Benchmark - Collaboration and Communication Action Plan

Complete a 750-1,000-word action plan and supporting rationale based on the following

Scenario:

John is a Hispanic 7th grade student who has been identified as having an emotional/behavioral disorder, specifically OCD. During his annual IEP meeting,the team reviewed recent test scores and determined he qualifies for the gifted program in the area of ELA only. He will continue to participate in the inclusion classroom for the remainder of his courses. He is very successful in all of his inclusion classes.

The gifted teacher was not able to be present during the IEP meeting. She has never worked with a student who has an IEP before. John is the only Hispanic student in the gifted class, which tends to make him uncomfortable. He says the teacher does not include him in the classroom conversations and speaks abruptly to him, but not to the other students.

After one month of John being in the gifted class, the gifted teacher has requested that a paraprofessional be present to support John. The IEP team determined that this was not necessary.

John should be able to be successful in the gifted classroom without a paraprofessional. The principal did a walk through observation of the gifted classroom and he noticed that John was isolated in a corner and the teacher did not interact with him. In addition, the principal received a phone call from John's parents stating the gifted teacher told John, "You do not belong in this class!" John no longer wants to be in the class because he does not feel welcome.

The principal has come to you, the special education teacher, for assistance with the situation. To assist the principal, create an action plan. The action plan should address and sequence the following considerations:

1. Collaborating with the student to generate ideas for assignments and classroom strategies.

2. Evaluating and following up on recommendations

3. Incorporating multicultural teambuilding strategies and activities for the gifted class

4. Providing collaborative coaching to the classroom teacher

5. Addressing communication with the parents

6. Reporting back to the principal

7. Incorporating communication from the other general education teachers about what is working

Support your action plan with a 500-750-word rationale that incorporates researched best practices on collaboration and communication.