Action Research Plan

Action Planning Goals and objectives/outcomes of the research investigation Determine if it is effective to educate special needs students in inclusion classrooms versus self-contained and or resource classrooms? Determine if collaboration between special education teachers and general education teachers ensure that the needs of special education students are being met through differentiated instruction and support in the general education classroom? Activities designed to achieve the objectives Meet with director of special education. Look at number of special education students in inclusion classrooms. Record weekly quiz and exams, benchmarks and TAKS scores in a chart displaying both special needs and general education students. Develop a questionnaire that will ask teachers how they develop their instruction for the class and the methods used to implement the instructions collaboratively. Develop a questionnaire that will ask students their perceptions of how they are taught along with the expectations placed on them by their teachers. Observe students in inclusion classrooms. Record thoughts from the results of the data charts and observations. Resources and research tools needed for data gathering Weekly achievement tests State achievement exam Interviews Journal Teacher surveys Student surveys Draft timeline for completion or implementation of active Meet with director – February-March 2011 & August 2011-May 2012 Gather data of students in inclusion setting – August –September 2011 Chart weekly quiz and exam, benchmarks and TAKS scores – August 2011-May 2012 Teacher questionnaires – September – October 2011 Student questionnaires- September-October 2011 Classroom observations – September 2011 – May 2012 Journal thoughts – August 2011-May 2012 Persons responsible for implementation of action research action plan Myself Director of special education Special education teachers General education teachers working with special needs students Campus principals Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives Analyze the subjects being taught and note special needs students’ scores compared to their general education peers. Determine overall effectiveness of collaborative teaching of special needs students. Analyze how teachers and students both special and general education rate this process’s effectiveness. Analyze if the pace of the course contribute to the success and or failure of this educational process. Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study Action research question Student data Interviews Surveys Tests Observations Action Planning Template Goal:  To determine the effectiveness of educating special needs students in inclusion classrooms versus self-contained and resource classrooms.                                    Person(s)              Timeline:                Needed              Action Steps             Responsible          Start/End              Resources               Evaluation Discuss action research with supervisor Myself, Dr. Knop February – March, 2011 Student data, action plan Originate action research topic Gather data of students in inclusion setting Myself and special education teachers August- September, 2011 Students schedules Meet with general education teachers for information Create chart with data Myself August 2011- May, 2012 Access to school districts skyward program Evaluate data to see how special education students grades differ from general education students Develop teacher questionnaire to determine development of instructions Myself, participating teachers September-October, 2011 Survey monkey Determine effectiveness of collaborative instructions Develop student questionnaire to determine viewpoint of teacher expectations Myself, participating students September-October, 2011 Survey monkey Determine the effectiveness of teachers expectation placed on students Observe inclusion classrooms Myself, participating teachers September,2011-May, 2012 Use of communication skills, data, time, journal of pass observations Gain knowledge of collaboration between general and special education teachers, student progress and provide feedback Record in journal Myself participating teachers and students August 2011, - May, 2012 Data from teacher and student surveys, notes from observations and interviews Collect thoughts and finding to share and keep of the action research process

Reflection on Week 2 Research

What I learned from the scholars

I learned that data is very essential to the operation of a school and or district. All three scholars touched on the importance of exploring data before action research. They placed efficiency on the importance of continues research such as reading books, searching the internet, and conversations with nearby districts on the issues that you are concerned with or considering action reached. Also that research should be meaningful to the situations you are a part of and just not randomly researching.

Research Topics

Because I have a strong passion for the successful outcome of special education students I am considering to possible topics for research.

1. How would the performance level of special education students change if they are held to the same performance level as regular education students?

2. Is there a difference in the performance level of special needs students who are educated in an inclusion setting verses a self contained or resource setting?

How educational leaders might use blogs?

Educational leaders might use blogs as an addition resource to interact and or build a relationship with teachers, students and parents by posting and welcoming comments regarding school related issues.

What I have learned about action research and how I might use it.

I learned that action research has the power to make a great impact in schools as well as school districts. Action research can improve the quality of a school or district and its overall performance.  Learning to use action research can give teachers and principals the opportunity to grow, and  improve skills, through increase communication when working together to find a solution to a shared problem or concern, by  sharing feed back with team members, making decision with confidents and contributing more  to school issues and concerns. I believe teachers and principals work best with solving problems or issues that affect their everyday instructions or assignments.  I can use action research to address assistive technology concerns that addresses some of the life skills students in my district. Because action research takes place in a familiar environment and involves situations that deals with the students we teach or have contact with everyday, once the question or issue  to research is identified, the results whether successful or not can improve the way instructions are delivered or the way everyday business is conducted.

Action research allows teachers and principals the opportunity to work collaboratively to make changes that will impact students’ education.   The research is done with the intent that if the researchers findings are not successful they can always try again.