Somewhere, no idea where, I saw a reference to an Indiana State study on the outcome success of inlusion v. separate class placement for LD students. Can anyone point me in the direction of this study? A google search yielded nothing.
The reason I am reviewing this topic is a current dilemma of ours.
My Gr. 5 son has a smorgasbord of LDs (NLD, APD, dyslexia, slow processing generally, rapid naming deficit, attentional problems etc.) but he has some strengths on the verbal side, and he is doing well in school. (C in French and Number Facts, Bs, B+ to A- in everything else)
He was half time SLD class in Grades 2-4 but went to SLD placement for math only this year, with accommodations in the content subjects (rarely needed) and no accommodations whatsoever in language arts.
He is doing better than expected given his many difficulties.
His recent assessment, (based on August to November testing) points to going back to SLD placement for language arts.
His teachers, noting how well he is doing, and his language comprehension strengths, agreed with the recommendation in the case conference. His current regular class teacher (a crackerjack) said that would be her choice if he were hers as she feels she hasn’t given him enough of what he needs in her split class, where she says he zones out regularly. She feels he would best realize his potential in the SLD class, given that he is in a non-immersion class (won’t be split next year but these classes get a somewhat watered down curriculum because they have more spec. ed. kids and more management problems -though she has few).
Testing showed average reading, average overall verbal IQ, but this latter score is felt to be a low estimate because of APD etc. Some of his verbal scores are in the superior range.
Problem is he hates the idea of going back to half-time SLD, sees it as a retrograde step, figures the work is too easy in SLD language arts.
He is a mighty slow processor, has rapid naming issues (which affect him in reading).
I am torn. I’m inclined to go with his wishes but …
We have done FastForWord, Interactive Metronome, PG, and are about to start a Neuronet/Pace combo.
Reading some studies or hearing others’ perspectives at this point would be helpful.
Thanks,
JanL
Re: Decision re inclusion
Sara gave a great reply! I would just say that a child’s best chance of graduating is to stay in the regular classroom to get the regular curriculum content. Rarely ever does a resource room present the full garde-level curriculum. I agree with Sara. I’d have my child tutored in the language arts area during the summer and outside of school and keep him in the regular class since he IS passing. The tutor can always have contact with next year’s teacher to help him succeed.
Janis
Problem is Inflexibility
Thank you for your replies.
I will have a talk with his teachers. The real problem I think is that the system is inflexible! It does not allow for the “least restrictive environment” to be put in place in this instance.
If he’s in SLD for math, he’s out for language arts, but is not elibigle for accommodations (such as extra time) for language arts, even though he gets accommodations for everything else.
What I would like is for him to continue in SLD class for math, be out for all else but be eligible to have access to the resource room as needed. However, that model isn’t done!
His teachers are worried that with the increased writing demands in gr. 6 that he won’t be well-served in language arts without some accommodations, but it appears that without SLD class placement he won’t get any!
This should be a no-brainer; I mean, resource support is more cost-effective from a resource standpoint.
His math tutor, though, (his former SLD teacher now retired) feels he’s improved in math. I will call and find out from the teacher just how much as shown by recent testing.
The ideal would be inclusion for everything, with accommodations and resource support as needed.
Thanks again.
JanL
Re: Decision re inclusion
Jan,
“If he’s in SLD for math, he’s out for language arts, but is not elibigle for accommodations (such as extra time) for language arts, even though he gets accommodations for everything else.
What I would like is for him to continue in SLD class for math, be out for all else but be eligible to have access to the resource room as needed. However, that model isn’t done!”
Is he classified as LD in math only? Or is he classified in reading or written expression as well? Where he is served has nothing to do with the classification. if he is LD in three areas, he can be served in resource for one and regular class with accommodations and consultation for others.
Janis
Depends on district
Is he classified as LD in math only? Or is he classified in reading or written expression as well? Where he is served has nothing to do with the classification. if he is LD in three areas, he can be served in resource for one and regular class with accommodations and consultation for others.
Dear Janis,
He is classified Learning Disabled. Period. We don’t get specific with classifications here (Ontario, Canada); where they get specific is with the placement. They just don’t do S.E.R.T. (special ed. resource teacher service) with kids who are in the SLD class for math/English in the elementary panel in the district I’m in. But they do at the high school level, where I teach. Dumb, but that’s how it is. You are in one basket or the other, can’t be in both.
My best bet is to get him caught up in math, fast, get him demitted from SLD class placement so he’s elibible for SERT across the board. I’m also going to investigate his having a second language exemption, so that when his peers are doing French, he can be doing whatever he needs. Now if they say that happens in the SLD classroom only, that could be a problem, as it seems any association with that room precludes SERT support in other areas.
And they claim to put kids first! I am going to do some agitating on this one.
Jan
Much research contradicts itself and there are fads in research as in everything else. We definitely prove something and then unprove it later.
As you ask also for perspectives, mine would say your son is very fortunate to have a crackerjack for a teacher. Not every teacher is one. I would never change placement based on standardized testing though. Is that their reason?
If his performance in the class is adequate, why change his placement? I may not be understanding something there. Are they ‘softpeddling’ this idea to you and offering test scores as the reason?
I’d have a one on one with the crackerjack teacher and see if she’s saying more than she’s saying. If she has real concerns about your son’s ability to do well in the coming year unless he returns to SLD, I’d want to know that. I’d also want to ask the crackerjack teacher what she’d see as happening to him if he does NOT return to SLD? What would her crystal ball tell her and tell you? Will her fail? Will he struggle? Will he encounter one of those harsh teachers who have no regard for students with learning differences? What exactly does she mean when she says “he won’t reach his potential’ unless he returns to SLD? What if you had him tutored a bit on the outside of school? Would that close the gap?
Whatever she sees as happening to him next year in a regular Language Arts classroom, I’d want to stand that alongside your son’s reluctance to return to SLD and then ask - where lies the greater harm? In easy work in SLD or the other way?
Good luck.