Warren Petchalonis GRIT 785 Introduction: Education Setting: Fairhill Elementary school is a school that services a little over

5 students! 7"# o$ the students are %atino& ''# are ($rican (merican& )ith the "# *eing made u+ o$ other races! ,"# o$ the students -uali$y as economically disa*led! ."# o$ the students -uali$y as students )ith disa*ilities! I Types of Disabilities and implications for learning: The role o$ I/E( in de$ining and en$orcing ho) schools +rovide s+ecial educational services: In )ith 0ee+ing I/E( 1the Individuals )ith /isa*ility Educational (ct2a set o$ $ederal la)s that mandate the services that school must o$$er students )ith learning di$$erences3& the school adheres to the cycle o$ access to the general curriculum $or students )ho -uali$y! Students are giving access to a general education curriculum! This means that the main goal $or students to *e a*le to have accessi*ility to the curriculum and the su*4ects taught! Students can access the curriculum through ada+ted 1s+ecially develo+ed alternative instructional materials and settings3 or di$$erentiated instruction 1an all5inclusive teaching techni-ue that addresses the needs o$ student6s di$$erences in learning styles in an other)ise standard classroom setting3 i$ needed! 7ne common method o$ o$$ering di$$erentiated instruction is to ta0e advantage o$ com+uter5*ased instructional materials& and o$$ered them in customi8ed $ormats to student )ho may have s+ecial reading or testing re-uirements! Federal /isa*ility (lternative Terms Term 9rie$ /escri+tion

( disorder related to +rocessing in$ormation that leads to di$$iculties in reading& )riting& and %earning disa*ility S+eci$ic learning com+uting: the most common disa*ility& 1%/3 disa*ility accounting $or hal$ o$ all students receiving s+ecial education! S+eech or ( disorder related to accurately +roducing the ;ommunication language sounds o$ language or meaning$ully using disorder 1;/3 im+airment language to communicate! Intellectual Signi$icant limitations in intellectual a*ility and <ental retardation disa*ility& cognitive ada+tive *ehavior: this disa*ility occurs in a range 1<R3 im+airment o$ severity! 9ehavior disorder Emotional Signi$icant +ro*lems in the social5emotional area 19/3! emotional distur*ance 1E/3 to a degree that learning is negatively a$$ected! disa*ility ( disorder characteri8ed *y e=traordinary (utism s+ectrum di$$iculty in social res+onsiveness: this disa*ility (utism disorder 1(S/3 occurs in many di$$erent $orms and may *e mild or signi$icant! >earing /ea$& hard o$ hearing ( +artial or com+lete loss o$ hearing!

im+airment 1/>>3 ?isual im+airment %o) vision& *lind /ea$5*lindness 7rtho+edic im+airment 1 I3 Traumatic *rain in4ury 1T9I3 Physical disa*ility

7ther health im+airment 17>I3

<ulti+le disa*ilities

/evelo+mental delay 1//3

( +artial or com+lete loss o$ vision! ( simultaneous signi$icant hearing loss and signi$icant vision loss! ( signi$icant +hysical limitation that im+airs the a*ility to move or com+lete motor activities! ( medical condition denoting a serious *rain in4ury that occurs as a result o$ accident or in4ury: the im+act o$ this disa*ility varies )idely *ut may a$$ect learning& *ehavior& social s0ills& and language! ( disease or health disorder so signi$icant that it negatively a$$ects learning: e=am+les include cancer& sic0le5cell anemia& and dia*etes! The simultaneous +resence o$ t)o or more disa*ilities such that none can *e identi$ied as the +rimary disa*ility: the most common e=am+le is the occurrence o$ mental retardation and +hysical disa*ilities! ( nons+eci$ic disa*ility category that states may choose to use as an alternative to s+eci$ic disa*ility la*els $or identi$ying students u+ to age , needing s+ecial education!

