Expanded Core Curriculum

1. Expanded Core Curriculum Residential vs. Itinerant Placements Home Based vs. Community Based instruction

2. Residential: 1/3 of TSBVI student enrollment is over age 18 and taking courses in independent living and career education skills. This is an indication that the ECC is not being taught successfully. Itinerant: The least restrictive environment must be balanced with the most appropriate and most enabling placement. 80% of students with VI are in Itinerant Placements. There are indications that trying to infuse the ECC with core curriculum is questionable and does not stress importance. Current Research and Theories

3. Residential Placement Challenges • Some student’s homes are far away, making it difficult for families to be involved in the student’s education and life. This can result in a disconnected relationship between parents, school and the child. • Many parents will chose to keep their children in the home, community and neighborhood school

4. Itinerant Challenges • Caseloads are too large • Academic needs taking prevalence over ECC • Assessment materials may be unavailable or inadequate • Administrators may not recognize low prevalence specialized needs. • No estimates based on data are available to estimate the amount of time needed to teach. • Social isolation of students who are VI needs to be addressed. • There may be competition for resources.

5. Residential Best Practice On campus instruction: • Accomodations for students with additional disabilities. • Small classes with excellent student teacher ratios • Community based instruction in natural environments • Mobility instruction • Social Interaction • Specialized approach to communication • Intensive instruction in academic area of need or ECC. • Short term programs • Work readiness programs • Technology, athletics, music, drama, after school and community programs

6. Provide: Outreach Itinerant service Inservice Training Practicum Training Sites Early Intervention Services Assessment and Diagnostic Services Technical Assistance to Local Education Agencies Produce and Distribute materials and resources Support Parent Groups Residential Best Practice

7. CTVI ROLE: Curriculum needs must be planned, sequential, direct instruction. ECC requires time to teach and does not decrease with student’s age. Effective Specialized Assessment must cover every area of the ECC ECC Receives Equal Attention to Academic Goals. Provide Direct Individual Instruction in Place of Ineffective Group Instruction. CTVI must be a Primary Education Resource for Students and Families. Itinerant Best Practice

8. Local District’s Role: Board, Administration, Staff, Parents support Blind and VI students in their Schools Philosophically and Financially Placement is Determined Based on Student Assessment. Each Student has a CTVI who Provides materials, is a consultant, counselor, advocate and has time to teach. Related Service Personnel are available according to Assessment needs. Local District, board, and administrators all acknowledge the necessity of the ECC district wide. Itinerant Placement Best Practice

9. If meeting the ECC with itinerant placement is difficult, 1-2 years at a residential school could meet the needs. Recommend short term programs as needed for specific areas of learning. Consider a shared responsibility of local districts with residential school teaching much of the ECC and the child moving between programs. In remote areas where CTVI support is not possible, the residential school can offer an education program. In the case of sudden vision loss, a student may benefit from quickly learning new basic skills during an intensive year at the residential school with less strenuous academic learning. Students meet VI age-mates and make friends with out the pressure of going to school with sighted peers. Practical Suggestions For Residential Placement

10. Residential Case Studies • A special Ed Director noted that student self esteem improved for students with VI who attend classes with other students who are VI. Experiences such as being on student council, a cheerleader, on a goal ball team or a star in a play is a reality at residential school and possibly only a dream in the public school. Students who live nearby can attend some classes at a local high school and participate in after school functions at the school for the blind.

11. Residential Case Studies • A parent says her daughter never experienced being invited to birthdays and overnights at her local school. At the residential school she always has a friend to do things with. • An adult with VI reports that as a child she appeared successful in her social life of 4-H and scouting that her parents imposed on her. She secretly had pen pals at schools for the blind in many states and dreamed of having friends like herself where she felt like she belonged. After high school graduation she attended a German school for the Blind as a exchange student and feels that her sense of belonging there positively affected her ability to be friends with the sighted.

12. Benefits: Students in general education classrooms benefit from attending with siblings and neighborhood friends. Avoid long daily bus rides Live at home Participate in after school and community programs. Easier for parents to participate in school activities. Interact in the area where they will live and work. Avoid interruption of family relationships Improvements: All placement options must be considered by the IEP team An assortment of placements and services may include special classes and schools. The supply of highly qualified educators must be increased to meet the needs of VI students. Parents and professionals must become partners Itinerant Suggestions

13. Itinerant case studies • Rex, Koenig, Wormsley, and Baker(1994) suggest Braille Literacy students need 1 1/2 – 2 hours instruction daily; the same amount of time sighted peers receive. • Ryles(1977) concludes Braille literacy recipients who received instruction 4-5 times per week had better skills than print readers or those with infrequent Braille instruction. • Griffin-Shirley, Nora; Koenig (2004) itinerant teachers perform extraordinarily complex jobs. Their roles change with demographic changes of children and types of services needed, caseload, administrator’s knowledge of the needs of students with VI, and work environments.

