Self-Efficacy and the Inclusion of Students with AAC Needs, October 1998-September 2001. Final Project Report.

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a 3-year federally funded project that investigated the effectiveness of a collaborative teaming process to increase the academic achievement and social participation of elementary students with augmentative and alternative (AAC) needs who were members of general education classrooms. The collaborative teaming process provided members of the inclusion support team (general and special education teachers, instructional assistants, parents of the focus students, and speech and language therapists) with an opportunity to share their expertise in developing and implementing effective instructional and support strategies to facilitate the social participation and academic progress of the students. Three inclusion teams then evaluated the collaborative teaming process. Effectiveness of the team-generated support plans for six students, including three with severe disabilities and three who were at risk for academic underachievement or failure, was also evaluated through behavioral observations and team interviews. Direct and collateral outcomes of the project included the following: (1) increased inclusion team members' sense of self-efficacy; (2) increased social and academic participation of the focus students in the general education classroom; and (3) participant satisfaction with the process and results. Three published experimental research papers are attached and include references. (CR)