Collaboration

COLLABORATION: General and Special Education

SPE 5630

Fall, l997

3 Semester Hours

Professor: Dr. Jane Nowacek

Office: 123 B EDH

Telephone: 262-6062; LRE office 262-2182

Office Hours: By appointment. To schedule an appointment, see me before/after class or call my office. If I am not in the office, please leave your name and telephone number.

Readings: Text: Thomas, C. C., Correa, V. I., & Morsink, C. V. (l995). Interactive teaming: Consultation and Collaboration in Special Programs (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Merrill, An imprint of Prentice Hall. (The text is available at the University Bookstore).

Additional readings are outlined under Tentative Course Calendar The readings are available at Precision Printing, 306 Hardin Street, Boone. They are listed under the course title number, and professor's name.

Statement of Course Objectives:

I have four main objectives for this course. Through lectures, discussions, case studies, team activities, and guest speakers I hope you will:

1. further your knowledge of the:

* definitions and models associated with teaming;

* components essential for teaming;

* skills involved in communication and collaborative problem solving;

* roles and responsibilities of team members (e.g., co-teachers);

* practices and resources used in co-teaching;

* processes/resources available for evaluating teaming;

* issues involved in implementing collaboration with special populations

* assessment and modifications that may be used in teaming;

* issues involved in working collaboratively within the school and community;

* issues involved in working collaboratively with families.

2. research and present information regarding collaboration with special

populations

3. become familiar with case study methods and present a case

4. become familiar and use the Wide World Web to access resources that will be useful in collaboration in educational settings.

Course Overview

Purpose of the course

Welcome to SPE 5630, a class in collaboration. This course is designed to examine issues of collaboration and consultation among professionals. Although the emphasis will be on collaboration in schools among general education teachers and specialists (e.g., special education teachers, speech language pathologists), we also will discuss issues surrounding collaboration with parents and community agencies. Our focus will be on the knowledge and skills needed for successful collaboration. In addition, this course provides an opportunity for you to participate in a professional conversation about collaboration and consultation. You will be encouraged to evaluate your own attitudes and skills, to compare your thinking and experiences with others', and to engage in collaborative activities as a means to apply your increasing knowledge and skills.

Central Course Questions

We will explore three central questions: What does it mean to collaborate? What knowledge and skills are essential to successful collaboration/consultation? What issues are involved in collaboration outside of the classroom? These questions frame our exploration of collaboration which we will pursue through discussions, readings, analyses of case studies, guest speakers, videotapes, presentations, and projects.

What does it mean to collaborate? During the first part of the course we will consider different models of consultation and collaboration, focusing on collaborative consultation and co-teaching. We will explore issues of collaboration in the context of inclusion. We also briefly will discuss typical forms of collaboration that exist in schools (e.g., teacher assistant teams); the essentials of effective teaming, and examine the personal strengths and needs that we bring to a collaborative partnership and the implications of these for the partnership.

What knowledge and skills are essential to successful collaboration and consultation? The second organizing question focuses on the knowledge base of collaboration. We will explore three areas: interpersonal skills, a process for consultation/collaboration, and modifications for general education classrooms and for special populations (e.g., severely and profoundly disabled students, preschoolers, and secondary/post secondary students). In each of these areas we will learn and apply strategies that promote sucessful interactive teaming.

What issues are involved in collaboration outside of the classroom?

This question focuses on the activity of collaboration beyond the classroom. We will examine issues related to collaborating with parents and with community agencies. You will have an opportunity to talk with individuals in and out of the school system who collaborate daily as part of their work.

Tentative Course Schedule

8/26 TOPIC: An overview of course

Video (Regular Lives/ Educating Peter) and discussion of inclusion and implications for service delivery

9/2 TOPIC: Definitions and models of consultation/collaboration;

The relationship between inclusion and collaboration

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, discussion

READINGS: None

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. What is collaboration, consultation, and interactive teaming?

2. What are types of direct and indirect collaboration?

9/9 TOPIC: On your mark: Preparing for teaming

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, self assessment, discussion

READINGS: Text: Chapters 2 and 3

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. How do we begin?

