Permission to use picture thanks to Inclusive Services, City of St. Johns: www.stjohns.ca
Intellectual Exceptionalities
Intellectual Exceptionalities are commonly split into three main categories: Giftedness, Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) and Developmental Disability. All three categories require teachers to provide differing educational experiences, which can result in students being withdrawn for parts of the day, or require teachers to put in specific supports in order for the student to be successful in the classroom. Because of these differences, students with intellectual exceptionalities can sometimes feel excluded from the classroom environment. Therefore, it is important as educators to find ways to ensure all students feel included in their classrooms. However, for students with intellectual exceptionalities, the greatest challenge for inclusion is not always academics, but more often is the social inclusion of these students in the classroom environment.
The decision to fully integrate, partially integrate or place a student in a specialized program is never an easy one. When considering the placement of students with intellectual exceptionalities, teachers should always reflect on the Standards of Practice, which outlines an educator's commitment to students and student learning. It requires educators to "be sensitive to factors that influence student learning" (OCT, 2014). As educators, we should remember that inclusive education is best practice for all students, until it is proven that inclusion is not of the best interest for the student involved. "Inclusive schools are in a position to change attitudes toward diversity by educating all children together...successful inclusion depends on the implementation of effective policies and practices" (Nowicki and Brown, 2013).
When including a student with intellectual exceptionalities there are many benefits and cautions to the student with intellectual exceptionality, the students without intellectual exceptionalities and the teachers involved. 'Cautions' are discussed as possible detriments to the students' success and negative/stereotypical viewpoints that are prevalent in schools.
The following chart examines the benefits and cautions of inclusion for a student with intellectual exceptionalities:
When including a student with intellectual exceptionalities there are many benefits and cautions to the student with intellectual exceptionality, the students without intellectual exceptionalities and the teachers involved. 'Cautions' are discussed as possible detriments to the students' success and negative/stereotypical viewpoints that are prevalent in schools.
The following chart examines the benefits and cautions of inclusion for a student with intellectual exceptionalities:
Benefits
- evidence clearly suggests that students in inclusive environments experience academic and social successes beyond those in a segregated environments (Bennett and Gallagher, 2013) - regardless of the type or severity of the intellectual exceptionality, students who have experienced highly inclusive education experiences versus those who did not, are more likely to graduate high school, participate in their communities, have been employed, have history of paid work and are above the poverty line (Bennett and Gallagher, 2013) - students with intellectual exceptionalities want to 'pass' as persons without disabilities, as 'normal' (Amado, Stancliffe, McCarron and McCallion, 2013); the successful inclusion of students into mainstream classrooms allows them to feel 'normal' and not as if they are different or not a part of the school, or outside, community |
Cautions
- "at risk of social exclusion, bullying, and being the targets of negative attitudes and biases" (Nowicki and Brown, 2013); it has been consistently proven that children without intellectual exceptionalities socially reject or neglect students with intellectual exceptionalities (Siperstein, Parker, Bardon and Widaman, 2007) - there have been consistent findings in research that children and youth hold negative attitudes towards peers with intellectual exceptionalities (Siperstein et al, 2007) - for gifted students, "one of the greatest opportunities for meeting the social needs of gifted students can result when they get to share meaningful time with other gifted students" (Course Content, Module 4) therefore, full inclusion, all of the time, may not be best practice for gifted students |
The benefits of including students with intellectual exceptionalities, highlight the importance of including students in mainstream classes, as it not only benefits the student while in school but also after graduation. The cautions speak to a need for teachers and schools to develop understanding and social acceptance of all students.
When students with intellectual exceptionalities are included in mainstream classes, there are also many benefits and cautions for the other students and teachers involved. These benefits and cautions are examined in the following chart:
When students with intellectual exceptionalities are included in mainstream classes, there are also many benefits and cautions for the other students and teachers involved. These benefits and cautions are examined in the following chart:
Consistent with the benefits and cautions surrounding the inclusion of students with intellectual exceptionalities, it appears that many of the cautions surround the idea of social inclusion. Therefore, the best practices for the inclusion of students with intellectual exceptionalities have to consist of strategies that both academically and socially include students in the classroom environment.
Best practices for academically including students with intellectual exceptionalities include:
- Teachers adopting the attitude that all students can learn and that students receive a curriculum and program relevant to their needs (Course Content, Module 1)
- Effective leadership by the principal has also been shown to improve factors contributing to successful inclusionary practices (Bennett and Gallagher, 2013)
- Utilizing school based teams is also important to the creation of an inclusive setting (sharing of information and building trust between team members results in best practices for inclusion in the classroom) (Bennett and Gallagher, 2013)
- Teachers need to ensure they create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. This can be accomplished through programs such as Tribes Training, Bucket Filling and a positive attitude towards all students.
- Assistive Technology increases learning, supports communication, increases independence, and allows individuals to assume more control over their environments (Course Content, Module 4). When introducing assistive technology to a student, it is important to ensure that the technology enhances the students skill set. As mentioned during course discussion, assistive technology can also be introduced to the entire class, regardless of need, as a strategy for the success of all students.
