inclusion in early childhood education: the mccam model

Presentation by Pauline Watson Campbell, BH(M), MsC, OTR, Founder

and Executive Director

Inclusion in Early

Childhood Education:

The McCam Model

Inclusion in Early Childhood Education: The McCam Model

JTA Continuing Education Conference on Best Practices in Education

April 23, 2014

Inclusion in Education

“The challenge confronting the inclusive school is that of developing a child-centred pedagogy capable of successfully educating all children, including those who have serious disadvantages and disabilities. The merit of such schools is not only that they are capable of providing quality Education to all children; their establishments is a crucial step In helping to change discriminatory attitudes, in creating welcoming communities and in developing an inclusive Society” (Salamanca Statement, 1991 p.6)



The McCam Centre and Inclusion

• The McCam Child Development Centre has for twenty-eight (28) years offered an inclusive early childhood programme.

• Not a philanthropic move but a practical approach by myself to offer early intervention for children with special needs.

Motto: Its no small thing to influence a child so fresh from the hands of God

Presentation by Pauline Watson

Campbell, BH(M), MsC, OTR, Founder and Executive Director

The McCam Model of Inclusion

MODEL ONE• Children as models

Children who were typically developing were to be models for their peers.

• Early intervention not Inclusion was in the forefront of planning the McCam Programme

• We focused on children 3 months – 6 years• Modeling appropriate behaviours and

developmentalPresentation by Pauline Watson


The McCam Model of Inclusion MODEL ONE CONTD.

Therapy and Education combinedPopulation - children with all types of challenges (medical, physical, developmental) and presenting at varying levels of involvement (mild to severe).

• For the first time a programme with specialists for intervention as educators and therapists at the early childhood level, all in one place.

• The approach was effective but expensive.




The Centre-based and satellite model (inclusion and integration

• 1989 -The first seminar on inclusion was held here in Kingston by the McCam Centre in partnership with the Netherlands Embassy.

• The first McCam Unit Class was started in 1990 and the second in 1991 (now the Promise Learning Centre)




All Children accommodated• Children with sensory deficits (visual and hearing

impairments), children with behavioural problems (autism spectrum disorder), and children with learning disabilities were all considered.

• Children with different levels of presentation (mild, moderate and severe).

• Children with medically-related diagnosis• Children with multiple disabilities



The GoJ and International Agreements on Inclusion

• Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC) (May 1991)

• Salamanca Statement on Education for Children with Special Needs (June 1994)

• Dakar Framework for Action (April 2000) Education for All (EFA)

• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (December 2006);



Salamanca Statement (1994)

• World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality.

• Called for Inclusion to be the norm• Guiding principle:

1. Ordinary schools should accept all children regardless of physical, social, intellectual, linguistics or other conditions. 2. Children are to attend neighbourhood schools that their nondisabled peers.



Inclusion in Education: Ministry of Education Plan of Action

National Education Strategic Plan (2011-2020)• Strategic Objective 1: Provide equitable access

and/or attachment to a high quality education system for all Jamaican children ages 3-18

• NESP Strategic Objective 7: Enable all learners in the education system to manage challenges and achieve their developmental goals through integrated curriculum offerings and support services, to become well-adjusted healthy and secure individuals.



Guiding Principle on Inclusive Education

• Children with special needs are accepted into regular education, beginning at the preschool level, and including recreational programmes with their peers. This is mandated by law. It is about belonging, being valued and having choices (Allen et. al; 2006. p. 3)



McCam Model on InclusionEvolved Model

• Model - provide an ideal in standards of operations and practice (clinical and educational) that are based on ethical principles of practice and Child Rights Proclamations - JCRC, CRPDs

• A prototype of Inclusion that considers educational opportunities for ALL; socio-cultural influences and economic realities. The McCam Centre must meet the standards of the ECC but its framework encompasses services that are outside of the norm (see Framework).



Operational Framework

Theoretical Underpinnings Intervention, Inclusion and Early

Childhood • Children’s developmental period (0-6 years) is

the optimal time for laying a rich foundation for learning.

• The brain is most plastic for receiving and integrating information.

• Children learn about and make sense of their world. The social theorists tell us that it is when the child learns about community expectations, rules of engagement and (Vygosky….).

