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Differentiating Standards-Based Education for Students with Diverse Needs

Posted on: Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 06:00 CST

ABSTRACT

The need to differentiate or adapt curriculum and instruction to meet special needs continues to challenge educators of students with high-incidence disabilities. The current emphasis on teaching and assessing standards requires knowledge and skills to differentiate standards-based education to successfully meet diverse needs in the classroom.

IN JANUARY OF 2002, THE ACT COMMONLY KNOWN AS "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB; Elementary and secondary Education Act, 2001) became law. Its overall purpose is to ensure that all children meet state educational standards. As a result, standards-based education and associated assessment are of particular significance to educators of students with special needs. Specifically, curricula must reflect state standards, and all students must be taught the information and skills associated with those standards. Because of these changes mandating use of curricula to meet standards-based initiatives, the task of adapting instruction (i.e., differentiation) for students with special needs has become increasingly more important. Currently, most states have adopted some form of standards-based education, and both the 1999 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and NCLB require that all students be provided the opportunity to learn in the state-mandated curricula.

The importance of differentiating education for students with learning and behavior problems has been recognized for many years. Since the early 1980s, inclusion efforts have challenged all educators to modify curriculum and instruction to meet diverse learning and behavior needs in the classroom. Although specific terminology may vary (e.g., adaptation, differentiation, modification), the underlying constant for students with learning and behavior problems is that curricula, including standards-based curricula, must meet diverse educational needs. This includes differentiation or adaptation on un ongoing basis in the classroom. Gartin, Murdick, Imbcau, and Ferner (2002) described differentiated instruction as "using strategies that address student strengths, interests, skills, and readiness in flexible learning environments" (p. 8). In addition, Tomlinson (2000) emphasized that teachers must possess a solid understanding of a curriculum and its components to successfully differentiate instruction to meet diverse needs.

This perspective addresses several interrelated aspects associated with standards-based curricula and adaptations necessary to meet the diverse needs of students, including an overview of standards-based curricula, aligning a curriculum with standards, adapting or differentiating a standards-based curriculum, and achieving competence in abilities to differentiate curricula and instruction. Specific components of a curriculum are also discussed to assist educators in making informed decisions regarding differentiating instruction.

STANDARDS-BASED CURRICULUM

A standards-based curriculum offers direction as to what students should learn. Teachers must adapt specific instruction to ensure that all students are given opportunities to acquire content and skills associated with each standard (Quenemoen, Lehr, Thurlow, & Massanaair, 2001). According to Glatthorn 1998) and McLaughlin and Shepard (1995), a standards-based curriculum is composed of three interrelated areas:

1. Content standards-Subject area skills and knowledge

2. Performance standards-Proficiency levels required

3. Opportunity to learn standards-Materials, strategies, and structure necessary for successful learning

All three types of standards must be emphasized to successfully teach and adapt a standards-based curriculum for students with learning and behavior problems. Creators of standards-based curricula typically avoid mandating specific curriculum methods or instructional strategies; instead, they offer clear expectations for learners and suggested options available to teachers to help meet state-mandated standards (Education Commission of the States, 2003). This facilitates opportunity and support for teachers in differentiating a curriculum and instruction to meet special learning and behavior needs.

Initially, the standards-based curriculum was developed during the reform efforts of the 1970s in the form of "minimum competencies." Although current reform efforts reflect previous accomplishments, the assessment of the proficiency levels associated with the standards has changed from multiple-choice or pass/fail assessment into multiproficiency levels (e.g., Not Proficient, Partially Proficient, Proficient; Linn & Herman, 1997). Also, educational standards must be written in a manner understandable to all individuals involved, including parents, and must clearly state what students are expected to learn along with the specified levels of proficiency (Education Commission, 2003).

Hoover and Patton (in press) and Linn and Herman (1997) identified several key aspects of standards-based education:

1. linking assessment closely to instruction,

2. comparing students' results to standards, not to results of other students,

3. using alternative assessments and applying the assessment results, and

4. challenging all students to meet high expectations.

These key components provide a framework for successfully implementing standards-based education to meet diverse needs.

Alignment of Standards and Curriculum

Currently, standards-based education is requiring school districts nationwide to align their curricula with mandated district, state, and/or national standards. Alignment procedures follow steps, or phases, similar to other curriculum development and reform efforts, as illustrated in Table 1.

Knowledge of the process for aligning standards with a curriculum provides educators valuable insight into how to differentiate curricula for students with high-incidence disabilities (Hoover & Pattern, in press). Specifically, experiences with alignment efforts, especially field tests and revisions, are reflected in the curriculum. Particular strengths of the curriculum are determined through the alignment process, and adaptations should build upon these strengths to meet students' needs.

TABLE 1. Phases in the Alignment of Standards with Curriculum

Differentiating Standards-Based Curriculum and Instruction

One significant result of standards-based reform is that educators have a greater opportunity to reverse the trend of lowered standards for students with learning and behavior problems. Educators are being challenged to do what is necessary to help students achieve proficiency in the standards. In other words, educators should be raising their expectations and associated teaching competence to meet standards rather than lowering the standards for students with special needs.

