TOWARD AN INCLUSIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN: A MULTIMEDIA TRAINING PROGRAM

AN INCLUSIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IS A GOAL SUPPORTED BY SPECIAL AND GENERAL EDUCATORS. ACHIEVING INCREASED INCLUSION WILL AID SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY. TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE MODELS OF SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT AND CLASSROOM PROGRAMS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF PROCESSES OF DEVELOPING AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM ARE CURRENTLY LACKING. THIS PROPOSED PROJECT SEEKS TO DEVELOP AN INTERACTIVE TRAINING PACKAGE DESIGNED TO TEACH GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS ABOUT SUCCESSFUL MODELS OF INCLUSION AS WELL AS EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM PRACTICES. DURING PHASE I, MACRO WILL WORK WITH AN ADVISORY TEAM TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF SEVERAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNS AND TECHNOLOGY-BASED DELIVERY SYSTEMS, SUCH AS INTERACTIVE VIDEODISC (IVD) AND COMPACT DISC-INTERACTIVE (CDI-I). THE FLEXIBILITY AND INTERACTIVITY OF THESE MEDIA WILL SUPPORT A TRAINING PACKAGE THAT CAN BE USED BY EDUCATORS IN A VARIETY OF ROLES, SUCH AS POLICY MAKERS, ADMINISTATORS, AND TEACHERS, AND IN A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTS, SUCH AS INDIVIDUAL LEARNING SESSIONS, PRESERVICE CLASSES, AND INSERVICE WORKSHOPS. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A DESIGN OF A MULTIMEDIA PROGRAM TO EXPAND INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN A FORMAT LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED BY THE INDUSTRY AND MARKET.