Determining the Level of Support for IEP Development

1. 25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT 06457-1520 · (860) 632-1485 ctserc.org Determining the Level of Support for IEP Development

2. Sequence of Content p. 31 This Afternoon SERC

3. p. 32 Outcomes • Use decision-making values that are the “least dangerous assumptions” (Donnellan, 1984) and provide instructional supports that are “only as specialized as necessary” (Giangreco, 2001) • Determine the specially designed instruction that alters general education setting demands or curriculum standards • Select high quality accommodations and modifications based on a continuum

4. p. 32 Essential Questions • What is an appropriate level of support for an individual student with disabilities? • How are decisions made regarding the use of accommodations and modifications?

5. Determining the Level of Support

6. p. 33 Decision-Making Principles “Only-as-Specialized-as-Necessary” • Use general education supports as the first option • Provide additional supports only as needed to provide access and progress • “Least Dangerous Assumption” • “In the absence of absolute evidence, it is essential to make the assumption that, if proven to be false, would be least harmful to the individual” (Giangreco, 2001). (Donnellan, 1984). SERC

7. p. 33 Special Education “The term `special education' means specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability…” Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, § 602(29), 20 U.S.C. §1401. SERC

8. p. 33 Specially Designed Instruction • “Adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child…, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction: • To address the uniqueneeds of the child that result from the child's disability; and • To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.” Regulations: Part 300 / A / 300.39 / b / 3 SERC

9. The First Option for Access Access in school is ensured if the general education class with support is the FIRST option considered by the PPT, regardless of disability type or severity

10. p. 33 The Continuum of Support • General Education “as designed” • With Supplemental Instruction • With Accommodations • With Modifications Nolet, V., & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000). Accessing the General Curriculum: Including Students with Disabilities in Standards-Based Reform. Thousand Oaks, CA Corwin Press, Inc. Stetson, F. (2002). Step by Step Training for Inclusive Schools. Houston, Texas: Stetson and Associates. SERC

11. Supplemental Instruction

12. p. 34 Supplemental Instruction • Direct, explicit, intense instruction that is needed to address • Missing Skills or Concepts • Needed Learning Strategies • Behavior Concerns SERC

13. p. 34 Supplemental Instruction • Content Mastery • Critical content required in the core curriculum • Strategy Instruction • Key learning, behavioral, social strategies • Skill Development • Essential skills/application of skills • Replacement/Alternative Behaviors • Substitution of less appropriate with more appropriate behaviors (socially acceptable) Strategic Instruction Model: Content Literacy Continuum: Leveraging Research to Promote School-wide Literacy in Secondary Schools. (2005). Center for Research on Learning University of Kansas. Lawrence, KS: Joseph R. Pearson Hall.

14. Accommodations and Modifications

15. p. 35 Accommodations vs. Modifications Accommodation • A change made to the instruction or assessment procedures to provide a student with full access to learning (HOW) • Do not change the content, or performance expectations for meeting standards Nolet, V., & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000). Accessing the General Curriculum: Including Students with Disabilities in Standards-Based Reform. Thousand Oaks, CA Corwin Press, Inc. Stetson, F. (2002). Step by Step Training for Inclusive Schools. Houston, Texas: Stetson and Associates. SERC

16. p. 35 Three Types of Accommodations • Alternative Acquisition Modes • Ways of acquiring knowledge (Input) • Content Enhancements • Ways to process content, such as organization, comprehension, and memorization (Process) • Alternative Response Modes • Ways of demonstrating learning (Output) Nolet, V. & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000).

17. What is the Difference? • The difference between an accommodation and effective instructional practices comes down to what a student must have to be able to learn. • For example… • The use of graphic organizers is a highly effective strategy for all students and should be used in instruction daily • However, this student must have a graphic organizer as a result of having needs in the area of recall.

18. p. 35 Accommodations vs. Modifications Modification • A change in the skills, concepts or performance expectations (WHAT) • While it may be modified, the topic and content remains the same Nolet, V., & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000). Accessing the General Curriculum: Including Students with Disabilities in Standards-Based Reform. Thousand Oaks, CA Corwin Press, Inc. Stetson, F. (2002). Step by Step Training for Inclusive Schools. Houston, Texas: Stetson and Associates. SERC

19. p. 35 Two Types of Modifications • Change in the number of concepts/skills or performance expectations within the grade level standard (fewer or more) • Change of level of performance standard (benchmark) (lower or higher) Nolet, V., & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000). Accessing the General Curriculum: Including Students with Disabilities in Standards-Based Reform. Thousand Oaks, CA Corwin Press, Inc. SERC

20. Something to Seriously Consider… • Modifications that lessen content or lower performance standards automatically decrease the likelihood of a student meeting goal on CMT/CAPT. • We should always have the conversation as to how we will move from the use of a modification to teaching the full content.

