LESSON SIX

ASSESSMENT OF CURRICULUM AND TEACHING STRATEGIES IN INCLUSIVE

SETTINGS
6.1 Introduction
In this lesson, we will focus attention on definitions of terms such as assessment and
curriculum. You will also learn about assessment of curriculum and teaching strategies in
inclusive settings.

6.2 Lesson Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
6.2.1 Define various terms related to assessment.
6.2.2 Discuss ways of assessing curriculum in Inclusive Settings
6.2.3 Assess teaching strategies in Inclusive Settings

6.2.1 Definitions of Terms

Assessment is the process used in special education to determine a child's specific learning
strengths and needs, in order to determine whether or not a child is eligible for special
education services. In general education, the term assessment refers to the wide variety of
methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness,
learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students.
Curriculum has been defined as “the planned learning experiences that have intended educational
outcomes” (Hoover,1988). Armstrong (1990) refers to it as “master plan for selection of content
and organizing learning experiences for the purpose of changing and developing learners’
behaviors and insights”. Curriculum can also be defined as the content and sequence of the
knowledge and skills to be taught in an area of instruction. It involves careful selection of
content, organization of the content in the manner it will be offered and focus on the educational
outcomes expected and how the outcomes will be evaluated.

6.2.2 Assessment of Curriculum in Inclusive Settings

An inclusive classroom cannot be fully achieved without assessment of the curriculum to
accommodate all students. Teachers must be committed to develop an understanding of their
student’s needs and to use assessment in a manner that ensures respect for the individual whilst
having high expectations in terms of participation and learning outcomes. Loreman, Deppeler
and Harvey (2010) emphasize the need for teachers to assess all aspects of their teaching and
classroom organization in order to promote inclusive teaching practices. If the needs of students
who have difficulties with learning are to be met in the inclusive classroom it is imperative that
those factors that impact upon these outcomes are also considered and assessed. Teachers
therefore, need to view assessment in much broader terms and investigate influences of teaching
outcomes, environment and resources to provide an effective learning experience in inclusive
classrooms
Education of the Children with Special Needs (CWSN) - YouTube
Listen to this YouTube and discuss it in your groups.

What Is Curriculum-Based-Assessment?
Curriculum-based assessment (CBA) consists of direct and frequent measurement of observable
student behaviors toward progress within a curriculum. In addition to using pretests and
posttests, curriculum-based assessment features brief measurements-or "probes"-during
instructional units. CBA probes are designed to be administered and scored quickly (e.g., the
number of science unit terms and definitions a student can match within 1 minute, or how many
word problems a student can solve within 2 minutes). Thus, teachers and students can efficiently
monitor acquisition of new content, as well as fluent performance. The premise for CBA is not to
measure all skills students acquire within a unit (which would be difficult to impossible to do),
but to select critical skills that serve as indicators, or benchmarks, of student progress (Carpenter
& King-Sears, 1998). Teachers frequently use CBA as a formative assessment during instruction,
and teachers typically combine CBAs with other types of summative assessments to determine
students' grades and overall progress (e.g., posttests, scoring rubrics, homework assignments,
projects).

Describe how to use curriculum-based assessment (CBA) in inclusive settings using the
following steps:
(1) analyze the curriculum;
(2) prepare items to meet curriculum objectives;
(3) probe frequently;
(4) load data using a graph format; and
(5) yield to results, revisions and decisions.

6.2.3 Teaching Strategies in Inclusive Settings

Inclusive learning facilitates access to flexible learning choices for all students. It also
offers effective paths for achieving educational goals and makes all students
experience a sense of belonging. An inclusive education environment ensures that all
children, regardless of ability or disability, learn together in the same age-appropriate
classroom and participates fully in their learning processes.

