Service Delivery Models

In class we disscussed three different types of service delivery models. They include special education classes, resource room or withdrawal models, as well as inclusive classrooms. I think that each of these unique models can be effective but none of the above models are without drawbacks. the main goal of service delivery models is to ensure that all of the needs of the student are being met. This includes cognitive as well as behavioural needs that the child is struggling with meeting in the usual classroom setting.

The special education classes service delivery model is divided into three types of classes. Opportunities classes are offered to students with mild cognitive delays. These classes offer students a chance to get the extra help that they need in order to achieve at the appropriate level. Students spend all of their time in the special education class and are not included in the regular classroom. I think that this model is effective in helping the students to recieve the individual one on one attention that they require to be successful in their studies. Although I also believe that it is unfortunate that the students are permanently removed from the regular classroom and therefore lose the interaction and social skills that are built in that atmosphere.
Strategies classes are similar to opportunities classes except that students involved in these programs often suffer from a specific learning disability. The classes are structured towards helping students find their strengths in learning. If they are able to do so they can find ways to work around the learning disability and therefore function at the appropriate level for their age.
The third type of special education classes are behaviour and learning support, they are designed for students with severe behavioural problems and they are typically extremely structured. The program encourages students to recognize triggers and avoid situations that would generally cause them to have an outburst. The curriculum is still taught to the students but with an extra layer, being the behavioural management, added to it. I think that the idea of removing students with severe behavioural problems from the regular classroom definitely has benefits. Implementing the behaviour management layer of the curriculum would be helpful in assisting students to learn skills that will help them not only in school but throughout their entire lives. I think the down side to this method is the stigma that is attached to students that are labelled as having a behaviour problem. When these students are pulled out of the classroom it can often be embarresing and difficult to deal with peers in the regular classroom.
The second type of service delivery model is the resource room or withdrawal method. In this case the student is pulled from the regular classroom throughout the day in order to recieve assistance in areas of need. The down falls of this method include the interuption of routine not only for the student but also for the teacher. The stigma that can get attached to students that have to be pulled out of class to go to the resource room can be detrimental to their self esteem and social connections with the regular class. Despite this there is often progress with the learning of students when this approach is used, which is a huge benefit to the strategy.
The third and final service delivery model is full inclusion. In this instance the primary vision of the classroom is a sense of belonging and community. The main goal in the inclusive classroom is the delivery of instruction and ensuring that all students feel that no one child is intentionally segregated. In my opinion inclusion is an intimidating phenomenon as a first year teacher. I think that having a background in special education would definitely help to ease some of the stress and anxiety that goes along with the prospect of inclusion. Having said this I think that inclusion has some undeniable benefits in terms of helping all students, special needs or not, to prepare for the real world and life beyond the classroom setting.
Analyzing these different models has helped me to see that there truely is no clear cut best way of taking on the challenges of accomodating the strengths and weaknessess of all students. It is clear that all of the methods have merit and knowing which situations require what model is the true art of helping all children to achieve the best that they are capable of.