The model is illustrated in Figure 1. A special education class serves as an example. This process of sharing information occurs between all team members. Another function of this model in inclusive programs is to blur the lines between special and regular education, since the children are viewed as not only the special education teacher s responsibility, but also everyones's. These three terms represent different frameworks for curriculum and instruction.
Multidisciplinary instruction begins with a theme and plans activities in several content areas.
This is a useful starting point in the journey toward a thematic approach, because teachers are accustomed to viewing content within disciplines. Most thematic units are multidisciplinary in structure. An interdisciplinary framework is one in which the emphasis shifts to skills, especially the higher-order thinking skills. Critical skills are revisited in several contexts usually through research and collaborative efforts. A transdisciplinary approach is the closest of the three models to a real world approach and is the most consistent with the Thematic Cycle Approach.