I would call a special education meeting with the team to discuss these observations. More support as well as other interventions could be suggested so that the child could continue in the inclusion setting. I would also analyze the self contained setting and compare it to that of the classroom. Look for differences that could be contributing to the child performing poorly. Also, review the IEP for strengths to see if you can capitalize on them in the classroom to encourage success.

I would look at the data if any has been collected on this student. Although she is doing well at following directions and procedures, she is struggling in the inclusion class. I taught a special needs self contained class my first year of teaching. I had three students, and they all had a different type of learning disability, but all three learning disabilities were severe. In my classroom, I could focus a lot more on what their goals were on their IEPs. My three students were allowed to go to a class that was in their grade-level to get the experience of being around many other children and to participate in content areas. My students would go for one segment each day, and that would be during the regular education science and social studies time that the teacher had scheduled. Maybe this student with Down Syndrome should be put back in the self-contained special needs class to get the more one-on-one time with a teacher and paraprofessional to work on her goals, but she should be allowed to go out into a regular ed classroom for one or two content areas to gain the exposure of working in groups and students her age. She would not be a behavior problem since she is very good at following directions and procedures. This would eventually allow her to build up being allowed to go into a regular ed classroom for more segments each day.

It sounds like this student may need more support in the classroom and more than 1 segment a day. Even though she is doing good with following directions and following procedures, she still needs help with the instruction. Is there anyway she can have a Para-Pro in the classroom with her for different segments of the day? That may help with the instruction times or at least have someone come in more frequently to check on her progress to make sure that she does not need help. The teacher can only offer one student so much help before he/she is needed at another students desk. I am glad to see that this students is able to be in an inclusion classroom, but what instruction is she missing when someone is not there to make sure she is understand it.