cc Developed through a partnership of the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Special Education and Early Intervention Services and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Technology in Education with funding from the U.S. Department of Education, IDEA Part B/C. A Student Compass Tool: The Assistive Technology Wizard Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services 2008 Leadership Conference Dianne Tracey, Program Coordinator, CTE Jeanne Dwyer, Program Coordinator, CTE Tara Beaner, Educational Program Specialist, MSDE

What are some challenges IEP teams face in determining appropriate AT devices and services for students with disabilities?

Instructional and Decision Support Tools: The Student Compass Wizard Suite Project Background to the Present  Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) partnered with Johns Hopkins University Center for Technology in Education (CTE) –Research, design, build, pilot, implement a series of procedural facilitators  Improve overall quality of IEPs

Instructional and Decision Support Tools: The Student Compass Wizard Suite Project Background to the Present  Support effective practices in IEP decision making through protocols and procedural facilitation  Provide “just in time” support, web-based access –Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance –Instructional and Testing Accommodations –Goals –Searchable Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC)Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC)

Online Decision and Instructional Support Tools The individualized education program (IEP) is another important tool for enhancing student access to the general education curriculum (Karger, n.d.; Sopko, 2003). IEPs provide a structure for setting high standards and measuring student outcomes by defining and documenting how students with disabilities will participate and progress in the general education curriculum, as well as how they will participate in statewide assessments (Nolet & McLaughlin, 2005; Shriner & Destefano, 2003; Thompson, Thurlow, Quenemoen, Esler, & Whetstone, 2001). Access Center. (n.d). Teaching matters: The link between access to the general education curriculum and performance on state assessments. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from (January 2008). Brief prepared by Cynthia Warger

User Survey Results  Training Perceptions –Trained vs. Untrained  Perceptions Related to the Student Compass Wizards  Frequency of Use of the Student Compass Wizards  Perceptions Related to the Searchable VSC

Summary of Findings: Goal Wizard Spring 2007 to Spring 2008 The percentage who agree or strongly agree that the content of the Wizards was helpful in the IEP development process: The percentage indicating that they always or sometimes use the Goal Wizard when creating students’ goals: Implementation Leads88%86% End Users54%80% Implementation Leads90%100% End Users70%71%

Summary of Findings: Searchable VSC Spring 2007 to Spring 2008 The percentage who agree or strongly agree that the searchable VSC increases access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities: The percentage who agree or strongly agree that the searchable VSC promotes alignment of students’ goals to the general education curriculum: Implementation Leads76%86% End Users58%83% Implementation Leads82%100% End Users60%83%

Summary  There was a significant increase in the percentage of end users who see the value in the use of the Student Compass Wizards from 2007 to  The majority of MD OIEP users see the value in the Student Compass Wizards, but may need further PD to ensure proper implementation and increase frequency of use, as well as the perceived value of the student compass wizards.  The level of training that users perceive greatly affects the level of frequency of use.  The searchable VSC is a highly regarded component of MD OIEP that provides teachers with an efficient way for teachers to scaffold instruction to better provide students with disabilities access to the general education curriculum.

Introducing…

Instructional and Decision Support Tools: Assistive Technology Wizard

Getting Started  Aims to bring AT to the forefront of thinking, practice & evaluation  The AT Wizard leads IEP teams through the process of considering the student’s goals and needs and whether AT would support his learning  Wizard is comprised of a 4 step process, aimed at making the consideration of AT easier  The AT Wizard will help to answer common questions regarding the consideration and need of assistive technology

Step 1: Identify Tasks This step by step Consideration Process guides an IEP team:  To think about a student's needs and interventions that support the student in the general education curriculum.  Determine the academic and non-academic tasks the student is required to do –Review environments –Identify location/arrangement/configuration –Identify special concerns (e.g. student with hearing impairment) –Identify resources in those environments –Consider classroom and state assessments  Discuss the tasks (e.g. gaining meaning from print) that the other students will be doing across environments –What will his peers be doing while attaining his goals –Skill set required for the task

Step 2: Functional Capability  Discuss critical elements of the tasks across environments and student's functional capability to perform them to: –Identify tasks that the student cannot currently accomplish without supplementary aids, services, and supports –Increase ways the task(s) can be modified or the student accommodated to increase participation –Determine whether any of the tasks required will be difficult or likely impossible accomplish at an appropriate level of independence

Step 3: Identify Support  Identify appropriate supports and services, including AT –Analysis should be done on the student’s needs, identified goals, and expected tasks –Are there AT devices/services that the student needs –Research resources (personnel, MATN Online, AT guides) that can help IEP teams identify AT tools –Trialing AT can be one way of identifying support –Naming a specific device is not necessary; however the decisions about the features of the low to high tech devices and strategies that could be used with the student is noted so all team members understand what the AT is suppose to be doing for the student

Step 4: Document Decisions  Decide if the students needs AT –I f yes, select AT devices/services –If no, prepare a statement that explains and documents why –If undecided, is an AT evaluation needed?  Consider need for AT service: –Functional evaluation –Purchasing, leasing, acquiring device –Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing device –Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions –Training or technical assistance for student, staff, family  Document decisions that any educator that interacting with the student would be able to implement the plan and proposed AT

Future of the Student Compass Wizard Tool Suite  Development efforts –LRE Wizard –Transition Wizard –Enhance multimedia features Podcasts Case studies

Contact Information Dianne Tracey - Program Coordinator, CTE Jeanne Dwyer - AT Program Coordinator, CTE Tara Beaner, Educational Program Specialist, MSDE