Inclusive and Supportive Education Congress International Special Education Conference Inclusion: Celebrating Diversity? 1st - 4th August 2005. Glasgow, Scotland

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Training Special Education Teachers To Work In Inclusive

Environments
Barry W. Birnbaum, Ed.D., and Effie Papoutsis Kritikos, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Northeastern Illinois University
b-birnbaum@neiu.edu
E-Kritikos@neiu.edu

Introduction

This project, a partnership between Northeastern Illinois University and the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), addresses the extreme shortage of special education teachers in CPS and in the city of Chicago, through an innovative field-based program.   In this project, individuals with B.S. degrees outside of education work as full-time interns in CPS serving students with disabilities as they complete Illinois teacher certification requirements and M.A. degrees in special education.   The project is designed to prepare two cohorts of 25 each over the four-year grant period.  

The first cohort of 25 interns began the project in September, 2001. Interns were placed and continued to be in special education positions across the city, primarily serving students with learning disabilities, behavior disorders and mild retardation.   Interns receive a small salary for their teaching responsibilities and attend university classes on evening and/or weekends.   Each semester at least one course is primarily field-based, with interns completing assignments related to their instructional duties.   Interns receive support from a university supervisor who visits on a weekly or biweekly basis in year two at their place of employment.   The program of study is based on a “reflect and practice” model.   The project met all of its objectives for Year 1 and Year 2 including retaining interns from under-represented groups, a high retention rate, quality programming, and favorable evaluations of interns by principals, mentors, and supervisors.  

With continued funding, the project moves forward as planned in the original proposal (with a change to cross categorical coursework as mandated by state certification-see Project Status).   Year 3 activities include placement and training for Cohort 2.

Project Status

            All four objectives related to Year 1 and 2 were attained.   Those four objectives included: (1) recruiting a high quality and diverse group of 50 individuals (25 in the first cohort, 25 in the second cohort) new to the teaching profession; (2) placing them as full-time interns in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS); (3) providing them with a high quality preparation program with intensive field-based support from seasoned professionals and the content knowledge and skills necessary to become effective teachers; (4) monitoring the progress of interns and providing support after program completion.

Progress in Meeting Objectives

Objective 1 : Recruit a high quality and diverse group of 50 individuals new to the teaching profession to participate in the project.

            Advertisement and recruitment for the first cohort began August 1 and September 1, 2001, while recruitment for the second group took place between February and March, 2003.   In collaboration with representatives from Chicago Public Schools, NEIU advertised in major Chicago newspapers as well as the smaller newspapers directed at the diverse ethnic communities in Chicago, including the “Chicago Defender,” news for the African-American community, and “Exito,” news for the Latino-American community. Advertisement was deemed effective since CPS and NEIU received almost 900 calls for applications.   Potential interns were screened and selected by representatives of both CPS and NEIU.   All candidates were required to submit a detailed resume; official transcripts showing completion of at least a bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution; a minimum 2.75 grade point average as required by NEIU’s Graduate College; two letters of reference from professors or employers; evidence of passing the state of Illinois Basic Skills Exam (as required by the College of Education at NEIU); and a well-written three-page essay explaining their interest in the program and what personal and professional qualifications and expertise they would bring to the teaching profession, including relevant experience with individuals with disabilities.

            For each cohort, thirty-five candidates were chosen for interviews.   Candidates were interviewed in small groups by the director, two representatives from CPS, and two professors from NEIU.   Of the potential candidates, 28 were selected to participate in the program.  

In the first cohort, 21 of the 25 individuals continue to participate in the program.   Two of these individuals changed their minds about the program due to personal issues/commitments (in year 1).   Two of the individuals did not meet the appropriate grade requirements and did not continue at their work sites (in year 2).   Interns who continue in the program maintained at least a B average (3.0/4.0) to remain a student in good standing in the Graduate College.   The interns represent a diverse range of professional and personal characteristics, including members from groups typically underrepresented in the teaching profession.

Objective 2 :  Place interns in special education positions based on the best match between their characteristics and requirements for the job.

            With the assistance of project staff and CPS personnel, interns obtained substitute certificates from the Illinois State Board of Education that permitted them to work with full time teachers.   Interns were matched to vacant teaching positions including interns background and experience, driving time to the assigned school, language skills (i.e., bilingual skills) of the intern, and specific requests from principals.   Principals also agreed to regular communication with the university field supervisor as he or she worked to support the interns in the teaching environment.  

