Project Co-Sponsors: KU Center for Research on Learning CAST NASDSE Online Learning for Students with Disabilities: What we know, and what we need to know Diana Greer; Sean Smith, University of Kansas Paula Burdette, NASDSE Rachel Currie-Rubin; Skip Stahl, CAST

Today’s Presentation Center Overview Status Update What we know What we don’t know

Our Charge To research how online learning can be made more accessible, engaging, and effective for K-12 learners with disabilities: Identify – trends & issues – positive & negative consequences – promising approaches Test – feasibility, usability & effectiveness

Demographics David Glick, 2011

The Reality

The Types

The Challenges 1.Providing student support for engagement 2.Coordination with students’ local school district/getting students’ records 3.Deficiency in curriculum 4.Lack of or inability to provide adult support/involvement 5.Lack of qualified staff and staff time 6.Difficulty in identifying students 2012 iNACOL

Challenges Related to Special Education Inconsistent policies across states and districts Accessibility and Universal Design gaps Teacher preparedness varies Monitoring and accountability difficult due to lack of data Rationale for placements not clear

Special Education Challenges cont. Social and Emotional Supports may or may not be available Lack of guidance to assist teams in determining appropriateness of online education Digital divide: schools, homes that have digital access and those who do not

Question #1: Sean What aspects of the design of learning management/content management systems and their content increase or decrease the involvement of students with disabilities?

What We Know

Does your state have data on which students with disabilities are receiving their instruction through an online environment? – Online program 24% Yes 76% No – Supplemental online course 11% Yes 89% No – Blended program 7% Yes 93% No – Related Services 9% Yes 91% No State Director of Special Education Survey

State Directors Survey (N=46)  Autism 43%  Deaf-Blindness 15%  Deafness 30%  Emotional Disturbance 46%  Hearing Impairment 33%  Intellectual Disabilities 39%  Multiple Disabilities 29%  Orthopedic Impairment 35%  Other Health Impairment 43%  Specific Learning Disability 48%  Speech or Language Impairment 39%  Traumatic Brain Injury 30%  Visual Impairment Including Blindness 28%  Developmental Delay 20% Students from what disability areas participate in any online environment?

Question #2: Rachel How does the context of online learning affect student engagement, persistence and achievement?

What about Engagement and Learning? Teacher “quality”: What knowledge, skills, and beliefs do highly skilled and experienced online educators and novice online educators have? Peer-to-peer relationships and the impact on student learning Case studies to understand peer to peer relationships, relationships with “learning coaches” and teachers

District Administrator Survey District offers online instruction (N=78) Yes (76%) – 56% have offered online instruction for 1-5 years – 41% have offered online instruction for 6-15 years Offer online instruction for SWDs (N=78) Yes (78%) – 56% have offered online instruction for SWDs for 1-5 years – 43% have offered online instruction for SWDs for 6-15 years

District Administrator Survey (N=103) Challenges teachers face in teaching SWDs online – 61% Knowing how to accommodate for students' disabilities – 48% Knowing how to use instructional strategies in online settings – 41% Knowing how to use specific technologies – 25% Limitations in technology infrastructure within the district – 20% Other

District Administrator Survey 36% reported that their teachers are well prepared to teach SWDs online – 39% reported their teachers are not well prepared – 25% reported they don’t know or did not answer 57% reported being prepared to make decisions affecting the online instruction of SWDs

Question #3: Diana What we are learning about teachers who teach students with disabilities in an online environment?

Teacher Survey 110 Participants – 89% taught for 6+ years – 31% taught online for 6+ years – 47% are certified to teach SWDs

Teacher Survey: Teacher Satisfaction Satisfied with teaching online (in general) – Satisfied: 72% Neutral: 11%Dissatisfied: 2% Satisfied with teaching SWD online – Satisfied: 60% Neutral: 16%Dissatisfied: 8% Adequate support to teach SWD online – Yes: 55% No: 11% Sometimes: 19% 76% plan to continue teaching SWD for at least 2 years

Where they teach? % 95% 47% 86% 2% 71% 85% 96% 33% 49% 7% 27% Teach: – Online Schools:  HS - 80%; MS – 47%; ES- 2% – Individual Courses:  HS – 85%; MS – 33%; ES – 7% Students with Disabilities : – SLD, ED, Autism, OHI, Intellectual Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities Where they teach? District Administrator Survey Online Schools Individual Courses

% 72% 46% 51% 25% 26% 24% 16% 21% 26% The following percentage of teachers reported that their students receive these:  67% Content Instruction  46% Skill-based instruction  25% Assistive Technology Support  24% Social-Emotional/Behavioral Instruction  21% Speech Language Service Teacher Survey: Supports provided to SWD District Administrator Survey Content Instruction Skill-based Instruction Assistive Technology Support Speech Language Service Social- Emotional/ Behavioral Instruction Teacher Survey: Supports provided to SWD

Teacher Survey: Instructional % 39% 45% 46% 44% 26% 40% 30% 34% 36% 19% 26% Teachers chose top 3 instructional methods to support SWDs:  47% Video  45% Activities or labs  44% Text  40% Discussion  34% Audio  19% Games Teacher Survey: Instructional Methods District Administrator Survey: Instructional Methods Video Activities or labs TextDiscussion AudioGames

Teacher Survey: Challenges faced 40% Knowing how to accommodate for SWDs 30% Knowing how to use instructional strategies online 37% Limitations to the district technology infrastructure 23% Knowing how to use specific technologies

Teacher Survey: Challenges faced % 61% 30% 48% 37% 41% 23% 25% 20% The following percentages of teachers reported that their students receive these supports:  40% Knowing how to accommodate for SWDs  30% Knowing how to use instructional strategies online  44% Limitations to the district technology infrastructure  23% Knowing how to use specific technologies Teacher Survey: Challenges faced District Administrator Survey: Challenges Knowing how to accommodate for SWDs Knowing how to use instructional strategies online Limitations to the district technology infrastructure Other Knowing how to use specific technologies

Question #4: Paula What steps can the education system take to increase the success of students with disabilities in online learning?

What to do? Partner with others to learn what works, for what types of learners, under what circumstances. Based on the best knowledge now, develop guidance for providers to use. Collect and use data to improve knowledge, implementation, and future guidance.

National Education Policy Center Recommendations: – Approval and Oversight of Providers (fully online and supplemental courses): “provide accommodations and services as required by [IDEA] …” – Promulgation of Rules (quality standards): “provisions for students with special needs…”

iNACOL Principles of Model Legislation 1.Shift to competency-based education 2.Increase access for each student and permit entire continuum - from blended to fully online 3.Design outcomes-based accountability and funding incentives 4.Increase access to excellent teachers 5.Provide room for innovation

COLSD Policy Review Themes – Placement and enrollment – Allowable providers – Funding – Administrative duties – Accommodations – Assessment – Graduation/exit – Accessibility

North Washington States we are working with: Carolina Florida Kansas Virginia Michigan Ohio

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