D R . J U L I E K . C O R K E T T

TEACHING TRENDS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

OUTLINE

• Education in Ontario

• Special Education in Ontario

• Teaching Ontario students with Autism

• Teaching Ontario students with giftedness

• Inclusion or segregation?

Please feel free to ask questions at any time.

EDUCATION IN ONTARIO

• Education falls under provincial governance

• Number of schools in Ontario • 3,974 elementary and 919 secondary schools

• School boards (72) and School Authorities (11) • Ontario:

• Public - 31 English; 4 French

• Catholic – 29 English; 8 French

• 10 School Authorities (4 geographically isolated boards and 6 hospital-based schools authorities)

• 1 Provincial Schools Authority

• Average Class size • Kindergarten: 26

• Grades 1 – 3: 23

• Grades 4-8: 23 to 26

• Grades 9-12: 22 (on average)

SPECIAL EDUCATION IN ONTARIO

• Special education is still relatively new – 36 years

• 1980 – Bill 82 – requires school boards to establish special education programs and services for students with

exceptionalities

• 1990 – Establishment of Identification, Placement and

Review Committees

• 1998– regulation 181: Least restrictive placement

FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION

• Special Education Per Pupil Amount (SEPPA) - $1.41 billion

• The Special Equipment Amount (SEA) - $91.8 million

• The High Needs Amount (HNA) - $1.05 billion

• The Special Incidence Portion (SIP) - $60.3 million

• The Facilities Amount (FA) - $96 million

• Behaviour Expertise Amount (BEA) - $11.6 million

INCLUSION OR SEGREGATION

WHICH I S THE BEST OPT ION?

REFERRAL PROCESS: FEW SITUATIONS (IPRC)

Teacher and/or parent aware of special need

Principal invokes formal referral process

Formal committee (IPRC) is convened

Student attends and recommended placement program is established

Situation modified and in hand

Full educational assessment usually completed at this point

If parent agrees

Resource support may be formally assigned – either board-managed or school-managed

If not, situation reviewed for further modification

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)

ASD is a new DSM-V name that reflects a scientific

consensus that four previously separate disorders are

actually a single condition with different levels of symptom

severity in two core domains. ASD now encompasses the

previous DSM-IV autistic disorder (autism), Asperger’s

disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive

developmental disorder not otherwise specified.

ASD is characterized by 1) deficits in social communication

and social interaction and 2) restricted repetitive behaviors,

interests, and activities (RRBs). Because both components

are required for diagnosis of ASD, social communication

disorder is diagnosed if no RRBs are present.

MYTHS

ASD CHARACTERISTICS

• Social Difficulties • Difficulty developing, maintaining, and

understanding relationships

• Difficulties adjusting behaviour to suit various social contexts

• Preference to being alone; aloof manner

• Difficulties in sharing imaginative play

• Difficulties making friends

• Not wanting to be touched

• Little or no eye contact

ASD CHARACTERISTICS

• Language problems • Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or

pointing instead of words

• Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language

• Non responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range.

• Difficulty using and understanding facial expressions

ASD CHARACTERISTICS

Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviours,

interests or activities as demonstrated by at least

two of the following:

• Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of

objects or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypes, lining

up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).

ASD CHARACTERISTICS CONTINUED. . .

• Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or

ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions,

rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same

route or eat same food every day).

ASD CHARACTERISTICS CONTINUED. . .

• Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in

intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively

circumscribed or perseverative interests).

ASD CHARACTERISTICS CONTINUED. . .

• Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest

in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g. apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to

specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of

objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).

A WALK IN THEIR SHOES

THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ASD?

CAUSES OF ASD

• Abnormalities in brain structure or function • Abnormalities in the cerebellum (motor) and limbic

(thinking and feeling)

• Heredity, genetics • Siblings at a higher risk for autism

• More frequently than expected among individuals who have certain medical conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU).

• Vaccines • Scientific research rejections relationship between MMR

vaccines and autistic spectrum disorders

DESIGNING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMING

• Communication with parents

• Parents provides:

• Developmental history

• Health issues

• Student’s likes, dislikes, special interests; sensory sensitivities

• Positive reinforcers and motivators

• Behaviour and communication strategies

• School provides:

• Daily communication log: activities, new skills, new themes and

areas of learning, up-coming events, social interactions

• Behaviour log

• Student provides:

• Pictures, symbols, writing, stamping communication log.

