A personal reflection 177Alternate activity
Adapt the goals or outcome expectations while using the same materials.
Again in the same category of a modification rather than an accommodation,
an example from this category might involve expecting a student to locate just the
continents of world rather than the countries and which continents they belong
to or playing a simplified percussion part in a concert. Giving the widely varying
skillset often accompanying Autism its possible that the student may have skills in
areas way beyond the peers.
For example, a child with a deep interest in weather in hurricane- or tornado-
prone states might prepare and deliver a report to the class on causes and safety
when this type of weather occurs. If the student has difficulty communicating in
the spoken word there are many assistive communication devices that could be
used. Third grade found me with a fascination in deep space exploration, which
spurred me to give a presentation on the solar system.
Alternate curriculum
Instruction and materials are varied to meet individual student goals yet remain
aligned with the curriculum and prepare the student to return to the class with
their regular education peers where possible.
For example, a person having difficulty with penmanship due to motor control
issues might be pulled aside for a brief period of time from a writing class to learn
how to type on an AlphaSmart™ or other keyboard device in preparation for
returning to their peers for in-class writing assignments. However, this temporary
“pull out” from the regular classroom activities must not result in “geographical”
inclusion where a student is physically in the same room but works on often unre-
lated materials to the subject at hand, usually with a paraprofessional. This type of
“geographical inclusion” misinforms the regular education students that those with
special needs are very different creatures from the “rest of us” which is totally con-
trary to the philosophy of inclusion.
As a member of grade school musical ensembles, I remember the director asking
students experiencing difficulty playing their part to leave the rehearsal to learn
their part in a practice room. The expectation was that they would return upon
learning their music. This is a good example of alternate curriculum.
The Musashino Higashi Gakuen: An interesting inclusion
model from Japan
Just outside of Tokyo the Musashino Higashi Gakuen practices inclusion at the
schoolwide level. For most people in Japan the Musashino Higashi Gakuen is
2,500-student expensive, elite regular education school with a long waiting list
to attend. However, a knowledgeable observer would note that about a third of