Fre-uently& though not in all cases& students )ith learning di$$erences may )or0 )ith counselors and s+ecialists at the school district to develo+ an Individuali8ed Educational Program 1an IEP3! /evelo+ing an IEP is a com+le= ste+5*y5ste+ +rocess that )ill *e discussed later in this document! ( student )ith IEP must have involvement in the general education classroom& and develo+ evidence o$ meaning$ul +artici+ation! The IEP must contain language stating the e=tent the student )ill +artici+ate )ith non5disa*led children& and also must re-uire no less than one regular education teacher and s+ecial education teacher )ill teach the student! @+on o*taining an IEP& the student enters the +rogress +hase! (nnual goals are set& +rogress to)ard ma0ing those goals is measured! The IEP is revie)ed +eriodically and revised a++ro+riately to address changes in the students learning needs and to consider the students +rogress to)ard their goals! There are s+eci$ic legal rights and re-uirements that +rotect +arents in situations o$ an IEP: (ll students )ith disa*ilities must *e included in all general state and district )ide assessment +rograms! States and districts must re+ort and ma0e availa*le to the +u*lic& in$ormation concerning the num*er o$ students )ith disa*ilities that +artici+ated in regular assessments! IEP must include a statement o$ any individual a++ro+riate accommodations that are necessary! @niversal /esign o$ %earning is a *lue+rint $or classrooms that serve all learners:

@niversal /esign $or %earning 1@/%3 is a set o$ +rinci+les $or curriculum develo+ment that give all individuals e-ual o++ortunities to learn! @/% +rovides a *lue+rint $or creating instructional goals& methods& materials& and assessments that )or0 $or everyone55not a single& one5si8e5$its5all solution *ut rather $le=i*le a++roaches that can *e customi8ed and ad4usted $or individual needs! The goal o$ education in the '.st ;entury is not sim+ly the mastery o$ content 0no)ledge or use o$ ne) technologies! It is the mastery o$ the learning +rocess! Education should hel+ turn novice learners into e=+ert learners2individuals )ho )ant to learn& )ho 0no) ho) to learn strategically& and )ho& in their o)n highly individual and $le=i*le )ays& are )ell +re+ared $or a li$etime o$ learning! @niversal /esign $or %earning 1@/%3 hel+s educators meet this goal *y +roviding a $rame)or0 $or understanding ho) to create curricula that meets the needs o$ all learners $rom the start! II Support for cognitive, non-cognitive, social behavioral, language and physical skills: Everyday in our classrooms& teachers need to art$ully *alance the demanding and highly +rescri*ed curriculum that )as develo+ed *y research& and sha+ed *y state re-uirements and *enchmar0s& )ith the individual needs o$ students! 7ur school recogni8es that students do not all learn the same )ay& nor at the same +ace& and reali8es that +roviding individuali8ed su++ort +ermits many di$$erent styles o$ learners to )or0 success$ully together to reach overall goals! >ere is a short list o$ some o$ the individuali8ed su++ort techni-ues that are availa*le: (! ;ognitive Su++ort: The student can have small grou+ testing to limit distractions! 9e given sim+liAed directions $or students )ho can $ollo) a limited num*er o$ ste+s ! E=tended time can *e +rovided so the student does not $eel rushed! ;hange in setting $or reduced distraction $or the student ( short summary o$ )hat the student has read can +rovide the student )ith some hel+ remem*er the 0ey conce+ts o$ a story!

9! Social 9ehavioral: Goal S/I 5: @se +ro=imity 7$$er choices and alternatives to encourage re-uesting *ehavior Provide e=tended )ait time! ?er*al rein$orcement and encouragement to interact a++ro+riately )ith +eers! /aily chec05in )ith s+ecial education teacher to monitor emotional and *ehavior concerns! 9ehavior chec0lists created *y the student and the s+ecial education teacher andBor resource s+ecialist )hich include a +reviously identiAed lists o$ situations causing an=iety& $rustration

and anger and !*ehaviors the student e=hi*its )hich inhi*it a++ro+riate interactions! Giving the student $re-uent *rea0s! ;o+ing and +ro5social strategies and chec0lists created *y >ector and the s+ecial education teacher andBor resource s+ecialist to $acilitate a++ro+riate interactions