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN

• Identify student strengths and areas of need

• For each subject/course determine if modifications

and/or accommodations are required

• Identify annual goal for each modified or

alternative program

• Identify strategies for obtaining those goals

• Implementation of plan will be carried out by the

classroom teacher, and/or special education

teacher

AUTISM – APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (ABA)

• School boards must offer students with ASD special

education programs and services, including, where

appropriate, special education programs using ABA

methods.

APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (ABA)

• The earlier it is started the better

• very intensive (40 hours a week)

• High success rate

• Structure environment

• breaks down any task into subtasks and places a

very high emphasis on rewarding the child for

working well

• No physical punishment

TRANSITION PLANS

• School board staff must plan for the transition

between various activities and settings involving

students with ASD.

TRANSITION PLANNING

APPS TO HELP WITH TRANSITIONS

App Transition Support Website

Pictello - Social stories, visual schedules.

- Upload own pictures, chose voices,

record own voice

http://www.assistiveware.

com/product/pictello

iPrompts - Visual schedules, social stories, choice

promts, first/then boards, countdown

timers

- Upload own pcitures, stock pictures,

download pictures, passage of time

counter

http://www.handholdad

aptive.com

My Video

Schedule

- Combines video modeling within a

structured schedules; provides positive

reinforcement

- Can upload your own videos/photos

https://itunes.apple.com/

app/my-video-

schedule/id463787252?m

t=8

Vis Timer - Timer, see passage of time, choose

colour, 1-minute warning, sound

options

https://itunes.apple.com/

us/app/vistimer/id434108

079?mt=8

COMMUNICATION SKILLS WH A T A R E S O M E S T R A T E G I E S T H A T WE C A N U S E T O

D E V E L O P T H E I R C O M M U N I CA T I O N S K I L L S ?

COMMUNICATION: RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE (SMITH, ET AL. 2006, P. 228)

• Slow down the pace

• State positively what to do (e.g., Let’s walk vs. Stop running)

• Avoid analogies

• Provide more information in visual format

COMMUNICATION: EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE (SMITH, ET AL. 2006, P. 228)

• Pause, listen, and wait

• Encourage input and choice when possible

• Provide alternative means, such as written words or

pictures to aid communication

• Encourage and respond to words and appropriate

attempts rather than to behaviour

COMMUNICATION: TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

• Computers – Carly Fleischmann

• Proloquo2Go - $249.99

• It is designed to promote growth of communication skills

and foster language development through research-based

vocabularies.

• Proloquo2Go in action

SOCIAL SUPPORTS (SMITH, ET AL. 2006, P. 228)

• Build in time to watch, encourage watching and proximity

• Practise on specific skills through natural activities with one peer

• Structure activities with set interaction patterns and roles

• Provide cooperative learning activities with facilitation

• Facilitate recruitment of sociable peers to be buddies and advocates

• Provide opportunity for shared experiences using interests and strengths.

MANAGING BEHAVIOUR

• Violent outbursts

• Management process for risk of injury

• Safety plan

• Evacuations

• Isolation

• Intensive Support Amount

• Personal Protective Equipment (rarely used). It use must be

documented on safety plan.

MANAGING BEHAVIOUR

• Data Collection

• Autism Tracker Pro: Track, analyze and share ASD daily

• Tracks: mood, behaviour, food, health

• Generates reports

• AutismTrack

• Tracks behaviours, therapies, diets, medicines

• View trends

• Share reports

• Electronic Monitoring System • Dr. Ken McIsacc and Dr. Cathy Chovaz, King’s University College

at Western University

TEMPLE GRADIN

THE WORLD NEEDS ALL K INDS OF MINDS

GIFTEDNESS

WHAT DOES GIFTEDNESS MEAN?

GIFTEDNESS

An unusually advanced degree of general

intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning

experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those

normally provided in the regular school program to

satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.

