Inclusion Strategies That Work!

Toby J. Karten is an experienced educator who has been immersed in the field of special education for her entire career. As an accomplished author and researcher, she has presented successful staff development to local, national, and international audiences. Toby is affiliated with Drew and Monmouth University and is an adjunct professor and graduate instructor at the Regional Training Center, which is affiliated with Gratz College and The College of New Jersey. Being involved in the field of special education for the past three decades has afforded Ms. Karten an opportunity to help many children and adults from elementary through graduate levels around the world. She has been a resource teacher, staff developer, adult educator, and inclusion coach and consultant in New York and New Jersey schools and in many districts nationally and globally. In addition to her roles as an inclusion coach, student and family advocate, professional developer, mentor and resource teacher, Toby designed graduate courses titled From Challenge to Success; LD, ADHD, and the Spectrum and Skills and Strategies for Inclusion and disABILITY Awareness.  She has trained instructors in three states to teach her courses. In addition, she has designed online courses for NaMaYa titled Collaborative Practices for Inclusive Classrooms and Interventions for Students with Dyslexia and Other Reading Differences. She has been recognized by both the Council for Exceptional Children and the New Jersey Department of Education as an exemplary educator, receiving two Teacher of the Year awards. She earned an undergraduate degree in special education from Brooklyn College, a master of science in special education from the College of Staten Island, a supervisory degree from Georgian Court University, and an honorary doctorate from Gratz College. Toby has authored several books and resources about inclusion practices and the CCSS, which are currently used for instruction on many college and university campuses and schools throughout the world.Ms. Karten is married, has a son, and a few dogs. She enjoys teaching, reading, writing, artwork, and most of all, learning.  Toby believes that inclusion does not begin and end in the classroom, but is a philosophy that continues throughout life. Hence, inclusion is not only research-based, but life-based as well!

"Inclusion Strategies That Work! Third Edition is a must for educators and parents who are looking for the one reference book on inclusion. Not only does it provide a wealth of information, it directs the reader to a host of other valuable resources and covers important basics which other professional books fail to address, such as ′Cultural Concerns for Special Learners′ and ′Teen Culture.′" "Toby Karten’s sensitivity to respecting and meeting the diverse needs for students underscores the book. She embraces differences and provides a roadmap to inclusion. "

• List of Inclusive Activities and Worksheets for Teachers and StudentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the Author1. Examining the Research Base and Legal Considerations in Special Education, CCSS Connections, and the Reasons for InclusionDisability LegislationIntroduction: Why Do Inclusion?Establishing Legislative KnowledgeDisability Categories Under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)History of the Americans with Disabilities ActCivil Rights for Students with Disabilities Under Section 504Past, Present, and Future ConcernsCommon Core State StandardsCooperative Legislative ReviewImplications of the Elementary and Secondary Education ActTranslating Research Into Learning Strategies That WorkInclusion and the Student With Disabilities2. Understanding Complicated Special Education Terminology and the Effects of LabelsDisability IntrospectionBeing Treated DifferentlyMerits of IndividualityDisability Awareness Classroom SuggestionsViewing Differences in Books and MoviesDifferent ChoicesPreparation for Successful InclusionFocusing on Abilities3. Establishing Successful Inclusive ClassroomsStrategies That Work With All LearnersEffective IngredientsApplying Diverse StrategiesStrategic CCSS ApplicationsEstablishing Prior KnowledgeThe Goal of Special EducationMotivating and Personalizing Learning ChoicesMultiple Intelligences of StudentsLearning AnalysisConcretizing LearningLearning DesignsProblem- and Project-Based Learning ConnectionsKinesthetic ConnectionsSensory Approaches and Learning Modalities4. Next, Writing and Applying the Individualized Education ProgramWhat Exactly Is an IEP?Practical Guidelines for Using and Writing the IEPAppropriate Goals and Skills to Consider When Writing an IEPHow to Track and Document IEPsIEP ChallengesImplementing Adaptations by Charting Lessons5. Introducing Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Issues Into the CurriculumConnecting Cognitive and Affective SkillsAddressing Emotional IntelligencesBehavioral Approaches for EducatorsFunctional Behavioral AssessmentTransitional ServicesWays to Teach Social SkillsClassroom Climate6. Reaching and Co-Teaching Your StudentsEducational CollaborationBuilding Productive RelationshipsCollaborating as a TeamClassroom DynamicsMore Lesson ConcernsTeen Culture7. The Common Core State Standards and Using the Three Rs to Guide Instruction and AssessmentFirst R: ReadingSecond R: ’RitingThird R: ’RithmeticComplementing the BasicsArtful EducationScience by Observing, Doing, and ThinkingSocial Studies: Connecting Students to Their WorldValuing Physical EducationInterdisciplinary Approach: Educational Salads8. Emphasizing Comprehension and Study SkillsLearning More About LearningDeveloping Better PracticesTeaching for More UnderstandingOrganized Environments9. Assessing, Testing, and Grading Your StudentsPurposeful Assessment RepresentationsClassroom ScenariosUser-Friendly Testing FormatsAssessment TrendsCCSS and AssessmentsRubrics10. Working With Parents and Families of Students With DisabilitiesValuing Parents and FamiliesParents, Families, and Teachers as AlliesResources and Organizations for Parents, Guardians, and Families11. Infusing Technology Into the Inclusive ClassroomBenefits and Promising FuturesClassroom and Community Implications and ResourcesSample High School In-Class Lesson—Combining Literature and TechnologyEducational Ideas, Websites, and ResourcesSites to Investigate for Students and Staff Across the Curriculum12. Reflecting as Classroom PracticeReviewing and Maintaining SkillsPreteach, Teach, ReteachSumming Up the LearningCombining ElementsResourcesResource A. Disability TablesResource B. OrganizationsResource C. Alphabetized AcronymsReferences and Further ReadingsIndex