What happens when the decision to attend private school backfires and a student does not succeed? Besides losing out on a significant amount of money, parents whose children have to transfer out of private school have to make a decision as to whether or not their child will now move on to public school, or find another alternative.

For most parents, the reason why they enrolled their child in a private school in the first place was because of the many benefits it offers, both in terms of a general education, as well as for the preparation it gives students who are looking to pursue their education beyond high school. So what is a parent to do? If private school is just not working out, do they have an equivalent option?

The answer to this question is a resounding “yes”. There are in fact many advantages to attending a distance learning private school that make the change from a traditional private school not seem like such a huge transition. Regardless of the reasons for why a student has to transfer from a traditional private school, distance learning private schools can offer a student many benefits. To start, distance learning private schools have a curriculum that is aligned to state standards, meaning that the classes that a student will take while enrolled will be worth the same in the eyes of a college or university when compared to the classes at a traditional private school.

Distance learning private schools also offer their students something that a traditional private school would never offer – the opportunity to go to class when time allows them to. Scheduling is just one reason why transitioning to a distance learning private school from a traditional one. Additional benefits include no longer having to deal with many of the environmental conditions that plague traditional schools, public or private, such as safety and overcrowding.

Distance learning private schools also offer students the opportunity to receive one-on-one attention, a perk that might not be available at a traditional private school. Other benefits that can make transferring from a traditional private to a distance learning private school worthwhile include freedom from having to drive to and from school, self-paced studying and learning, a schedule that is very flexible, as well as the ability to attend classes regardless of the student’s geographic location at the time.

Whether the reasons are economic or academic, having to leave a private school is often a difficult decision to make. However, with the option of attending distance learning private schools now being more viable than ever, students and parents who have to experience this transition now have an option that will not force them to compromise their education.

When discussing all options of placements, Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) must be achieved. A common challenge regarding LRE is to find the environment which fosters as much independence as possible for the student with disabilities. This may or may not be with typical peers.

Assuming the LRE is with regular peers, you now have to figure out to make the situation work. Setting a child up for failure is not an option. Although many teams consider most of the important aspects of inclusion, a key process is often left out. Teacher Communication!

What most parents and teams don’t realize is the difficulty teachers from the special education and regular education teams have when it comes to communicating. Two separate worlds seem to exist within the school environment, special education and regular education. Sure, you may be lucky enough to have a few co-taught classes, but that experience seems to get left inside that classroom instead of growing throughout the school.

We are expecting our children with disabilities to be in an inclusive environment successfully and most of our teachers/support team are not functioning in an inclusive environment. How can we improve the situation? Use the IEP as a vehicle to assure communication between teachers takes place.

Possible solutions for regular education & special education team member communication to facilitate an appropriate inclusive program:

1. Weekly team meetings
2. Consult time from the resource teacher
3. Observations of each others’ classroom
4. Pre-teaching collaboration of general ed curriculum

Inclusion decisions should include the following considerations at all times:

• Physical: Mobility, Room Arrangement, Seating
• Instructional: Lesson Presentation, Skill Acquisition, Assignments, Test Taking, Evaluation, Learning Structures, Organization, Parallel Activities, Parallel Curriculum, Assistive Technology
• Social-Behavioral: Skill Training, Behavior Management Plan, Self-Management, Peer Support
• Collaborative: 1:1 Aide, Co-Teaching, Resource Room Assistance, Teacher Consultation

Inclusion may not be for every child to maximize their learning experience. However, with proper support and an inclusive staff more students may be able to experience success in the general education environment. It’s all about the teamwork.

1. Make them active and dynamic contributors in the classroom. You can commence by acknowledging the students’ opinions during sort discussions, by gift them commendation when they answer a challenge correctly, and by never putting them down or making them feel deficient through negative comments or disapproving facial expressions if they answer a question incorrectly. Instead, have the students explain why they chose a given answer and try to find a connection between their answer and the correct answer. Then, give them a hint and try and guide them to the proper response. This will help them to feel confident enough to ask for help and will encourage them to participate.

2. Tailor lessons to meet their needs. You can also inspire your students by making the lessons as interesting and as easy to understand as possible. One way to achieve this is by previewing upcoming concepts/lessons with them so they will be familiar with the subject matter. This is important because students with disabilities often need more repetition and practice to understand new material. Also, get to know their interests/hobbies and design some of your lessons to match those interests. This is especially helpful to motivate reluctant readers. Students are much more likely to have the desire to complete assignments that incorporate their interests. Then, present the material visually, auditory, and kinesthetically (hands on) in order to accommodate all types of learners.

3. Build a rapport with them. Students have a lot to say and want someone to listen to them. Make yourself available to just listen to their thoughts, problems, etc. and be a person they can depend on for a loving smile and an encouraging word, as well as for needed structure and high expectations.

Taking the time to do these things with your students with learning disabilities will help to make them want to do well. If students feel that their teacher expects great things from them and supports their efforts, they will usually work harder and perform better than even they thought was possible. So, set the bar high!