FOUR MAIN CHARACTERISTICS (SMITH, POLLOWAY, PATTON, ET AL. 2006, P. 254)

• Cognitive Function

• Affective Function

• Physical/Sensing Function

• Intuitive Function

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

• Extraordinary quantity of information; unusual retentiveness

• Advanced comprehension

• Unusual varied interests and curiosity

• High level of language development

• High level of verbal ability

• Unusual capacity for processing information

• Accelerated pace of thought processes

• Comprehensive synthesis

COGNITIVE FUNCTION CONTINUED . . .

• Heightened capacity for seeing unusual and diverse relationships, integration of ideas and disciplines

• Ability to generate original ideas and solutions • Early differential patterns for thought

processing • Early ability to use and form conceptual

frameworks • An evaluative approach toward oneself and

others • Unusual intensity; persistent goal-directed

behaviour

AFFECTIVE FUNCTION

• Large accumulation of information about emotions that have not been brought to awareness

• Unusual sensitivity to the expectations and feelings of others

• Keen sense of humour – may be gentle or hostile

• Heightened self-awareness, accompanied by feelings of being different

• Idealism and a sense of justice, which appear at an early age

• Early development of an inner locus of control and satisfaction

• Unusual emotional depth and intensity

AFFECTIVE FUNCTION CONTINUED . . .

• High expectations of self and others, often leading to high levels of frustration with self, others, and situations; perfectionism

• Strong need for consistency between abstract values and personal actions

• Advanced levels of moral judgement

• Strongly motivated by self-actualization

• Advanced cognitive and affective capacity for conceptualizing and solving societal problems

• Leadership ability

• Solutions to social and environmental problems

• Involvement with the metaneeds of society

PHYSICAL/SENSING FUNCTION

• Unusual quantity of input from the environment through a heightened sensory awareness

• Unusual discrepancy between physical and intellectual development

• Low tolerance for the lag between their standards and their athletic skills

• Cartesian split – can include neglect of physical well-being and avoidance of physical activity

INTUITIVE FUNCTION

• Early involvement and concern for intuitive knowing and metaphysical ideas and phenomena

• Open to experiences in this area; will experiment with psychic and metaphysical phenomena

• Creative approach in all areas of endeavour

• Ability to predict; interest in future

WHAT ARE THEIR AREAS OF NEED AND CLASSROOM CHALLENGES?

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Extraordinary quantity of

information, unusual

retentiveness

• To be exposed to new and

challenging information • To acquire early mastery of

foundational skills

• Boredom with the regular

curriculum • Impatience with waiting for

the rest of the class to

“catch-up”

Advanced Comprehension • To be given access to

challenging curriculum and

intellectual peers

• Poor interpersonal

relationships with students

of the same age • A strong dislike of repetition

of already understood

and/or mastered concepts

Unusually varied interests and

curiosity • To be exposed to varied

subjects and concerns • To be allowed to pursue

individual ideas as far as

their interest takes them

• Difficulty in conforming to

group tasks • Overextending energy

levels • Taking on too many projects

at one time

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the

Classroom

High level of language

development • To encounter uses for

increasingly difficult

vocabulary and concepts

• Perceived as a “show

off”

High level of verbal ability • To share ideas verbally

in depth • Domination of

discussions with

information and

questions deemed

negative by teachers and

fellow students • Use of verbalism to avoid

difficult thinking tasks

Unusual capacity for

processing information • To be exposed to ideas

at many levels and in

large variety

• Resentment of being

interrupted • Perceived as too serious • Dislike of routine and drill

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the

Classroom

Accelerated pace of thought

processes • To be exposed to ideas

at rates appropriate to

individual pace of

learning—often

accelerated

Flexible thought processes • To be allowed to solve

problems in diverse ways • Perceived by others as

disruptive and

disrespectful to authority

and tradition

Comprehensive synthesis • To be allowed a longer

incubation time for ideas • Frustration with demands

for deadlines and for

completion of each level

prior to starting new

inquiry

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Early ability to delay closure • To be allowed to pursue

ideas and integrate new

ideas without forced closure

or products demanded

• If products are demanded

as proof of learning, will

refuse to pursue an

otherwise interesting subject

or line of inquiry

Heightened capacity for seeing

unusual and diverse

relationships, integration of

ideas and disciplines

• To mess around with a

varity of materials, ideas,

opportunities for

multidisciplinary learning

and complexity

• Frustration at being

considered “off the subject”