• Adults and children as models. Presentation by Pauline Watson


The McCam Model of Inclusion, 2014

• Interventions are combined with education and care for best results.

(Education + Therapy + Care + Environment = Best Results)• Children with special needs learn from their

peers by modeling their behaviours at play and in the classroom

• Positive reinforcement is the main approach to behaviour management

• All children with special needs are assessed prior to entering the programme (basis for IEP and lesson planning)



The McCam Model of Inclusion, 2014

• Individual education plans (IEPs) are developed from assessment findings. Teachers lesson plans reflect IEPs

• All children’s development are monitored through the McCam Developmental Checklist 4x yearly: - to establish baseline for programme, - to allow for adjustments to after each term



Elements of the McCam Model, 2014

PROGRAMME• Baseline determined for all children. Continued

monitoring of all children 4 x yearly (use of McCam Checklist).

• Goal setting based on assessment findings + McCam Checklist, agreed on by parents and teachers (reviewed 2 x yearly)

• Regular and special education programmes in each classroom (group teaching and IEPs)

• Regular Team meetings (clinical team and teachers)• Full staff meetings 3 – 4 x term




Composition Intervention Team • Programme Director Team Leader• School Psychologist • Therapists – O.T., SLT; ABA• Teachers – Spec. Ed., ECPs/Practical Nurses• Teacher Assistants &/or Student Assistant




Interventions Offered• Regular and Special Education• Speech & Occupational Therapies• Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) • Social Skills Training Note 1. Parents are strongly advised to register their

child for one or more interventionsNote 2. Some children on the autism spectrum may

require all interventions Presentation by Pauline Watson


Inclusion in (Early Childhood) Education

Recommendations • Teachers must be educated to recognise ‘red

flags’ of various disabilities and disorders of children with special needs

• Teachers must learn basic strategies for addressing children’s learning needs

• Support Staff should be available , i.e. special educator, guidance counselor, specialist teachers (reading), itinerant clinical team

• Lower teacher: student ratio




Recommendations contd.• Minimise physical hindrances (organisation of

classrooms for optimal learning)• The environment must be accessible• Regular staff meetings (1 x monthly)• Scheduled team meetings with parents, teachers,

support staff, education officers (regular and special education) to review goals




• Record!, record!, record! – teachers must produce evidence of actions taken and the results.

• Use resource materials incld. curricula, screening instruments provided for lesson plans

• A change in attitude towards children with special needs




• Some students with special needs are not suited for the inclusive classroom!– Children with symptoms/presentations in the

moderate to severe range



Indentifying the Child with Special Needs

• The use of the developmental PASSPORT will ensure the sharing of information which can accelerate the assessment and intervention process for children with special needs. No child should fall through the crack.

• Developmental checklists – provides evidence of a child’s progress over time at different levels.

• Trauma checklist (developed by the McCam Centre)



Challenges to Inclusion

Over the 28 years we learnt that:• Inclusion is not embraced by everyone. • Some persons fear negative influences • Parents of children with atypical development

are very protective • The cost of the services, that is, small classes, • High teacher to children ratio (1:10/12, 1:3)



• Therapeutic interventions (OT, Speech, PT, ABA…)



Lessons Learnt over Twenty-eight years

• The group within the classroom must be homogenous, i.e. level of involvement, type of special need

• Number of children with behavioural challenges in a classroom should be limited to 2 or 3

• Teachers must have support – technical and specialist support

• Teachers must know and understand the diagnosis of the children (training is key)

• Teachers must have training in behaviour management techniques



Best Practices

Years of experiences shaped the development ofa model that is: • Evidence-based – allows for data collection

and analysis, monitors progress • Team-based – considers the contribution of

teachers, therapists and administrative staff • Skills –based, not academic focused • Child-centred – ‘wrap around effect’



Best Practices

• Meets the requirements for National Registration (ECC Process)

• Links national services in education, health and social services

• Continued training in special education



STAFF

CURRI

S & T RATIOIEP

INTERVENTIONS

STAFF

McCam Model for Inclusion

PARENT

PARENT

WRAP AROUND EFFECT

“It’s no small thing to influence a child so fresh from the hands of God.”



inclusion in early childhood education: the mccam model

Documents

pauline watson campbell

mccam model presentation

executive directorpresentation

mccam model jta

executive directorinclusion

satellite model inclusion

mccam programmewe

early childhood education