%anguage Su++ort: <ultisensory a++roach )ith the student to achieve goals! 1@sing a multisensory teaching a++roach means hel+ing a child to learn through more than one o$ the senses! <ost teaching in schools is done using either sight or hearing 1visual or auditory sensations3! The child6s sight is used in reading in$ormation& loo0ing at diagrams or +ictures& or reading )hat is on the teacher6s *oard! The sense o$ hearing is used in listening to )hat the teacher says! 3 The teacher )ill use multi+le resources such as literature& so$t)are& Cashcards& )or0sheets& +rovided curriculum& materials& to hel+ rein$orce language )ith the student! Putting the student into small grou+s )ith high use o$ +ositive rein$orcement! The advantage o$ small grou+ )or0& is that it +romotes ma=imum +artici+ation $rom all students! In a small grou+ situation& ideally all students are involved in *oth Dthin0ing and doing!

Physical S0ills Su++ort: Permitting the use o$ a note ta0er or ta+e recorder! Teaming the student )ith a la*oratory +artner or assistant! 1Eote: Educational assistants can *e +rovided *y through the /ivision o$ Social Services!3 (llo)ing in5class )ritten assignments to *e com+leted out o$ class )ith the use o$ a scri*e or other a++ro+riate aid!

III Methods of technology-based means of assessment: (ssessment using com+uter technology is no) )ides+read through out the district! When there is mainstreaming in the classroom& it is +ossi*le $or teachers to o$$er students tests and assessments in a variety o$ di$$erent $ormats! The )ay that technology is used $or one student& may not *e consistent ho) technology is used $or another student! (nother *ene$it o$ integrating com+uters into assessment is that it enhances a teacher6s a*ility to conduct Fauthentic assessmentG2to evaluate a student6s a*ility to do a +articular tas0 *y actually having them conduct that tas0 in a simulated or controlled setting! For e=am+le& Student learning to )rite )ill *e o$$ered o++ortunity to create a *oo0 or ne)+a+er! 9enchmar0 tests can *e give to see i$ students have made the a++ro+riate ste+s to)ards meeting the PSS( standard! Technology is also used to +rovide electronic grade *oo0s& and other systems that in$ormation more readily use$ul to +arents and teachers! When electronic grade *oo0s are used& teachers may have more $le=i*ility to +rint out re+orts $or students& or *etter +rogress5monitoring strategies! IV The I ! !rocess

;om+rehensive Student (ssistance Process Ste+s: a three5tiered +rocess that uses increasing levels o$ intervention& and s+eci$ic assessments: Tier I: This level o$ intervention is designed to address the needs o$ a grou+ o$ students e=+eriencing similar *arriers o$ learning! Teachers meet on a regular *asis )ith their colleagues to identi$y and im+lement di$$erent teaching strategies in the classroom in order to hel+ the students! There is a $acilitator )ho coordinates the meetings! Every H /ays: 55;lassroom 9ased Grou+ Su++ort 55(dditional ;lassroom Instructional /ata 55/ocument Intervention Plan is maintained on the ;om+rehensive Student (ssistance Process Su++ort %og Tier II: This level is $or students that e=+erience +articular *arriers to learning and are in need o$ more targeted su++ort! In Tier II& a team 4oins +arents at a meeting that is coordinated *y the School ;ounselor! (n intervention +lan is develo+ed to address the needs o$ the student and or the $amily! The +lan may include school *ased or community *ased su++orts! The team assem*led could include au=iliary mem*ers& de+ending on the issue and )ith +arental +ermission! Every H 5I /ays: 55Individual Student Su++ort meeting 55;ontact ParentBGuardian: Phone or %etter 55Pre5<eeting ;hec0list is +re+ared 55Student 7*servation Forms: ;om+leted *y Primary Teacher and (dditional Sta$$ i$ needed 55(dditional Student /ata: ;lassroom *ased assessments& *ehavioral o*servations 55;om+lete Functional 9ehavior (ssessment or F9( as indicated 55(gency ;onsentBRelease 55/ocument Intervention Plan is u+dated on Su++ort %og! 1JJJJPlease go through the $ollo)ing *ullets and e=+lain them so non5teachers )ould understand3 Tier III: In this $inal level the $ocus is an evaluation $or change o$ +lacement i$ the student is still not meeting the targeted goals! The change o$ +lacement may *e $or educational or *ehavioral reasons! 55<andated Timeliness $or the student& )here intervention )ere +roceed! 55;ontact ParentBGuardian: Either *y Phone or %etter 55S+ecial Education Intervention 55Permission to Evaluate $rom the Parent or Guardian 55Individuali8ed Education Plan 557REP is the last +art o$ the IEP 1Individual Education Plan!3 When it is signed it ma0es the IEP the o$$icial +lan $or that +articular child $or the coming .' months! When +arents sign it& they are agreeing to the +lacement& the goals and the s+ecially designed instruction that )ill de$ine their childKs s+ecial education +rogram!

