My Draft Action Plan

The importance of innovative approaches such as the inclusion model to address the ever-changing NCLB standards for students. If teachers realized that resource teachers are there as an asset not an interloper and if there were data to back it up, then inclusion will hopefully encourage resource students who are required to pass on-level tests although accommodated or modified, as they will be receiving on-level instruction from a regular education teacher and a resource teacher.


• Goals and objectives/outcomes of the research investigation
The purpose of this study is to particularly focus on a teamed teacher approach to classroom instruction especially those teaching environments including resource students. The implications of this study are far reaching as it will help affirm or deny the validity of claims that co-teaching/team teaching is a more viable relationship building instructional technique for delivering curriculum especially to inclusive students than traditional styles. Also, since NCLB is monitoring closely graduation rates in various states, then if a strong relationship is established between a teamed teaching approach to instruction and an increase in tests scores, which are directly related to graduation rates, among students such as those identified as resource, then a possible educational trend supported by positive research can be established. I selected this particular area to research to not only bolster the vision of my principal who believes in the inclusion model, but also provide information to those teachers who are new to the inclusion principle or are reluctant based on presumption. Any information, whether negative or positive, can be helpful to other schools or school districts struggling with inclusion implementation.

• Activities designed to achieve the objectives
Since every teacher and student on my campus has access to a computer, then surveys will be developed to be administered online and data collected accordingly. Teachers will be surveyed as to sentiments regarding classroom instruction and learning success whereas students will be surveyed as to support and learning success. A survey will be requested from every teacher and student at the beginning and end of the school year when results will be tabulated and presented during the school in-service days at the beginning of the subsequent academic school year.

• Resources and research tools needed for data gathering
Since every teacher and student on my campus has access to a computer, then surveys will be developed to be administered online and data collected accordingly. Teachers will be surveyed as to sentiments regarding classroom instruction and learning success whereas students will be surveyed as to support and learning success. A survey will be requested from every teacher and student at the beginning and end of the school year when results will be tabulated and presented during the school in-service days at the beginning of the subsequent academic school year.
Once consent forms have been secured from the students as well as the teachers, then teachers participating in the inclusion model and students assigned to inclusion classes will be surveyed at the beginning and the end of the academic school year. Pilot testing the survey will have to occur at the end of the previous year or pilot testing teachers will have to agree to support survey development during the summer break or at the very beginning of the assessment year. Prompt response to the surveys, which will be limited to time that teachers will allot to students to take the surveys during class instruction time, is one factor that might influence data collection.
Participants’ teachers will be surveyed at the beginning and end of each school year to monitor educator reflection on student success and personal sentiment regarding their particular curriculum and instruction techniques. Teachers will have to allow time during the classroom instruction period for the students to take the surveys. Teachers can take the survey at any time within the predetermined collection period most likely around two weeks at the beginning and end of the academic school year.

• Draft timeline for completion or implementation of activities
Ideal research time would be monitoring students throughout their middle school tenure beginning as sixth graders; however, a one year study would reveal trends or initial feelings toward the inclusion model as envisioned by my school administration. I think for the purposes of identifying current feelings about the program and any elevated test scores advantages could be qualified from a one-year study. Follow-up studies guided by the findings of this one year study may want to include classroom observations.

• Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan
The assistant principal, campus instructional specialist, math and reading specialist, special education team leader and general education grade level representatives.

• Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives
Standardized test scores, i.e. benchmark scores, RPTE, TAKS, will be collected and studied by entering scores into a spreadsheet program designed for statistical analysis. Although students will be assigned a number which will ensure anonymity when entering and analyzing data on the electronic spreadsheet, results will be reported by class and grade level. All data will be analyzed over standard statistical categories including frequency distribution, mean, range, median, mode, standard deviation, etc. Data gathered from all students will be analyzed for final results.
Validity and reliability regarding the standardized test scores will be affected by attendance. Therefore, attendance records will also be reviewed. Teacher lesson plans will also be viewed to determine any consistencies. This will definitely be needed for a follow-up study with a built in observational protocol.


• Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study
Surveys will be developed by a committee of teachers and administrators based on review of at least 10 independent yet similar surveys. Ten to fifteen questions will be defined and developed into a Likert scale survey utilizing an online survey website such as the one located at http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=699143. Once completed, the survey can be spot pilot tested on one teacher from each grade level. Once revised if needed, anonymous links will be sent to teachers and students along with a timeline for each. Since the surveys will be conducted online, inter-rater reliability should be reflected.
Results from the beginning and ending surveys will be entered into an SPSS program using a Chi Square statistical analysis which is widely recognized as a more valid analysis than the T-test as it has a discrete distribution. Frequency distributions - mean and standard deviations - will be assessed to derive correlations. Comparison over four years will indicate satisfaction with the current instructional model for that school. Since research leans toward teachers’ attitudes toward the instructional initiatives for their schools affecting the outcome of the effect of such instruction, then obtaining surveys reflecting their views is important.
Extant data tabulation and subsequent statistical analysis will lend content validity to the research.
The validity of any research study depends a great deal on addressing ethical concerns. Confidentiality of all data collected as well as the anonymity of research participants will be kept for at least eight years to assure that the youngest of participants will be reach adulthood and out of school. All laws and regulations must be followed to lend professional credulity.
Possible limitations exist since the online surveys will be anonymous and voluntary, any data collected will also be dependent on the promptness and responsibility of the teachers of the study participants.