Working Together: Multimedia Tools for Inclusion

Description:

All the tools needed for a comprehensive communication and collaboration plan designed to support divers Special Needs students. Indispensable to every K-12 teacher for the successful inclusion of Special Needs learners.

Manage student records...
Collaborate with the student’s teachers...
Choose and implement strategies...
Develop instructional goals and objectives...
Monitor student’s progress...

These are the goals of all Special Needs support persons. But the realities of modern education proves that these are much easier said than done.

Drawing on her long experience in K-12 Special Needs teaching, Dr. Andrews has developed a series of practical templates and a comprehensive methodology of inclusion of Special Needs students into General Education. Her multimedia tools are designed to help manage the complex and often perplexing situations which every support person faces. Each tool constitutes a step on the road which both teachers and students travel during the school year - as well as preparing for the next level. At the same time, these tools visibly map each student’s progress. Problem solving is one of the strong points of this methodology. Another feature of these tools is the ease with which IEPs and all the required administrative forms are incorporated at the correct moment of the school year.

One of the advantages of presenting this methodology in a multimedia structure is that it provides the reader with instant access to any part of the manual and to any tool. The "Main Menu" which serves as a table of contents, also allows the reader to call up any section, page or table. Video clips of Dr. Andrews’ university class for Special Needs Educators give a more personal depth to certain details of the Manual section as well as tips to the teachers. The Cases presented illustrate just how these tools can be adapted to the many facets of Special Needs Education. So many of the apprehensions which are involved in the Inclusion of Special Needs students dissolve as the pages turn, as the tables are explained, printed and filled in. Indeed, they are indispensable...

Contents:

This interactive book is divided essentially into three main sections:

Part I: Manual
Introduction; Chapter One: Planning Ahead, Preparing for Successful Inclusion; Chapter Two: Getting Started, Establishing a Communication Plan; Chapter Three: Instructional Planning; Chapter Four: Keeping on Top of Things, Monitoring Student Progress; Chapter Five: Taking Action, Developing Solutions Together; Chapter Six: Tools for Success, Ideas and Samples for Improving Student Performance; Chapter Seven: Evaluation, The Connecting Link

Part II: TOOLS: 58 printable figures and tables corresponding to the Chapters

Part III: CASES: the practical application of this methodology to two real-life cases
           Case One: Elementary School & Case Two: Secondary School

Glossary, Bibliography and Search Engine are added features.

Editors’ review:

As editors and parents, we, of Pro-Culture Editions, are indeed proud to present this interactive book. It is designed as a methodology and an aide for the professional teacher or special support person at school but, as parents, we appreciate the utility of these tools in the home as well as the school. Many of the tables and forms would serve as practical and tangible tools to help us communicate and collaborate with our own K-12ers. Perhaps it is the down-to-earth approach of Dr. Andrews herself that has given this work its universality. This is indeed the Voice of Experience.

Biographical notes:

Lanna Andrews, Ed.D. is Assistant Professor of Education at the University of San Francisco and Chair of the Learning and Instruction Department. She oversees and teaches in the Special Education Credential Program and the Learning and Instruction Masters Degree and Doctoral Degree Programs. Prior to joining the faculty at USF, she was the Director of Special Education Credential Programs at Saint Mary's College of California. Before entering higher education, Lanna Andrews worked over 15 years in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, a large urban, multi-cultural K-12 school district in Richmond, California. She was Special Day Class Teacher, Resource Specialist, Program Specialist, Special Education Program Administrator and Acting Director of Special Education.

(these  are actual screen shots from our texts and videos of our CDrom)

Author’s Comments:

Much of the content of this book was developed while I was working in WCCUSD. It is my response to the need for increased communication and collaboration among all teachers working with students with disabilities.