Teachers' Perceptions of Collaborative Planning Processes for Special Needs Students

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Purpose and Hypotheses of the Study

The purpose of the study by Carter, Prater, Jackson, & Marchant (2009) was to describe teachers’ perceptions of collaborative planning processes when using the model developed by Prater to plan adaptations and accommodations for special needs students. Prater developed the curriculum, rules, instruction, materials, environment (CRIME) collaboration model. The four steps of the CRIME process are to (a) evaluate the curriculum, rules, instruction, materials, and environment of the general education classroom; (b) list the student’s learning and behavioral strengths and limitations; (c) compare the environment of the classroom with the student’s profile to identify learning facilitators and barriers; (d) plan accommodations and adaptations that will ease the learning process and help alleviate the effect of learning barriers. Effective collaboration between the general education teacher and the special education teacher can facilitate the successful inclusion of the special needs student into the general education classroom.

Sample

The participants for this study were six pairs of elementary teachers from five elementary schools in one of the largest suburban school districts in the United States located in a large western state. One special education teacher and one general education teacher were included in each pair. Each teacher had the following qualification: (a) licensed in their field, (b) had taught in an elementary school that utilized pull-out resource instruction or full inclusion, and (c) had taught at least one special needs student who was in a general educator’s classroom at least 70% of the day. Special education were contacted first and asked to select a general education t...

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In providing the CRIME model for the teachers, the researchers assumed that the teachers would possess skills necessary for using the model to guide the planning. The data suggest that this assumption was incorrect. One third of the pairs encountered problems completing the process. It is difficult for teachers to collaboratively plan effective accommodations and modifications if they lack skills for collaborating and solving problems. Problem-solving skills is an important part of educating students with disabilities. Even when collaborative planning takes place, teachers may not plan meaningful accommodations and modification (Carter et al. 2009).

Works Cited

Carter, N., Prater, M. A., Jackson, A., & Marchant, M. (2009) Educators’ perceptions

collaborative planning processes for students with disabilities. Preventing

School Failure, 54(1), 60-70.

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