January 9, 2024
Special education students take ABE to Maryland schools
Last semester, students in SPED 3005: Instructional Programming in Special Education participated in an alternative break experience to Carroll County, Maryland.
Through a Sponsored Activities and Research Catalyst (SPARC) program grant, students were able to experience inclusive education practices and systemic change efforts through service and data collection with a focus on building and sustaining these practices in North Carolina.
“At ECU, we prepare our students to be future change-makers with a focus on equity in schooling and inclusive practices for all students, including students with significant disabilities,” said Dr. Kristin Burnette, assistant professor in special education.
In addition to the teacher shortage facing all 50 states, North Carolina is facing a shortage of special education teachers. To ensure that the future teachers at ECU are well prepared to meet the diverse needs of their learners, faculty in special education worked to create this alternative break experience.
ECU students were able to observe best practices, learn to create systemic change, and collect data to support change and inform instruction during their time at Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS).
“In five years, CCPS transformed their school district to include all students in general education settings,” Burnette said. “CCPS has an incredible commitment to including students with extensive support needs, and ECU students have not seen inclusive practices in their practicum placements.”
The Department of Education and the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities have recognized CCPS for their instructional practices and policies.
One ECU student remarked, “These classrooms made me more passionate about inclusive education and have given me the tools and experiences to make them happen in my future classrooms and school districts. I have the information I need to fight the common arguments gen-ed teachers and school administrators use to keep students with disabilities out of the typical classrooms.”
This trip was a collaborative effort between ECU’s Department of Special Education, Foundations and Research, the Office of Equity and Diversity and the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, as well as a community partner — the North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance.
Students thought about their experience through a video blog assignment and a series of reflection posts.
“This experience has me fired up about inclusion, learning more about it, and learning how to ensure that my students are in the least restrictive environment,” another student remarked. “I am ready for the future, and I’m so excited that I was able to have this experience. This experience is something I will never forget.”