Up: Proposals Currently Funded
MnSCU and University of Minnesota Distance Learning Initiative
A Consensus Model for Including Students with Disabilities
into the Regular Classroom
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to create a module with two foci:
1) train first-year teachers to include students with disabilities
in their classrooms; and
2) teach mentors a consensus approach to decision-making and conflict
resolution. The two foci will be intertwined as mentors lead their
mentees through the inclusion module activities using the consensus model.
The module will use several techniques including
critical teaching incidents, case studies, web resources and
telecommunications.
Needs
According to the U. S. Department of Education's Seventeenth
Annual Report on the Implementation of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1997),
a greater number of students with disabilities are being
served in regular classrooms than ever before. The report
also states that nearly 40% of students with
disabilities attend regular classes. Thus, it is highly
likely that first-year teachers will have students with
disabilities in their classrooms. Many teacher preparation
institutions do not adequately instruct future teachers
on how to implement inclusion. Therefore, a module on
inclusion coupled with the expertise and background
of a mentor teacher could prove to be invaluable for a novice teacher.
If mentoring is to be effective it needs to grow out of
and contribute to a culture which is collaborative and
inquiry based (Feiman-Nemser, 1996). The consensus model
used in this module provides the foundation
for self-reflection, collaboration and inquiry. To reach
consensus, individuals must reflect on their own
beliefs and understandings about specific issues and collaborate
with others to develop effective strategies for
resolving issues. In our module mentor//mentee teams would
explore their beliefs and understanding about
inclusion by focusing on worst and best possible outcomes for
students and teachers in specific cases. This
is a necessary first step toward formulating strategies and
actions which will lead to successful inclusion.
The web-based portion of this module provides both mentor/mentee
teams opportunities to collaborate on
simulated case studies as well as generate their own cases
based upon students in their classroom.
Up: Proposals Currently Funded
Comments to:
cutler@geom.umn.edu
Created: Tuesday, 28-Apr-97 18:31:00 ---
Last modified:
Copyright © 1997 by
MnSCU/UofM Distance Learning
Initiative. All rights reserved.