Improving Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities William Sharpton Richard Hall University of New Orleans

WHAT DOES GOOD INSTRUCTION LOOK LIKE FOR STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES?

HOW DO WE MOVE FROM CARE GIVING TO TEACHING?

WHAT ROLES ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT QUALITY INSTRUCTION?

BACKGROUND  GRADUATE PROGRAM IN TEACHER EDUCATION  REQUIREMENT FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL DEVELOPMENT  INTERESTED IN INSTRUCTIONAL IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE  NO EASY TO USE TOOL FOUND IN LITERATURE

PURPOSE  DEVELOP A TEACHER-FRIENDLY TOOL TO INCREASE THE USE OF BEST PRACTICES IN TEACHING STUDENTS WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES

ASSUMPTIONS  EASY TO USE  PARSIMONIOUS  INFORM INSTRUCTION AND MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS  APPLICABLE TO SCHOOL AND NONSCHOOL ACTIVITIES  USEFUL FOR TEAM MEMBERS  NOVICE AND SEASONED TEACHERS  “MAKE U THINK”  USEFUL FOR PLANNING CURRENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES

KEY STEPS TO IMPLEMENTATION I. CREATE A MENU II. SELECT ACTIVITIES III. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IV. THINK ABOUT YOUR RESPONSES V. MAKE INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS

GENERAL DECISIONS  LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ALTER THE ACTIVITY BY ADDING OR MODIFYING STEPS.  MOST ACTIVITIES OFFER POTENTIAL TO INCORPORATE A TARGETED ISSUE.  THE MOST IMPORTANT VIEWPOINT TO CONSIDER IS THAT OF THE PEER.

QUESTION 1  LOOK BEYOND PHYSICAL PRESENCE.  REMEMBER TO INCORPORATE THE PRINCIPLE OF PARTIAL PARTICIPATION.

QUESTION 2  LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHOICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING: MATERIALS TIME PARTNER(S) REINFORCEMENT ACTIVITY PLACE/LOCATION/POSITION TASKS

QUESTION 3  USE TOOL TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PARTNERS.  SHIFT THE ACTIVITY FROM AN INDIVIDUAL FOCUS TO A GROUP TASK.  EXPAND AN ACTIVITY BEYOND A RESTRICTIVE SETTING.  INVITE NEW PARTNERS INTO NON-INCLUSIVE SETTINGS.

QUESTION 4  CREATE VISIBLE ROLES FOR THE TARGETED STUDENT.  CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR THE PERSPECTIVES OF OTHERS.  PRIORITIZE THE PERCEPTIONS AND INPUT OF PEERS.

QUESTION 5  TEACH AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES IN TYPICAL SETTINGS.  PEERS ARE DETERMINED BY THE CONTEXT OF THE SITE.  FOCUS ON ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHERS, NOT JUST PRESENCE.

QUESTION 6  REVIEW THE TABLE TO INCREASE YOUR FAMILIARITY WITH COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS.  REMEMBER TO EXPAND COMMUNICATION TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF FUNCTIONS.

QUESTION 7  SELF-ADVOCACY IS LINKED TO CHOICE MAKING AND COMMUNICATION.  ADVOCACY ONLY OCCURS WHEN SOMEONE RESPONDS TO AND INTERPRETS YOUR EFFORTS.  NOTE WHETHER THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE ACTIVITY DUE TO ADVOCACY.  BUILD IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-ADVOCACY RELATED TO THE DIMENSIONS IN QUESTION 2.

QUESTION 8  IDENTIFY A BASELINE OR STARTING POINT TO MEASURE GROWTH.  ALWAYS INCORPORATE SKILL ASSESSMENT USING STRATEGIES USED FOR TYPICAL STUDENTS.  CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEASURE THE FOLLOWING DIMENSIONS: CHANGE IN LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE CHANGE IN AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLETE TASK INCREASE IN TASK COMPLEXITY GENERALIZATION OF SKILL CHANGE IN ATTITUDE OR DEMEANOR

QUESTION 9  YOUR BEHAVIOR SETS THE TONE FOR HOW OTHERS PERCEIVE A STUDENT.  DIGNITY IS DETERMINED BY OTHERS.  SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE DIGNITY BY ASSISTING OTHERS IN INTERPRETING THE STUDENT IN A POSITIVE WAY.  GATHER INFORMATION FROM OTHERS TO MEASURE ENHANCED DIGNITY AND STATUS.

QUESTION 10  FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING PARENTAL ROLES: DESIGN OR MODIFY AN ACTIVITY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM AN ACTIVITY IN NONSCHOOL SETTINGS NOMINATE AN ACTIVITY TO BE ADDRESSED SHARE IN ASSESSING ACTIVITY PERFORMANCE NEGOTIATE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE STUDENT PERFORMANCE. ASSIST TEACHER IN IDENTIFYING EFFECTIVE REINFORCEMENT STRATEGIES.

KEY WAYS TO USE THE TOOL  DESIGNING/IMPROVING AN ACTIVITY  ADDRESSING A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDED PRACTICE

DESIGNING/IMPROVING AN ACTIVITY  USE AS A CHECKLIST TO ENSURE NEW ACTIVITIES ARE POWERFUL  AMEND AN EXISTING ACTIVITY BY ADDRESSING PRACTICES THAT ARE MISSING  ADDING NEW STEPS OR  CHANGING THE INSTRUCTION/SUPPORT

ADDRESSING A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDED PRACTICE  LOOK FOR TRENDS IN THE RESPONSES  WHY WAS A QUESTION SCORED ‘YES’  HOW COULD A ‘NO’ BECOME A ‘YES’  ADDING NEW STEPS  CHANGING THE INSTRUCTION/SUPPORT

OTHER WAYS TO USE THE TOOL  MEASURING STUDENT PROGRESS  PROGRAM EVALUATION  PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION

MEASURING STUDENT PROGRESS  TAKE REPEATED MEASURES  INCREASE NUMBERS OF PERSPECTIVES  INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF SETTINGS  INCREASE OR DECREASE THE TIME IN A SETTING  INCREASE THE ACTIVITIES  INCREASE PARTNERS  INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE OPPORTUNITIES

PROGRAM EVALUATION  ANALYZE DATA FOR MULTIPLE STUDENTS  INCLUDE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES  ENSURE THAT EACH STUDENT MAKES GAINS  ENSURE THAT EACH POSITIVE PRACTICE INCREASES

PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION  ASSIST THE ADMINISTRATION IN LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT THINGS  SELF EVALUATION FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  TEAM EVALUATION TO DETERMINE EFFECTIVENESS  PROGRAM-WIDE EVALUATION

NEXT STEPS  MAKE A COMMITMENT TO USE THE TOOL  NETWORK WITH TEAM MEMBERS  FOLLOW STEPS WITH A TARGETED STUDENT  USE THE RESULTS  REFLECT ON YOUR PRACTICE