Observations of Activities and Tasks of Paraprofessionals in Inclusive Classrooms
Margaret G.
Werts, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
In many elementary
classrooms that enroll children with disabilities, modifications to the
teaching styles, the curriculum and the staffing patterns are necessary. One
such modification is the addition of paraprofessionals to the classroom staff
to assist the teacher and the children in the classroom in varied ways. Most of
these activities occur in general education classrooms where there is little
outside supervision and, therefore, we do not know what happens in the
classroom staffed by more than one educator. The purpose of this project is to
determine what is occurring in elementary classrooms staffed by both a teacher
and a paraprofessional. As a result, four objectives are proposed: (a) To
assess the nature of the activities, roles, and functions of paraprofessionals
assigned to assist children with disabilities in general education, elementary
classrooms; (b) To validate observed activities, roles, and functions of
paraprofessionals assigned to general education, elementary classrooms that
include a child with disabilities; (c) To assess the efficacy of training
paraprofessionals using a description of activities as a basis for change; and
(d) To develop and disseminate a monograph describing the patterns of use of
paraprofessionals.
A quantitative, interval-based observation of paraprofessionals and children with moderate to severe disabilities in 36 classrooms will be conducted. Interviews with participating teachers and paraprofessionals will be conducted to elicit suggestions and recommendations for behavior and training. Results will yield descriptions of patterns of paraprofessional behavior that will be validated for their generalizability through a national survey of teachers and paraprofessionals. A monograph describing the extant and desirable practices will be disseminated through several mechanisms.
III.���� Project Status
����������� In this section, progress on each objective is described. The period covered is the first and second budget period: specifically from the end of the previous reporting period (5/18/99) to 30 days prior to the due date of this report (1/11/2000).
Objective 1: To assess the nature of the
activities, roles, and functions of paraprofessionals assigned to general
education, elementary classrooms that include a child with disabilities.
Proposed Activities (from
page 7 of the grant application). For this objective, two observation studies will be
conducted across 36 primary and intermediate elementary classrooms (18 primary
level classrooms and 18 intermediate level classrooms) that have a teacher and
a paraprofessional assigned because of the enrollment of a child with
disabilities. The observations will be evenly divided among urban, rural, and
suburban schools. The observation will be an interval sampling procedure that
will cover at least 3 days of class time and 1 hour each day. An observer will
record the activities of the paraprofessional and a child with disabilities in
the classroom. The observation instrument contains intervals that are arranged
in pairs; that is, two types of intervals are scored. In the first interval of
each pair, the observer scores the instructional grouping in which the
paraprofessional is engaged and the proximity to the child with a disability.
In the second interval, roles or functions are scored. Simultaneously, another
observer will record activities of the child with a disability. In the first
interval, the task in which the child is engaged is scored along with
instructional grouping. In the second interval, child behavior is coded.
Progress to date. Progress has been made on
this objective in 6 areas.
1.
Permission
to conduct research has been requested and approved by the university
Institutional Review Board for the observation study.
2.
We
have written and refined a system for observing in classrooms. The system was
refined from that proposed to include relevant factors determined from a
previously conducted study on paraprofessionals and from feedback from teachers
and colleagues during presentations. As proposed, the observation will be an
interval sampling procedure that will cover a total of 4 �� hours of class time over at least 3 days.
One observer records the activities of the paraprofessional and a child with
disabilities in the classroom. However, the observation instrument, as revised,
contains four types of intervals. First, a set of intervals focuses on the role
of the paraprofessional and the grouping of students in which the person is
working. Second, the coding focuses on the persons with whom the
paraprofessional is interacting (teacher, student with disabilities, other
students, or other adults in the area.). Third, the observer codes the type of
interaction that is occurring (physical, gestural or verbal) and the distance
of the paraprofessional from the student with disabilities. Fourth, the
observer codes information about the child with disabilities: Is the student
engaged? Is the student engaged in the same task as the rest of the class? Is
the student interacting with the paraprofessional or the teacher?
3.
Six
staff members have been trained and are reliable on use of the observation
code. Training was conducted through reading written descriptions of the
behaviors, use of videotapes to observe behaviors, and observations in selected
classrooms.
4.
The
superintendent of the Watauga County School District, Dr. Richard Jones, has
been contacted and has given permission to conduct research. In one elementary
school, (Hardin Park) the principal arranged meetings with three classroom
teachers who then secured permission from parents of three students with
disabilities. Teacher and paraprofessional permission slips were distributed
and returned. The three paraprofessionals have been observed and the data is
being analyzed. Since the spring semester, 2 other observations have been
completed, one is ready to start, and several are pending awaiting parental
permissions. Other school principals in Watauga County have been
contacted.� In Green valley Elementary
School, one observation is ready to begin and another is awaiting parent
permission. In Valle Crusis, 3 are pending. In Mabel School, one observation is
pending. In Cover Creek School, one has been completed.
