Tred-208
 
 

Introduction

WebQuest

Assignment

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Introduction

You are in your first year of teaching.During the teacher work-week prior to the students’ first school day, you are approached by the special education department chair.He informs you that Susi J. will be in your third period history class.The special education department chair explains further that Susi is non-ambulatory and mentally retarded and has participated in the general education classrooms since kindergarten.Your mind starts racing as you try to picture how to accommodate Susi in your class.You have attended several meetings already during this teacher workweek and teacher accountability for student mastery of state standards was highly emphasized.The department chair gives you a list of specialists who work with Susi.The list includes acronyms paired with names. The list includes:LD–Ms. J., MR-Mr. T, DHH–Ms S., PD– Mr. M., PT-Ms K, SL-Ms. V.

How do you begin to plan for the inclusion of Susi in your classroom?What do the abbreviations before the specialists’ names represent?Will the specialists be in your classroom?What physical characteristics of your classroom do you need to consider?How will you communicate with Susi?You don’t know American Sign Language, but the department chair also mentioned something about cued speech.

Keep reading to find the answers to these and other questions!

To complete this assignment you will assume the roles of researchers and teachers.As researchers you will visit various websites to learn more about children with mental retardation, children who are deaf or hard of hearing and children who require speech and language services.Of course these disabilities are often discrete, but it is not unusual for a child to have several areas identified for special education eligibility.As teachers you will first create a brief descriptive case study of a student with mental Retardation; then construct an action plan that outlines the ways in which you will accommodate the student’s learning needs through your instructional and assessment practices.

To begin, research the web using the online resources below to formulate thoughtful and knowledgeable responses to these questions:

1) How is mental retardation (MR) defined?

2) What are the types of mental retardation and characteristics of MR?

3) What are the causes of mental retardation?

4) How do 504 and IDEA legislation address the needs of students with mental retardation? 

5) What factors must be considered in determining to apply either or both forms of legislation in meeting a particular student’s learning needs?

6) Typically, what are some school-based services provided for students with mental retardation?

7) What challenges do students with mental retardation included in regular classrooms pose for teachers?

8) What are the benefits of including students with mental retardation in the regular classroom?

9) What educational interventions are effective in working with students with mental retardation?

10) What strategies and accommodations have been shown to be effective in helping students with mental retardation learn?

11) What types of support can teachers working with students with mental retardation generally expect at the school level? 

12) What other supports or resources can teachers tap into to assist them in working effectively with students with mental retardation?

Step 1.Using the questions listed above to guide your investigation each group member will visit these online resources.

http://snow.utoronto.ca/best/accommodate/learning.html

http://www.ideapractices.org/idearegsmain.htm

http://www.kidsource.com/NICHCY/idea.disa.p.k12.3.1.html

http://www.lrp.com/ed/idea.tc.htm

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/Policy/IDEA/

http://www.fape.org

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/teaching_techniques/504_plans.html

http://www.chtu.org/504.html

www.NVRC.org

http://netac.rit.edu/c/print.html

www.handspeak

www.gohear.org

www.deafchildren.org

www.closingthegap.com/rd/searchsw.html

www.gallaudet.com

www.pepnet.org

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/

www.at-center.com

www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm.assistive_technology

www.mrtc.org/~duffy/yaack

www.theideabox.com/

http://thearc.org

http://www.cec.sped.org

http://www.nas.com/downsyn

http://www/hood/edu/seri

http://www.edc.org/FSC/NCIP

Assuming the role of a teacher and working collaboratively with group members:

Step 2.Apply the knowledge you have gained as researchers by creating a handout that summarizes the essential aspects of what you’ve learned.Include resources that you think will be beneficial to others.

Step 3.Relying on the knowledge you’ve acquired about mental retardation and your preparation to become teachers and using the scenario in the Introduction:

a. create a case study of Susi.In two or three paragraphs, briefly describe your class environment and curriculum.Also, describe the behaviors you observe in the classroom and ways Susi appears to be academically and/or socially challenged.

Step 4.Outline an action plan that states specifically how you will modify your instruction and assessment practices to better meet the learning needs of this student.Identify key specialists who will support your efforts with Susi.How will you collaborate with these specialists?How will you communicate with the child’s parent regarding his or her progress in your class?Identify how you will monitor the effectiveness of your action plan.Identify the key elements of the child’s IEP as those elements apply to your instructional program.

Step 5.Lead a mini-workshop in class to inform class members about mental retardation.You should plan to share your summary handout, case study and action plan. 

The products you create as part of this WebQuest assignment will be assessed using the rubric below.
 

	Exemplary 3	Satisfactory 2	Adequate 1	Revise Incomplete	Score
Apply knowledge of mental retardation by creating a summary handout	Reflects a thorough Summary of the information provided by the online resources.All questions are addressed fully.	The online material is summarized, but missing one or two pieces of key information All but one question have been addressed fully.	The information presented highlights some but not all of the key information.Not all of the questions are addressed fully.	Handout is not acceptable.See instructor for guidance.
Apply knowledge of mental retardation by creating a case study	Case study is well written, realistic and includes a highly accurate description of the characteristics associated with mental retardation.	Case study is well written, realistic and includes an acceptable description of the characteristics associated with mental retardation.	Case study may not be convincing or may not include an accurate description of the characteristics associated with mental retardation.	Case study is not acceptable.See instructor for guidance.
Apply knowledge of educational interventions by developing an action plan	The action plan Outlines highly appropriate interventions and addresses instructional, assessment and monitoring practices fully.	The action plan outlines most of the interventions considered appropriate and addresses instructional, assessment and monitoring practices fully.	The action plan outlines most of the interventions considered appropriate and addresses instructional, assessment and monitoring practices somewhat.	Action plan is not acceptable. See instructor for guidance.
Apply knowledge of mental retardation and teaching through leading a mini-workshop	Workshop was highly informative, well organized and conducted collaboratively.	Workshop was informative with few gaps, well organized and conducted collaboratively.	Workshop was somewhat informative with some gaps, fairly wellorganized and conducted collaboratively.	No opportunity to revise.

Congratulations on completing this WebQuest!You should now understand that individuals with mental retardation do not learn in the same way or at the same pace as their non-disabled classmates.It is imperative that you continue to learn as much as possible about mental retardation, particularly since many schools follow an inclusion model.