Frank with Disabilities in a General Education Class - Case Study Example

A Plan to include Frank who has disabilities in a general education A Plan to include Frank who has disabilities in a general education class Introduction Frank is a child in second grade, with disability in learning. Frank has Down’s syndrome and has difficulty in reading and comprehension. He always learns at a very slow pace than the rest of the children. Frank needs an early intervention that will enable his inclusion in a general education class. There is need to put him into a program that will enable him catch up with rest. A proper plan with proper strategies is expected help Frank to improve. The most suitable model to use is a Response to Intervention (RTI) model. This an academic intervention method used to help children with needs such as difficulty learning or learning disabilities. It is an early intervention, which prevents failure in academics by measuring progress of such a child frequently, and inducing interventions that are research based to instruct and aide children with such difficulties. Some children do not respond to such interventions, and their problem is deep rooted in that the children could have disability stemming from the biological make-up (Vaughn, 2010). Unlike the discrepancy model that is common for the normal children with ability, this model will be an alternative to Frank who is in need of supplementary education. Personnel The personnel who will handle the process will be three normal classroom teachers, who will teach mathematics, a language subject, and a science subject respectively. The teachers who will handle Frank will be individuals who are highly qualified and trained adequately to implement this model. They will be individuals who understand Frank better and will be able to connect with him in order to get the required results. The selected teachers will compile a comprehensive report within a period of five weeks and will use the report to provide the child with the supplementary three-tier program. This is as recommended by Phaneuf (2008). Accommodations and modifications Accommodations and modifications will focus on changing the teaching techniques, and assessment on Frank’s progress. The accommodations the teachers will consider into the curriculum include one-on-one quizzes, group discussion with the other children, large print materials to enable Frank see and comprehend well, colored charts, extended or shortened assignments and assessments. They will also use pictures, animation, colors, and sounds to help Frank grasp and understand the content quickly. Some of the modifications that the teachers will consider include, changing the grading scale particularly if Frank fails to compete with the rest and introduction of special education and special education teacher in tier three if Frank utterly fails to improve. Strategies School screening Assessment This is the first strategy that will help identify Frank’s strengths and weaknesses. Screenings will last for a period of five weeks (Phaneuf 2008: 54).The first thing the teachers will carry out is to assess whether he requires such interventions. This will take place in a normal classroom where he will get academic surveillance. This will enable evaluation of the Frank’s performance based on the basic subjects in the curriculum such as mathematics, sciences, and languages. His ability to perform tasks such as reading and comprehending, solving mathematical sums and carrying out practical tasks will undergo evaluation and the report will contribute significantly towards identifying his strengths and weaknesses. The teaching will follow the curriculum of the classroom. It will be research based, one tested in the field and proved effective and containing all the fundamentals of teaching a normal child with able faculties. This screening will establish a specific criterion, which will rank the Frank’s performance in various categories. The percentile score will show whether his performance is poor, average, above average or excellent. Comparison of the percentile scores will take place and recordings made in clusters. The teachers will observe his behaviors, bad and good incidences during the period (Johnston, 2010). Three-tier system and Progress monitoring Tier-1 The comprehensive report compiled by the teachers will provide an important basis for formulating interventions required in the three-tier program. The teachers will monitor the progress during this program to assess whether Frank has benefitted in any way. The level will last for five more weeks and teachers will use a Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM) system to assess the effectiveness of the program. This will enable teachers to shuffle various methods until they obtain one that will help the Frank to respond positively to the program. This is according to Martella et al (2012). They will provide him with scientifically proven materials obtained from evidence-based research, to help improve the child in various aspects from skills, to talents, to comprehension (Phaneuf, 2008: 56). The interventions will take place during the normal classroom time, in a laboratory, media centre or a library. It will be in the form of documented instructions, one-on-one basis between Frank and the teachers, or small group review where the teachers monitor his academic interaction with other children. The teachers will use these strategies on all the children in