Content uploaded by Antonio M. Amor
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Antonio M. Amor on Dec 10, 2019
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
Bringing the supports paradigm to the Spanish educational system for support needs assessment and planning with students with intellectual disability
Abstract and Figures
The support needs assessment and planning strategies put in practice through attention to diversity procedures, are showing not to be effective in guaranteeing the right to inclusive education of students with intellectual disability, a right subscribed by Spain since the signing and ratification of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In this sense, there is a need in Spain to offer educational administrations alternatives from which to update their knowledge in relation to students with intellectual disability, their needs, as well as how to guide support needs assessment and planning practices from holistic and social-ecological approaches. Based on this rationale, the purpose of this dissertation is to generate the conditions that facilitate the implementation of the support paradigm within the general education context as a model for support needs assessment planning with these students, since its approaches are shown to be effective in improving personal desired outcomes in students with intellectual disabilities in the educational systems that have started to implement it.
Addressing this general purpose makes necessary to face the two barriers that the educational systems that have begun to implement the supports paradigm have found: (a) the inertia of the educational systems towards students with intellectual disability and (b) the difficulty of assessing extraordinary support needs in children with intellectual disability. This dissertation is designed to respond these two barriers through the study of two general aims: (a) to analyze the current support needs assessment and planning strategies implemented within the general education context in Spain and (b) to advance in the research of support needs construct for a better knowledge of extraordinary support needs that facilitates better support needs assessment and planning strategies. The first three scientific articles that compose this paper compendium respond to the first general aim and, based on their findings, proposals on how to bring closer the supports paradigm and the support needs assessment and planning strategy are provided. On the other hand, the last two articles have analyzed the support needs construct in children with intellectual disability, with the aim of discerning extraordinary support needs in students with intellectual disability and thus being in a better position to implement more efficient and effective support needs assessment and planning strategies.
The findings of each group of studies are discussed in relation to their general aim, and an overview of the findings is also presented regarding the general purpose of the dissertation. Finally, a future line of research is outlined whose aim is to connect the research tradition in the field of intellectual disability with that coming from the educational research, to generate more adequate educational systems to meet the needs of students with intellectual disability and promote their personal-desired outcomes within the general education context.
Figures - uploaded by Antonio M. Amor
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Antonio M. Amor
Content may be subject to copyright.
... Accompanying these documents has been an increase in the effective and real inclusion of diverse learners, but the inclusion of students with intellectual disability (ID) is still a major challenge to be addressed (Amor, 2019). The challenge posed by the inclusion of these students makes it necessary to offer a comprehensive framework that systematically guides the efforts of education systems to improve the inclusion offered to students with ID. ...
... However, how to pave the road toward this goal is a complex issue, and it is necessary to offer different approaches that help in this task. The following section presents the supports paradigm, which offers a conceptual model to understand how supports can be provided to a student with ID and which is closely linked to the proposals contained in Article 24 of the UNCRPD (Amor, 2019). ...
... Decades of research in the field of ID indicate that education systems can include students with ID. One of the approaches which has brought more attention to improve the inclusion opportunities of these students is the supports paradigm (Amor, 2019). Specifically, the importance given to the supports paradigm is that it provides: (a) a renewed view of ID and of the students who have the condition ; (b) tools (e.g., Thompson et al., 2016); and (c) a framework for action that makes possible a holistic support needs assessment and planning strategy aimed at improving opportunities for students with ID regarding their access, participation, and learning from the general education curriculum (Thompson, Walker, Shogren, & Wehmeyer, 2018). ...
Although inclusive education has evolved from a general principle to a recognized right, a quality inclusive education is still not a reality for students with intellectual disability. In this article, we discuss three approaches that can bridge the gap between “what is” current education of these students and “what should be”. First, we address the underpinnings of Article 24 of the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities a nd its i mplication for educational systems concerning placement and goals to achieve in these students. Second, we provide a general overview of the supports paradigm and its conceptual and practical implications regarding inclusive education. Third, we present a quality of life model as a value-based and evidence-driven framework to enhance inclusive opportunities in students with intellectual disability and to support decision-making in education from a “whole child approach”. Finally, we provide a comprehensive, systematic framework that brings these three approaches together to improve students’ outcomes linked to the goals of access, participation, learning, and development.