            The majority of placements were in high incidence positions serving students with learning disabilities and/or behavior disorders, and/or mild mental retardation.   Several interns were placed as teachers in programs for children with autism.  

With the assistance of project staff and CPS personnel, most of the candidates have remained in the same placements for the two years of the program.   Approximately five interns were given new special education assignments within the building or moved to another school due to school changes.   One intern was removed from her position in a school because difficulties with the school administration could not be resolved.

Objective 3 : Provide interns with intensive field-based support and the content knowledge and skills necessary to become effective, certified special educators using a “reflect and practice” instructional model.

            The program is housed in the Department of Special Education, which is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.   In participating in this process, the Department of Special Education met the stringent standards established by the Council of Exceptional Children.   The program is based upon the current MA in Learning Disabilities for Initial Certification Students, a program sequence that is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, CEC and NCATE.   Therefore, the program includes coursework and clinical experiences in educational foundations, characteristics of learners with special education needs, assessment, planning and implementing instruction, collaboration with peers and parents, and professional development.   The same course content existed in the program but also included field supervision, university coursework with corresponding field-based assignments; and the use of a cohort format to foster peer support and collaboration.

            During Year 1, eight of the nine courses offered to the cohort were taught by tenure-track faculty (all with doctoral degrees), and one course was taught by a qualified part-time faculty member (with a master’s degree in special education).   Courses included SPED 404, Survey of the Field of Special Education, EDFN 405, Development of Educational Thought, SPED 421, Behavior Management, SPED 410, Identification and Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities, SPED 411, Remediation and Planning for Children with Learning Disabilities, SPED 465, Consultation and Collaboration in Special Education.   Courses included SPED 409 Educational and Psychological Measurement and Evaluation in Special Education, SPED 412 Principles of Diagnostic Testing, EDFN 406 Human Development and Learning,

Five out of seven courses offered to the cohort in the second year were taught by tenure-track faculty (all with doctoral degrees), and two courses were taught by qualified part-time faculty (one with a master’s degree in special education and one with a doctorate in special education).   SPED 418 Practicum I: Learning Disabilities, SPED 430 Identification of Mental Retardation, SPED 431 Methods of Teaching Individuals with Mild Mental Retardation, SPED 419 Practicum II: Learning Disabilities, SPED 420 Characteristics and Assessment of Behavior Disorders and SPED 413 Seminar in Learning Disabilities.   SPED 490, Research Seminar in Special Education, was also included.

            Due to certification changes within the state of Illinois, the Special Education Department has changed its coursework to cross-categorical studies.   In order to meet certification requirements and stay consistent with the graduate program the following sequence is planned to replace the old sequence of study:

Initial Certification Graduate Level

Program Sequence:

BLOCK I:       FOUNDATIONS, CHARACTERISTICS & FUNDAMENTALS OF RESEARCH & ASSESSMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION – 12 Hours

SPED 500:             Research I: Critical Writing & Research in Special Education – 3 hours.

                            Prerequisites:   Acceptance into the graduate program for initial certification.

SPED 501:            The Development & Characteristics of Children & Youths with Disabilities – 3 hours.

                            Prerequisites:   SPED 500      

SPED 502:            The Development of Cognition, Learning, and Language – 3 hours

                            Prerequisites:   SPED 500

SPED 503:            The Historical, Philosophical, & Legal Foundations of Special Education – 3 hours

                           Prerequisites:   SPED 500

BLOCK II:      FUNDAMENTALS OF ASSESSMENT, COLLABORATION, TEACHING AND TECHNOLOGY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION – 10 hours

SPED 504:            Assessment I: Principles of Educational Assessment in Special Education – 3 hours.