or irrelevant in pursuing

inquiry in areas other than

subject being considered • Considered odd or weird by

others

Ability to generate original ideas

and solutions • To build skills in problem

solving and productive

thinking • To be given the opportunity

to contribute to solutions of

meaningful problems

• Difficulty with rigid

conformity • May be penalized for not

following directions • May deal with rejection by

becoming rebellious

COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Early differential patterns for thought

processing • To be exposed to alternatives,

abstractions, consequences of

choices, opportunities for drawing

generalizations and testing them • To solve problems by use of visual or

metaphoric strategies

• Rejection or omission of detail • Questions generalizations of others,

which may be perceived as

disrespectful behavior • Considers linear tasks incomplete and

boring Early ability to use and form conceptual

frameworks • To use and design conceptual

frameworks in information gathering

and problem solving • To seek order and consistency • To develop a tolerance for ambiguity

• Frustration with inability of others to

understand or appreciate original

organizations or insights • Personally devised systems or

structure may conflict with procedures

or systems later taught An evaluative approach toward self and

others • To be exposed to individuals of

varying ability and talent and to

varying ways of seeing and solving

problems • To set realistic, achievable short-term

goals • To develop skills in data evaluation

and decision making

• Perceived by others as elitist,

conceited, superior, too critical • May become discouraged from self-

criticism • Can inhibit attempting new areas if

fear of failure is too great • Seen as too demanding, compulsive • Can affect interpersonal relationships

as others fail to live up to standards

set by gifted individual • Intolerant of stupidity

Unusual intensity and persistent goal-

directed behavior • To pursue inquiries beyond allotted

time spans • To set and evaluate priorities

• Perceived by others as stubborn,

willful, uncooperative

AFFECTIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Examples of Related Needs Possible Resulting

Difficulties in the Classroom Large accumulation of

information about emotions

that has not been brought

to awareness

• To process cognitively the emotional

meaning of experience • To name one’s own emotions • To identify one’s own and others’

perceptual filters and defense systems • To clarify awareness of the needs and

feelings of others

• Misinterpretation of information

that affects the student

negatively

Unusual sensitivity to the

expectations and feelings

of others

• To learn to clarify the feelings and

expectations of others • Unusual vulnerability to criticism

of others • A high level of need for success

and recognition from others Keen sense of humor that

may be gentle or hostile • To learn how behaviors affect the feelings

and behaviors of others • Use of humor for critical attacks

upon others, resulting in

damage to interpersonal

relationships Heightened self-

awareness, accompanied

by feelings of being

different

• To learn to assert own needs and

feelings in a non defensive way • To share self with others for self-

clarification

• Isolation of self, resulting in

being considered aloof, feeling

rejected • Perception of difference as a

negative attribute resulting in

low self- esteem and inhibited

growth emotionally and socially

AFFECTIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Idealism and sense of justice, which

appear at an early age • To transcend negative reactions

by finding values to which he or

she can be committed

• Attempts toward unrealistic

reforms and goals with resulting

intense frustration • NOTE: suicides result from

intense depression over

issues of this nature Unusual emotional depth and

intensity • To find purpose and direction

from personal value system • To translate commitment into

action in daily life

• Unusual vulnerability • Difficulty focusing on realistic

goals for life’s work

Perfectionism: High expectations of

self and others, often leading to

high levels of frustration with self,

others and situations

• To learn to set realistic goals

and to accept setbacks as part

of the learning process • To hear others express their

growth in acceptance of self

• Discouragement and frustration

from high levels of self-criticism • Difficulty maintaining good

interpersonal relations as

others fail to maintain high

standards imposed by the gifted

student • Immobilization of action due to

high levels of frustration

resulting from situations that do

not meet expectations of

excellence

AFFECTIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Strong need for consistency

between abstract values and

personal actions

• To find a vocation that provides

opportunity for actualization of

student’s personal value

system, as well as an avenue

for his or her talents and abilities

• Frustration with self and others

leading to inhibited actualization

of self and interpersonal

relationships

Advanced levels of moral judgement • To receive validation for above

average morality • Intolerance of and lack of

understanding from peer group,

leading to rejection and possible

isolation

Strongly motivated by self-

actualization needs • To be given opportunities to

follow divergent paths and

pursue strong interests • To receive help in understanding

the demands of self-

actualization

• Frustration of not feeling

challenged • Loss of unrealized talents

Advanced cognitive and affective

capacity for conceptualizing and

solving societal problems

• To encounter social problems • To become aware of the

complexity of problems facing

society and the conceptual

frameworks for problem- solving

procedures

• Tendency for ‘quick” solutions,

not taking into account the

complexity of the problem

AFFECTIVE FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Leadership ability • To understand various

leadership steps and

practice leadership skills

• Lack of opportunity to use

this ability constructively

may result in its

disappearance from

student’s repertoire or its

being turned into a negative

characteristic (e.g., gang

leadership)

