Inclusive Practices in General Education Classrooms

Catalog description

This course is designed to examine the procedures, characteristics and strategies for working with special learners in the elementary school. EDUC 303 Inclusive Practices in General Education Classrooms (3) This course examines the foundations and strategies for educating exceptional learners and for including students with disabilities in general education classrooms /inclusive settings, grades PK-4 and 4-8. Students will gain the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to learners with varying abilities and diverse needs in inclusive classrooms. Course content will address the following: foundations for inclusive education including legal provisions, ethical principles and policies; characteristics of various disabilities; the special education process including evaluation, IEP and service delivery models; assessment of student learning in a standards aligned system including diagnostic, formative, benchmark and summative assessment; pre-referral intervention, including universal screening and response to intervention; evidence-based instructional strategies that are effective in meeting the needs of students with disabilities in inclusive settings including universal design, accommodations, modifications and adaptations of curriculum and instruction, differentiated instruction, improving memory, attention and independent learning; and partnerships including effective communication and collaboration, teaming, co-teaching and communication with families. The course format will include discussion, collaborative group work, student presentations, simulations, classroom observations, case studies, online activities, review of research and some lectures.