... However, in day-to-day practice, schools and their professionals have the duty to meet the evolving needs of their students, address curricular goals within pressing deadlines, and deal with a lack of resources. All these factors may be perceived as overwhelming by schools and, therefore, the task of including students with IDD can be seen as an added challenge rather than an opportunity of development and growth (Amor, 2019). Therefore, schools and professionals need clear frameworks for action that help in their task of including students with IDD; they need solutions, no more problems. ...
Since the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was passed (2006), inclusive education evolved from a principle of education towards a right to be guaranteed for all students. Despite this, students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have not enjoyed this right on an equal foot with others, experiencing a stagnation in their inclusion over the last 15 years. Moreover, there is an important gap between the policies passed at national, regional, and local levels aimed at including these students, and the educational experiences that they are currently receiving within education systems. To address this mismatch and to provide educators with a framework for action that shortens what is current education of students with IDD and what should be, the purpose of this work is to present the conceptual and practical implications of the supports paradigm and the quality of life model, two frameworks that have now join together and that offer a systematic approach to address the access, participation, learning, and development of students with IDD to their fullest potential, the necessary goals of an inclusive and quality education.
Este trabajo presenta los análisis y valoraciones del Área de Educación del Plan de Acción de las Personas con Discapacidad de la Comunidad de Madrid (2012-2015), realizados tras utilizar la técnica Delphi con un grupo de seis expertos y expertas en educación. El propósito que ha guiado el trabajo ha sido realizar una evaluación formativa del plan implementado, de forma que los análisis generados sean de utilidad tanto para los gestores del próximo plan en proyecto, como para los agentes educativos implicados y, obviamente, para las personas del plan, en tanto que apoyo al ejercicio efectivo de sus derechos. El documento de síntesis elaborado muestra sintéticamente las principales fortalezas de dicho plan, pero, sobre todo, las debilidades o puntos a mejorar. Entre estos cabe señalar la necesidad de una estructuración más eficiente de programas y actuaciones con indicadores precisos de logro, así como la necesidad de replantear modelos y ámbitos de intervención que sean más coherentes con el derecho a una educación inclusiva que ha quedado establecido en la Convención de Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad y con los modelos de comprensión e intervención para la mejora de la calidad de vida de las personas con discapacidad, entre otros.
Introduction: The study investigates about the reality of inclusive education in Palestine according to the opinion of teachers. It is presented in the legislative and social framework of education in Palestine and compares it with current knowledge on inclusive education, from which a series of essential elements for inclusive education can be derived. Teachers are a key to achieving inclusion of students with special educational needs in ordinary classroom; so it is critical to take into account their perceptions of the challenges and realities of inclusion and their expectations. Method: The summary gathers the opinions of a representative sample of the teachers including students with special educational needs in ordinary classrooms in the Bethlehem sector. A descriptive methodology is used, and results attained by inference and correlations from respondents of a questionnaire. The most important results are taken from the study variables in the areas in which difficulties occur such as: the students with disabilities, teachers, parents, administration, work environment (school), curriculum, classroom management, extracurricular activities, methods and teaching aids, awareness and attitudes. Results: As in the questionnaire, questions on the real and desirable state of inclusive education are posed and from the responses possible scenarios are identified in which there can be progress from a positive and common sense perspective. The results inform us that the Palestinian teacher is aware of the reality and difficulties in facing the challenge of inclusive education. There is strong criticism and at the same time awareness of some measures that should be taken to make it possible. Discussion and conclusion: The educational inclusion is still in its infancy in Palestine, but there is a hope framework. The teaching is critical to their reality shows and ways of action to move towards inclusion. To give and to take these measures is is essential to a System that finds itself taking its first steps towards inclusion and it also has the eagerness of conquering and building the future. © 2014, Education & Psychology I+D+i and Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Psico´logos de Andaluci´a Oriental.//
Introducción.
