Presented by Cynthia White-Botello, Ms Ed ATOM 2016 Using the Sensory Learning Guidebook and Assessments to Support Children with Multiple Impairments Presented by Cynthia White-Botello, Ms Ed ATOM 2016

Session Objectives: Who are the children we serve Connections to the DLM & Iowa’s Alternate Assessments Understanding the unique needs of a child with Multiple Impairments including Deafblindness (VIMI/DB) Using “The Sensory Learning Kit Guidebook and Assessments”

Who are the children targeted for this session? Functioning developmentally birth to 3 Multiply disabled, blind, visually impaired, cerebral palsy, rare syndromes and etiologies, premature, traumatic brain injury, etc.,. Minimal receptive/expressive communication “Behaviors”

Needed to extend the taxonomy of the cognitive processes within the assessment items to include all students. Communication Matrix was used as a tool to develop this new taxonomy

Foundation Node Example Preintentionally expresses discomfort F-31 Anticipates Consequences of Actions F-99 Respond to stimuli F-108 Preintentionally expresses comfort F-18 Seeks attention of others to get desired objects F-55 Can seek objects F-94 Expresses Preferences F-109 Preintentionally expresses Interest in others We now have an assessment that provides a clear pathway in supporting students through their development of foundational skills that are precursor to academic skill development 150 of these foundational nodes across each content area of ELA & Math F-106 Selectively attends to stimuli F-46 Expresses interest in people F-68 Can respond to bids for attention from others

Understanding The Unique Needs of a Child with Visual & Multiple Impairments including Deafblindness

Etiology and Physiology trump everything! *Sensory Learning Summary (file review) in the Sensory Learning Kit

“Building a relationship based on trust is the single most important aspect of facilitating learning for students with visual impairments and students with visual and multiple impairments.” “SLK Guidebook and Assessment Forms” by Millie Smith, 2005

Piaget’s Learning Theory Learning involves discovery through the manipulation of objects and interaction with people, places and things.

Brain Plasticity Neuroplasticity is the capacity of the nervous system to adjust and modify it’s organization The brain is adaptable If neurons are not used for a specific/assigned task they can be recruited for other tasks The plasticity of the brain is highly responsive to the environment Lecture Linda Alsop, “Brain Development and Sensory Loss” Utah State University Course on Deafblindness, Spring 2010

We Receive And Perceive Sensory Input Through Sights, Sounds, Touch, Tastes, Smells And Movement Difficulty taking in, interpreting and modulating the constant flow of sensory input and output can lead to devastating consequences and challenging behaviors.

Tactile Strategy: Hand-under-Hand Guidance (Adult’s hand is under the Child’s hand) The child retains control of his hand. Useful strategy to demonstrate an action (for example, reaching towards an object or feeling that a bowl is empty) introduce an object (bring the object up and under child’s hand) Video example at http://www.wsdsonline.org/video- library/deaf-blind-videos/hand-under-hand/ (view Kailee)

Interacting with the Hands & Body Use Tactile Strategies such as mutual tactile attention, tactile modeling, and hand under hand techniques Watch the child’s hands and learn to read how s/he uses them Think of hands as initiators of topics in conversational interactions, particularly with children who do not yet use words. a few words about the hands and the importance of relationship with our most challenged learners…..Frequently we take too much control of their bodies without asking consent, giving a choice, some kind of notice, giving them the right to have a choice about their participantion. For all childrne the right to feel safe is CRITICAL for children with complex disabilites who have little sensory access to their environment it is CRITICAL we consider how our touch/smell communicates – promotes a positive relationship

The Golden Rule(s) of Communication Quality Input before Quality Output Understanding the student’s sensory and symbol preferences/needs High interest (chosen/led by the student) Experience based Hands On….again Watch and listen with more than just your eyes and your ears….

Using the SLK Guidebook and Assessment Forms to develop the Learning Media Assessment (LMA) FREE Download at http://www.aph.org/manuals/#alpha-s The Sensory Learning Kit is NOT needed

The SLK Guidebook and Assessment Forms: includes 5 assessments/tools used sequentially to create individualized, developmentally appropriate routines for children with visual and multiple impairments including deafblindness functioning developmentally from birth to age 2.

The SLK Routines Book: contains routine templates to be modified to reflect the unique needs of individual learners

“SLK Guidebook & Assessment Forms” includes 5 assessments/tools: Sensory Learning Summary (SLS) to help us understand how this child accesses information and support their health needs (file review) Arousal State Profile (ASP) to determine when this child is available for instruction Sensory Response Record (SRR) to determine appetites/aversions, instructional level Appetite/Aversion List (AAL) a determined though the Sensory Learning Summary Levels & Strategies Guide (LSG) to determine instructional level

The Sensory Learning Summary (SLS) Purpose: to summarize the learner’s individual sensory needs which help educators understand how this child accesses information and unique sensory needs. See SLK Guidebook page 49-56 example page 81-88

The Sensory Learning Summary (SLS) includes information from the FVA Part II: Sensory Functioning Needs page 51-52 example page 83-84 Distance and size of pictures

Arousal State Profile (ASP) Purpose: to determine typical patterns of arousal and understand when the child is available for instruction See SLK Guidebook page 57-64 example page 89-94

Sensory Response Record (SRR) Purpose: to determine the child’s instructional level and preferred learning media (See “SLK Intervention Levels” handout) information about responses to a variety of learning media in each sensory channel are recoded during structure presentations See SLK Guidebook page 65-71 example page 95-98

Appetite/Aversion List (AAL) Purpose: as determined through Sensory Learning Summary. These appetites elicit positive/negative orienting responses (limbic sorting system) See SLK Guidebook page 73 example page 99

Levels & Strategies Guide (LSG) Purpose: to determine appropriate instructional level and specific strategies to use for teaching (See “SLK Intervention Levels” handout) See SLK Guidebook page 75-79 example page 101

SLK Intervention Levels (handout) Quiet Alert (attention): help the learner establish and maintain alertness Active Alert (exploration): help the learner develop intentional behaviors as he interacts with media and partners Partial participation (function): help the learner anticipate the next step in a sequence leading to a meaningful outcome M. Smith, presentation on SLK Dec 2013

What are Routines? An instructional strategy developed to increase consistency and repetition in order to learn. Any activity can be designed to be a routine, in fact most are.

Why Routines? Provide an opportunity to communicate around a familiar topic Help the child feel comfortable so s/he can use his energy and attention more efficiently Develop a sense of beginning middle and end to an activity Help weave a cluster of people, actions, objects and locations into a meaningful whole Make use of natural cues, i.e., one step acts a cue for the next step Can help a child anticipate an end to an undesired activity or recognize the beginning of a desired activity Build a memory foundation for procedural learning Provide an internal picture of an activity so the child can recognize when something changes Linda Alsop, “Understanding Deafblindness; Issues, Perspectives and Strategies””

SLK Routines Book Contains routine templates to be modified to reflect the unique needs of individual learners Routines are organized into three levels: quite alert, active alert and partial participation (hand out “SLK Intervention Levels” Goals for each level are in the areas of communication, cognition and motor functioning

SLK Routines Book Includes Routine worksheet/lesson plan page 13 & 15 example page 14 & 16

Routine Template (handout)

Within the Routine Use Tactile strategies Touch Relationship Pacing Teaming Informal Observation – impeccable observer

Questions, Comments, Thoughts?