July 2007
	RAPSA offers an annual Reaching At-Promise Students National Conference
	Join fellow educators at a conference that is sure to inspire and motivate.  The Reaching At-Promise Students National Conference provides more than 100 workshops, speakers, and resources relevant for every educator working with at-risk youth.    Register today!
	Special Education Strategies Offer Best Practices for All Students Many in the educational community have realized that separating students with learning disabilities from their peers is not the best strategy. The School for Integrated Academics and Technologies (SIATech) instituted a full inclusion program for its special education curriculum.  Unlike “mainstreaming,” where a student receives a portion of his or her education in a general education setting, “full inclusion” provides a student with disabilities complete instruction in a regular classroom and includes additional supports and accommodations as necessary.   While full inclusion has its opponents, it has been a successful venture for this dropout recovery charter school.  Students who come to this charter school and learn career and technical education in conjunction with Job Corps have a history of difficulties in traditional school settings.  These full inclusion classes with self-paced instruction offer a chance for these students to make exceptional growth in their learning.   Carole Fisher, Special Education Director, notes that full inclusion is successful at SIATech because the students feel a sense of community in the general education classes.  School holds more importance to them, because they are with their friends and are not isolated from the rest of the school population.   Building on this sense of belonging manifests itself in the course work.  Many of the assignments include this personal aspect. Fisher notes that “students’ writing skills are enhanced through personal history, something they know really well.”  SIATech embraces the idea that students’ prior knowledge and experience form the basis for all new learning and make education meaningful.   With full inclusion, students finally feel successful.   They like “not being labeled, not having to explain the ‘other class’ they go to,” says Fisher.  “The benefit is not being separated and made to feel different.”   Following a full inclusion model does not mean that students do not have access to individualized plans and a full range of services.  In fact, at SIATech learning disabled students join “Success Rooms” for a quieter environment and individualized instruction.  Their friends can join them there as well.   Special Education staff members work closely with the general education teachers to ensure that students are assessed correctly and that assignments are modified appropriately.   To ensure that all teachers are equipped to meet the needs of this student population, SIATech requires a professional growth component in the form of twice yearly roundtables in their specific subject matter.  During those discussions, the staff addresses strategies and curriculum that would help special needs students.   The full inclusion program at SIATech has resulted in marked improvements in the academic skills of their learning disabled students, and their teachers get to put their best practices in action.
	Success Stories Read about one special education student’s ability to overcome hardships. Spotlight on Teaching Strategies For more information on how to make learning accessible for all students, please visit these Web sites. Council for Exceptional Children Job Corps Disability Job Corps Learning Supports & Strategies
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