To create an inclusive education environment in classroom , calls for removal of

curriculum barriers and presenting educational goals in interesting ways to engage all
learners and serve all students equitably. This can be done using various teaching
strategies when designing an inclusive classroom and curriculum.
 Giving Each Child a Chance to Shine. One of the most important teaching strategies in
inclusive classroom settings that you can use involves letting each student share an
“island of ...
 Teaching With “Big Questions”. If you teach topics, you may cover plenty of material; if
you teach questions, you can teach students how to think.
 Using Learning Centers. Many teachers, when presented with an inclusion setting, find it
difficult to meet all of the students' needs at once.
 Incorporating Goals into the Lesson. Students who enter an inclusion classroom with an
IEP require close attention in an inclusion setting (as opposed to a mainstream
arrangement).
How do you create an inclusive classroom environment?
Creating an inclusive classroom climate where all students are encouraged to participate, by
learning about students’ backgrounds and tailoring approaches accordingly, establishing ground
rules for discussing controversial issues, and developing (and helping students develop) deeper
racial and socioeconomic awareness.

Inclusive teaching strategies

Inclusive teaching refers to practices that support meaningful and accessible learning for all
students. The strategies covered on this page aim to recognize the diverse strengths students and
instructors bring to class.

Using the principles of Universal Design for Learning, you can build course structures and
experiences that help make learners feel welcome, safe, and valued. Learn more about designing
for inclusive learning.

Designing for Inclusive Learning

Universal Design is a concept that originated in the field of architecture. The idea was to design
products and spaces that could be used to the greatest extent possible by anyone, regardless of
their age, status, or ability. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) applies principles of Universal
Design to education. Three primary principles guide UDL. Instructors should provide learners
with:

1. Multiple means of representation

2. Multiple means of engagement
3. Multiple means of action and expression

The key word across all those principles is multiple. By providing multiple ways to access and
engage, UDL increases the likelihood that a more diverse range of learners can succeed. The
common red, octagonal stop sign is a great example of the use of multiples to increase access. It
conveys information to users through text, color, and shape. Those who can’t read, can take cues
from the color and shape. Those who are colorblind can take cues from the text and shape. Given
the diverse needs humans bring to learning, this use of multiples means that UDL-designed
courses are more likely to better serve more people.

Multiple means of representation

UDL acknowledges that “learners differ in the ways that they perceive and comprehend
information that is represented to them” and that “there is not one means of representation that
will be optimal for all learners.” Presenting course content and information in multiple formats
makes it accessible to a greater number of learners. Chances are you already do this in your
courses. If you assign an article for your learners, you likely also reinforce the article’s ideas
verbally through a lecture, you explain key terms, you draw diagrams on the board or show
images as examples.

Some options to consider:

 Create assignments in Canvas rather than uploading a PDF or handing out

hardcopies in class. HTML text is readable by a screenreader so those with vision
challenges can access the information through the audio version provided by the
screenreader.
 Provide videos with transcripts or closed captions. Learners with vision challenges can
access video content through the transcript text. A hearing impaired learners can use
closed captions to comprehend the audio content in videos.
 Provide lecture materials in Canvas. Posting lecture notes and/or slides in Canvas
allows all learners the opportunity to benefit from the opportunity to revisit and reflect on
your lecture content. While helpful for all learners, this can be especially helpful for those
with cognitive and physical disabilities.

Multiple means of engagement

UDL acknowledges that “learners differ markedly in the ways in which they can be engaged or
motivated to learn” and that “there is no one means of engagement that will be optimal for all
learners in all contexts.” If information is not engaging, it is inaccessible to
learners. Stimulate learners’ interests and motivation for learning in multiple ways. Being
flexible and offering learners a degree of choice as to how they engage can help make the
content more relevant to them.

Some options to consider:

 Explain the importance and relevance of your learning outcomes. Doing so can help
build learners’ motivation.
 Find ways to connect the content to learners’ lives, for example through the use of
culturally-relevant examples.
 Acknowledge many forms of participation, such as contributions to class discussion,
online discussion boards, and comments made in writing.
 Allow learners to self-assess and reflect on how the content impacts their interests to
help them take ownership of the information.
 Break up larger assignments into smaller, scaffolded assignments that allow learners
to practice and build incrementally toward your learning outcomes.
 Use a variety of methods for active learning, such as individual, pair, and small group
activities. Learn more about active learning.

