Handbook of Effective Inclusive Schools


Book Description

Over the last decade, the educational context for students with disabilities has significantly changed primarily as a result of mandates contained in NCLB and IDEA. The purpose of this book is to summarize the research literature regarding how students might be provided classrooms and schools that are both inclusive and effective. Inclusive schools are defined as places where students with disabilities are valued and active participants in academic and social activities and are given supports that help them succeed. Effectiveness is addressed within the current movement toward multi-tiered systems of support and evidence-based practices that meet the demands of high-stakes accountability.




Minority Students in Special and Gifted Education


Book Description

Special education and gifted and talented programs were designed for children whose educational needs are not well met in regular classrooms. From their inceptions, these programs have had disproportionate representation of racial and ethnic minority students. What causes this disproportion? Is it a problem? Minority Students in Special and Gifted Education considers possible contributors to that disparity, including early biological and environmental influences and inequities in opportunities for preschool and K-12 education, as well as the possibilities of bias in the referral and assessment system that leads to placement in special programs. It examines the data on early childhood experience, on differences in educational opportunity, and on referral and placement. The book also considers whether disproportionate representation should be considered a problem. Do special education programs provide valuable educational services, or do they set students off on a path of lower educational expectations? Would students not now placed in gifted and talented programs benefit from raised expectations, more rigorous classes, and the gifted label, or would they suffer failure in classes for which they are unprepared? By examining this important problem in U.S. education and making recommendations for early intervention and general education, as well as for changes in referral and assessment processes, Minority Students in Special and Gifted Education will be an indispensable resource to educators throughout the nation, as well as to policy makers at all levels, from schools and school districts to the state and federal governments.




Collaborate, Communicate, and Differentiate!


Book Description

"An all-in-one book—a lighthearted and well grounded introduction to collaboration, how it can improve education for all children, and its role in effectively educating students with special needs. Murawski and Spencer tell it like it is, and they do so with humor and straight talk." —Lynne Cook, Professor, School of Education California State University, Dominguez Hills "As a kid who struggled in school, this is the book that I wish every one of my teachers had read. It is a stunning achievement and huge step forward to making all schools inclusive of all learners!" —Johnathan Mooney, Author, The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal Collaboration 101 for teachers, parents, and school communities Teachers in both general and special education classrooms are being asked to collaborate to give all students access to the general education curriculum. The challenge is that teachers receive very little training in how to work together to educate students successfully. Do you wonder how to get started, how much time it will take, and what the results will be? Collaborate, Communicate, and Differentiate! addresses those issues and more, taking collaboration out of the abstract and supplying easy-to-use strategies that apply to daily tasks such as Planning and differentiating instruction Communicating with families Using Universal Design for Learning to form instruction Assessing students with diverse backgrounds and abilities Co-teaching Coordinating with all staff members This reader-friendly text ties each strategy to the goal of improving student outcomes. Included are vignettes, In a Nutshell and Eye on the Research quick-reference guides, reproducible forms, Principal Points to share with administrators, and a companion website. Educators who have wondered how to make collaboration reasonable, feasible, and time-efficient will find the answers in this book!




RTI


Book Description

This comprehensive yet accessible reference covers the three tiers of RTI, schoolwide screening, progress monitoring, challenges to implementation, and changes in school structures and individual staff roles.




Misguided Education Reform


Book Description

Misguided Education Reform: Debating the Impact on Students argues for reforms that will help, not hurt, America’s public school students. Early childhood education, testing, reading, special education, discipline, loss of the arts, and school facilities, are all areas experiencing reform in the wrong direction. This book says “no” to the reforms that fail, and challenges Americans to address the real student needs that will fix public schools and make America strong.




The Complete Guide to RTI


Book Description

Are you prepared for the RTI evolution? This comprehensive toolkit will bring you up to speed on why RTI is one of the most important educational initiatives in recent history and sets the stage for its future role in teacher education and practice. The authors demonstrate innovative ways to use RTI to inform instruction and guide curriculum development in inclusive classroom settings. Your RTI implementation team will find strategies, techniques, and checklists for evaluating existing programs and implementing RTI effectively. The text′s broad perspective includes: A concise description of RTI′s history and evolution A leadership framework for school and district administrators Applications in reading and literacy, mathematics, and behavior support Guidelines for involving parents, students, and communities In addition, chapters address progress monitoring, instructional support teams, and creating time for RTI in middle and high schools. The text is supported by online technology links that include video, audio, and print media--everything you need to optimize RTI for the new landscape of 21st-century education.




Pyramid Response to Intervention


Book Description

Accessible language and compelling stories illustrate how RTI is most effective when built on the Professional Learning Communities at WorkTM process. Written by award-winning educators from successful PLC schools, this book demonstrates how to create three tiers of interventions—from basic to intensive—to address student learning gaps. You will understand what a successful program looks like, and the many reproducible forms and activities will help your team understand how to make RTI work in your school.




Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support


Book Description

Many schools have implemented academic response to intervention (RTI) and schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) as separate initiatives. This book provides keys to making these programs more effective, seamless, efficient, and sustainable by combining them into a single multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Steps and strategies are outlined for integrating data structures, practices, teams, and district systems. Contributing authors present detailed case examples of successful MTSS implementation in three states. In a large-size format with lay-flat binding, the book features 27 reproducible checklists and evaluation tools. Purchasers get access to a companion website where they can download and print the reproducible materials plus other helpful resources. This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series, edited by T. Chris Riley-Tillman.




Simplifying Response to Intervention


Book Description

The sequel to Pyramid Response to Intervention advocates that a successful RTI model begins by asking the right questions to create a fundamentally effective learning environment for every student. RTI is not a series of implementation steps, but rather a way of thinking. Understand why bureaucratic, paperwork-heavy, compliance-oriented, test-score-driven approaches fail. Then learn how to create a focused RTI model that works.




Handbook of Response to Intervention


Book Description

The Second Edition of this essential handbook provides a comprehensive, updated overview of the science that informs best practices for the implementation of response to intervention (RTI) processes within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to facilitate the academic success of all students. The volume includes insights from leading scholars and scientist-practitioners to provide a highly usable guide to the essentials of RTI assessment and identification as well as research-based interventions for improving students’ reading, writing, oral, and math skills. New and revised chapters explore crucial issues, define key concepts, identify topics warranting further study, and address real-world questions regarding implementation. Key topics include: Scientific foundations of RTI Psychometric measurement within RTI RTI and social behavior skills The role of consultation in RTI Monitoring response to supplemental services Using technology to facilitate RTI RTI and transition planning Lessons learned from RTI programs around the country The Second Edition of the Handbook of Response to Intervention is an essential resource for researchers, graduate students, and professionals/scientist-practitioners in child and school psychology, special and general education, social work and counseling, and educational policy and politics.