Inclusion or separate?

Question

My daughter has a learning disability. She has an IEP which specifies an inclusion environment.

Truthfully, she doesn't like asking for or accepting help in the regular classroom. The special ed. teacher says she hides her paper when the SE teacher walks by. My daughter works hard and was on the A/B honor roll last year. She really wants to be able to do the work without help, she just can't.

They want to start a 'group' for next year that will spend some time in a separate class room every day. I told the SE teacher that I would think about it.

My gut says this is a horrible idea. My initial reaction is that she's doing well where she is, why change things?

Anybody got any experience with this? Any helpful comments will be appreciated.

Answer 1

You have to follow the special ed laws concerning this. First of all, they can not put your child in a separate class without first having an IEP meeting and everyone in the meeting, including you, agree on this IN WRITING.

So if you don't want her in this class, what you have to do is write to district sped director requesting an IEP meeting. In the meeting tell them what you were told about this separate class. Who told you, when, why,etc.

Then just tell them you do not agree. If they still want to, tell them that you are an equal member of the IEP team and that in order for this to happen, EVERYONE has to agree to it, and you don't.

Before the meeting, write a letter to district sped director requesting 'prior written notice'. Take this to the meeting.

Make it short and sweet, something like -

'This letter is to request prior written notice as specified by IDEA law for the schools decision of  (changing classroom or however you want to word it)

Do not give this letter to them unless they say they are still going to put her in this class even if you don't agree.

By law they have to give you prior written notice.

They have to have legal reasons for this decision,and if they dont' they will most likely drop the whole thing because they will not put illegal reasons in writing.

The ONLY legal reason they can have for this new classroom is that she is not progressing in the current classroom. And, if they want to move her they will have to show proof in black and white that she is not. They can't just 'say' she's not.

Answer 2

The law says that your daughter should be in the least restrictive environment. Since your daughter is getting good grades, she is fine where she's at.

Please realize that least restrictive environment DOES NOT mean the same thing as the best environment for the child's learning. If the school is going to do a "group" its probably a pull out session for some extra tutoring. If it was my child I would ask my child to give it a few session. Maybe three and then tell her she can decide whether she wants to continue going. Does she feel that it is helping her?

Answer 3

If the class does group work or the general education teacher also circulates the room and helps all students that may alleviate some of the stress your daughter is experiencing in asking for help.  That way it isn't obvious that the :"sped" teacher is always going up to her.  Maybe it would be good to look closely at the classroom environment and see if there could be any changes made to maker her more successful.

Answer 4

Well, let's look at where we are, and where we want to go.

She's in the regular ed classroom and doing well on grade level material even though she doesn't like asking for help. I'm guessing the special ed teacher makes the effort to check in with her when she does need help.

Where we want her to be--I'm assuming-- is able to function in a classroom or work environment, working either independently or cooperatively with a wide variety of people.

With that goal in mind, the Least Restrictive Environment for your daughter is in the inclusion setting. Not only is this the law, research shows your daughter will learn more in the general education classroom than she will in a separate special education setting. Your daughter's reluctance to seek help also suggests a strong dislike for anything that makes her seem different. In that case, she'll really hate being in a SpEd class, and that will affect her learning as well.

In the general education classroom and without the special education support should be the medium term goal we are working toward. Depending on your school district's spending formulas, it may mean your school loses some money, but it's best for the child. I wish I could be there to see the look on your daughter's face the day you ask her to come to an IEP meeting because the team is considering taking her out of special education!

Try to work out a nonverbal cue between your daughter and the SpEd teacher, where she can signal for help, without looking like she's signalling for help. If you make hiding her paper the signal, maybe it will discourage her from doing that!

Answer 5

Your daughter sounds so much like students that I teach. They have an IEP are in inclusion classes, but are hard workers and don't want to be associated with the special education process. I would talk to your daughter - you know her better than anyone, and if this is going to impact her negatively then don't put her in the group. If, however, she has struggles that need extra attention you can look at getting after school help.

The school is probably putting this group together as part of dealing with state and federal initiatives associated with NCLB. Depending on what your daughter is dealing with it may not be a bad idea to at least check to see how much time will be spent out of class, what they will be doing, and if it will be special ed. students only or if they will include non-disabled students who are also struggling.

Continue to encourage your daughter to be a self-advocate and to ask for help if she needs it. There is nothing wrong with needing some guidance or a littel help. She is proving already that that she has what it takes to do her work. Give her a hug!!

Answer 6

well i think that if shes doing fine where she is she should stay there. but you need to talk to her about getting help when she needs it, she may just be embarrassed, but talk to her about how everyone needs help sometimes and tell her to not be ashamed of getting help.

i always used to hate asking for help in elementary school and all through highschool because i thought people would think i was stupid for asking a question.

Answer 7

I agree with most of the recommendations.  Your daughter already is in LRE (Least Restrictive Environment).  I was going to suggest a non-verbal cue, but I see someone has already suggest that.  A non-verbal cue thatyour daughter and her teacher agree upon might be an excellent way to disuade your daughter's embarassment.  I am sure you have already told your daughter it is okay to ask for help.  Tell her that even the president has an entire staff to ask stuff of when he needs help!

No school district can make changes to an IEP without your written approval.  A simple email or letter to the SE teacher like this should help:  "Thank you for the offer of the ____group for my daughter, _______.  However, we feel this is not an appropriate service or placement for ______ so she will remain in her current classroom as presently written into her IEP."

If they keep pushing it, check out www.wrightslaw.com and on the left hand side, click on LRE.  Document everything in writing from here on out, if you aren't already doing so.  This means if someone calls you or has a verbal discussion, you should document this discussion in a follow-up email or letter outlining what was said and the results of the conversation.  When you get notice of your daughter's next IEP meeting, give the school district at least 24 hours notice that you will be tape recording the meeting.  Don't sign the IEP at the meeting.  Take it home, read it, listen to the tape recording to make sure all your concerns were documented in the notes.  Remember that you can consent to all, some or part of your daughter's IEP.  There are times that something needs to be implemented immediately and I will write (not on the pre-printed signature line....I make my own signature line below and write) "I am consenting only to the _____________ service.  I will respond to the remainder of the IEP as soon as possible."

Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.

Answer 8

i really hate schools but she might like it so why not ask her opinion, your daughters that is!

Answer 9

That was same with me when I was in school.  I didn't like accepting help from my teachers.  That's why I prefer a more mainstreaming environment where the teachers came to me instead of me accepting help.  I didn't like being in those so called "inclusive classrooms" where the special education teachers are with general education teachers.  It's hard to accept help from them when there are other general education students in the classroom.  I didn't like taking resource room because the resource room teacher was a big pain.  She would constantly nag at me when I was behind in work in the regular class.  Eventually, I realize that it wasn't the best placement for me so I dropped the class in twelfth grade.  For me, mainstreaming works better.  

Since your daughter is succeeding in an inclusion environment maybe your daughter would be better off in resource room rather than in those "inclusive classrooms".  At least in resource room, your daughter is with other students who have special needs and she won't have to feel that she has to hide her work from the SE teacher.