14. Home Based vs. Community Based instruction And the expanded core curriculum

15. Home based Instruction VA (2004)officials reviewed waiting lists of Veterans with VI and determined their needs would be better met with outpatient services closer to home. May 2004 VA reported 2,127 legally blind veterans waiting for admission to Blind Rehabilitation Centers. 2003 study revealed 59% of veterans were reluctant to leave their home for extended periods. Early Childhood Intervention in a child’s natural environment, can enhance intelligence, improve physical, cognitive, speech, and psycho social development, reduce family stress and special ed placement when the child reaches school age. Save costs to society and schools. Community Based Instruction: Provides optimum learning opportunities for multiply disabled and sensory impaired. Successful CBI depends on support and involvement of parents. Hands on learning helps students to acquire basic life skills in the environments where they will use them. Academic skills are merged with practical, functional activities. More exciting for the student Current Research and Theories

16. Best Practice Home-based Instruction Basic immediate need skills offered for Blind Veterans at Blind Rehabilitation Centers and in home by outpatient instructors. • Visual skill enhancement through alternative scanning and viewing techniques • Adaptive low vision devices • Living skills ; cooking eating, laundry, typing, keyboarding • Use of Manual tools • Leisure and hobbies: sporting events, golf, fishing • Counseling therapy for adjustment, social interaction • Computer and internet skills, email Early Childhood Intervention • Extend child find to all places where children may spend the day • IFSP team identifies activities in child’s daily routines that provide opportunities for learning new skills. • Service is provided in the child’s natural environment- home, neighborhood or community. Where the child lives. Learns or plays • Families and professionals work as a team. CTVI is a home instructor for parents and a link between educational agencies and the home.

17. Best Practice Community Based Instruction • Routinely and regularly scheduled. • Low student teacher ratio • Individualized. Related to IEP objectives. • IEP determined by parent interview, age appropriate tasks, emphasis on participation, success and independence in natural environments • Brainstorm which IEP team members might be included • Functional, immediate and direct impact • Teach skills in classroom first to those students who can generalize, then reinforce in the community

18. Practical suggestions Home-based instruction • Early intervention programs professionals provide suggested activities, materials and strategies to enhance learning. • Inform and support parents and provide some hands on intervention with the child.

19. Practical suggestions Community Based Instruction • Parents should receive the same training as the staff in order to understand ideals and concepts behind CBI • After school activities, sports, faith-based youth and summer camps may supplement CBI • Challenges such as liability and transportation issue should be addressed with school officials , parents, teachers, the IEP team members to problem solve according to community and local laws. • Types of activities might include: Home - daily living, care and selection of clothing, , personal hygiene, feeding, meal preparation, household maintenance. Job Site - personal care, toileting schedule, clothing modifications. Community Activity - eating at restarants , using public transportation.

20. Case Study Home-based • Koenig, A, Holbrook, C (2000) According to a survey of CTVI’s concerning infants, the primary role of a CTVI is to consult with parents and model early literacy activities. • Increasing service to moderate to high levels of consistency as students grow during toddler years.

21. Students Improve social and community behavior and work habits while decreasing self stimulatory, antisocial behavior. Acquire skills crucial to perform in the community. Self-sufficient mobility. Age appropriate social skills to complete transactions. Acquire skills necessary for future sheltered or unsheltered employment Parents or Caregivers Commitment and involvement in program planning More responsible for recognizing skills student needs to function in home and community Increase in communication, and participation in school related functions. Staff Increased creativity and commitment Increased staff communication Teacher motivation due to varied environments Community Positive community awareness of potential of individuals with disabilities Private sector motivated to provide appropriate instructional settings. Case Study CBI Benefits

22. Class Discussion • What is meant by CTVI’s competing for materials? • What are some solutions for social isolation? • What ways will Government implementation of in home services for veterans impact the vision field?

23. References (under construction) • Gretchen Everhart school (1996) • Griffin-Shirley, N, Koenig,A. (2004) Survey of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments: Responsibilities Satisfactions and Needs. RE:view, Spring 2004, v36,n1,p7 • Heubner,M, Koenig,A. Student Centered Pl;acement Decision Least Restrictive Environment Retrieved om October 6, 2006 from http//www.edu.arizona.edu/dvi/position • Hatlen, P (2003) Impact of Literacy on the Expanded Core Curriculum. Getting in Touch with Literacy Conference. Retrieved Oct 21, 2006 from http://www.tsbvi.edu/agency/literacy • Hatlen, P (1998) The Delivery of the the Core Curriculum for Blind and Visually Impaired Students. Retrieved Oct 21, 2006 from http://www.tsbvi.edu/agenda/delivery.htm#top • Hatlen, P (2003) Roles of a responsible and Creative School for the Blind Retrieved Oct 21, 2006 from http://www.tsbvi.edu/ • Hatlen, P (2004) The System isn’t working and there are no obvious Solutions JVIBRetrieved Oct 21, 2006 from Rhttp://www.AfB.org/JVIB • Imackechnie, (2005) Reply to The System isn’t working and there are no obvious Solutions. Retrieved Oct 13 from http//www.AFB.org/JVIB message board reply to Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual Impairments. • Johnson,L. (1996) The Literacy Crisis for Children. JVIB May-Jun 1996, v90,n3,p276-78

24. References cont. • LaVenture,S.(2003)IDEA Past and Present. Speakers Corner, Journal of Visual Impairments and Blindness. September 2003, Vol 97 ,9. Retrieved Oct 23 from AFB • Olmstead, J (2005) AFB • The Project for New Mexico Children and Youth Who are Deafblind..Fact sheet Benefits of Community –Based Instruction. Retrieved on Oct 30, 2006 from http://cdd.unm.edu/deafblind/forms/facts/Community Based Instruction.pdf • San Francisco unified School District (2005) • Scotland, J (2005) Reply to The System isn’t working and there are no obvious Solutions. Retrieved Oct 13 from http//www.AFB .JVIB Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual Impairments. • Spungin, S (2005) Foundations of Education Vol I, Foreward, Retrieved October 19, 2006 from http:// • Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual Impairments. From Theory to Practice (2006) Retrieved October 13, 2006 from http://www.AFB • CBI. Retrieved on Oct 19 from www.vcu.edu/rrtcucb • VA Blind Rehabilitation Service • Wehmeyer, M (2001) CBI August Disabilities Newsletter. Retrieved October 13, 2006 from Brookes publishing