* Models? (text, p. 52)

* General process? (text, pp. 92-93)

* Specific steps?

2. What is essential for teaming?

* What personal characteristics do I bring to the collaboration?

* What professional characteristics/skills do I bring to the collaboration?

* What interactive skills do I bring to the collaboration?

*Is my school ready?

3. How can I gain support for collaboration in my school?

9/16 TOPIC: On your mark: Perfecting communication and interactive skills

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, discussion, applied activities

READING: Text: Chapter 5

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. What are the barriers to interactive teaming?

2. What communication and interactive skills are necessary in interactive teaming?

9/23 TOPIC: Get Set: Learning and practicing collaborative problem solving

CLASS FORMAT: Mini Lecture, case study/analysis

READINGS: Text: Chapter 4;

Case study: Yours, Mine, and Ours?: Steve Franklin from Reeve, P. T., & Hallahan, D. P. (l994).

Practice questions about collaboration between general and special educators. Focus on Exceptional Children 26(7), 1-12.

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. What are the roles and responsibilities of team members?

2. What are the steps in the collaborative problem solving process?

9/30 TOPIC: Go: Assessing the learning environment and planning for collaboration

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, discussion, applied activity

READINGS: Fuchs, D., Fernstrom, P., Scott, S., Fuchs, L., & Vandermeer, L. (l994). Classroom Ecological Inventory. Teaching Exceptional Children 26(3), 11-15.

Welch, M. (l994). Ecological assessment: A collaborative approach to planning instructional interventions. Intervention in School and Clinic 29(3), 160-164.

Ysseldyke, J. E., Christenson, S., & Kovaleski, J. F. (l994). Identifying students' instructional needs in the context of the classroom and home environments. Teaching Exceptional Children 26(3), 37-41.

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. What do we know about our students and the environment in which they learn?

2. How do we summarize that information for others?

3. What are our goals based on our assessment?

10/7 TOPIC: Do: Implementing collaborative instruction

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, discussion

READINGS: Text: Chapter 12;

Gable, R. A., Hendrickson, J. M., Evans, S. S., Frye, B., & Bryant, K. (l993). Cooperative planning for regular classroom instruction of students with disabilities. Preventing School Failure 37(4), 16-20;

Raywid, M. A. (l993). Finding time for collaboration. Educational Leadership 51(1), 30-34.

Schumm, J. S., Vaughn, S., & Harris, J. (l997). Pyramid poewr for collaborative planning. Teaching Exceptional Children, 62-67.

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. How do we find time to collaborate?

2. What are the issues in co-teaching?

3. What tools are available to help us plan?

10/14 TOPIC: Do: Implementing modifications?

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, discussion, case analysis/persentation

Piazza, R., & Pica, L. (l994). The reluctant freshman. (Case 19) In J. B. Buzzell, & R. Piazza (Ed.s), Case studies for teaching special needs and at-risk students. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers;

READINGS: King-Sears, M. E. (l997). Best academic practices for inclusive classrooms: Focus on Exceptional Children,29, 1-22.

Schumm, J. S., & Vaughn, S. (l995). Getting ready for inclusion: Is the stage set? Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 10, 169-179.

Schumm, J. S., Vaughn, S., & Sobol, M.C. (l997). Are they getting it? How to monitor student understanding in inclusive classrooms. Intervention in School and Clinic, 32, 168-171.

Welch, M. (l997). The MATS form: A collaborative decision-making tool for instructional modifications. Intervention in School and Clinic, 32, 142-147.

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. What modifications can be made to the curriculum?

2. What modifications can be made to instruction?

3. What techniques are available for managing behavior?

10/21 TOPIC: How did we do? Evaluating collaboration

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, discussion, video, group work

READING: Bauwens, J., & Hourcade, J. J. (l995). Cooperative teaching: Rebuilding the schoolhouse for all students, pp. 107-122. Austin,TX: Pro-ed.

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. How will we assess change?

