Directors of Special Education Information Sharing Meeting Jane Klienert, University of Kentucky/Division of Communication Disorders/College of Health Sciences Beth Harrison, University of Kentucky/Human Development Institute Barney Fleming, University of Kentucky/Human Development Institute Tracy Fisher, University of Kentucky/Human Development Institute Kelly Manning, University of Kentucky/Division of Communication Disorders

What is the Kentucky Youth Advocacy Project?  Two year project funded by Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD)  Designed to provide students ages 8-21 years with individualized and group activities to support early development of self-advocacy skills  The University of Kentucky Department of Communications Disorders, College of Health Sciences and the University of Kentucky, Human Development Institute are responsible for implementing the project

Goals of the KYAP 1. Provide individual and group programming in self-advocacy to 100 children aged 8-21 with developmental disabilities in the eastern part of the state of Kentucky. Fifty to sixty children will participate each year for two years. 2. Provide teacher of students with developmental disabilities training in use of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI). 3. Provide children with disabilities a venue to share their accomplishments in self-advocacy. 4. Provide mentors in self-advocacy, who themselves have a disability, to children with developmental disabilities. 5. Demonstrate that children/youth with significant disabilities and students who have or need augmentative communication can be successful self- advocates. 6. Develop and disseminate materials for use by teachers, children and families across Kentucky in the area of self-advocacy. This will be done via presentations and the development of a website on which such materials and student work samples can be displayed.

Why Teach Children/Youth with Disabilities Self-Advocacy Skills? Research has shown that: individuals with disabilities who have strong self-determination/self- advocacy skills and those who utilize augmentative communication systems to express themselves have better post-school outcomes and reported quality of life (Hamm & Mirenda, 2006; Wehmeyer & Garner,2003; Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1998). young students, including those with autism, have been found to increase their participation in academic work and decrease negative behaviors when given opportunities for choice in the academic setting (Jolivette, Stichter, & McCormick, 2002; Moes, 1998). children, as young as kindergarten age, have been shown to successfully utilize a self-determined learning model of instruction with teacher assistance (Palmer & Wehmeyer, 2003). By beginning training in self-advocacy and self-determination at a young age, we give children with disabilities a head start on an improved quality of life, improved post-school outcomes, and increased participation in current academic programs

Key Project Elements and Sequence

What: Teacher and SLP training on the Self- Determined Learning Model of Instruction When: At the beginning of the school year Who: Training will be conducted by the project PI and Co-PI What: I CAN DAY When: During the first full month of the school year. Who: Selected students with developmental disabilities who will participate in the self-advocacy training program Who Else: Mentors, project staff, teachers/ SLPS, Coop Consultants What: 1:1 goal selection and training in self- advocacy and self- direction using the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction When: During the school year, after I CAN DAY. Who: students with disabilities and classroom teachers/SLPs Who Else: Regular technical assistance from project staff, mentors, Coop. Consultants What: I DID IT DAY When: Last month of the school year Who: Students with developmental disabilities and their teachers and/or SLPs who participated in the self-advocacy program. Who Else: Project staff, Mentors, Invited family and friends Ongoing Tasks and Projects: Video-recording of workshops and individual planning and implementation sessions Weekly progress monitoring of each student’s goal on his/her checklist form Visits for technical assistance by project staff to classrooms Mentor contact via or in person Development of materials to display student progress: e.g., Student-developed PowerPoint presentations for display at “I DID IT” day; video clips of students achieving their targets, photo displays of students’ achievements, “Mentor Messages” sent to the students during the year. Development of a project web-site to include: materials developed for the project, messages from students and mentors, examples of student-developed plans, achievements, and presentations for the “I DID IT” day, short video clips of each stage of the project. Program Elements

Who will the project work with?  The KYAP is focusing on children with disabilities in rural areas of Eastern Kentucky  The KYAP is happy for the opportunity to partner with Upper Cumberland and Kentucky Valley Special Education Cooperatives to identify youth who may benefit from this project

What are the characteristics of students who may benefit?  Children/youth who have developmental disabilities and are between the ages of 8 and 21 may or may not be attending public school have not had training in self-advocacy may also have disabilities related to communication (and so are at even greater risk for decreased levels of self-advocacy and self-determination) want to learn how to self-advocate!

The basic steps of this model include teaching students to:  Select a personal goal  Develop a plan to reach their goal  Identify potential barriers to attaining the goal  Develop a plan to deal with potential barriers  Share successes! The Self-Directed Learning Model of Instruction

Roles and Responsibilities  DOSE ~ Help identify Speech/Language Pathologists (SLP) within membership LEAs who would like to participate Help identify Special Education Teachers within membership LEAs who would like to participate Disseminate Teacher/SLP Packet to Teachers/SLP in your school district Encourage participation by your school districts Share information about the KYAP with district personnel, parents, and others

Roles and Responsibilities  Participating LEAs ~ Allow Teachers and SLP to attend three trainings:  1). a training on the Self Directed Model of Instruction to be held in September;  2). An “I Can Do It” Day of training to be held in October, which will include student participants and mentors as well as the Teachers and SLPs;  3). An “I Did It” Day, near the end of the school year, which will include all project participants. Allow student participants to attend two trainings:  1). The “I Can Do It” Day of training to be held in October  2). the “I Did It” Day, near the end of the school year. Allow Teachers and SLPs to receive on-site technical assistance visits from KYAP staff. Help identify any potential student participants who might not attend public school, but might be interested in the project.

Roles and Responsibilities  KYAP ~ Provide reimbursement for substitute teacher expenses Reimburse mileage, lodging, meals and other costs associated with travel to training events (including school bus travel) Provide training materials Provide training in the Self Directed Model of Instruction Provide technical assistance to project participants Develop a KYAP Implementation Package Develop KYAP web site with training materials, protocols, etc.