Multiple means of action and expression

UDL acknowledges that “learners differ in the ways that they can navigate a learning
environment and express what they know” and that “there is not one means of action and
expression that will be optimal for all learners.” For example, some learners may be more
comfortable and skilled in expressing themselves verbally, but not necessarily in writing.
Employing a variety of assessment strategies throughout the course can empower learners to
demonstrate their knowledge in ways that don’t disadvantage them.

Some options to consider:

 Allow learners to choose the tool they will use to demonstrate their understanding. For
example, if you want to assess whether a learner can think critically about a particular
concept, you might offer them a choice to write a paper or record a video to demonstrate
their ability.
 Allow learners to participate in the design of an assignment.

Developing Community Agreements

Community agreements are statements that guide how members of a classroom community
(students, instructors, TAs) aspire to work and interact with each other. Ideally, they should
emerge from a process implemented at the beginning of a term. Once developed, a list of
community agreements is a living document. Use it as a guide throughout the term and revisit it
from time to time.
Here are some basic steps for creating a set of community agreements:
 Generate ideas for community agreements. Block class time early in the term to
introduce the concept of community agreements. If you are co-creating community
agreements with students, consider having them reflect on a few prompts, such as:
 What do you need from others (peers, instructor, TAs) for this to be a positive,
inclusive learning environment?
 What do you need from others to succeed during collaborative/group work?
 What do you need from others to succeed during discussion?
 Discuss the proposed list of agreements. Working individually or in small groups, ask
students to share their responses to the prompts. Have them generate a list on a shared
Google doc or whiteboard. Then invite the class to consider everyone’s responses.
 Where is their overlap and agreement?
 Are there any responses that require elaboration or explanation?
 Synthesize student contributions. Working from the class discussion, synthesize
students’ responses into a list. Keep the list short (between 4-8). Long lists can be
overwhelming and hard to implement. Share the list with students and keep it posted in
an easily accessible place, such as the course Canvas page.
 Revisit the community agreements. You might find it helpful to have students read
through the agreements at the beginning of a group assignment or before discussing a
particularly sensitive topic. Refer to the community agreements when things get difficult
in class or when a conflict arises.

Create a respectful learning environment

While developing disciplinary knowledge and skills are important, higher education also
prepares students to contribute and collaborate in complex, diverse settings. Learn more about
creating respectful, inclusive classroom cultures.
Reflect on your teaching
Examining and reflecting on how your own identities shape your pedagogical values, biases, and
relationships with students can help you build a more effective, engaging classroom. Learn more
about developing a reflective teaching practice.
Strategies for engaging particular groups of students
All students face challenges as they pursue their educational aspirations. The links below provide
strategies that support learners from particular backgrounds. Intentionally infusing your teaching
practice with strategies to support the needs of a particular group of students often improves the
learning environment for all students.

Teaching students with disabilities

Beyond accommodations
While it is true that when a student enters your class with a letter from Disability Resource
Services, you are required to accommodate the student, proactively considering students with
disabilities before you receive a request can save you a great deal of time and improve your
teaching for all students.
First, consider disabilities from a broader perspective:
Disability is about how bodies interact with existing environments. So, rather than waiting for a
student to request an accommodation, considering ahead of time how your teaching practices
might impact students with different sorts of bodies and abilities can:

1. Deepen your view of how you teach, opening up additional questions and practices to
consider
2. Save you (and the student) time in making the course accessible when you do receive a
request for accommodations
3. Provide a more inclusive classroom because students can see that they’ve been
considered in your approach to teaching, not as an afterthought, or exception

Because having a disability can have social, political and historical features for individuals and
groups, it can be a part of someone’s social identity, similar to gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity,
etc. Thus, considering your own attitudes about people with disabilities and how people with
disabilities are represented in your course content can help to make your course more inclusive
for students. The social model of disability, for example, doesn’t view disability as simply a
medical trait or something that needs “fixing” and considers negative social attitudes and
discrimination as the major barriers for people with disabilities.