2. What tools are available to help us reflect on our collaborative efforts?

3. Others?

10/28 TOPIC Collaboration outside the classroom: Working within the school

CLASS FORMAT: Mini lecture, discussion, case analysis/presentation

Francia, S., & Piazza, R. (l994). A question of ownership (Case 11). in J. B. Buzzell, & R. Piazza (Ed.s), Case studies for teaching special needs and at-risk students. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers;

READINGS: Text: skim Chapter 7

Adams, L., & Cessna, K. (l991). Designing systems to facilitate collaboration. Preventing School Failure 35(4), 37-42;

Laycock, V. K., Gable, R. A., & Korinek, L. (l991) Alternative structures for collaboration in the delivery of special services. Preventing School Failure 35(4), 15-18;

Male, M. (l991). Effective team participation. Preventing School Failure 35(4),29-35;

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions

1. What is the relationship between schoolwide and classroom collaboration?

2. What are the issues in teaming (Case 11)?

11/4 TOPIC: Group conferences on teaching special populations

CLASS FORMAT: Group work

READINGS: Text: Chapters 10,11, & 13

PURPOSE: 1. Plan and organize special populations presentation

11/11 TOPIC: Implementing collaboration with special populations

CLASS FORMAT: Group presentations

READINGS: Text: Chapters 10, 11, 13;

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. How do we implement collaboration with preschoolers?

2. How do we implement collaboration secondary students?

3. How do we implement collaboration with students with severe disabilities?

11/18 TOPI C: Implementing collaboration with special populations

CLASS FORMAT: Guest speakers

READING: None

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. How do we implement collaboration with preschoolers?

2. How do we prepare high schoolers with disabilities to make the transition from school to the world of work

3. How do we implement collaboration with culturally and linguistically diverse students?

11/25 TOPIC: Collaboration outside the classroom: Working with families

CLASS FORMAT: Discussion, guest speaker; case analysis

READING: Text: Chapter 9

Buzzell, J. B. (l994). Lofty aims (Case 3) in J. B. Buzzell, & R. Piazza (Ed.s), Case studies for teaching special needs and at-risk students. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers;

Crowley, E. P., & Ronquillo, N. B. (l996). Forging effective interagency partnerships for service delivery to students with behavioral

disorders. Intervention in School and Clinic, 32, 43-48.

Dowds, B. N., Hess, D., & Nickels, P. (l996). Families of children with learning disabilities: A potential teaching resource. . Intervention in School and Clinic, 32, 17-20.

PURPOSE: Consider the following questions:

1. How can teachers support families?

2. How can families collaborate with professionals?

12/2 TOPIC: Expanding our understanding: Additional considerations in collaboration

CLASS FORMAT: Discussion

READINGS: Evans, S. B. (l991). A realistic look at the research base for collaboration in special education. Preventing School Failure 35(4),10-13.

Gable. R. A., Arllen, N. L., & Cook, L. (l993). But let's not overlook the ethics of collaboration. Preventing School Failure 37(4), 32-36.

Piazza, R., & Buzzell, J. B. (l994). The first mistake (Case 14) in J. B. Buzzell, & R. Piazza (Ed.s), Case studies for teaching special needs and at-risk students. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers

PURPOSE: Extend the knowledge and skills acquired in this course

12/9 TOPIC: Putting it all together: Final thoughts about collaboration

CLASS FORMAT: Discussion

READING: None

PURPOSE: Summarize and discuss key issues in teaming.

Course Expectations:

I expect that you will engage in learning activities which will promote the acquisition of knowledge and application needed to meet the objectives of this course. These activities include:

1. completion of assigned and independent readings;

2. participation in one group presentation on one the following topics:

a. collaboration with preschool children;

b. collaboration with culturally and linguistically diverse students;

c. collaboration with students with severe disabilities;

d. collaboration for transition from high school to the world of work

3. completion of the analysis and participation in the presentation to the class of one case study;

4. participation in class activities and discussions (e.g., assessing resource via the Web; collaborating with social studies methods class)

5. completion of collaborative project (e.g., workshop, portfolio)

6. attendance in class and at scheduled meetings with professor.

