julie presented her project to the class with the assistance of a peer; she then presented her westward movement multimedia presentation using her IntelliKeys keyboard. Mrs. Parker later remarked, “The best part of the project was Julie’s presentation to her peers. Not only was Julie proud of her work, but so was her group.”

Julie continues to participate in general education, where she prospers educationally and socially. She enjoys typical teenage activities such as going shopping with friends or to the movies. Her peers have become her strongest advocates in both social and academic activities. At her last IEP meeting, Julie’s mother summed up her daughter’s experiences in middle school: Julie’s always going to have a disability. The goal is not to “cure it.” But unless kids know Julie, and Julie knows kids, then she goes from having a disability to having a handicap. Being unknown and a stranger in your own school—that’s the only real handicap.

Leon: Putting it All Together

Leon enjoys music, spending time with friends, and visiting the local skateboard park. Like many other teenagers, he likes having sophisticated gadgets. The type of gadgets in his everyday life, however, distinguish Leon from his peers. Leon relies on a sophisticated array of technology to participate in general education classes at his neighborhood high school. Leon uses an electric wheelchair to negotiate the sprawling campus, uses BIGmack switches to activate a variety of items in his classes, and is exploring his new Delta Talker communication device.

Leon’s early academic years consisted of attending special day classes with other students with severe disabilities. As Leon approached the end of his elementary school years, his father attended a conference on inclusive education and determined that it was the best approach for his son. This experience is consistent with the reports of many other parents of children with disabilities, who cite attending a conference as an important catalyst in their journey toward inclusive education (Grove & Fisher, 1999). During fifth grade, Leon began spending his lunchtime and art class with the general education students. Although this was an important first step, it left everyone involved feeling that more could be accomplished.

Upon entering middle school, Leon became the first student with a significant disability to be included in a general education classroom at his school. With the support from the school district offices, school administration, faculty, and a facilitator from the FIN, Leon spent 90% of his school day with peers without disabilities. At this time, Leon strengthened his communication skills and level of independence. To prepare for Leon’s transition from middle school to high school, high school staff became very involved in Leon’s eighth-grade year. High school teachers visited Leon’s middle school to observe and participate with Leon in inclusive environments and to discuss successes and challenges with their colleagues. Collaborating across schools led to proactive measures that eliminated or minimized many of the barriers anticipated in Leon’s move to a new school.

By the end of eighth grade, teachers from both schools were prepared for Leon’s transition. When Leon entered high school, the FIN facilitator provided additional support by facilitating meetings among the various departments as well as designing and delivering staff development for the paraprofessionals at the school. This support was essential to Leon’s success in his first year of high school, and a schedule that rotated instructional aides for each class ensured that Leon would not become dependent on a single paraprofessional. Curricular supports were also essential, and the general education teachers quickly rose to the challenge, especially when it came to applying Leon’s technology supports. For instance, Leon was enrolled in a ceramics class. After meeting with the district’s assistive technology coordinator, the teachers devised a way for a switch to be attached to the potter’s wheel. Leon became responsible for activating the water spray and rotating the wheel. Leon quickly learned a cause-and-effect relationship (that of turning the wheel on and off while watching his peers throw pots)—an important objective that had been on his IEP for 4 years. Inspired by this success, the 2-D art teacher used switches on the Spin Art machine. In his English class, his peers assumed the responsibility of programming his communication device and added a number of colloquialisms unique to teenagers.

As Leon’s social and academic worlds expanded, it seemed logical to capitalize on the energy generated by his enthusiastic supporters. During the second semester of his freshman year, Leon’s teachers, friends, relatives, and other community members gathered to discuss Leon’s future and to create a PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) person centered plan (Pearpoint, O’Brien, & Forest, 2000). The technical assistance network facilitated the meeting, and everyone left with a common understanding of Leon’s dreams of becoming an advocate for individuals with disabilities and creating his own art business. His PATH became a reference for designing his remaining school years. Leon enrolled in many art courses throughout high school in preparation for his future business. He also expanded his skills in advocacy by participating in classes that required presentations. Leon also has spoken at conferences and meetings throughout Florida on his experiences as an individual with a disability. He is looking forward to graduating and entering the next phase of his life. Leon’s family cites his high school experiences as a major influence in shaping his future. We further suggest that Leon has fundamentally shaped educational practices at his high school, which now offers similar supports to nearly 30 students with disabilities.