What is an Integration Setting?
Students with disabilities are learning alongside peers in the mainstream Physical Education setting.
An Integration Setting may be Best if…
- Intentional planning can be used in a larger group setting of peers to help all students achieve their curriculum expectations and Physical Education expectations outlined in the Individual Education Plan (IEP).
- The integration setting provides all students with numerous opportunities to explore the basic concepts and skills underlying the expectations in the Physical Education curriculum and/or IEP.
Benefits
- Integrating students with disabilities with their peers has shown to have a number of positive benefits and effects on both parties involved, including developing a positive self-worth, an increased sense of belonging, and advancing communication skills.
- Social modelling with similar-aged peers can be used to practice and enhance social skills.
- Learning expectations can be achieved faster when students are exposed to a number of peers modelling the desired expectations.
Questions for Program Planning
- How can activities be selected, modified, and adapted as required to ensure that all students are included and feel physically and emotionally safe? (e.g., select skill-based activities that can be easily accommodated and modified first)
- How can the program be designed to ensure maximum participation for all and provide opportunities for all students to participate, practice and improve their skills? (e.g., challenge students to devise rules and strategies that are inclusive to all, or to come up with their own games that involve whole-class participation)
- How are activities and instruction differentiated to provide all students with relevant and engaging learning experiences, so all students experience success?
- What considerations can be made pertaining to the diversity of the class in which students are integrated into? (e.g., what personalities and leaders are present, what ages are the students, what interests do they have, what challenges may arise)
Scenario 1: Elementary Classroom
You are teaching a Grade 5 Physical Education class of 25 students, with two students who are integrated. One integrated student uses a wheelchair and is at their grade level cognitively, and the other student is able to perform physical tasks alongside their peers and is cognitively at a Grade 1 level. You are planning a striking and fielding unit that will include sending and receiving objects using different body parts and equipment. Both students are accompanied by one educational assistant to support them during the class.
Suggested Steps and Guiding Questions to Support Program Planning
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Know Your Students
- Who can I speak with to find out more about what strategies are successful for each student? (e.g., homeroom teacher, special education resource teacher, educational assistant)
- Where can I find information pertaining to the students who are identified and each of their learning needs? (e.g., Ontario Student Record, previous IEPs)
- How can I connect with the students’ educational assistant while planning my unit of instruction to find out information regarding their abilities and how they can best support them in the classroom?
- Where can I find out more about the relationships between integrated students (positive or negative) and any of the students in the class? Are there any challenging behaviours that I need to be aware of? How can I find out if the class is at an opportune time of day for the student? (e.g., speak with other teachers who have taught the students, discuss timetabling with the student’s homeroom teacher)
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Define Your Student’s Learning Expectations
- What learning expectations are currently outlined in the Physical Education program page of the IEP, and how can program activities and instruction be differentiated to support these learning expectations? For more information, reference the Understanding the Individual Education Plan in Physical Education section of this resource.
- How can I provide instructions so they are clear, succinct and delivered at intervals throughout the lesson to provide sufficient opportunities for maximum participation, and foster learning? (e.g., when teaching a sending skill, provide instructions for each component of the skill giving students time to practice that component before moving onto the next instruction; during each instructional component, provide students with a variety of objects to explore how they can be most successful in sending the object before moving to the next instruction)
- Are the student learning expectations realistic and reflective of the student’s age and long-term healthy active living goals? (e.g., life skills, skills for independence, safety)
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Take Action
- How can I embed opportunities for each student to build grade-level relationships with their peers in the integrated setting? (e.g., learning about our different ways of communicating, recognizing and celebrating each other’s differences)
- Take time to observe and discuss participation and activities with students to help identify and address any areas of potential physical and emotional safety (e.g., establish a check-in system where students can communicate their successes and challenges).
- What human supports are available and how can I access them to support the students in this integrated setting? (e.g., special education resource teacher, student services)
- How can I determine what tools are needed and how to access them to implement the program expectations that the students may already be using in their homeroom? (e.g., visual supports such as schedule boards or pictures, adapted equipment such as an adapted bowling ramp). For more information, reference the Understanding the Individual Education Plan in Physical Education section of this resource.
- Ask the students what strategies can be used to best accommodate their needs.
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Reflect
- How did the instructional strategies used contribute to a positive experience in a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment? (e.g., what was the general feeling amongst the students at the end of the activity or class?)
