Competency 003 (Student with Disabilities and other special needs) Flashcards
Competency 003
The special education teacher understands and applies knowledge of procedures for planning instruction for individuals with disabilities.
Planning Instruction for Special Needs Students
-Utilizing student IEPs to assess student strengths and needs is a good place to start when planning instruction for special education students. Having a good understand of the TEKS will help develop IEPs that can be used effectively to plan instruction.
Read the Current Levels of Performance of the PLAAFP section of the IEP to begin to identify a student’s strengths and weaknesses:
-Analyze student needs and strengths in relation to instructional demands, the setting in which instruction will take place, the time allotment, and the resources that match instructional objectives
-Determine which instructional techniques, materials, and activities address student IEP goals most effectively
-Simultaneously build motivation through engaging instruction
Effective Methods for Implementing Accommodations in the Regular Education Environment
The accommodations should be as simple as possible. Try using accommodations that require the least amount of time and effort to have the desired, positive effect. When simpler accommodations do not produce the desired effect, try more complex or increasingly more complex method of accommodations.
-It is easy to confuse instructional accommodations when the issues is behavioral on nature. For example, if a student isn’t finishing work on time, determine whether that student requires extra guidance, adding additional time, or behavioral intervention because he or she is choosing to not complete the work requirements. Sometimes a student’s behavior doesn’t stem from disability.
-Special Education teachers can also help to provide accommodations within regular education setting by working with regular education teachers to plan accommodations. Some are quite simple and can be effective for more than one student. For example, you can accommodate students with attention problems by asking them to sit near the front.
Instructional Accommodations
Instructional accommodations are generally defined as changes that are made to help successful learning in most educational environments. Instructional accommodations are often confused with instructional modifications. Instructional modifications are changes made to the content that students are learning, so that the content becomes different somehow.
-Do not necessarily have to be identified on IEPs
Targeted Instruction
Targeted instruction should be defined through IEP objectives. This type of instruction occurs typically in a small group setting and focuses on areas of weakness that are identified through achievement, cognitive assessments and skill-based assessments.
Instructional Strategies/Techniques
Use concrete materials and visual aids with instruction
-Include real-life models and life-skill tasks to illustrate concepts and practice skills. Examples can include the following:
-Measure ingredients in a recipe
-Determine the number of gallons of paint needed to paint a bedroom
-Read a map at a shopping mall and navigate to the store of choice
-Use a multisensory approach to introduce or practice concepts. Visual, auditory, or kinesthetic approaches work very well.
-Repetition of key concepts
Strategies for Addressing Learning Needs in the Regular Education Environment
Relate class to personal real-life skills and experiences
-Limit expectations to two or three concepts per unit
-Evaluate projects rather than doing traditional testing
-Plan and teach with student strength’s in mind
-Use concise directions when teaching
-Incorporate flexible learning groups
-Preteach concepts, information, and key vocabulary using a variety of graphic organizers
Strategies for Students with Writing Needs
Permit students to use a tape recorder to dictate writing
-Permit students to use computers for outlining, word processing, spelling and grammar check
-Use guided notes for note taking
-Use collaborative writing activities
-Use flowcharts for writing ideas for prewriting
-Use multimedia alternatives to traditional writing
-Don;t penalize for errors in mechanics and grammar, unless that is the objective being taught
Strategies for students with Reading Needs
Allow students to subvocalize quietly reading aloud
-Teach self-questioning, previewing, searching for context clues, predicting, and summarizing comprehension strategies
-Summarize key points when reading notification
-Identify nonfiction features such as main ideas, details, sequencing, cause/effect, and compare/contrast
-When reading nonfiction, teach story elements
-Allow highlighting of texts, passages, keywords, or concepts
-Preview any vocabulary
-Use prereading and post reading strategies
Strategies for Students with Expressive Language Needs
Use visuals
-Use built-in time for processing
-Use cues for speaking in public
-Phrase questions with choices embedded in them
-Use choral reading or speaking
-Use rhythm or music
-Allow practice opportunities for speaking in small group settings to encourage success
Strategies for Students with Retaining and Accessing Information Needs
Teach concepts and information use a multisensory approach (tactile, visual, kinesthetic, auditory, and so on
-Teach frequent repetition of key points
-Teach instructional segment
-Color-code to demonstrate key concepts and relationships
-Use mnemonics as a memory tool
-Sequence information into categories and lists
-Organize information visually, showing connections between key ideas and concepts
Strategies for Students with Organization Needs
Teach how to use planners and calendars
-Teach time management skills when working on long-term assignments for projects
-Teach how to use different folders, notebooks, and planners and maintain these in an organized fashion
-Teach how to keep storage spaces organized
-Use daily assignment planner for homework, due dates on assignments, upcoming tests or quizzes, and for recording important events and dates
Strategies for Students with Attending Issues
Use preferential seating
-Measure on task behavior and plan accordingly
-Incorporate movement within a lesson
-Teach self-monitoring strategies
-Incorporate breaks
-Provide reminder cues or prompts
-Reduce assignment length or break down assignments into achieveable segments
Teaching in Alternative Settings
Alternative education programs have been proliferating in this country, especially in the past 15 years.
