Creating a Culture of Inclusion The Role of Senior Staff

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Creating a Cultureof InclusionThe Role of
Senior Staff

• April 6, 2005
• SIATech _at_ Job Corps
• Michelle McNevin mcnevinmi_at_siatech.org
• Diane Fairchild fairchildd_at_siatech.org

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Change the Conversation, Change the Culture

• Dispel the myths
• Who really are our clients?
• Inclusion increased stats
• How do our students learn? How are they smart?
  How are we teaching them?
• How do senior, regional, and
• contractor staff model values?

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Inclusion Where does it start on your Center?
STUDENT
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Outreach Admissions

• Work with OA staff to develop consistent
  in-take procedures regarding students with
  disabilities
• OA staff begin the process of inclusion by
  fostering a safe, open conversation about special
  needs
• Does OA staff provide applicant with information
  on disability program?
• How does OA staff disability coordinator work
  together to gather supporting documentation?
• Promising practice Is a plan in place when
  student arrives?

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Identification of Learning Styles

• Visual
• Aural
• Read/Write
• Kinesthetic

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Visual

• Needs to see it to know it
• Like charts graphs and diagrams
• Strong sense of color, color codes notes
• Likes to highlight and underline info
• Internalize text through visualization
• Difficulty with spoken directions

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Aural

• Prefer to get info by listening
• Can repeat verbal input with high accuracy
• Like to discuss topics with teachers and other
  students, or possibly anybody who will listen
• Like narratives, jokes and stories
• May have difficulty with reading and writing
• May have difficulty following written directions

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ReadWrite

• Likes handouts, textbooks and manuals
• Likes words, lists, definitions, glossaries
• Prefer lecturers who use words well and have lots
  of info in sentences and notes
• Will write/rewrite ideas, principles and verbal
  instructions into other words
• Respond better to written feedback than oral
  comments
• Absolutely love this slide

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Kinesthetic

• Likes to use all their senses
• Connected to reality, learning through
  experience, example, practice or simulation
• Likes hands on approaches trial and error
• Needs movement like physical tasks
• Prefers lecturers who give real life examples

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VARK Website Info

• www.vark-learn.com
• Adult Version
• Adult Spanish Version
• High School Version
• WWW.PHXJCC.ORG/LS
• Job Corps Version

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Career Preparation Period

• Are accommodation plans distributed in a discreet
  supportive way?
• Does senior staff monitor implementation and use
  of plans?
• Begin to collaborate with each student. How are
  skills aligned with vocational choices? job
  carving
• How are we building appropriate profiles? How is
  the student smart?
• Does your Interdisciplinary Team meet during
  this phase to ensure the plan is appropriate to
  continue in CDP?
• How is information forwarded to CDP staff?

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Career Development Period

• How do you know if CDP staff are aware of
  students accommodation plan? What do they do
  with them?
• Does instructional staff utilize any formal or
  informal assessment data to design appropriate
  instruction?
• What inclusive teaching strategies do staff use
  to reach/teach ALL students?
• Does staff revisit PCDP often to ensure a proper
  match of skills to trade and desired outcomes?
• Is the accommodation plan revisited to make
  adjustments if necessary?
• How and when does CTP staff get information? Is
  it too late?

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Career Transition Period

• How do we bridge CTP with all levels of CDSS?
• How do they get information on students
  strengths, skills, learning styles, special
  needs, and accomplishments to ensure proper
  placements?
• How are they working with outside agencies and
  resources for continued training support if
  needed?
• How are they reinforcing self-advocacy
  Realistic skills, strengths, weaknesses, ways I
  learn best?
• Does CTP staff have training opportunities?

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Disability TeamsHow are all center staff
involved?

• Outreach Admissions Managers
• Academic Vocational Managers
• Counseling Managers
• Placement/Transition Managers
• CPP Managers
• Health Wellness Managers
• Center Standards Officers Safety Officers
• Center Mental Health Consultants
• High School staff members

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How Can Senior Staff Create a Culture of
Inclusion?

• OA practices
• Disability Coordinator
• Accessibility (physical and programmatic)
• Accommodation plans
• Team meetings (IDT)
• Resources/networking
• Using inclusive practices and instructional
  strategies

• Trainings for staff
• Trainings for students
• Senior staff models values
• Evaluate staff on program principles
• Hold all staff accountable for principles
• Change the conversation

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What about you?

• What values do your behaviors communicate?
• What would your staff say about that?
• Lets face it, we are all about stats What
  else beyond the stats do you promote?
• How do your personal attitudes and beliefs affect
  the culture on your center?
• How do you know?