Solutions to social

and environmental problems • To experience meaningful

involvement in real

problems

• Loss to society if these

traits are not allowed to

develop with guidance and

opportunity for meaningful

involvement

Involvement with the needs of

society such as justice, beauty,

and truth

• To explore the highest

levels of human thought • To apply this knowledge to

today’s problems

• Involvement in obscure

groups with narrow,

perfectionist-like beliefs

PHYSICAL FUNCTION

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Unusual quantity of input from

the environment through a

heightened sensory awareness

• To engage in activities that

will allow integration and

assimilation of sensory data

• Attention diffusing over

many areas of interest • Seemingly disconnected

Unusual discrepancy between

physical and intellectual

development

• To appreciate own physical

capacities • Resulting in an individual

who is only comfortable

expressing him or herself in

mental activity-limited

development

both physically and mentally Low tolerance for the lag

between standards and athletic

skills

• To discover physical

activities as a source of

pleasure • To find satisfaction in small

increments of improvement • To engage in non-

competitive physical

activities

• Refusal to take part in any

activities in which the

student does not excel at

“Cartesian split” which can

include neglect of physical well-

being and avoidance of

physical activities

• To develop a commitment to

own physical well-being • Detrimental to full mental

and physical health

INTUITIVE FUNCTION (FROM: “GROWING UP GIFTED”

7TH EDITION BY BARBARA CLARK

Characteristics Areas of Need Difficulties in the Classroom

Early involvement and concern for intuitive knowing and metaphysical ideas and phenomena

• Be given opportunities to

engage in meaningful

dialogue with

philosophers

• To be guided in

developing and using

intuition

• Ridiculed by peers

• Considered weird or

strange

Creative approach in all

endeavours

• To be guided in

evaluating appropriate

uses of creativity

• To be encouraged to

continue development of

creative abilities

• Perceived by others as

deviant

• Bored with mundane

tasks

• Perceived as a

“troublemaker”

Ability to predict outcomes

and interested in the future

• To be provided

opportunities to explore

“what if” questions

• Given activities of

probability and prediction

• Loss of highly valuable

human ability

• What is creativity?

• Can creativity be taught?

• Should creativity be limited to gifted students?

GIFTEDNESS IN ONTARIO SCHOOLS

• Acceleration

• Differentiated instruction

• Compacting

• Enrichment

• Tiered Assignments

• Open-ended Assignments

• Ability grouping

• Withdrawal programs and congregated classes

PROBLEMS IN ONTARIO SCHOOLS

• Emphasis on drill and review

• Extra work of the same type given to other students

• Mixed ability co-operative learning

• Tutoring other students during class time

• Working ahead in a textbook with teacher

involvement

• Immersion programs

RENZULLI’S THREE-RING CONCEPTION OF GIFTEDNESS

RENZULLI’S ENRICHMENT TRIAD MODEL

From: http://www.creativitypost.com/education/the_three_es_of_successful_academic_achievement_and_enrichment_enjoyment_en

PROGRAMS

Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM)

• SEM Resources and Forms

• SEM A How To Guide

• CompassLearning

• Hybridge – K-8 enrichment

• Odyssey – K-8 math reading intervention

• GoQuest – student-centred investigation and inquiry-based

learning

• High School – credit recovery, full-course, and enrichment

TECHNOLOGY

• Using technology to connect with mentors

• Virtual Museum Tours

• Online Learning games

• Partnering with local universities

• Khan Academy – Math, science, economics, arts,

humanities

HOW DOES GIFTEDNESS COMPARE TO AUTISM

VENN DIAGRAM

INCLUSION OR SEGREGATION

WHICH I S THE BEST OPT ION?

WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO NEXT?