- Differentiated Instruction includes making changes to content, process, product and evaluation. Differentiation to content could include changing the abstractness, changing the complexity or increasing the variety. Differentiation to the process could include high level thinking skills, the availability of choice and student input, and creativity. When differentiating the product, consider posing real problems to solve, authentic projects or varied products. When evaluating, students could have input on criteria and self evaluated their final products, or use contracts, negotiation and/or conferences (Course Content, Module 4)
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL): the general principle is that flexible learning environments can accommodate individual differences in ability. There are three general principles for UDL, which are multiple ways for learners to gather knowledge, multiple ways to demonstrate that knowledge or understanding, and multiple ways to engage students with the curriculum (Nowicki and Brown, 2013)
- Adapting the curriculum, scaffolding, breaking tasks into smaller units, making use of visual aids and emphasizing phonemic awareness are all effective academic strategies for students with intellectual exceptionalities (Nowicki and Brown, 2013)
Best practices for socially including students with intellectual exceptionalities include:
- Teach self-advocacy skills in order for students with intellectual exceptionalities to voice their strengths and weaknesses to others- this needs to be done through direct instruction (Course Content, Module 2)
- Ensure students with intellectual exceptionalities are included into every aspect of the school environment. Encourage participation in extra curriculars, sports teams, and clubs.
- Positive peer-reporting during daily or weekly meetings, allows students to recognize each others positive behaviours and achievements (Nowicki and Brown, 2013).
- An effective and positive strategy for creating classroom meetings is through the book "How Full is Your Bucket?" by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer. Teachers can read and display this book, and create their own bucket to fill. This can be done with a regular mop bucket and a clothes peg with each child's name on it, where students can clip a bucket-filler message to it and then share these messages at a weekly meeting.
- Develop pro-active social skills through the use of formal and informal strategies, such as school wide programs, structured classroom activities and simple, everyday strategies that encourage social inclusion (Nowicki and Brown, 2013). Everyday strategies could include shared reading with a partner, elbow partner sharing, having students sit in groups and changing these groups throughout the year.
- Create opportunities for positive interactions, such as sharing common tasks or goals, which allows students to develop conversational skills and turn taking (Nowicki and Brown, 2013)
- Social inclusion requires teachers to intervene when a child is being socially excluded. Quite often all students will notice when a child is being socially excluded, however, do not know strategies to include students in play and classroom activities (Nowicki and Brown, 2013). This underlies the important responsibility teachers have to helping students develop social skills through programs such as Second Step. Second step creates opportunities for students to learn how to discuss problems, invite others into social situations and teaches students how to invite themselves into social situations. Social programming teaches all students the skills required to interact positively in social situations. For more information on Second Step programming, visit the website: http://www.cfchildren.org/second-step.aspx
- Interestingly, students have reported that teachers should ensure they are focusing on similarities between students with and without intellectual exceptionalities, rather then on the differences but that teachers should also share some information about what an intellectual exceptionality is, so that there is better understanding regarding intellectual exceptionalities (Nowicki and Brown, 2013)
Overwhelming evidence supports the inclusion of students with intellectual exceptionalities into mainstream classes. This is not to say there are not challenges associated with this integration. Teachers need to be aware of these challenges, and take a positive and pro active approach to ensure the academic and social inclusion of students with intellectual exceptionalities. By educating yourself about the benefits and cautions, and utilizing the many practices available for including students with exceptionalities into your classroom, strong learning and social benefits will become evident and long lasting for all students involved.
References
Amado, A., Stancliffe, R., McCarron, M., & McCallion, P. (2013). Social Inclusion and Community Participation of Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51, 360-375.
Bennett, S., & Gallagher, T. (2013). High School Students with Intellectual Disabilities in the School and Workplace: Multiple Perspectives on Inclusion. Canadian Journal of Education, 36, 96-124. Retrieved , from the Canadian Society for the Study of Education database.
Nowicki, E., & Brown, J. (2013). "A Kid Way": Strategies for Including Classmates with Learning or Intellectual Disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51, 253-262.
OCT (2014). Standards of Practice. Retrieved June 9, 2014, from http://www.oct.ca/public/professional-standards/standards-of-practice
Siperstein, G., Parker, R., Bardon, J., & Widaman, K. (2007). A National Study of Youth Attitudes Toward the Inclusion of Students With Intellectual Disabilities. Exceptional Children, 73, 435-455. Retrieved , from the ProQuest Education Journals database.
Amado, A., Stancliffe, R., McCarron, M., & McCallion, P. (2013). Social Inclusion and Community Participation of Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51, 360-375.
Bennett, S., & Gallagher, T. (2013). High School Students with Intellectual Disabilities in the School and Workplace: Multiple Perspectives on Inclusion. Canadian Journal of Education, 36, 96-124. Retrieved , from the Canadian Society for the Study of Education database.
Nowicki, E., & Brown, J. (2013). "A Kid Way": Strategies for Including Classmates with Learning or Intellectual Disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51, 253-262.
OCT (2014). Standards of Practice. Retrieved June 9, 2014, from http://www.oct.ca/public/professional-standards/standards-of-practice
Siperstein, G., Parker, R., Bardon, J., & Widaman, K. (2007). A National Study of Youth Attitudes Toward the Inclusion of Students With Intellectual Disabilities. Exceptional Children, 73, 435-455. Retrieved , from the ProQuest Education Journals database.