Course Evaluation:

I will use the accuracy and quality of your work as the basis for assigning grades. Specific evaluation criteria are provided in the syllabus.

1. Group presentation 100 points

2. Group case study presentation 100

3. Collaborative project 200

4. Class participation/discussion 50 points

Total 450 points

COURSE GRADING SCALE:

Grades will be awarded based on the following percentages:

A = 100-93%

A- = 92-90%

B+= 89-87%

B = 86-83%

B- = 82-80%

C+=79-77%

C = 76-73%

ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES:ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES:

1. Case presentations and analysis typically provide:

a. a summary statement about the case (e.g. This is the case of Sue Wallace who referred a student to the teacher assistant team.);

b. an introductory question that will elicit the facts of the case (e.g., What are the major problems facing Joan?);

c. a series of questions that explore the identities of the key participants and their issues (e.g., Who is Joan and what do we know about her?);

d. a series of questions that probe the underlying issues/feelings (e.g., What do you think caused Joan to become angry?);

e. a question(s) that elicit possible short and long-term solutions (e.g, What are some possible ways in which Sue could handle this situation?);

f. a series of questions designed to have class consider the implications of each possible solution (e.g., If Sue did X, how would Joan react?; Is X a feasible solution, given the context?);

In order to prepare for the case presentation I suggest you:

1. read and analyze the case individually. Write out your ideas for each of the above questions.

2. meet with your group; share your individual ideas about the case; plan, as a group, the questions you will ask to guide the class discussion of the A, B, and C cases; decide what roles each group member will fulfill in the case presentation (e.g., consider who will direct the discussion, who will decide how to group responses on the board so they follow the case as your group understands it, who will listen to the class responses and ask follow-up, unprepared questions that are needed for clarification; and who will summarize the key information/points made at the conclusion of the A,B, and C cases); consider how you will evaluate the effective of your case presentation.

2. Group presentations are designed to provide opportunities for you to locate, synthesize, and analyze information/resources relevant to collaboration with special populations and to evaluate its usefulness to you as a professional in the field of education. They also are designed to provide opportunities for you to apply your knowledge and skills regarding collaboration to your interactions with your team.

3. Collaborative project Information about the project options will be distributed in separate handout3

Resources:

*Text;

*Additional readings, including case studies;

* "Starter" readings provided for group presentations by Dr. Nowacek;

*Independent readings from recent books or journals in Belk Library (1985-1994) . Sample recommended journals include:

Exceptional Children

Journal of Learning Disabilities

Intervention in Schools and Clinics

Learning Disabilities Research and Practice

Phi Delta Kappan

Remedial and Special Education

Teaching Exceptional Children

*Guest speaker presentations;

*Class presentations.

Requirements:

1. Part 1 (Introduction to topic. This material is fundamental and should be understood before further study).

Read chapter in text for an overview;

Read/study the"starter" reading;

2. Part 2 (Independent research).

Select articles/chapters/case studies from the library;

Locate school/community resources;

Read, synthesis, and evaluate information.

3. Part 3 (Organization and presentation of research information).

Organize/ outline the major points;

Prepare a step-by-step record (can audiotape) of the processes your group followed in developing your presentation. It is my intent that you will apply the communication and collaborative problem solving skills discussed in class;

Prepare an oral presentation and supporting visual materials (which will help the class to "digest" key information" ;

Give oral presentation to class.

EVALUATION:

Grades for each presentation will be assigned based on the criteria outlined on the Presentation Evaluation Form.

PRESENTATION EVALUATION FORM

Quality of Content:

Synthesis of information (20 points)

Evaluation/explanation of the key issues (20 points)

Reference list of sources/resources (20 points)

Visual products that highlight key information (20 points)

Total 80 points

Quality of presentation:

Organization of information (10 points)

Clarity of presentation (10 points)

Total 20 points

Comments:

Final Grade: /100