5.
The
Special Education director for Avery County, Dr. Suzanne Wehner, has been
instrumental in assisting us in finding sites in her county. Four observations
have been completed at banner Elk school and 1 is ready to complete at
Crossnore school.
6.
In
Ashe County, 2 observations are ready will all permissions secured.
7.
In
Yadkin County, 2 observations have been completed at West Yadkiun Elementary
School.
8.
In
Caldwell, Catawba, Wilkes, and Alleghany counties, we have made contacts and
are pursuing the required permissions
9.
Outside
of North Carolina, 9 observation have been completed in suburban and city
schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Contact has been made with persons
involved with the Metropolitan Public Schools in Nashville, Tennessee and
Mountain City, Tennessee.
10.
By
the May 11 date, 21 classrooms had been observed.� The classrooms have been in 3 counties in North Carolina and 1
county in Pennsylvania. They include schools that are rural, suburban, and in
cities. The sample of paraprofessionals consists of 1 male and the remaining
females ranging in age from I their 20�s to in their 60�s. Eight were
paraprofessionals assigned to a classroom. Others were assigned to a classroom
to accompany a student with disabilities.�
All but one paraprofessional was hired by the school districts. One was
a contracted worker. The 24 students were in kindergarten through fifth grade
and diagnoses included students with Down Syndrome, Asperger�s Disease, Autism,
Learning Disabilities, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Developmental Delay,
and Other Health Impaired.
Analysis of the data from
the observation is on-going. The data is entered into a specially designed data
base and pie graphs are generated to be used to share the classroom observation
data with the teachers and paraprofessionals. An aggregate of the data is also
generated for comparative purposes.�
Statistical analysis on the entire data base is not scheduled until the
observations are completed.
Objective 2: To validate
observed activities, roles, and functions of paraprofessionals assigned to
general education, elementary classrooms that include a child with
disabilities.
Proposed Activities (from
page 8 of the grant application). Two studies will build on information gathered from
observations in Year 1 and Year 2. First, an interview study in Years 1 and 2
will be conducted with teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents of the children
who are observed. Participants (paraprofessionals) and others involved in the process
(teachers) will be asked to comment on patterns of paraprofessional and child
behaviors that are seen in classrooms to validate how the observation data
match perceptions of those involved. Additionally, these stakeholders will be
asked to comment on their satisfaction with practices and sources of
discrepancy, if any. They will make recommendations to improve practices.
Parents will be interviewed
to obtain their perceptions of the impact of paraprofessionals� services on
education of their children. They will be invited to participate in interviews
that will focus on length of time a paraprofessional has been involved, changes
in personnel, level of communication with paraprofessionals and with teachers,
and satisfaction with practices.
Second, a national mail
survey will be conducted to validate patterns and trends seen in the
observations. A difficulty with recommendations made on observations with a
sample of teachers in one area of the country is that of generalizability. Are
the behaviors, roles, functions, and styles of interactions those that are seen
elsewhere?� To assess this, we will
synthesize the patterns seen in the observations and validate the extent to
which they reflect educators� perceptions of the practice nationwide.
Progress to date. Interviews have been
completed 10 students, teachers who work with 9 students and parents of 7
children. Other interviews are scheduled.�
As the interviews are completed, they are transcribed verbatim.� They will be analyzed for themes by at least
three staff members using a constant comparative method and discussion with the
full team on the salient factors. The interview themes will be compared to the
observation data and explored for patterns and outliers.
For the survey, no work
proposed for this budget period
Objective 3: To assess the efficacy of training paraprofessionals using a description of activities as a basis for change.
Proposed Activities (from
page 9 of the grant application). We propose to use information from observations and
interviews to provide training for paraprofessionals and teachers in inclusive
programs. Specifically, we will demonstrate the efficacy of using observed
behavior rather than self-reports of desired practices to move
paraprofessionals closer to the practices desired. We will use the synthesis of
practices document to pinpoint areas that a paraprofessional and teacher team
wishes to change. Then we will provide monitoring and feedback and measure the
effects of changes on academic engagement of children with disabilities.
Progress to date. Although no work was proposed for this
period, a series of three studies have been conducted based on a completed
study on paraprofessional proximity. One study explored the effects of
paraprofessional proximity on the academic engagement of intermediate-aged
students with disabilities. This study built on a previous study we conducted
(�Effects of Paraprofessional Proximity on Academic Engagement of Students with
Substantial Disabilities in Primary General Education Classrooms.�) Two studies
explored the effects of paraprofessional proximity on the social contacts of
primary-aged and intermediate aged students with disabilities with (a) their
general education teachers, and (b) their classmates. The data collection has
been completed, and the data analysis is underway for each of the three
studies. We are expecting the results will add to the knowledge base and allow
us to make better-informed decisions about training studies that are proposed
for Year 03. The article on academic proximity is now in revision and will be
resubmitted soon. The article on a combination of social and academic
interactions for intermediate aged students is in preparation.� The article on the effects of proximity on
social interactions of children in primary grades is in preparation.� A panel discussion of this study has been
accepted for discussion at CEC in Vancouver in Arpil, 2000.