El estudio indaga sobre la realidad de la educación inclusiva en Palestina en opinión de su profesorado. Presenta del marco legislativo y social de la educación palestina, y lo pone en contraste con el conocimiento actual en el tema de la educación inclusiva. Desde ahí se extraen una serie de elementos clave para la inclusión. El profesorado es determinante para posibilitar o no la inclusión en el aula; por eso interesan sus percepciones y expectativas ante el reto y la realidad de la inclusión educativa.
Método.
Recoge la opinión de una muestra representativa del profesorado que trabaja en clases ordinarias con chicos con necesidades educativas especiales del Sector de Belén. Utiliza una metodología descriptiva, inferencial y correlacional, mediante un cuestionario. Se señalan los resultados más interesantes en relación a las variables de estudio en las que se concentran las dificultades: estudiantes, profesorado, padres, centro, currículum, actividad extraescolar y formación para la vida, gestión del aula, dirección/gestión, metodología didáctica, conciencia y actitud.
Resultados.
Como en el cuestionario se pregunta sobre el estado real y deseable de la cuestión, se identifican los escenarios posibles en los que se podría avanzar desde una perspectiva posibilista y de sentido común, así como los elementos
que contarán con mayor resistencia entre el profesorado.
Los resultados informan que el profesor palestino es consciente de la realidad y de las dificultades para afrontar el reto de la educación inclusiva. Hay una fuerte crítica con la realidad y, al mismo tiempo, la conciencia de que se deben tomar algunas medidas para que sea posible.
Discusión y conclusión.
La inclusión educativa está aún en sus primeros pasos en Palestina, pero existe un marco de esperanza. El profesorado es crítico con su realidad y muestra vías de acción para avanzar hacia la inclusión. Ofrecer y asumir estas medidas es esencial para un sistema que se encuentra dando sus primeros pasos hacia la inclusión y que también tiene el afán de conquistar y construir su futuro en esta línea de acción.
Este trabajo busca analizar los avances y retos en materia de educación inclusiva en Colombia, a través de un análisis comparativo entre las políticas y estrategias desarrolladas en nuestro país y las medidas adoptadas por España en este mismo sentido. Para este análisis, se definieron nueve categorías a partir de los elementos clave identificados en los acuerdos internacionales precedidos por la Unesco: 1) enfoque de educación inclusiva, 2) grupos de atención prioritaria, 3) responsables y recursos, 4) estrategias de enseñanza y aprendizaje, 5) diseño curricular, 6) niveles educativos, 7) formación docente, 8) participación de la comunidad y 9) evaluación y seguimiento. Las fuentes de información corresponden a documentos oficiales de los organismos que en cada país orientan el servicio educativo, así como la legislación nacional vigente. Como resultado de este análisis, se encontró que, en materia legislativa y reconocimiento del principio de inclusión, las dos naciones de estudio no están distantes, lo que muestra la adaptación de la política educativa colombiana a los lineamientos internacionales; sin embargo, se evidencia que la puesta en práctica de dichas orientaciones todavía dista de ser inclusiva.