21. Let’s Give it a Try! Use the pre-test in your packet and identify each of the items as an accommodation or modification…

22. Accommodation or Modification? Color code important words or phrases GeorgeWashington was the firstpresident of the United States Accommodation

23. Accommodation or Modification? Read mathematical word problems aloud to a student Accommodation

24. Accommodation or Modification? A student retrieves 2 pictures from the Internet related to the essential elements of a World History topic. He demonstrates understanding by naming and pointing to the correct picture when cued by his peers during a presentation Modification

25. Accommodation or Modification? Allow a student to complete a project as an alternative to a test It Depends

26. Accommodation or Modification? A student is learning the concepts of part, whole and half; her peers are working on adding fractions Modification

27. Accommodation or Modification? Provide audiotapes, CDs or MP3s of textbooks and have the student follow the text while listening Accommodation, except…

28. Accommodation or Modification? A student is working on elapsed time through creating and using a schedule of his daily activities, while his classmates work on multi-step word problems with elapsed time Accommodation, as long as…

29. Accommodation or Modification? Graphic organizers such as semantic webs or concept maps Accommodation

30. Accommodation or Modification? Reduce the number of Math problems from 25 to 10 Accommodation, as long as…

31. Accommodation or Modification? Provide alternative books with similar concepts, but at an easier reading level Accommodation, as long as…

32. Accommodation or Modification? A student is required to discriminate between animals and plants when given pictures and short descriptions, while the rest of the class is required to tell the distinguishing characteristics of animal and plant cells Modification

33. Accommodation or Modification? Provide a designated note taker or photocopy the notes of a classmate (use carbonless paper) Accommodation

34. How did you do?

35. p. 36 Review the IEP/Word Bank • “As designed” • With Supplemental Instruction • With Accommodations • With Modifications • Stetson, F. (2002)

36. Can You Adjust? • Are there areas that are really general education? (not needing additional support) • Is there sufficient supplemental instruction to address the gap? • Are there accommodations that can prevent the use of modifications?

38. p. 37 Evidence of High Impact on Learning High Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Independence Evidence of No Impact on/Prevents Learning No Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Dependence Examining Impact

39. Evidence of High Impact on Learning High Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Independence Evidence of No Impact on/Prevents Learning No Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Dependence Verbal repetition of vocabulary (supplemental instruction)

40. Evidence of High Impact on Learning High Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Independence Evidence of No Impact on/Prevents Learning No Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Dependence AlphaSmart Assistive Technology Instruction (Supplemental Instruction)

41. Evidence of High Impact on Learning High Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Independence Evidence of No Impact on/Prevents Learning No Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Dependence Picture Communication Board (accommodation)

42. Evidence of High Impact on Learning High Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Independence Evidence of No Impact on/Prevents Learning No Access to General Education Curriculum Fosters Dependence Frequent Checks for Understanding (accommodation)

43. p. 41 You Try • Of the potential supplemental instruction, accommodations and modifications you listed, which ones will have the greatest impact on…? • Learning • Access to general curriculum • Independence

44. p. 42 Most Like Peers Enriches Other’s Learning Seen as “Cool” Easy to Put into the Routine Least Like Peers Deters Other’s Learning Seen as “Uncool” Difficult to Put into the Routine Integration with Universal Practice

45. Most Like Peers Enriches Other’s Learning Seen as “Cool” Easy to Put into the Routine Least Like Peers Deters Other’s Learning Seen as “Uncool” Difficult to Put into the Routine Picture Communication Board

46. Most Like Peers Enriches Other’s Learning Seen as “Cool” Easy to Put into the Routine Least Like Peers Deters Other’s Learning Seen as “Uncool” Difficult to Put into the Routine Frequent Check for Understanding

47. p. 45 You Try • Of the potential accommodations/modifications you selected, which ones will …? • Be most like peers • Will enrich others learning • Is seen as cool • Be easy to put into a routine • What changes would need to happen to move them into the green zone?