The role o$ Res+onse to Intervention 1JJJ Please chec0 the $ollo)ing gra+h and revise it! Lou needed an intro& I sort o$ )rote one $or you! Eot sure I got it right3 Res+onse to Intervention 1RTI3 is teaching and assessment techni-ue that teachers use the general classroom in situations )here students are continually under +er$orming! Ty+ically& a series o$ s+ecially develo+ed instructional and assessment materials are used& and o$$ered to the entire class over a +eriod o$ )ee0s! Student +rogress is closely monitored55this can *e on an individual or classroom5)ide *asis! The goal o$ RTI is to identi$y learning areas o$ concern among students in the general school +o+ulation& and to more care$ully learn a*out student6s learning di$$erences in de+th *e$ore a re$erral $or s+ecial education& testing or counseling is o$$ered! The RTI +rocess is relatively ne)& and is going through a lot o$ scrutiny& and iterative develo+ment! %essons have *een learned $rom P(6s Elementary School Pilot Pro4ect and other state)ide im+lementation e$$orts )hich are currently *eing used to revise the RTI +rocess: There a++ears to *e a need $or active involvement and su++ort at *oth the *uilding and district levels! Site level su++ort should concentrate on *uilding 0no)ledge& s0ills and $rame)or0 com+onents in conte=t! /istrict and *uilding level administration may )or0 together to learn ne) leadershi+ routines and strategically *uild ca+acity )ithin the system! The ;om+rehensive Student (ssistance Process 1;S(P3 is an investment that is tied to systems change theory and *ridging science )ith +ractice! For ;S(P systems to *e e$$ective& there are +arameters $or its e$$ectiveness& including critical $rame)or0 com+onents! So& )hile there are various )ays that e$$ective ;S(P systems can *e assem*led& decisions regarding im+lementation o$ critical com+onents must *e *ased u+on )hat has *een sho)n to )or0 and then monitored $or e$$ectiveness over time! 7nce $ront line im+lementers 0no) the characteristics associated )ith -uality im+lementation& interdisci+linary sta0eholders 1e!g! administration& general education& s+ecial education& interventionists& su++ort +ersonnel& etc!3 must agree on a +lan $or im+lementation that addresses the F)hat& )hen& )here and )hoG details& as )ell as 0ey outcomes that are e=+ected as a $unction o$ ;S(P im+lementation and ho) those outcomes )ill *e monitored consistently! Elementary and

