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Collaborating with Special Educators
Mara E. Culp
The Pennsylvania State University
| 251 Music Building I, University Park, PA 16802
Background and Rationale
Students with Special Needs
Categories of Disabilities and Impairments
(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY), 2012)
Presented at the Society for Music Teacher Education Biennial Symposium on Music Teacher Education in Greensboro, NC on September 19th, 2015
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Collaborating with Special Educators
- Autism
- Deaf-blindness
- Deafness
- Developmental delay
- Emotional disturbance
- Hearing impairment
- Intellectual disability
- Multiple disabilities
- Other health impairment
- Orthopedic impairment
- Specific learning disability
- Speech or language impairment
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visual impairment
Presented at the Society for Music Teacher Education Biennial Symposium on Music Teacher Education in Greensboro, NC on September 19th, 2015
1
Collaborating with Special Educators
The Five Domains
- Physical or Medical
- Cognitive
- Sensory
- Communication
- Emotional or Behavioral
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) mandates schools to provide provisions, including individualized education plans (IEPs) and trained specialists
Students with Special Needs in Music Classes
The presence of students with special needs in music classes is increasing. Yet, many universities do not offer classes devoted to training preservice music teachers to teach music to students with special needs (Salvador, 2010). Hence, some students may be denied access to music education classes due to a lack of teacher knowledge about how to bet accommodate these students (Abramo, 2012; Nabb & Balcetis, 2010). Collaborating with other professionals could help music educators bridge gaps in knowledge.
Understanding Collaboration
What is Collaboration?
Working together to achieve shared goals
The Collaborative Mindset
“I teach STUDENTS music” is a more collaborative orientation than “I teach MUSIC to students.” Such a mindset allows focus to shift from “How can YOU help ME?” to “How can WE help EACH OTHER?”
This mindset…
1. Encourages investment from other professionals
2. Allows students to reap the maximum benefits
a. Access to resources, such as technology
b. Earlier dismissal from therapy
c. Increased participation and success in music
Determining Collaborative Special Education Partners
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
An IEP is “a written educational plan that specifies a special student’s current levels of educational performance, annual goals, and short-term instructional objectives” (Lewis & Doorlag, 2003, p. 443).
IEP Team
An IEP team is comprised of professionals who work
with the student. They set goals, suggest modifications and
accommodations, and assess progress.
Others with Knowledge or Special Expertise about
the Child could include, but is not limited to:
v speech-language pathologist
v physical therapist
v occupational therapist
v recreational therapist
v counselor/social worker
v reading specialist
v nurse/medical professional
With Whom Should Music Educators Collaborate?
v Professionals with specialized knowledge of a particular student and/or disability
v Always select a collaborative partner based on the student you seek to better accommodate
v Highly suggested collaborative partners for:
v Complexity of impairment: Physical therapists & Occupational therapists
v Commonalities in practice with Music Educators: Speech-language pathologists
Steps to Successful Collaborations
Step #1:
Understanding and Respect the Others’ Role
Helps professionals better understand what and how others’ may contribute
Information to gather:
1. What is the role of this specialist?
2. What do they do? (e.g., job description)
3. What conditions they treat?
Step #2:
Establish a Connection
Helps professionals establish a foundation for the collaboration
Reaching out:
- Locate specialists
o Contact principal and/or special education coordinator
- Demonstrate interest
o Send an email or place an introductory letter in mailbox
An effective introduction should contain…
- Greeting
- Your name, title, and school
- Grades you teach and what you are working on (goals)
- Your intention (“I would like to…”)
- Request (“would you be willing to…”)
- Availability (if desiring to meet)
- Contact information (multiple methods)
- Closing that reiterates your interest
- No “jargon” (ex. “bordun”)
Example Letter/Content
Hello (Professional),
My name is Ms. Mara Culp and I teach K-2 music . We are working on singing songs while playing xylophones. I would love to learn some ways I could help my students actively participate in music class while reaching their therapy goals as well. Would you be willing to meet to discuss ways we could work together with the students that you see for therapy? My planning period is 10-10:45am M-F and I am also free after school until 4:00pm. My extension is 1234 and my email is , or you can put a note in my mailbox with a time that works for you.
I look forward to collaborating with you. Best,
Ms. Mara Culp
Step #3:
Create Implementing Shared Goals
Creating:
Questions to ask…
1. I teach [these classes]. Which students do you see in those classes?
2. What are you working on?
a. How are you working on this?
i. In what ways do you use music?
