Abstract
Secondary schools across the U.S. are engaged in
substantial restructuring and reform, implementing a variety of
educational, governance and structural initiatives. These initiatives
include challenging students to construct knowledge and apply it in more
authentic contexts, raising curriculum and assessment standards, and
enhancing the professional community among school staff. In some
instances, these reforms have incorporated special education services
and are designed to serve all students. Most of the reform efforts,
however, have been generated with little attention paid to the impact of
new forms of pedagogy, curriculum standards, performance assessments,
service learning, and similar innovations on students with disabilities.
In response to these issues, the Research Institute on Secondary
Education Reform (RISER) for Youth with Disabilities has been
designed to focus on secondary schools engaged in reform efforts that
include students with disabilities. By studying secondary schools that
have made substantial progress in some of these areas, the Institute
will learn how secondary schools can be changed to improve education for
all students.
This five-year project aims to identify practices and policies in secondary schools that positively impact educational and postschool outcomes for students with various kinds of disabilities. Using a framework for "schools of authentic and inclusive learning" developed in part by the Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools (Wisconsin Center for Education Research) the project is undertaking a series of action research programs with teams of teachers and researchers. These programs are located in significantly restructured secondary schools where youth with disabilities are being served in inclusive classes. The field studies undertaken at each action research site will examine interventions and practices affecting youth with the full range of disabilities and other students who are served outside of regular classrooms.
Research Institute on Secondary Education Reform for Youth with Disabilities
File last updated: February 7, 2003
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