Fostering Participation During Literacy Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms for Students With Complex Support Needs: Educators’ Strategies and Perspectives

Abstract

<jats:p> Existing research has documented evidence-based practices that are effective for supporting students with complex support needs (CSN) to learn academic skills. However, there is a need to learn more about effective instructional strategies for students with CSN during literacy lessons in general education classrooms. In addition, there is a need to understand general education teachers’ perspectives on these strategies, including how they learned about them. The purpose of this study was to understand (a) the extent of participation of students with CSN in literacy instruction and activities in general education classrooms, (b) the supports educators provide during these activities, and (c) how educators learned about the strategies they use in their classrooms. We observed nine students with CSN and conducted follow-up interviews with their classroom teachers. Overall, students participated in academic activities for a majority of observations, and these activities addressed a variety of different literacy skills. Educators used research-based instructional practices to support the students including prompts and visual supports. During follow-up interviews, general education teachers described the strategies they used to support students with CSN, and they described how they learned about these strategies. Implications for future research and practice are presented. </jats:p>

Ecobehavioral Analysis of the Experiences of Students With Complex Support Needs in Different Classroom Types

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Teacher Information Literacy for Inclusive Early Childhood Education (ECE) to Provide Literacy and Numeracy for Special Needs Children in Central Java-Indonesia

“…Special needs children should be equipped with literacy and numeracy, as part of their fundamental abilities to understand and master reading, writing and counting skills with the adjustment to their developmental achievements. Special needs children in an inclusive environment need instructional information to support their information literacy (Zagona et al, 2021). Teachers in inclusive classrooms must have extensive knowledge, skills and creativity to manage and facilitate children's needs (Rashid & Ghani, 2023).…”

An Evaluation of Annual Goals for Rural Students Who Are Receiving Special Education Services: A Comparison of Disability Categories

“…It is essential to provide tailored support to facilitate active participation and learning in the general education setting for students with IDD who have needs related to communication (Kurth, Ruppar, McQueston, et al, 2019). Specifically, IEP teams should select supplementary aids and services designed to support a student’s communication and language development within environments rich with inclusive literacy experiences (Toews et al, 2021; Zagona et al, 2021). Appropriate supports facilitate access to the general education curriculum and allow students to work on their goals across educational settings.…”