3. How can I help you reach your goals?
4. How can I help you help me reach my goals?
Implementing:
- Keep each other’s goals in mind (share them)
- Observe one another
- Journal and reflect
- Meet to discuss:
o What worked and did not
o Necessary changes
o New ideas
Conclusions
- WHAT is collaboration?
o Working together to achieve shared goals
- WHO could we be collaborating with?
o Selected members of an IEP Team
- HOW could collaboration work?
o Understand the others’ role, establish a connection, then create and implement shared goals
References
Abramo, J. (2012). Disability in the classroom: current trends and impacts on music education. Music Educators Journal, 99(1), 39-45. doi: 10.1177/0027432112448824
Lewis, R. B. & Doorlag, D. H. (2003). Teaching special students in general education classrooms, 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Küpper, L. (Ed.). (2000). A guide to the individualized education program. U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). (2012). Categories of disability under IDEA. Washington, DC: National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities.
Nabb, D., & Balcetis, E. (2010). Access to music education: Nebraska band directors’ experiences and attitudes regarding students with physical disabilities. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57(4), 308-319. doi: 10.1177/0022429409353142
Salvador, K. (2010). Who isn't a special learner? A survey of how music teacher education programs prepare future educators to work with exceptional populations. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 20(1), 27–38. doi: 10.1177/1057083710362462
Example: Speech-Language Pathology
What is Speech-Language Pathology?
Assessing, diagnosing, treating, and helping to prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, and fluency.
What do they do?
Combine communication goals with academic and social goals
- Integrate classroom objectives into sessions (like those in your music room!)
- Help students understand and use basic language concepts
- Support reading and writing
- Increase students’ understanding of texts and lessons
Services can vary depending on students’ needs
- Monitoring or periodic screening
- Collaborating and consulting (with teachers)
- Classroom-based services (can push-in to music classrooms)
- Small group or individual sessions in speech classrooms
Who do they treat? (Conditions)
Why Collaborate? – Benefits for Students
- Improve text in songs
- Improve ability to communicate with the teacher
- Increase understanding
- Access useful technology and equipment
Technology and Equipment
- Photo books
- Assistive and Alternative Communication
- Classroom microphones
- Sign language programs
Benefits of Collaboration
Music Educator
- More quickly improve text for songs in class
- Improve students’ confidence to speak/sing/interact in class
- Music room becomes “another space” for students to be held accountable for their speech sounds
SLP
- Songs provide fun opportunities for repetitive practice of speech sounds
- Earlier dismissal from therapy
- Speech room becomes “another space” for students to be held accountable for their musical skills
Example: Occupational Therapy
What is Occupational Therapy?
The use of treatments to develop, recover, or maintain the daily living and work skills of people with a physical, mental, or developmental condition.
What do they do?
Address student needs
- provide strategies to facilitate the student’s full participation
- reduce barriers that limit student participation in the classroom environment
- use assistive technologies (ex. hand grips)
- help determine methods for alternate assessment
- help plan instructional activities for the classroom
Collaborate with…
- students, to improve performance in a variety of environments (e.g., playgrounds, classrooms, lunchrooms, bathrooms) and optimize adaptations/accommodations
- parents, to help them support their children
- educators, to plan and develop activities and environments that include all students
- para-professionals, to support child success and promote safety
- administrators, to provide training for students, staff, and parents, as well as to recommend equipment for schools and ways to modify existing buildings and curriculum to allow access for all
Who do they treat?
Why Collaborate? – Benefits for Students
- Hold and use objects in the room
o Mallets, Instruments, Writing utensils
- Optimally organized classroom space for student navigation and success
o Placement of objects (height/position)
- Access innovative tools and equipment
Tools and Equipment
- Chord Buddy
- Modified Recorder (Foam/puffy paint around holes)
- Guitar pick hand strap
- Build-up mallets with tape
- Modified flute (and other instruments)
- Straps and attachments
Benefits of Collaboration
Music Educator
- More quickly improve grip for instruments
- Improve students’ confidence and ability to interact in class
- Music room becomes “another space” for students to be held accountable for their movement goals
Occupational Therapist
- Playing instruments provide fun opportunities for repetitive practice of movements
- Earlier dismissal from therapy
- Occupational therapy room becomes “another space” for students to be held accountable for their musical skills
Presented at the Society for Music Teacher Education Biennial Symposium on Music Teacher Education in Greensboro, NC on September 19th, 2015