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  This Is Who We Are and What We Do: A Case Study of Two Districts Exemplifying Inclusivity

  This study investigated districts that are positive outliers, that is, districts that have implemented inclusive education in a particularly robust and effective way. Two questions guided the research: (1) What are the experiences and viewpoints of district personnel and community members in exemplary districts? (2) How do district personnel and community members in exemplar districts perceive the community’s influence on inclusive education for students with significant cognitive disabilities? Interviews in two exemplar districts revealed that implementing an inclusive model of education for students with significant cognitive disabilities is not only feasible but results in positive outcomes for all students. Further, strong system-level practices and policies made an inclusive approach successful, but the specific policies and practices differed somewhat across districts as these were grounded in the particular district context. The particularity of context points to another key finding: that attentiveness to the community–in particular, enacting an inclusive model with community buy-in–proved essential in each district’s experience.

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  Paraeducator's Roles in Supporting Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in PreK-12 Settings

  This study involved efforts to elicit the perspectives of paraeducators who were enrolled in an online professional development course at one university. Using the Council for Exceptional Children standards for paraeducators, this study sought to identify the extent to which CEC-defined practices were in use. The study administered a researcher-designed survey to gather data, followed by interviews with selected survey respondent. This study appears to demonstrate the value of training and experience as ways to promote paraeducators’s development of practices that align with CEC standard. The training received by these paraeducators, judging from the interview data, however, was not systematic. Additional research into the effectiveness of training in cultivating mastery of the practices specified in the CEC standards seems needed. In fact, given the relatively small body of related studies and the large numbers of practicing paraeducators, the need for such research seems urgent.

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  All Means All…Maybe: MTSS Policy and Practice Across States in the United States

  MTSS has been implemented in school districts across the United States to counteract entrenched policies that resulted in the exclusion of students with disabilities and other learning challenges from general education curricula and classrooms. The MTSS framework, in theory, offers individualized support to all students. This needs-based approach makes MTSS potentially useful for all students, including students with complex needs or with moderate or severe disabilities. Almost no evidence speaks to the extent to which (or ways in which) SEAs are encouraging the use of MTSS to address the needs of students with moderate-to-severe disabilities or to increase the extent to which these students are included in general education classrooms. This study attempted to fill this gap.

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  How Preparation Programs for Moderate-Severe Disabilities in Ohio Incorporate High-Leverage Instructional Practices

  This study addresses the incorporation high-leverage practices or HLPs into higher education programs for preservice and practicing teachers who receive preparation in inclusive education at Ohio colleges and universities. Data were collected through four types of research activities: (1) a survey of Ohio faculty members from educator preparation programs, (2) focus-group interviews with Ohio in-service special education teachers, (3) an analysis of syllabi from Ohio educator preparation programs, (4) and focus-group interviews with Ohio parents. Findings suggest, overall, that responding faculty and institutions of higher education are inconsistently teaching HLPs. Those faculty and instructors who incorporated HLPs more consistently tended to include the easier-to-teach HLPs. Because the ability to use HLPs may be an important prerequisite to competence and comfort with inclusion, this inconsistency represents a serious setback for Ohio students with significant cognitive disabilities. Based on the findings, the report makes recommendation for both practice and research.

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  Inclusive Education Roadmap (IER)

  The Inclusive Education Roadmap (IER) is a series of tools, guidance, and processes to be used by state, district, and school teams to build an inclusive system of education. The IER unpacks the complexities of how to create, expand, and sustain inclusive education systems.

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  TIES Center Report 105: Separate School Placement Trends by Category and Age for Students with Extensive Support Needs

  Separate School Placement Trends by Category and Age for Students with Extensive Support Needs (TIES Center Report #105)

  The purpose of this report is to examine the trends across the country over the past decade related to the placement of students with extensive support needs (ESN) in separate schools. For this report, state-level data from federally reported sources for students with ESN were analyzed, specifically, students identified with the disabilities of autism, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, and deaf-blindness, to determine changes over time in the number of students served in separate settings as well as any variances that may have occurred by age and location (state). The current study confirmed that there has not been a significant change in the overall placement for students with ESN since 2012 even though academic expectations have become more rigorous over time.

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  Reconsidering LRE: Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities and the Persistence of Separate Schools

  This report serves as a guide for local school districts and state education agencies to consider whether the present level of educational inclusion of their students with the most significant disabilities is fully consistent with what the law requires, and most importantly, is ultimately in the best interest of the students they serve.

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  Preparing School Psychologists to Promote Inclusive Practices for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

  School psychologists are expected to serve school-age children and youth with a wide range of needs. However, their preparation in graduate school tends to focus on supporting students experiencing the learning and behavioral concerns that are most prevalent in schools (e.g., learning disability, attention concerns, behavioral challenges). This report explores how graduate preparation in school psychology can be expanded to better equip school psychologists with the competencies and experiences needed to be strong advocates for the quality inclusion of students with significant cognitive disabilities.

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  Debunking Myths about Inclusive Education for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (TIES Center Brief #8)

  There are many myths about including students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in general education classrooms. This Brief debunks six of them. 

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  Systems Improvement for All Students, Including Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

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  Building Capacity through Support and Accountability

  Effective and inclusive districts build capacity for high-quality instruction, equitable community engagement, professional teaming, and productive decision-making.

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  Prioritizing Teaching and Learning

  The central mission of schools and districts is teaching and learning. In effective systems, all participants are learners--both the students and the adults.

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  Sustaining a Culture of Openness and Inquiry

  Districts need to shape their organizational cultures in ways that make those cultures collaborative, caring, ethical, equitable, and amendale to positive change. Building a collaborative culture that values the contributions of all members and is open to self-reflection and learning is key to the development of sustainable, inclusive systems. 

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  System Wide Learning

  For a district to build an effective and inclusive system, it must adopt and sustain  system-wide learning practices grounded in effective data use.

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  Inclusive Instructional and Organizational Leadership

  Sustainable, inclusive education systems for students with significant cognitive disabilities do not stand alone. Districts must focus on building inclusive education systems for all students…systems that embrace all students for the benefit of all.

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  TIES Distance Learning #4: Dealing with Uncertainty: A Plea for Thoughtful Plans and Patient Collaboration

  Systems change is always a challenge. During a pandemic it is a huge and unexpected change for everyone, including districts, teachers and families. None of us are experts in this area...yet. That will come, but in the meantime we need to allow the space and patience for each of us and ourselves to grow.

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  Instructional Practices for Students with the Most Significant Disabilities in Inclusive Settings: A Review of the Literature (TIES Center Report #104)

  The purpose of this report is to update previous literature reviews on pedagogical practices for students with the most significant disabilities in inclusive settings.

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  Developing IEPs that Support Inclusive Education for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (TIES Center Brief #3)

  This Parent Brief focuses on developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that support inclusive education for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

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  MTSS for All: Including Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities

  The purpose of this Brief is to provide suggestions for ways in which the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) can include students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. 

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  Using Systems Change Efforts to Implement and Sustain Inclusive Education Practices in General Education Settings for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities-A Review of the Literature (Report #102)

  This report presents the findings from a literature review that examined how systems change efforts can guide initiatives to increase and sustain the placement of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive general education settings, as well as increase and sustain opportunities for these students to learn core academic standards-based curriculum through the implementation of inclusive education practices. The report concludes with the identification of several components associated with effective and sustainable systemic change efforts related to the implementation of inclusive practices.