                           Prerequisites:   Block I sequence

SPED 505:            Consultation & Collaboration: Special & Regular Education – 3 hours

                           Prerequisites:   Block I sequence

SPED 506:            Technology in Special Education – 3 hours

                           Prerequisites:   Block I sequence

SPED 507:            Internship I: Fundamentals of Teaching – 1 hours

                           Prerequisites:   SPED 504, 505, 506

BLOCK III: CURRICULUM, TEACHING, BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT & PROGRAMMING IN SPECIAL EDUCATION – 14 hours

SPED 508:            Methods I: General Curriculum & Methods in Special Education – 3 hours

                           Prerequisites:   Block II sequence

SPED 509:            Methods II: Specialized Curriculum & Methods in Special Education – 3 hours

                           Prerequisites:   SPED 508

SPED 510:           Methods III: Strategies of Behavior Management – 3 hours

                           Prerequisites:   Block II sequence

SPED 511:           Alternative Programming & Curriculum in Special Education – 3 hours

                          Prerequisites:   SPED 508 & 509

SPED 512:           Internship II: Intermediate Teaching – 2 hours

                          Prerequisites:   SPED 508, 509, 510, 511

BLOCK IV:     INTERNSHIP & APPLIED RESEARCH IN SPECIAL EDUCATION – 9 hours

SPED 513:           Assessment II: Applied Diagnostic Testing – 3 hours

Prerequisites:   Block III sequence

SPED 514:           Internship III: Applied Teaching in Special Education – 3 hours

                          Prerequisites: Block III sequence & SPED 513

SPED 515:           Research II: Applied Research Project in Special Education – 3 hours

                          Prerequisites: Block III sequence

Total Credit Hours: 45

Objective 4 :             Monitor the progress of interns and provide support after program completion.

Supervisors conducted classroom observation and gave feedback, provided instructional support in planning and implementing lessons, assisted with ideas for classroom and behavior management, and helped the intern to understand and complete the various paperwork involved in special education, i.e., case study evaluations, IEPs, and transition plans.   Interns met with supervisors on a weekly to biweekly basis depending on the needs of the intern.   Supervisors also communicated with the interns’ principals about the interns’ progress and close contact with the course instructors about the field-based assignments.   Supervisors’ observations contributed to a percentage of the students’ grades in several courses.

Furthermore, principals assigned mentors to the interns who worked with them four hours a week and evaluated their teaching performance as they would for all new teachers in their schools.   Therefore, “reflection-in-action” was promoted and the professionals had opportunities to problem solve, observe, and reflect on the best practice within the context of actual teaching situations.   Furthermore, they attended approximately thirty hours of district sponsored professional development sessions designed to give information to new teachers and develop the mentorship relationship period.  

            In January, the director conducted a survey to investigate how the program was progressing in terms of academics and supervision.   Interns reported that although rigorous the program was going well.   The interns noted that the coursework and cohort were among the most useful tools in their program.   Positive comments about the coursework included learning technology (Blackboard), gaining understanding of methods for dealing with parents and collaborating with general education teachers, hands on training in the area of assessment, and practical examples and suggestions for remediation.   

            In terms of student evaluation, course grades earned by continuing interns were in the acceptable A and B range.   Furthermore, supervisors, mentors, and principals rated interns in the areas of professional appearance, professional affect with students, professional affect with other staff and administration, attendance and punctuality, ability to plan/develop lessons, ability to deliver instruction, ability to maintain classroom discipline, classroom organization skills, awareness/knowledge of characteristics of students with special needs, and awareness/knowledge of variety of instructional strategies/approaches on a likert-type scale.   In addition, they reported on suggestions for NEIU supervisors/professors, overall level of support and other open-ended questions.   A high proportion of the comments regarding the interns were positive.   Supervisors provided additional support to the intern in the problematic area noted.

How Project Addresses GPRA Performance Indicators and Competitive Preference

            Progress on Objectives 1, 2, 3 and 4 show that GPRA performance indicators have been met or are in the process of being met.   The project has responded to the critical needs of children with disabilities and their families by placing and retaining 21 interns in unfilled special education teaching positions.   The project has utilized high quality methods and materials in preparing interns, evidenced by the favorable ratings of interns by their CPS principals and NEIU supervisors.   Project staff members have communicated their findings to CPS administrators to support them in implementing a similar project with other area universities.   The director, university representatives from area universities, and CPS representatives have held meetings to discuss successes of programs. Finally, the project anticipates that all 21 remaining interns will graduate with full teacher certification by the end of Year 2, adding to the teacher pool of personnel prepared to serve children with disabilities.

 The project has also met the competitive preference of recruiting and preparing individuals from under-represented groups.   Of the 21 interns, 11 (52%) are African-American, 3 (15%) are Latino-American, and 7 (33%) are Anglo-American.   The Anglo-American group includes one bilingual/bicultural intern, Arabic, who can meet the language needs of the diverse linguistic and cultural student body in the Chicago schools.

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