Quality of Inclusion Interview

Interviewer: Sarah Hirsch

Interviewee: Ellen Ruble (Special Education Teacher)
Date of Interview: 09/14/2016
1. Is the student actively participating in the classroom activities rather than merely
observing?
When I have observed Derek* in the general education classroom, he participates well
with the teachers and the other students. In his pullout services in the resource room with
other children in his similar level, he participates actively with these students as well.
2. Does the student choose his or her place to sit?
I know that Rosalie has an open seating policy in her classroom. In the resource room,
Derek is also able to choose who he will sit next to and which chair he would like at the
table.
3. Is an educator asking the student content questions to assess learning each day?
Rosalie does not ask Derek any content questions to assess his learning every day. She
has told me that she uses daily assignments to accomplish this task. I do not see Derek
everyday but we do activities that show me his learning when we do meet.
4. Are informal assessments used to monitor learning for this student?
Yes. I use reading activities and vocabulary activities to monitor his learning.
5. Does the student have opportunities to greet and communicate with his or her
peers?
Derek is able to communicate with the other children in his pullout services in the
resource room. I normally have the group do some activities together to build a sense of
community among each other since some of them come from different classrooms.
6. Do the educators speak directly to the student?
I make sure to speak directly to Derek when giving directions or asking him to perform a
certain task.
7. Does the student ask and answer questions?
Derek asks if he does not understand what I have just asked of him. He always does his
best to answer the questions that I may pose to him.

*Pseudonym

8. Do the peers understand how this student best communicates?

No one that works with him in the resource room has problems understanding him when
he is communicating to them.
9. Do the schools administrators actively participate in solving problems and
eliminating barriers to inclusion?
The administrators at this school are good at finding ways for the students to have the
highest level of inclusion that can be accomplished.
10. Does the administration encourage the special education teacher to regularly
observe students in the inclusive classroom setting?
They have not specifically spoken to me about doing this task, but it is in Dereks IEP
that I am to spend a certain amount of his allotted resource time to assisting him in the
classroom.

*Pseudonym