-Half of all districts with alternative with alternative programs and schools reported that any of the following was a sufficient reason for transferring at-risk students from regular school
-Alcohol and drug use: 52 percent
-Physical attacks or fights: 52 percent
-Chronic truancy: 51 percent
-Continual academic failure: 50 percent
-Possession or use of a weapon other than a firearm: 50 percent
-Disruptive verbal behavior: 45 percent
-Possession or use of a firearm: 44 percent
Models of Alternative Schools
Restructured Schools: These relate closely to current charter or independent schools. While they are not designed for at-risk students who struggle in mainstream public schools
-Disciplinary Programs: These schools and programs utilize a mix of highly intensive, daily behavior modification and close, person student-teacher interaction. Typically, violent or highly disruptive students are sent to these schools and programs
-Problem-Solving Schools and Programs: Problem-solving schools and programs are positive and nonpunctive. These schools and programs provide assistance for unsuccessful mainstream students by providing a network of academic, social, and emotional programs and instruction. Often, academic remediation and rehabilitation are the key tenets of these programs.
Qualifications for Teaching in Alternative Programs or Schools
All teachers in any alternative setting must be highly qualified. This includes any juvenile centers, correctional institutions, and any other alternative placement under the state law.
-The teacher must hold a bachelor’s degree and has demonstrated subject-matter competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches
Positive Behavioral Strategies for At-Risk Students in Alternative Programs and Schools
Opportunities to forge relationships with caring adults, coupled with engaging curriculum, prevent discipline problems
-Discipline this is fair, corrective, and includes therapeutic relationship building opportunities reduces the likelihood of further problems
-Strategies that maintain appropriate social behavior make classrooms and schools safer
-Positive solutions address student needs, environmental conditions, teacher interactions and matching students with curriculum
Collaboration with Occupational and Physical Therapists
The roles of a SPED teacher within this model would involve:
-provide information before and after a student’s therapy
-help the therapist devise a therapy schedule
-participate in facilitating in-class therapy sessions
-plan and conduct activities that promote the student’s motor, sensory, and perceptiual skills while in the classroom setting
-positive feedback to the therapist as needed
-learn proper procedures for lifting students with physical impairments as well as proper techniques for positioning students appropriately during classroom activities
-exchange information and expertise with therapists to help plan future therapy sessions, give and receive feedback
Visual processing problems
Arise when students have difficulty processing visual input
Dyslexia
Difficulty processing language
Dyscalculia
Difficulty with math
Dysgraphia
Difficulty with writing
Dyspraxia (sensory integration disorder)
Difficulty with fine motor skills
Myths about Sped students
Only Sped teachers can teach Sped students, gen ed teachers cannot
-Special ed happens in specific places
-All students in the classroom must be doing grade level work
7 Characteristics of Inclusive Education
-1) General education class welcomes all students
-2) Students with and without disabilities are proportionate to the population
-3) Students with disabilities are educated in their age group
-4) Students with disabilities have a combination of participating in the class and having their own
-5) The shared education happens in gen ed environments
-6) All inclusion is based on the student
-7) Daily and on an ongoing basis
Principles Underlying Inclusion
Many gen ed approaches can be used for Sped students
-Special ed is a service, not a placce
-Curriculum and grade level don’t need to be the same thing
-Inclusion is not a “favor”
Parental Involvement in Curriculum
Positively influences relationships between parents and school
-Shows how the role of educators is to help parents identify and communicate their priorities for their child
-ex) Making Action Plans (MAP), Personal Futures Planning, Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) , Choosing Outcomes and Accommodations for Children (COACH)
Individualized Curriculum Content
Self advocacy and choice about what they want
-To align with community and family cultural norms
-Based on necessary skills for functioning in life
Multilevel Curriculum and Instruction
-Sped and gen ed students share activities in the same curriculum area
-Different learning outcomes
Curriculum Overlapping
Sped and gen ed students share activities
-Different curriculum areas and different learning outcomes
-Can be another gen ed curriculum area
IEP
-Jointly developed by school, specialists and parents
-Scheduling matrix looks at Sped goals and classroom activities
-Matches up what works and divergent activities when needed
Collaborative Education Models
Lead Teacher Collaboration: Sped teacher observes, modifies, and instructs for understanding
-Center/Station: Every teacher does inclusion in their classroom area, Sped teachers teach or support other teachers
-Alternative Collaborative Setting/Resource Services: pull-out into rooms or other areas of the classroom for part of the day with a Sped teacher
-Team Teaching: Sped and gen ed teachers instruct classes together
-Consultation Indirect Services: Sped teachers help gen ed teachers
Action Principles
Inclusive environments
-UDL Principles
-Collaboration between gen ed and Sped teachers
-Happens at state level, school district level and building level
IDEA
PL 94-142 in 1975 called “Education for All Handicapped Children Act,” changed to IDEA in 1990
-Includes transition services
-Part B: Ages 3-22, FAPE, LRE, free individual evaluations, IEP