a classroom to enable assessment of academic competitiveness of Frank. They will teach basic literacy skills such as comprehension, alphabets, and alliteration. They will also use pictures, animation, colors, and sounds. Proactively, they will assist the child to grasp, comprehend, and to excel in reading and writing. If Frank still exhibits difficulty, then teachers will consider supplementary interventions in tier two, as recommended by Hunley et al, (2010). Tier-2 Interventions in tier two are supplemental and will only help Frank if he fails to improve in tier one. This level will enable him to learn to be independent, to learn unity when working with others, and to improve in various skills. In this level, the interventions will take place either within the classroom or outside the classroom. The teachers will monitor his progress at close intervals for a period of nine weeks. Monitoring of progress in this level is to assess whether the interventions are enabling the child to learn at the required rate. The scores from the quizzes, one-on-one questions, and practical tests will guide the teachers in assessing such a progress. Behavioral assessment will take place when Frank mingles and works with the rest (Hunley et al, 2010:20). More support will come into place at this level, to intensify practice in class and out of the class. The teacher will give instructions and guidance to Frank for a period of thirty minutes to one hour every three to four days in a week. In a case where he exhibits extreme difficulty in reading, then a specialized teacher will come in and help in supporting him. The teachers will be cautious in this level, since it will be remarkably important to determining whether he is improving or whether extra interventions will be required. It will also determine whether he requires more interventions that are specialized. The teachers will provide extra practice in writing and reading to improve him. They will provide strategies such as audio-visual software and print copies of solution materials. They will apply the use of PowerPoint presentation, Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) and other specialized software applications. Research shows that CAI improves the performance of students with difficulty in learning particularly mathematics and languages (Shapiro, 2011). The teachers will compile data on Frank’s performance and use it in the third level if he does not respond at this level. Tier-3 Assessment from tier-two will be of help in tier three, to help the teachers assess why Frank did not respond to the two previous levels. The interventions in this tier will be supplemental to tiers one and two, and application of more strategies will take place to compensate tiers one and two. The interventions will be similar to some in tier two but will be more rigorous and intense in terms of duration and frequency. The sessions will last for 30 minutes every day for a period of nine months, and will take place outside the normal classroom. The teachers will provide the interventions at home, in a tuition centre, or in the field. If required Tier 3 will provide special education, particularly if Frank does not show signs of improving. In such a case, the teachers will consider Frank to have a potential learning disability. Once the teacher evaluates this, they will hand him over to a special education teacher who will provide relevant help to ensure that he improves (Hunley et al, 2010:22). In conclusion, this three-tier RTI model demonstrates a plan that a teacher will use to help a child with a disability, to acquire skills in learning. It clearly explains the types and the role of the teachers when handling such a child and discusses the three-tier system from tier-1 through to tier-3. The plan describes the nature of each intervention in each tier and the proactive response a teacher should take in every step. The plan also describes what the teachers should do, if the 3-tiers do not work. A response to intervention model (RTI) is an appropriate intervention when handling children with difficulty in learning or children with disability. It is an early alternative intervention, which prevents failure in academics in children with such difficulties. It occurs concurrently with the discrepancy model for normal children therefore, not a replacement to the regular curriculum of education. It is not special education but just a supplemental approach to help such students or children. References Hunley, S. A., McNamara, K., & National Association of School Psychologists. (2010). Tier 3 of the RTI model: Problem solving through a case study approach. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press. Johnston, P. H. (2010). RTI in literacy: Responsive and comprehensive. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Martella, R. C., Marchand-Martella, N. E., & Nelson, J. R. (2012). Comprehensive behavior management: Individualized, classrooms, and schoolwide approaches. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications, Inc. Phaneuf, L. K., & Syracuse University. (2008). The application of a three tier model of intervention to parent training. Shapiro, E. S. (2011). Models for implementing response to intervention: Tools, outcomes, and implications. New York: Guilford Press. Vaughn, S. (2010). Promise of Response to Intervention: Evaluating Current Science and Practice. New York: Guilford Press. 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