TIES TIPS Communicative Competence

Introduction

Including learners with significant communication needs in the general education classroom will require additional planning for general and special education teachers as well as related service providers. These include speech-language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists, and vision/hearing specialists.  Coordinating the work of these service providers and leveraging their expertise can result in a high quality experience for all the learners in an inclusive class.

Evidence

A recent review of the literature (Kleinert, Kearns, Liu, Thurlow, & Lazarus, 2019) on the implementation of Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) in the inclusive classroom found team planning and collaboration to be an evidence-based practice that demonstrated positive results consistently across the cases examined (Biggs, Carter,& Gustafson, 2017; Hunt, Soto, Maier, Muller, & Goetz, 2002; Rhodes, 2016). In addition, integrated related services delivered in the classroom as opposed to a separate classroom have resulted in high quality service delivery (Downing, 2004). 

Definition

Augmentative alternative communication (AAC) refers to communication methods (other than oral speech) used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas (Kleinert, Holman, McSheehan, & Kearns, 2010).

Implementation

Team planning requires the gathering of the service delivery team, including educators and related service providers, on a regular basis to discuss student progress, problem-solve challenges, plan lessons, and determine appropriate supports and accommodations needed to implement the lessons and maximize student participation. A “regular basis” can mean weekly to monthly, 5-10 minute meetings to touch base or 50 minute meetings for extensive planning. Teams should develop a schedule based on, whatever can be successfully maintained by all the team members.

The implementation of team planning for communication in the inclusive class includes a number of components.  These include scheduling the time, leading productive meetings, problem-solving difficult challenges, implementing a strategy for ongoing staff communication to address student needs between meetings, and integrating the delivery of related services. Electronic participation, such as teleconferencing or phone conferencing, can be useful alternatives when physical presence by all team members is not feasible. Planning specific to a student may also include the parents who can participate in person of by electronic means.

Scheduling Time

Scheduling time to meet is likely the biggest hurdle for collaborative teams. However, this practice will result in saved time and improved efficiency, not to mention increased effectiveness on the part of educators in how they work with each other in supporting students. Prioritizing the set aside time is essential. One strategy is to commit to a monthly team meeting and a five-minute weekly “stand up” meeting to address items that come up. Sample strategies for freeing team member time for team meetings include hiring a permanent rotating substitute teacher, using non-teaching staff and paraprofessionals, sharing activities for two classes, and implementing distance technology or conference calls (Causton & Tracy-Bronson, 2014).

Productive Meetings

Productive meetings begin with an agenda and a time structure for team training and collaboration (see Sample Team Meeting Agenda ). Agenda items may include, but are not limited to, planning the next unit or lessons so that the target student’s communication and participation tools and devices enable active communication, seating and room arrangement solutions to accommodate wheelchairs or other equipment, service delivery solutions for “all hands on deck” lessons, and communication strategy modeling.  The following strategies can be helpful:

• Use rules and protocols to frame how the team will work together. Group rules include strategies for staying on task, using an inquiry approach, using data and evidence, and managing time (see the Setting Team Rules and Protocols sheet).
• Create action plans and meeting notes that specify the actions and team member assignments for follow-up responsibilities.
• Complete follow-up responsibilities, implement interventions and recommended strategies.
• Evaluate the team’s work together in terms of completion of the agenda, completion of previous follow-up items, and implementation of collaborative practices across the team.
• Practice personal reflection on individual collaboration skills and seek to continually improve (see Team Behavior and Actions Analysis (Individual) and Team Behavior and Actions Analysis (Team) rating form).

Problem Solving

If an agenda item requires a problem-solving approach, using a protocol for problem solving is a helpful strategy.  Such protocols include the following: 1) Identify and clarify the problem, 2) seek solutions, 3) prioritize solutions, 4) determine action steps, and 5) assign responsibilities (see the sample Problem-Solving Protocol ). As with other meeting protocols, using the meeting strategies listed above will improve the results.

Ongoing Communication

Integrated Related Services

Example: Team Collaboration in Action

Tyler is a young boy who communicates through multiple modalities, including using his “Talkie,” an AAC device. Listen to his team of general educators, special educators, related service providers, his mother, and external facilitators as they share their three-year journey to support Tyler and his communication in the general education classroom.

What did the team learn about how to best support Tyler? What did they learn about themselves and the power of collaboration?

Summary

Implementing regular team meetings that include related service providers will improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the inclusive classroom as it taps into and maximizes the expertise of the all team members. This collaboration directly benefits students with significant communication needs, but also can support other students as well. Successful teams maximize their planning time together by creating an agenda, problem-solving, using team norms, and evaluating their work together.