secondary sel$5assessment tools have *een develo+ed $or this +ur+ose! It is also strongly recommended that districts and schools see0 im+lementation assistance through local intermediate unit and ;S(P consultants! In order to accom+lish e=cellent and e$$ective ;S(P im+lementation& schools may trac0 outcome varia*les relative to e$$icacy 1is ;S(P im+roving student learningM3& e-uity 1is RtII assisting those students )ho are most vulnera*leM3 and e$$iciency 1is ;S(P im+roving student learning steadily and in a cost5e$$ective mannerM3! Each o$ these varia*les may *e monitored closely and ad4usted to ensure $idelity driven& sustaina*le im+lementation! Finally& the need $or systems level +rogress5monitoring 1measuring the e$$ects o$ many small changes3 is tied to a common vision o$ im+roved outcomes $or all students! It cannot *e done alone& it )ill not *e accom+lished over night& and re-uires a small army that is committed over the long haul to colla*orative& continuous and e=+loratory +ro$essional learning! V "iteracy #c$uisition: Technology can *e used in literacy instruction to hel+ students reach their a++ro+riate reading level in the $ollo)ing )ays: @se o$ literacy )e*sites to hel+ grammar& literacy& and com+rehension! These )e*sites $ocus on re+etition o$ grammar or s+elling rules! Students can mani+ulate gra+hic organi8ers to hel+ grou+ 0ey conce+ts together more concretely! Nids+irtation is an e=am+le o$ this! Students can read to other students *y video ta+ing themselves reading and share )ith their classmates With +artnershi+ )ith the technology teacher& students can engage in student $riendly *logs! The students can )rite intros+ective )ritings o$ their daily li$e and share them )ith other students! This give an o++ortunity to +eer edit! Students can use digital storytelling! 9y reading a story in class and reconstructing the story summary or main idea in another com+uter +rogram such as iPhoto or ;omic %i$e! Teacher +odcasting can hel+ students at home! This is done *y loading an audio $ile on an i+od o$ a teacher reading a story and having the student $ollo) along )hile reading silently! The teacher can use a smart*oard to dis+lay or mani+ulate te=t!

VI ffective Instructional Strategies for Students in Inclusive settings: Students are $acilitated in a mainstreamed classroom! Students in the s+ecial education +rogram are +ulled out three to $our times a )ee0& $or small grou+ instruction! The s+ecial education teacher )ill also +ush into the general education classroom and +rovide su++ort t)ice a )ee0! Student e=+ectations $or instruction may vary! ( test may *e modi$ied )ithin degree o$ di$$iculty& evaluation& or scoring! Each student is to $eel challenged& and +resented )ith engaging& accessi*le tas0s that are essential $or learning! Students are +rovided multi+le e=am+les o$ the in$ormation to *e learned& to accommodate di$$erent learning styles! This can *e done *y +roviding a varied selection o$ media and $ormats! The teacher should also *e o$$ering $le=i*le o++ortunities $or demonstrating s0ills& )hile using the a choice o$ content and tools! %evels o$ challenges +resented to students can vary! Students )or0ing in small grou+s $or reading )ill *e +resented di$$erent te=ts on the same su*4ect! The te=ts can *e grou+ed according to reading level! Students can *e s+lit into t)o grou+s *ased on instruction level! The teacher )ould teach one lesson as one grou+ )or0s silently! Then the teacher can teach the same su*4ect di$$erently to students )ho have di$$erent learning styles! VII %onsiderations of S" and "" students: ;hildren& )hose +rimary language is other than English& have an o++ortunity to im+rove their English language s0ills attending ES7% +rogram! This +rogram teaches English and su++orts content area learning! It also +romotes cultural understanding and +rovides outreach to +arents and community! The s +ur+ose o$ the +rogram is to $acilitate student achievement o$ English +ro$iciency in listening& s+ea0ing& reading and )riting and the State academic standards! Students are identi$ied initially through a >ome %anguage Survey& )hich includes -uestions a*out the childKs +rimary language! 7nce identi$ied through >%S& students are given a +lacement test 1WI/(5(;;ESS W5(PT3 to determine the studentKs level o$ English language +ro$iciency in listening& s+ea0ing& reading and )riting! nglish "anguage !roficiency "evels &ithin #%% SS '#ssessing %omprehension and %ommunication in nglish State to State( )rame&ork Proficiency Description of Language Skills Level *no&s and uses minimal social language and minimal academic language 1 - Entering &ith visual support *no&s and uses social nglish and general academic language &ith visual 2 - Beginning support *no&s and uses social nglish and some specific academic language &ith 3 - Developing visual support

4 - Expanding - Bridging ! - "eac#ing

*no&s and uses social nglish and some technical academic language *no&s and uses social and academic language &orking &ith grade level materials *no&s and uses social and academic language at highest level measured by #%% SS test

The student is then +laced in a +ush inB+ull out situation in the classroom! The ES7% teacher )ill come *y once a )ee0 $or a +eriod o$ "5 minutes to administer su++ort in the classroom! The student )ill also *e +ulled out into a ES7% resource room $or a +eriod o$ H times a )ee0 $or a +eriod o$ "5 minutes each!