Disabilities take many forms, some of which are visible or occasionally visible, where others are
not.

 According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are about 56.7 million people living with
disabilities in the U.S., nearly everyone has some “connection” to disability. It’s a
minority group that anyone might join at any time.
 The National Center for Education Statistics notes that nearly 11% of college
undergraduates in 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 reported having a disability. Many of those
students have “invisible” disabilities, such as learning disabilities.
Secondly, proactively adopt pedagogical practices that support students with disabilities as
a part of your approach to teaching

Build accessibility into your course design from the start

 Draw from Universal Design for Learning (UDL) for all aspects of course design so your
course can be accessible by all students. UDL principles support effective teaching and
can save you and your students’ time when an accommodation is needed.
 Reconsider your course content to:
 Highlight a diversity of views and voices on issues related to disability;
 Include Disability Studies in your curriculum where relevant;
 Remove negative portrayals.
 Review the accessibility of your course technologies and products. Learn how to make all
documents, videos, and websites accessible through UW Accessible Technology.
 Post course materials, assignments, and deadlines with advance notice. This allows
students time to plan for accommodations and workload. Where possible, offer flexibility
on assignments and deadlines.

Promote a productive learning environment

 Set the tone on the first day and in your syllabus by communicating that all students are
welcome and taken seriously as learners, including those with disabilities.
 Clarify your policies on attendance and late assignments with explicit and accessible
instructions for how students may follow these policies. Remind students often during the
quarter of the procedures for applying for extensions and extenuating circumstances.
 Communicate your availability for student concerns. Let students know when and
how they can contact your and/or your teaching staff to discuss any problems or
concerns.
 Share campus resources available to students.
 Establish ground rules for honest and respectful dialogue:
 Include students in establishing the ground rules
 Have a plan for intervening when microaggressions related to disabilities occur
 Follow up with students who are not attending class and/or struggling with their
performance in class. Contact them individually, be direct, express concern, and offer to
meet to discuss. Don’t ask what’s going on or what issues they have.

Plan learning activities, assignments, and exams

 Plan assignments so that students can work toward the same goal in different ways. All
students don’t need to do the same activity in order to reach a particular learning goal.
Having students approach the material or assignment in different ways can lead to
productive class discussions where students learn from each other.
 Draw from UW’s DO-IT resources on learning activities in specific contexts (such as in
computer labs, art studios, or writing assignments). Review assignments and materials
for universal design.
  Use multiple formats for instruction. Students learn in different ways. Use oral, verbal,
textual, and kinesthetic means to engage all students. Try to overlap approaches:
 Make outlines and/or recordings available for lectures
 Orally explain all printed assignments
 Be open to (and prepared for) alternative assignments. For example, some students may
have difficulties with presentation and public speaking. Where possible and feasible,
offer alternatives or facilitate less intimidating circumstances. Other students may have
last-minute health issues that cause them to miss an exam or presentation. Plan ahead for
the type of alternative formats of exams or assignments you will accept.

 First-generation students
 International and multilingual students
 Students with disabilities
 Students who are veterans or active-duty military

E-resources.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbRMpkRJKpg
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3696/ee94b53a48cd176aad0e4645ae821960f84c.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDyZEaDUWh4&t=200s
https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/mod/oucontent/view.php?
id=132589&printable=1
https://www.kqed.org/education/16648/what-ordinary-object-best-represents-you
https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/inclusive-education-strategies/
Nilsen, S. (2020). Inside but still on the outside? Teachers’ experiences with the inclusion of
pupils with special educational needs in general education. International Journal of
Inclusive Education, 24(9), 980-996. Retrieved from:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13603116.2018.1503348