Inclusion:

Roles and Advantages of

Various Professionals
Working in the Same
Classroom
Presented by: Rachelle Gilot
Educational Coordinator

The One to
One/Paraprofessional
Paraprofessional:
Often referred to as an aide
A special-education worker not licensed to
teach
Performs many duties both individually with
students and organizationally in the
classroom.
A child may be assigned a one-on-one
paraprofessional as part of his or her
Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or
interact with a paraprofessional assigned to
the classroom.
Source: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialeducation/g/parapro.htm

The One to
One/Paraprofessional
"Fading assistance means systematically
reducing the type and level of support given to a
student"
Help the child to achieve goal of independence
Help child in learning to interact with peers
Help a child to respond and interact appropriately
with other children, and facilitate play situations.
Scaffold "each step of the learning process" for
the child.
Provide physical assistance
Provide support for health and safety reasons, or
provide for any close needs that a child might
have
Source: (Causton-Theoharis, 2009)

Source: (Ross-Watt, 2005).

The Speech-Language
Pathologist (SLP)
Speech Language Pathologist (SLP):
Specializes in communication disorders concerning voice
articulation (pronunciation), oral motor skills, language
(vocabulary), and hearing.
Oral motor skills refers to the use of the muscles of
the mouth and face.
Helps a child use language and offers suggestions for the
child's teacher and family.

Source: (Wesley, 2002)

The Speech-Language
Pathologist (SLP)
The "language deficits" of any child can
be "promptly identified" and quickly
"addressed through an intervention
program that targets practical aspects of
spoken and written communication,
focusing on the language demands of the
classroom."
The SLP can provide an "immediate,
individualized, and appropriately
intensive program of services" that will
allow any child "to participate positively
in the classroom and to make progress
along with his peers."

Source: (Nippold, 2010)

The Physical Therapist

(PT)
Physical Therapist
(PT):
Specializes in large
motor function related
to coordination,
balance, muscle
strength, endurance,
range of motion, and
mobility.
Helps a child move
the large muscles of
the body, for example,
those used to walk.
Source: (Wesley, 2002)

The Occupational Therapist

(OT)
Occupational Therapist
(OT):
Specializes in fine motor
(small muscle) skills, oral
motor skills, and
activities of daily living.
Might help a child learn
to use a spoon, get
dressed, or manipulate a
toy.
Offers many suggestions
for helping a child
become fully involved in
classroom activities.

Source: (Wesley, 2002)

PT & OT Advantages
Provide suggestions and therapeutic
activities for any children who might
be having difficulty in a particular
area, not just the children with
disabilities.

Therapists/Specialists in
General
Children without disabilities can be
included in the activities.
Typically developing children can model
the activities that the child with
disabilities will need to perform, which
turns the activity into an enjoyable
experience that can help build and
strengthen peer relationships.
Consult with the child's teacher and
family about how best to help him learn
and develop.

Source: (Wesley, 2002)

The Special Education Itinerant

Teacher (SEIT)
Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT):
Provides help to children from a special education teacher in a natural
setting.
SEIT services are provided by a certified special education teacher
who:
Implements the child's Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Collaborates with school directors and teachers to meet the child's
needs
Coordinates the child's educational goals with other providers and
therapists
Participates in Committee on Preschool Special Education
(CPSE) meetings
Provides opportunities for parents to partner in their child's
education
Children with: Speech/language delays, Behavior difficulties, Short
attention span, Impulsivity, Low frustration tolerance, Cognitive delays,
Motor delays, ages 3-5 years, who are classified by their school
district's CPSE, are assigned SEIT services.

Source: http://www.vclc.org/special-education-itinerant-teacher.html

SEIT Advantages
The itinerant teacher and lead teacher
can make changes to the curriculum and
tailor it to the different needs and
learning styles of all the children in the
classroom.
The teachers can plan, assess, and solve
problems.
The Special Education teacher will be
able to bring in many curriculum ideas
and also think of an alternative way to
teach something that can reach more
students.

Source: (Krebs, 2000)

SEIT Advantages
The individualized teaching strategies used
by the SEIT can help other students who are
having difficulty.
The SEIT can help plan lessons to meet the
diverse needs of all the students in the class
and [help] any student when needed, not
just those with IEPs.
The lead teacher and SEITs can work
together to target the needs of all the
children.
Help each individual child to reach his or her
fullest potential in all areas both academic
and social.

Source: (Krebs, 2000)

The Advantages of All the Professionals

Working Together in the Same Classroom

The changes made in a classroom for a child with

special needs can stand to benefit all the children
in the classroom.
For example, in a study performed in 2009, a child
with a significant visual impairment needed
some changes made in order to enhance his
educational experience. The Pre-K and ECSE
teacher discussed changes to placement of
materials and ways to bring greater visual
contrast to table top activities. Changes such as
these can serve to assist all children in a
classroom through ease of access as well as
novelty of materials and/or their presentation. "

Source: (Mogharreban, Bruns, 2009)

The Advantages of All the

Professionals Working Together
in the Same Classroom
With more specialists working within each
classroom, we can focus more individual attention
on each student.
Studies find that individualization, [as a measure
of quality inclusion], had a positive effect on
childrens development in areas of cognition,
communication, and motor skills.
Having these professionals from different areas
available to work in each program ensures that
[the] program and program personnel are ready
for children with a range of characteristics and
needs, not just children with disabilities.

Source: (Odom, Buysse, Soukakou, 2011)

References
Causton-Theoharis, J. (2009). The Golden Rule of Providing Support in Inclusive
Classrooms: Support Others as You Would Wish to Be Supported. TEACHING
Exceptional Children, 42(2), 36-43.
Krebs, C. (2000). Beyond Blindfolds: Creating an Inclusive Classroom through
Collaboration. Re:View, 31(4). Retrieved March 10, 2015, from
http://www.ebscohost.com/
Mauro, T. (n.d.). What Is a Paraprofessional? Retrieved March 10, 2015, from
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialeducation/g/parapro.htm
Mogharreban, C., & Bruns, D. (2009). Moving To Inclusive Pre-Kindergarten
Classrooms: Lessons From The Field. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 407414.
Nippold, M. (2010). Back to School: Why the Speech-Language Pathologist Belongs
in the Classroom. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in SchoolsLanguage,
Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 41, 377-378.
Odom, S., Buysse, V., & Soukakou, E. (2011). Inclusion for Young Children With
Disabilities: A Quarter Century of Research Perspectives. Journal of Early
Intervention, 33(4), 344-356.
Ross-Watt, F. (2005). Inclusion in the Early Years: From Rhetoric to Reality. Child Care
in Practice, 11(2), 103-118.
Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT). (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2015, from
http://www.vclc.org/special-education-itinerant-teacher.html
Wesley, P. (2002). Early Intervention Consultants in the Classroom: Simple Steps for
Building Strong Collaboration. Young Children, 57(4), 30-34. Retrieved March 10,
2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42729658