Partners in Education: Issues and Trends from the 21st International Congress on the Education of the Deaf

Designing Integrated Environments That Maximize Student Success: Issues and Trends

DesigningIntegratedEnvironments ThatMaximizeStudentSuccess IssuesandTrends John L. Luckner In many countries throughout the world, the majority of students who are deaf or hard of hearing receive most of their education in general-education settings alongside their hearing peers. For example, the U.S. Department of Education (2009) reports that approximately 87% of students who are deaf or hard of hearing spend a portion of the school day in general-education classrooms. The shift in placement from specialized settings such as residential schools to integrated environments has taken place gradually since the mid-1970s and has increased annually. The change has occurred for a variety of reasons, including (1) the implementation of universal newborn-hearing screening and early intervention services, (2) the large number of young children with either a severe or profound hearing loss who are receiving cochlear implants, (3) the significant improvement in the quantity and the quality of sensory devices that can be used to provide meaningful auditory input (e.g., digital hearing aids, sound fields), (4) legislation that states that students with disabilities must be educated in the setting most like that of their peers (e.g., Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004), and (5) a lack of outcome data demonstrating the effectiveness or cost benefit of educating students with a hearing loss in separate settings. 38 Designing Integrated Environments 39 Educational Practices That Promote Successful Integration The philosophy of integration or inclusion refers to an educational approach that brings diverse students, families, educators, and community members together to create schools and other social institutions based on acceptance, belonging, and community (Sapon-Shevin 2003). Educators who adhere to inclusive practices seek to provide all students with a meaningful, challenging , and appropriate curriculum that is delivered in the general-education classroom using differentiated instructional techniques that address students’ unique strengths and challenges (Salend, 2008). As a guiding principle, the integration of schools and society is a standard that most individuals would like to achieve. However, it is not the philosophy of integration that most people find fault with; rather, it is the challenge of putting the approach into practice. Specifically, for students who are deaf or hard of hearing the primary issue has to do with whether or not students with a hearing loss have access to the learning and the social, emotional, and academic interactions that occur in the classroom. Concerns of this nature are warranted, and professionals should be proactive about helping design educational environments that maximize students’ success and prepare them for life after they complete their formal education. Here are three recommendations along with specific examples for professionals who work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing in general-education settings. Expand the Sphere of Influence Many teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing are less effective than they could be because they perceive their job as primarily working directly with these students. They take students from the general-education classroom to a separate room and work with them on their individualized education program (IEP) goals. In addition, they occasionally ask the general-education teacher in passing, “Is everything going okay with (student ’s name)?” The general-education teacher answers, “Fine” and then both teachers head off in opposite directions to work with the students they teach. One limitation of this mindset and practice for teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing is the quantity of time over the course of the school 40 John L. Luckner year that they are able to work individually with a specific student. For example , if such a teacher works with a student once a week for an hour, then that student will receive approximately 38 hours of direct service over the course of the school year (19 hours if the teacher works with the student for only 30 minutes a week and 76 hours if the teacher works with the student for 2 hours a week). Compare this with the same student who is likely to spend 1,235 hours with a general-education teacher or 1,825 hours with a parent throughout the year. Ultimately, it may be more appropriate for these teachers to assume the role of a case manager rather than a direct-service provider. As case managers , teachers of students with a hearing loss consult, collaborate, coach, and promote the team process with the adults who spend the most time working with these...