Inclusion Conference Coming Up in November

This year's Inclusion Conference is less than two months away. In contrast to past conferences, this conference will feature full-day sessions to cover issues in more depth. In the keynote presentation, "Inclusive Education: Rediscovering Our Right to Belong," Norman Kunc will explore attitudes, assumptions, and fears that prevent students with disabilities from being included in regular classrooms.

Supports for Teachers in Inclusive Schools

Kunc will also offer a full-day session titled, "New Students, New Questions: Supporting the Classroom Teacher in an Inclusive School." Based on personal experience and input from classroom teachers, Kunc will examine five necessary areas of support: information, collaborative planning, shared agreement on goals and expectations, classroom and school-based supports, and classroom assistants. Later in the day, Kunc will explore one of the most demanding aspects of teaching: supporting students with disruptive or aggressive behavior. Kunc will show how to build and maintain a climate of belonging and mutual respect in classrooms; non-coercive ways to respond to refusals, questions, and emotional outbursts; and how to de-escalate potential crisis situations.

Using Technology in Inclusive Classrooms

In "Technology Tools in Balanced Literacy Instruction," Kelly Fonner will teach the components of a balanced approach to literacy instruction. She will then present ways of using technology for supporting phonetic development, vocabulary expansion, sight word recognition, reading comprehension, the writing process, and independent reading.

Curriculum Adaptations and Individualized Instruction

Stacy Dymond's session, "Strategies for Adapting the Curriculum and Individualizing Instruction for All Students," will present a variety of processes for creating curriculum adaptations for students with mild to severe disabilities, as well as for students who have no identified disabilities. Additional emphasis will be placed on creating exciting learning environments that maximize student participation and achievement, modifying the curriculum to include both academic and functional skills instruction, and working collaboratively with other adults to develop adaptations. Case studies will be used throughout to illustrate concepts and spur ideas for problem solving difficult issues.

Delaware's Own Inclusion Project

Finally, an overview of the Inclusion Project, an initiative sponsored by the Department of Education, will be presented in the session Delaware's "Blueprint for Inclusion." Education specialist Brian Touchette, along with resident teachers Carol Barlow and Linda Smith, will share some of the history, outcomes and challenges that districts have experienced.

In the second half of the session, an interactive panel with district administrators, teachers and parents will address Delaware's specific issues. Participants will leave with an understanding of techniques that can be applied in their district, school, or classroom.

The Inclusion Conference will be held on November 15, 2001 at the John M. Clayton Conference Center in Newark. Registration will be $20 per person ($10 for students). For registration materials, contact DATI at 1-800-870-DATI (in-state) or 302-651-6790. Contact us via email.