1. Meeting the Needs of Special Education Students…

2. Meeting the Needs of Special Education Students; The Impact for Regular Education Teachers Presented by: Jennifer Shoup & Pamela Kramer Consultants, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit

3. Classroom Learning & State Assessment

4. Learning Objectives: Participants will: Identify IDEA components that address meeting the needs of special education students in inclusive settings Link accommodations to student strengths and needs Utilize strategies to make necessary accommodations in the reg. education classroom Investigate allowable test accommodations and how they are linked to student need

5. Provided Resources  The General Educator’s Guide to Special Education, Jody L. Maanum (2 nd Edition,2004)  2004 Accommodations Guidelines, Pennsylvania Department of Education (February 2004)

6. IDEA Overview  Free appropriate public education  Special education  Definitions  Participation in assessments  IEP team  Procedural Safeguards / timelines  Discipline  Least restrictive environment

7. Knowing your student Intelligence and Perception Patterns Stability & Maturity Interaction & Relationship Maturity & Coordination

8. Role - Regular Education Teacher  Active IEP Team Participant  Familiarity with each IEP  Implementation of Accommodations / Specially Designed Instruction  Progress Monitoring  Collaboration with Para-educator  Collaboration with Special Education Professionals

9. Specially Designed instruction… Specially designed instruction consists of adaptations or modifications to the general education curriculum, instruction, instructional environments, methods, or materials for exceptional students. Such specially designed instruction must go beyond the services and programs that a student would receive as part of general education, and must be designed to meet the unique needs of the student. (Pennsylvania Department of Education, 1997).

10. Classroom Accommodations  Setting  Timing / Schedule  Presentation  Response

11. Determining Accommodations Familiarity with student’s IEP Knowledge of accommodations needed and implemented within classroom setting Communication with student & special education professional(s) re: accommodations Knowledge of & reference to 2004 Accommodations Guidelines & / or PSSA Administration Manual

12. Selecting PSSA Test Accommodations Necessary Appropriate Allowable

13. PSSA Test Accommodations  Changes in Test Environment  Assistive Devices / Special Arrangements  Adapted Test Forms  Other Accommodations

14. Changes in Test Environment  Time  Place  Grouping  Other

15. Assistive Devices / Special Arrangements  Calculator  Typewriter / Word processor  Dictionaries / Thesauri  Bilingual Dictionary (without definitions)  Paper, templates & highlighters

16. Adapted Test Forms  Braille Edition  Large Print Edition  Signed Version  Audiotape

17. Other Accommodations  Student marks in answer booklet  Dictation to a test administrator (Scribe)  Reading Aloud  Marking an answer booklet at student direction  Providing Visual Cues  Simplifying Directions

18. Implications for teachers in the Urban Setting… are the same for those in a rural or suburban setting All students come to us with varying degrees of need and are the responsibility of a team of professionals

19. Resources Pennsylvania Department of Education http://www.pde.state.pa.us/pde http://www.pde.state.pa.us/pde Pennsylvania Training & Technical Assistance Network http://www.pattan.k12.pa.us/ Special Education List serve – to join join-specialed@lists.cas.psu.edu join-specialed@lists.cas.psu.edu Regional Intermediate Unit

20. Service Learning The interaction of knowledge and skills with personal experience is key! Benefits All Students!

21. Learning Objectives Identify the benefits of incorporating Service-Learning opportunities into lesson plans for all students Identify specific Specially-Designed Instruction considerations to ensure success Investigate examples and resources for further consideration in planning Service-Learning opportunities

22. What is Service Learning? It is a combination of or link between Community Service And Academic Study (active, purposeful learning)

23. Students are provided an opportunity to learn and develop through active participation in an organized, well though-out service experience that includes the element of providing for an actual community need and is coordinated and linked to learning objectives.

24. Service-learning provides an avenue in which reciprocal benefit for both the community and the students involved is achieved.

25. Service-learning is a method through which: Citizenship Academics subjects Skills & Values are taught

26. More than just volunteering  Although volunteering is a valued activity it differs from services-learning!

27. Three Basic Components  Effective Service Learning includes: Sufficient preparation Performing the Service Analyzing the experience (by participants)

28. Instructional Strategy Service-Learning is an instructional strategy which involves many different methods of teaching, it can engage students who don’t respond well to traditional classroom practices. It appeals to high-level students – allows them to reach beyond the standard curriculum

29. Service-Learning  Can be used in any subject area  Works at all age levels, even with the very young

30. Service Learning Opportunities The key to developing good service learning opportunities is to plan ahead!  Should be integrated into the students’ academic curriculum  Should provide students with the opportunity to use newly-learned skills  Should provide a valuable service to the community

31. Keys Plan for all students to participate Inclusion means that all students, regardless of ability, can fully participate Developing a community needs assessment (One way to ascertain information about the community facility you will be using) Is it wheelchair accessible? What are the operating hours? What type of transportation is available? Does the staff have experience in working with kids with disabilities?

32. Keys (cont.) Developing a community needs assessment, cont. What type of health care/emergency system is in place? Is there a way to communicate with students/staff should a need arise? Develop clearly defined goals for your service learning project that incorporate both the aspects of learning and service.

33. Ensuring All Students Participate Plan for all students to participate Know the students who participate Review IEP’s of those students who receive special education services (504 students)  Understand strengths and needs of students  Functioning levels  Specially-designed instruction

34. Ensuring All Students Participate Investigate and assess the environment(s) in which students will be accessing as a part of the project Develop strategies and make necessary adaptations/accommodations to ensure all students can participate fully in the project

35. Project Examples Individual Projects Group Projects

36. Citizenship Belonging: Students experience community belonging Authenticity: Service provided is valued because it is meeting a real need Community Expertise: Students are able to learning with and from community members Awareness: Students become effective citizens through civic awareness.

37. Student ownership Student Driven: Projects should involve appropriate challenge and risk-taking Adventure: Projects involving appropriate challenge and risk-taking Partnerships: Students and adults are equal partners Self-Awareness: Students explore their strengths to set goals and solve problems Student Matters: Students learn they have the power to make a difference

38. Visual Representation  Photography can be an effective tool for use when special education students are involved.  It allows them to express themselves in ways that they may not otherwise be able to because of physical and or cognitive impairments  Art  Theater  Music

39. Outcomes Community Outcomes Student Outcomes

40. Resources www.kodak.com great resource for lesson plans involving photography www.kodak.com www.pitt.edu/- psla/PSLA/Specialeducation.html www.pitt.edu/- psla/PSLA/Specialeducation.html http://epicenter.nationalserviceresources.org www.servicelearning.org