National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Accessible Reading Approaches for Students with Disabilities Christopher Johnstone Ann Clapper

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Goals of Session PWBAT: Explain modalities Match Standards with themes Use knowledge of modalities in the teaching process

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Research Study Determined themes in states’ reading and language arts standards and examined variation in standards across grades and possibilities for alternative means of accessing print

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Findings 1.There are common themes in standards across states 2.These themes extend far beyond the acquisition of specific decoding skills

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Themes: State Academic Content Standards Define Reading As:  Acquisition of specific skills  Knowledge of elements or conventions in language  Interactive, thinking activity  Problem-solving tool  Catalyst for personal growth

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Examples of Specific Skills Standards (Theme 1) Phonemic Knowledge Word Recognition Fluency Literal Comprehension Non-phonemic Skills

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Examples of Conventions Standards (Theme 2) Literary Elements Expository Elements Language Conventions Context

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Examples of Interactive/Thinking Standards (Theme 3) Inferential Comprehension Critical Analysis Higher Order Thinking Thinking About Reading Strategies Reflect upon Literature Relate to Real Life Compare Question Respond

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Examples of Problem Solving Tools (Theme 4) Mine Information Organize Information Problem Solve Follow Directions

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Examples of Catalyst for Personal Growth Standards (Theme 5) Diverse Purposes Personal Growth Vocabulary Development Socialization Reflection: Self Reflection: Culture

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) What does this mean for students with disabilities?  Some students are unable to read standard print (because of blindness, visual impairment, learning disability, physical disability, concentration disability, or health impairment)  Many standards can be met by alternative routes or modalities

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Assumptions that standards can only be met via visual interaction with print… Have serious implications for students with challenged ability to access print, creating barriers to learning and educational growth

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Minnesota’s Reading and Literature Strands A.Word Recognition, Analysis, and Fluency B.Vocabulary Expansion C.Comprehension D. Literature

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Alternative Ways (Modalities) to Interact with Print  Visual (look at print)  Tactile (Braille)  Auditory (listen to reader or tape)  Multi-sensory (screen reader)

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Challenge to Educators Clarify standards to be measured – and whether alternative ways of interacting with print are consistent with those standards.

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Intersection of Modalities and Theme 1 (Specific Skills) Visual Mode Tactile Mode Auditory Mode Multi-Modal Phonemic Knowledge XX Word Recognition XX Fluency XX Literal Comprehension XXXX Non-phonemic skills XXXX

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Intersection of Modalities and Theme 2 (Conventions in Language and Print) Visual Mode Tactile Mode Auditory Mode Multi-Modal Literary Elements XXXX Expository Elements XXXX Language Conventions XXXX Context XXXX

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Intersection of Modalities and Theme 3 (Interactive/Thinking Activity) Visual Mode Tactile Mode Auditory Mode Multi-Modal Inferential Comprehension XXXX Critical Analysis XXXX Higher Order Thinking XXXX Think About Reading XXXX Reflect Upon Literature XXXX

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Intersection of Modalities and Theme 3 (Interactive/Thinking Activity) Visual Mode Tactile Mode Auditory Mode Multi-Modal Relate to Real Life XXXX Compare XXXX Question XXXX Respond XXXX

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Intersection of Modalities and Theme 4 (Problem-Solving Tool) Visual Mode Tactile Mode Auditory Mode Multi-Modal Mine Information XXXX Organize Information XXXX Problem Solve XXXX Follow Directions XXXX

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Intersection of Modalities and Theme 5 (Catalyst for Personal Growth) Visual Mode Tactile Mode Auditory Mode Multi-Modal Read for Diverse Purposes XXXX Personal Growth XXXX Vocabulary Development XXXX

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Intersection of Modalities and Theme 5 (Catalyst for Personal Growth) Visual Mode Tactile Mode Auditory Mode Multi-Modal Socialization into Literary Communities XXXX Reflection: Self XXXX Reflection: Culture XXXX

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Activities Case studies provide an approach to studying how we might approach a real educational issue.

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (NARAP)  Collaborative of DARA and PARA projects  Conducting research and development on accessible reading assessment

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