-Part C: Ages 0-3, early intervention services for developmental delays or disabilities, Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP)
-Regulated at federal level, states administer
Section 504 of 1983 Rehabilitation Act
Bans activities with federal funding from discriminating based on disability
-Must provide reasonable accommodations for Sped students
-If they do not comply, it is against OCR and can lose federal funding
-Less specific criteria, used for students who do not fall under IDEA
-Only requires parent notification, not consent
Due Process for Parental Disagreements
Impartial hearings when parents disagree with identification, evaluation or placement
-IDEA: Written parent consent, specific procedures, impartial person appoints hearing officers, current placement/IEP continues until resolution, 10 day parental notification for changes, enforced by U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education
-504: Does not need parent consent, opportunities for parental participation and legal representation, schools appoint hearing offices, only parental notification required when there is a change, enforced by OCR
RTI (Response to Intervention)
Early intervention and support with multiple tiers
-All students are screened and have high quality instruction
-Intervention/Differentiation at increasing intensity
-Integrate Sped and gen ed instruction and intervention
-ongoing progress monitoring and assessment
-Parent involvement
PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)
-All students, school wide
-Universal Screening
-Modeling, teaching and rewarding positive academic and social behaviors
-Preventing learning and behavior problems before they happen
-By itself of tier 1 of RTI
Child Find Mandates
Federal
-Identify, find and evaluate all children suspected of disabilities
-Teachers and school staff members cannot initiate but can request, only can be initiated by parents, principals or district designees and principals cannot block parent referral
-Gen ed is always the first alternative
Committees on Special Education (CSE)
Develop and implement IEP
-Assessing students, developing and implementing IEP, providing recommended services, LRE
-Enable student success by making sure gen ed and sped teachers and support staff are able and qualified to implement standards and specially designed instruction
-Consider curriculum and state standards
-Identify current performance levels, strengths and needs as they relate to general curriculum
-Identifying annual goals, short term-benchmarks and identify adaptations and accommodations
Embedded Instructional Strategy
Teaching needed skills within the setting’s ongoing routines
-Instruction across activities, not in isolation
-Incorporates environmental cues, provides opportunities for peer interaction, improves motivation, promotes skill retention, encourages active learning
-Can be done in content related routines
5 Steps of Integrating IEP
-1) Identify activity or routine
-2) Identify individualized teaching targets
-3) Plan instruction
-4) Implement instruction
-5) Assess student learning and instructional effectiveness
Service Delivery Models
Collaborative Service Delivery Model
-Consultive Model
-Autism Small-Group Model
-Co Teaching Model
-Deaf/Hard of Hearing Model
-Small Group EBD Model
-Itinerant Service Delivery Model
-Low Incidence Class Model
-Various Service Delivery Models for Orthopedically Impaired
-Self Contained/Small Group Model
-Special Needs Preschool Model
-Expanded Core Curriculum for Visually Impaired
Collaborative Service Delivery Model
Sped teacher collaborates with gen ed teachers
-Helps with planning, delivering and assessing modifications
-Collects data for monitoring IEP goals
Consultive Model
-Gen ed teachers deliver IEP accommodations and modifications
-Direct support from Sped teacher, consults with student and gen ed teacher
Autism Small-Group Mode
Fewer students, less distractions, clear boundaries, displayed schedules, organized/ labeled workstations and transition cues
-Direct instruction, functional skills instruction, independent study, natural environment instruction, APA principles and procedures
Co-Teaching Model
-Collaboration for the whole class period between Sped and gen ed teachers
-Plan and assess together
-Sped teacher incorporates IEPs and monitors instructional modifications
Deaf/Hard of Hearing Model
Language Development based activities and specialized instruction
-Environments to access information that is inaccessible in general classrooms
Small Group EBD Model
Functional behavior assessment, behavior intervention plans, classroom behavior management plan
-Remediation for deficits in academic skills
-Grade level standards
-Teaches social skills and appropriate behavior
Itinerant Service Delivery Mode
Sped teacher traveling between schools
-Used for PT/OT or some low-incidence disabilities when needed
Low-Incidence Class Model
For students with ID
-Mild, Moderate, Severe and Profound
-Small group classes for most of the day, mainstreaming for enrichment when possible
-Emphasizes daily living and functional skills
Various Service Delivery Models for Orthopedically Impaired
Gen ed classes with consulting, small group classes according to needs, inclusive schools settings with itinerant teacher or paraprofessional
Self-Contained Classes/Small Group Model
Disabilities too severe for LRE, modifications for extensive for gen ed
-Specialized instruction from a sped teacher
-Includes skill deficit remediation and grade-level standards
Special Needs Preschool Model
Young children with disabilities identified for Sped and related services
-Small group Sped classroom, community models, home based models or a combination
-Full or partial attendance 1-5 days a week
Expanded Core Curriculum for Visually Impaired
Taught by teachers of the visually impaired (TVI)
-Teaches skills for general curricular and environmental access
-Includes orientation and mobility, independent living skills, assistive technology, social sills, career education, recreation, self-advocacy