- How do you provide a variety of opportunities to support students in improving their skills through practice and physical exploration, while learning alongside each other in collaborative ways?
- What components of the program and/or instructional strategies could be improved or added to ensure positive, safe, and purposeful experiences for all students?
- How can I take the time to connect with students to gather input about their experience? (e.g., setting aside time weekly to touch base with students on what is going well and addressing any challenges together)
Scenario 2: Secondary Classroom
You are teaching a Grade 9 Physical Education class of 30 students, with 4 students who are integrated. Two students with autism spectrum disorder are cognitively close to their grade level and require occasional support from an educational assistant to support them through transitioning between environments and activities. The other two students have Down syndrome, and while able to keep up physically with their peers, have a cognitive level of grade 6 pertaining to following and understanding instructions. The four students are accompanied by two educational assistants to support them during the class.
Suggested Steps and Guiding Questions to Support Program Planning
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Know Your Students
- Who can I speak with to find out more about what strategies are successful for each student? (e.g., colleagues who have taught/are teaching the student, special education resource teacher, the student, and the student’s family)
- Where can I find information pertaining to the students who are identified and their specific learning needs? (e.g., Ontario Student Record, previous IEPs)
- How can I connect with the students’ educational assistant while planning my unit of instruction to find out information regarding their abilities and how they can best support them in the classroom? (e.g., finding a time to plan and share information, finding out their strengths)
- Where can I find out more about the relationships between integrated students (positive or negative) and any of the students in the class? Are there any challenging behaviours that I need to be aware of? How can I find out if the class is at an opportune time of day for the student? (e.g., speak with other teachers who have taught the students, discuss timetabling with the student’s homeroom teacher)
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Define Your Student’s Learning Expectations
- What learning expectations are currently outlined in the Physical Education program page of the IEP, and how can program activities and instruction be differentiated to support these learning expectations? For more information, reference the Understanding the Individual Education Plan in Physical Education section of this resource.
- How do I select activities for an integrated class that take into consideration various students’ interests, while providing entry points for maximum participation and opportunities for all students to develop their skills in a safe and inclusive environment? (e.g., ask homeroom teachers what activities the students are currently confident with and enjoy and incorporate these activities into the lesson plan or use as a positive reinforcement)
- How can I structure instructions so they are clear, succinct and delivered at intervals throughout the lesson to allow for maximum activity, participation, and learning? (e.g., providing a visual schedule to support with small and large transitions, visual instruction cards available with each activity for students to reference to support with understanding)
- How do the activities in the integrated class provide entry points for all students to participate, including those with disabilities? (e.g., providing a variety of ways to demonstrate learning within an activity such as modifying objectives, implements and rules)
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Take Action
- How can I embed opportunities for each student to build grade-level relationships with their peers in the integrated setting? How do my language and actions foster an environment where students can embrace and value their unique abilities? (e.g., designing a game where students can each use specific skills they are confident with to contribute to their team)
- Take time to observe and discuss participation and activities with students to help identify and address any areas of potential physical and emotional safety (e.g., take time to speak with students to learn about how they feel before, during and after the physical education class)
- What human supports are available and how can I access them to support the students in this integrated setting? (e.g., special education resource teacher, student services, educational assistant)
- How can I determine what tools are needed and how to access them to implement the program expectations that the students may already be using in their homeroom? (e.g., visual supports such as a schedule board or pictures, adapted equipment such as balls that light up) For more information, reference the Understanding the Individual Education Plan in Physical Education section of this resource.
- Ask the students what strategies can be used to best accommodate their needs (e.g., after an activity, ask students what was easy or difficult and what supports they could have used to enhance their experience).
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Reflect
- How did the instructional strategies used contribute to a positive experience in a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment? (e.g., what was the general feeling amongst the students at the end of the activity or class?)
- How did I provide a variety of opportunities for students to improve their skills through practice and physical exploration while learning alongside each other in collaborative ways? (e.g., were students communicating with each other in positive ways?)
- What components of the program and/or instructional strategies could be improved or added to ensure positive, safe, and purposeful experiences for all students? (e.g., is there a way to assess the student’s experience using a classroom tool for communicating how they felt about the class, such as a visual system with thumbs going up, middle and down)
- How can I take the time to connect with students to gather input about their experience? (e.g., setting aside time weekly to touch base with students about what is going well and addressing any challenges together)