Hoover and Patton (in press) identified four necessary elements for addressing effective implementation and differentiation of curriculum and instruction:

1. Content-specific subject-area skills and knowledge associated with each curriculum standard (i.e., content standards)

2. Instructional strategies-various techniques or methods used to assist students in acquiring content and managing behavior

3. Instructional settings-includes small groups, independent work, paired learning, and large groups

4. Student behaviors-students' abilities to manage and control their own behaviors within a variety of learning situations and groupings in the classroom

FIGURE 1. Adaptations of standards-based curriculum. From Curriculum Adaptations for Students with Learning and Behavior Problems: Principles and Practices for Differentiating Instruction (3rd ed.), by J. J. Hoover and J. R. Patton, in press, Austin, TX: PRO-ED. Copyright by PRO-ED. Reprinted with permission.

Each of these four curricular elements contributes to the over all process of implementing standards-based curricula.

In addition, the interrelationship among these four elements is the basis for successful implementation and adaptation or differentiation of a total curriculum. As Hoover and Patton (in press) noted, "As the curricular elements of Content, Instructional Strategies, Instructional Settings, and Behavior Management are adapted, all learners have the best chance to succeed with their education within the broader context of standards-based education and assessment." These four elements must be modified to effectively help students with learning and behavior problems to meet the three standards (content, performance, opportunity) that are the foundation for the standards-based curriculum illustrated in Figure 1.

When differentiating a standards-based curriculum for students with learning and behavior problems, the educator must address each of the four specific curricular elements-content, instructional strategies, instructional settings, and student behaviors-relative to the three broad areas (content, proficiency, opportunity to learn) to ensure comprehensive and interrelated adaptations. Table 2 further illustrates this process.

As shown in Table 2, specific decisions for each curriculum element must be made relative to each of the three broad areas. Recognizing the relationships among the standards and the curricular elements will help ensure that educators adapt a standards-based curriculum in comprehensive ways.

Curriculum Differentiation Competence

Educators of students with spe\cial needs must regularly adapt curricula to provide differentiating instruction to successfully meet educational needs in the classroom (Hoover, 2001). Differentiating curricula is a skill requiring understanding of the process and the potential benefits to students. Table 3 summarizes key abilities important to providing differentiated learning to students with special needs.

Developing effective curriculum differentiation skills is an ongoing process as the educator applies the competencies. Teacher competence and flexibility increase the potential success for all students, providing them with sufficient opportunities to meet the current demands placed upon them in regards to the mandated standards-based curriculum.

TABLE 2. Adapting Standards with Curricular Elements

TABLE 3. Skills to Achieve Competence in Differentiating Curriculum and Instruction

CONCLUSION

Both the NCLB and the 1999 amendments to IDEA have brought to the forefront the importance of meeting diverse needs while implementing and assessing the procedures of a standards-based education. Because all students must be included in state-mandated assessments, they must also be included in the implementation of the standards-based curriculum. As a result, curriculum differentiation or adaptation for students with learning and behavior problems must occur more frequently within the guidelines established by standards-based teaching.

REFERENCES

Education Commission of the States. (2003). No Child Left Behind issue brief: A guide to standards-based assessment. Denver: Author.

Elementary and secondary Education Act of 2001, Pub. Law No 107- 1IO (2002).

Gartin, B. C., Murdick, N., L., Imbeau, M., & Ferner, D. E. (2002). How to use differentiated instruction with students with developmental disabilities in the general education classroom. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Glatlhorn, A. A. (1998). Performance assessment and standards- based curricula: The achievement cycle. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Hoover, J. J. (2001). Class management (CD-ROM). Boulder: University of Colorado at Boulder, BUENO Center.

Hoover, J. J., & Patton, J. R. (in press). Curriculum adaptations for students with learning and behavior problems: Principles and practices (3rd ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1999.

Linn, L. R., & Herman, J. L. (1997). A policymaker's guide to standards-led assessment. Denver: Education Commission for the States.

McLaughlin, W. W., & Shepard, L. A. (1995). Improving education through standards-based reform. Stanford, CA: The National Academy of Education.

Quenemoen, R. F., Lehr, C. ?., Thurlow, M. L., & Massanaair, C. B. (2001). Students with disabilities in standards-based assessment and accountability systems: Emerging issues, strategies, and recommendations. Minneapolis: National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Reconcilable differences: Standards- based teaching and differentiation. Educational Leadership, 5S(I), 6- 11.

JOHN J. HOOVER, PhD, is an associate director of the BUENO Center and an adjunct faculty member in special education at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research interests include curriculum differentiation/adaptation and study skills education to meet diverse needs in the classroom.

JAMES R. PATTON, EdD, is affiliated with PRO-ED in Austin, Texas, and is an adjunct faculty member in special education at The University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include transition and implications for meeting diverse needs in education. Address: John J. Hoover, School of Education, UCB 247, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309; e-mail: John. Hoover@colorado.edu

Copyright PRO-ED Journals Mar/Apr 2004

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