What do teachers need to think about as they start to plan for their inclusive classrooms? Listen to
a teacher talk about her feelings as she begins to consider her options. Do her feelings echo your own?
All children have individual abilities and challenges that deserve consideration when planning the classroom environment, curriculum, and instructional strategies. Teachers who are planning for all their children will need to make some adjustments to the learning setting, activities, and strategies. Teachers who are planning for all their children will need to make some adjustments to the learning setting, activities, and strategies. They may also need to utilize some
assistive technology. To meet the needs of the children in their classroom, many teachers use a three-tiered system similar to the one proposed in the Response to Intervention model. For an introduction to RTI, watch
Response to Intervention: A Tiered Approach to Instructing All Students. Usually these tiers include:
In addition to the levels of support that teachers need to plan, it is important to provide multiple avenues of presentation, engagement, and expression—which reflect the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). (For an introduction to UDL, watch
UDL at a Glance.) Tweaking classroom plans to make the curriculum and environment more accessible will benefit every child in the classroom at some point.
Use the links below to access information that will help you as you weigh your planning options for all, some, and a few individual children.