����������� Other
studies have also been started.� A study
using telephone interviews of paraprofessionals who have stayed in their
positions and those who have left to take other jobs has been undertaken.� The study is planned as a 2x2 matrix of
general education and special education paraprofessionals who have stayed and
who have left their positions. A follow up study of retention of
paraprofessionals in a residential school for students with sensory impairments
has been planned. These studies have been acceoted for presentation in
Portland, Oregon in April, 2000.
�����������
Objective 4:� To develop and disseminate a monograph
describing patterns of use of paraprofessionals in inclusive general education
elementary classrooms and recommendations for training made by teachers,
paraprofessionals, and parents.
Proposed Activities (from
page 10 of the grant application). The purpose of this objective is to develop a means
for quickly disseminating the findings of the project to teachers,
paraprofessionals, and teacher educators. We will write a monograph
synthesizing the findings from observations, interviews, a national survey, and
a paraprofessional training study. The major activities including writing text,
securing teacher and paraprofessional reviews of content, revising the text,
and disseminating it to relevant audiences. We will offer the monograph to a
national organization such as CEC or NASBE for rapid dissemination.
����������� Progress
to date. No work proposed for this budget period.
Additional
dissemination of information related to the project:
The table included in
Appendix B indicates the dates, settings, and titles of dissemination activities
that have occurred during this grant period.�
For each objective, the
proposed activities are target for completion with the budgeted time period for
the grant (10/1/98-9/30/2001). We added an additional activity for the fall of
1999. On September 17 and 18th, 1999, Dr. Nancy French conducted a
workshop for teachers, administrators, and faculty involved in teacher
preparation on supervising and working with paraprofessionals. We have offered
participation in this workshop to teachers and other practitioners in the five
county area. Dr. French is supplying her travel and fees and we are supplying
her lodging, stipends for participants, pay for substitute teachers for school
personnel, and on-site costs. Over 40 persons in pre-service teacher
preparation, IHE faculty, in-service teachers, and project staff attended the
conference. The list of attendees is included in the Appendix.
����������� Five additional studies have been added thus far.
Presentations
|
Date |
presenter |
Conference/Presentation |
Title |
|
12/8/98 |
MGW |
Division
for Early Childhood/CEC |
Effects
of Paraprofessional Proximity on Academic Engagement of Students with
Substantial Disabilities in Primary General Education Classrooms |
|
1/15/99 |
MGW |
Workshop
for faculty and staff of Mary Lin Elementary School, Atlanta, GA |
Multi-level
Instruction: Teaching on Different Levels |
|
2/3/99 |
MGW |
Presentation
to graduate students: Appalachian State University |
Paraprofessionals
in Inclusive Classrooms: A Review of the Current Literature |
|
3/25/99 |
MGW |
Presentation
to Project WINS staff and participating practitioners; Kennesaw State
University, Atlanta, GA |
Paraprofessionals
in Inclusive Classrooms |
|
4/16/99 |
MGW |
Council
for Exceptional Children |
Effects
of Paraprofessional Proximity on Academic Engagement of Students with
Substantial Disabilities in Primary General Education Classrooms |
|
6/28/99 |
MGW |
Summer
institute on Inclusive Practices |
Help
there�s another adult in my classroom! Teaming and collaboration among
teachers and paraprofessionals |
|
7/15/99 |
MGW |
Project
Director�s Meeting |
Effects
of Paraprofessional Proximity on Academic Engagement of Students with
Substantial Disabilities in Primary General Education Classrooms (Poster) |
|
9/17/99 |
MGW
|
Paraprofessional
Conference |
Preliminary
data on effects of paraprofessional proximity on social interactions |
|
12/10/99 |
MGW |
Division
for Early Childhood |
Literature
review on the Use of Paraprofessionals |
|
3/13/2000 |
MGW DCL |
Central
Elementary School Hampton
Township School District Allison
Park, PA |
Overview
of 4 proximity studies on how to use paraprofessionals |
|
3/13/2000 |
MGW DCL |
Hance
Elementary School Pine-Richland
School District Gibsonia,
PA |
Overview
of 4 proximity studies on how to use paraprofessionals |
|
3/14/2000 |
MGW DCL |
WestView
Elementary School North
Hills School District Pittsburgh,
PA |
Overview
of 4 proximity studies on how to use paraporfessionals |