Este estudio está dirigido a conocer la opinión de los orientadores en ejercicio acerca de la importancia que conceden a distintas áreas formativas para preparar orientadores altamente competentes en su trabajo y, también, a conocer las necesidades formativas que estos profesionales sienten en la actualidad. En cuanto a la metodología, se ha contado con una muestra incidental de 568 orientadores, actualmente trabajando en las etapas educativas de infantil, primaria, secundaria y bachillerato, distribuidos por toda la geografía nacional. La información se ha recogido mediante la Escala de Necesidades Formativas de los Orientadores, construida al efecto, y para su análisis se han empleado técnicas correlacionales, de análisis factorial, estadísticos descriptivos y diferencias de medias. Los resultados indican que los orientadores conceden la mayor importancia a la formación en atención a la diversidad, en concreto a la formación para la atención de alumnos con problemas de conducta, de alumnos con deficiencia mental, sensorial o motora, y de alumnos inmigrantes. También, con el fin de preparar orientadores altamente competentes, consideran importante la formación en orientación del aprendizaje y del desarrollo personal, en orientación familiar, y en orientación profesional, así como la formación en metodología y recursos del diagnóstico educativo, y la formación para el diseño, la aplicación y la evaluación de programas. Respecto de las necesidades formativas que ellos sienten en este momento, estas, fundamentalmente se centran en la atención a la diversidad, sobre todo en lo que se refiere a la atención de alumnos con problemas de conducta y de alumnos inmigrantes sin conocimientos de español. Los resultados informan sobre las prioridades a atender en el diseño de la formación inicial de los orientadores en el marco del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES), y en la adecuación de la oferta de formación continua a las demandas de los propios profesionales de la orientación educativa.
The purpose of this article is to provide a brief background about special education system in Jordan and particularly describes the present types of programmes and legislation provided within the country to students with special needs, as well as integration movement. Jordan has historically provided a limited number of educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities, but has recently demonstrated a movement toward a more comprehensive educational system that includes students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Nevertheless, special education in Jordan still faces many problems and challenges. Barriers to implementation, as well as recommendations to improve special education services in Jordan are also discussed.
While many books explore the possibilities for developing inclusive practices in schools, and 'inclusion' is widely regarded as a desirable goal, much of the literature on the subject has been narrowly concerned with the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs. This book however, takes the view that marginalisation, exclusion and underachievement take many forms and affect many different kinds of child. As such, a definition of inclusion should also touch upon issues of equity, participation, community, entitlement, compassion, respect for diversity and sustainability. Here the highly regarded authors focus on: barriers to participation and learning experienced by pupils the practices that can overcome these barriers the extent to which such practices facilitate improved learning outcomes how such practices can be encouraged and sustained within schools and LEAs. The book is part of the Improving Learning series, published in partnership with the Teaching and Learning Research Project. © 2006 Mel Ainscow, Tony Booth and Alan Dyson. All rights reserved.
A phonics-based reading curriculum in which students used an iPad to respond was created for students with developmental disabilities not able to verbally participate in traditional phonics instruction due to their use of augmentative and assistive communication. Time delay and a system of least prompts used in conjunction with text-to-speech software enabled students to participate in phonics instruction that included segmenting, decoding, sight words and comprehension after reading a decodable short passage. Students were randomly assigned to a treatment group who received the phonics instruction or a control group who received sight word instruction on the iPad. A repeated measures ANOVA found that students who received the iPad-based phonics curriculum outperformed the control students. HLM analysis supports a two-level model with a time by group membership interaction effect, the inclusion of student-level variables not statistically significant.
Developing Inclusive Education Systems: The Role of Organizational Cultures and Leadership
- M Ainscow
- A Sandill
Ainscow, M., and A. Sandill. 2010. "Developing Inclusive Education Systems: The Role of
Organizational Cultures and Leadership." International Journal of Inclusive Education 14 (4):
401-416. doi:10.1080/13603110802504903.
Psychoeducational Assessment of Students with Intellectual Disability: Professional-Action Framework Analysis
- A M Amor
- M A Verdugo
- M Calvo
- P Navas
- V Aguayo
Amor, A. M., M. A. Verdugo, M. I Calvo, P. Navas, and V. Aguayo. 2018. "Psychoeducational
Assessment of Students with Intellectual Disability: Professional-Action Framework Analysis."
Psicothema 30 (1): 39-46. doi:10.7334/psicothema2017.175.