What is a Reverse Integration Setting?
Selected students from the mainstream setting are blended into a self-contained physical education setting with students with disabilities.
A Reverse Integration Setting may be Best if…
- Students who are reverse integrated can be intentionally chosen based on characteristics that would benefit the group (e.g., age, leadership goals, similar likes and interests)
- Effective instruction provides the students with disabilities opportunities to practice their Individual Education Plan (IEP) learning goals and/or expectations with the support of a peer leader. The leaders in turn develop collaborative working skills and build upon social relationships with other students.
- The educator is able to choose appropriate and effective instructional strategies to help the students achieve the program expectations in the IEP. Educators can use this time to pinpoint areas of need and practice specific skills that help students function effectively in the larger classroom (e.g., if a student’s IEP expectation is learning to send and receive an object alone or with others, the reverse-integrated class can focus on playing 4-square to practice this skill to set them up for success at recess time).
Benefits
- Reverse integrating students with peers with disabilities enables both students to develop and practice positive interactions and develop meaningful relationships in a planned and structured environment.
- For students who have challenges exploring new areas of the school environment, the reverse-integrated approach allows them to develop new social interactions while staying in a familiar and predictable space.
- IEP learning expectations can be achieved faster when students are exposed to a number of peers modelling the desired expectations.
Questions for Program Planning
- How is the teaching and learning environment planned, maintained, and organized to maximize time on task?
- How can activities be modified and adapted as required to ensure that student-specific curriculum expectations are being met?
- How can the program be designed to ensure maximum participation for all and provide opportunities and expectations to participate, practice, and improve on skills that can be later applied in other areas of the school environment? (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 can activities be selected and designed to create a positive, safe, and valuable experience for both the reverse-integrated student and the student with a disability? (e.g., are there specific needs that the reverse-integrated student has that can be addressed in this environment?)
- How are activities and instruction differentiated to provide all students with relevant and engaging learning experiences, so that all students can experience success?
- What considerations can be made pertaining to the type of students who are chosen to be reverse integrated into the self-contained classroom? (e.g., What personalities and leaders are present? How can quiet and reserved students from the mainstream environment thrive in this setting, and provide a benefit as well?)
Scenario 1: Elementary Classroom
You are teaching a Junior/Intermediate self-contained classroom of six students, each with varying disabilities and an IEP. There is a small group of students in the mainstream grade 5 class who are experiencing difficulties playing in positive ways at recess time. The mainstream teacher has approached you to collaborate in a reverse-integrated setting with your self-contained classroom in Physical Education.
Suggested Steps and Guiding Questions to Support Program Planning
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Know Your Students
- How can I find out information about the history of both groups of students together (e.g., Have they interacted before? In what subjects and in what ways have they been together at school? How did both groups interact with each other?)
- What activities can be planned to create a supportive, social environment for both groups of students to learn more about each other?
- How can I find out about challenging behaviours that I need to be aware of that may affect the group dynamic? How can I determine if the class is at an opportune time of day for both groups of students? (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
- How can I collaborate, and connect with the classroom teacher to identify the learning expectations of both groups of students and how they can align in a reverse-integrated setting?
- How might I consider integrating curriculum expectations that are identified in the IEP into an intentional game or activity that may take place at recess time? (e.g., asking others to play, turn taking in a 4-square game)
- How will I help students communicate with one another using a variety of communication methods? How can I ensure that the activities and games provide engaging learning experiences to allow students to communicate in positive ways? (e.g., asking for help, what to do when someone doesn’t want to play with you)
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Take Action
- How can I introduce both groups of students to each other and share the purpose and goals of this class (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 and equipment are available and how can I access them to transfer the skills learned in the reverse-integrated setting outside at recess time? (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistant, student services)
- How can I support both groups of students to make positive choices when making informed judgements and decisions while working with their peers? (e.g., helping students develop healthy, social relationships through role playing, such as learning how to ask peers to play and exploring the different outcomes that might occur in these situations) Ask the students what strategies can be used to best accommodate their needs.
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Reflect
- How does the programming in the reverse-integrated setting set the groups of students up for success in the greater school community? How can the skills they learn in this setting be realistically applied to their daily lives? (e.g., a focus on activities that are found in the school playground, such as 4-square, can help students participate with their peers at recess)
- How are questioning techniques being used to encourage student engagement amongst each other, reflection, and a sense of responsibility for their own actions?
- How have I provided students with numerous opportunities to improve 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 self-contained Physical Education class in Semester 2. Your students have a familiar and predictable routine in Physical Education and depend on support from the teacher and/or the educational assistant to complete tasks. The teacher of the grade 12 Recreation and Healthy Active Living Leadership course has approached you and would like to work with you to develop a mentorship program with your class.
Suggested Steps and Guiding Questions to Support Program Planning
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Know Your Students
- Where can I find out information about the logistics of scheduling a reverse integration time during the school day? (e.g., Principal or Vice-Principal, HPE department head)
- Where can I find out information about the history of both groups of students together (e.g., Have they interacted before? In what subjects and in what ways have they been together at school? Have they established a mentor relationship with any of the students in prior formal or social events at the school?)
- What activities can be co-planned with the students in the leadership course to create a supportive, social environment for both groups of students to learn more about each other? (e.g., a “getting to know you” activity)
- How can I find out if there are any behaviours that I need to be aware of that may affect the group dynamic? How can I determine if the planned activities are at an opportune time of day for both groups of students? (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
- How can I work with the students to identify the learning expectations of both groups and how they can align in a reverse-integrated setting (e.g., What social and physical skills are needed in order to support the students in the reverse-integrated setting? What do I need to do to prepare the students in the self-contained class to set them up for success in the reverse-integrated setting? What mentorship skills do the grade-12 students need to be successful in this setting?)
- How might I consider working with the other teacher to align curriculum expectations that are identified in the students’ IEPs and the curriculum expectations in the grade-12 Healthy Active Living and Leadership course? (e.g., students in the grade-12 leadership course are planning personalized activities for the students in the self-contained class)
- How will the students communicate in positive ways with their mentors and peers that will set them up for success? (e.g., asking for help, positive gameship)
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Take Action
- How can I introduce both groups of students to each other and share the purpose and goals of this activity? (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 and equipment are available and how can I access them to support the reverse-integrated setting? (e.g., collaborating with the grade-12 teacher and mentors to create a physically and emotionally safe environment for all students; co-planning games that foster team-building among the students; purposefully selecting activity experiences with consideration of available equipment and student needs; identifying instructional and environmental strategies that support all students in achieving their goals and/or expectations)
- Ask the students what strategies can be used to best accommodate their needs.
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Reflect
- In what way did the programming in the reverse-integrated setting set the groups of students up for success in the greater school community? In what ways did this experience set the grade-12 students up for success as leaders and mentors in the school community? How can the skills both groups learned in this setting be realistically applied to their daily lives?
- How might I facilitate opportunities for staff and students to reflect on the approach of the reverse-integrated setting and the mentorship program? (e.g., a questionnaire or feedback form)
- How have I provided students with numerous opportunities to improve 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 their 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)
