Destination: An Independent Future!Amanda English, COMS/TCVI

Picture shows the Beatles crossing the street (Abbey Road Style)

Description of Travel Instruction

Comparisons and Benefits

Special Ed Law

What and Who can be a Travel Instructor

Who can utilize Travel Instruction

Implementing TI in a School Setting

The Tools

Easter Seals describes Travel Instruction (Travel Training) as short-term, one-to-one, intensive instruction designed to teach people with disabilities and older adults to safely and independently travel on fixed-route public transportation in their community, typically to a school, job site, or social venue.

Picture shows a person exiting a city bus on a motorized wheel chair with a bus driver looking on.

TI: ◦ Basics of travel on a city bus◦ Small amount of route travel◦ Any qualifying person with a disability or adult

O&M◦ Travel Instructors do NOT teach cane skills and many do not

have an O&M background◦ Amount/Level of training

Overlap: ◦ A person with a visual impairment can work with a Travel

Instructor for learning a new bus line/route, but only after he/she has completed and demonstrated safe Orientation and Mobility skills.

TI is individualized and one-on-one instruction on how to safely utilize public transportation.

CBI usually teaches a student what to do once they reach the destination.

Students who qualify for Travel Instruction would likely continue to benefit from CBI, but not all students who receive CBI will qualify for Travel Instruction.

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Increased Independence Significant Cost Savings

◦ Increase frequency of use of fixed-route public transportation to school, home, jobs, social events

◦ Decrease reliance on para-transportation as an only means of travel

◦ Individual pays less for fixed route (at least ½ the cost!)

◦ Less cost incurred by transit authority

◦ Less cost to taxpayers

◦ Potential savings for school districts

Picture shows a Kalamazoo Metro Transit bus.

Special Education Law: It’s Part of IDEA

• Travel training: part 300.26(a)(2)(ii) and 300.26(b)(4). ) Travel training means providing instruction, as appropriate, to children with significant cognitive disabilities, and any other children with disabilities who require this instruction, to enable them to—

(i) Develop an awareness of the environment in which they live; and

(ii) Learn the skills necessary to move effectively and safely from place to place within that environment (e.g., in school, in the home, at work, and in the community).

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•Identify how various components of a disability can affect a person’s ability to travel safely

Picture shows a person in a wheelchair crossing a street.

Travel trainers are professionals who are capable and willing to work with individuals to establish safe travel routes and practices using a fixed-route system of transportation.

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No certification is required to be a travel trainer

Courses are available through Easter Seals Project ACTION

Learn from experienced travel trainer or O&M Specialist

Ability to build a good working rapport with students and Team members

Physical, medical needs of students with various impairments and how they impact the student

Obstacles/travel issues in the environmentDistractions that may affect the traveler

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The student needs to be able to safely cross a street, follow multiple step directions, learn how to recognize if they are not where they should be, and learn what to do if something goes awry.

Must have the support of their Team (teachers, parent/guardians, travel instructor)

Student must have good social skills, as they will be interacting with the public.

Picture shows the Winnie the Pooh characters crossing the street (Abbey Road Style).

The Travel Trainer and student’s Team consider the student’s medical, physical, and cognitive abilities when determining candidacy for the Travel Instruction program.

The student must have a desire to travel independently in the community.

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1. Established that our district did not provided this; discussed with supervisor and cleared with Special Education Director.

2. Attended free training through Easter Seals

3. Began gathering materials for implementing

4. Attained grant for TI lab ($750) and secured the site to implement the lab

5. Began training staff on the process with inservice

6. Traveled with some CBI classes to start looking at candidates

7. Tested my FACTS Assessment (Easter Seals has this on the website)with 3 different levels of students to assure the tool worked

Vehicular/street crossing dangers

Interaction with the public

Students may make decisions that are inappropriate

Obstacles along the travel routes can also pose as a danger

Pre-planned routes can change without warning

Picture shows The Beatles crossing the street and the John Lennon is blocking the others from being hit by a car crossing their path.

1.Special Education $ through the CBI funding for the Young Adult Program and Orientation and Mobility funding

2.Grants

3.Local Assistance1.Metro Transit Authority

•Build it into your daily schedule (be sure your supervisor allows for this)

•Utilize the materials that are out there!

•Train others so they can implement it

•Cancellations of other students (when they are absent)

•Some homework for planning and materials

1st Steps : 2nd Steps:

Develop a list of students who may be ready to start in the Travel Instruction Pilot Program based on set criterion.

Develop a list of students who may be ready for the program upon completion of a Basic Skills

Course.

Complete the Assessment Process for students who may be ready to begin

Evaluate students who have completed the Basic Skills Course

Determine if additional coursework should be implemented prior to recommending additional students to the Travel Instruction Program

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Provide training for staff (Inservice/PD)

Determine who will participate in the Pilot training and assessment

Determine a plan for getting staff and students ready to participate◦ Go along on CBI trips to see who might qualify

Establish a course for teaching preliminary skills to students

FACTS Assessment-Pre and Post tests Buses and Trains for Everyone:

Curriculum-Basic Skills Intersection Simulation Lab-Precursor to

actual intersection Get Going Helper Card? Added supports?

Picture shows a girl crossing in a crosswalk in the Intersection Lab in a gymnasium.

Pre-Assess students for:◦ Street crossing skills (Intersection Simulation Lab)◦ Outdoor Traffic Signs◦ Community Outing Performance Expectations◦ Knowledge of using the transit system◦ Ability to follow directions (number of steps)

Interview students and parents/guardians Recommendations of Staff Medical

Picture shows a Pedestrian Crossing sign.

FACTS takes 30 - 45 minutes to complete Additional Assessment Process.

◦ Application forms functional skills previous experience with community mobility Interview with parent/client

◦ Professional forms functional skills

◦ Functional Assessment procedure specific to the nature of the individual's

disability◦ Appeals procedure

Attend Basic Skills Class Learn Street Crossing Skills Practice Bus and Street Crossing skills

during CBI Learn Safety skills Re-Assessed using FACTS Para-Transit is still an option

•Easter Seals Project Action Buses & Trains for Everyone Curriculum•Workbook for Grades 4-8 works well for training Basic Skills

1. Modes of Transportation 2. Features of a Public Transportation Bus 3. Identification and Location of a Bus Stop 4. Introduction to ID Cards 5. Bus Demonstration Taking a Trip on the Public Transportation

Bus

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Utilize the classroom staff (high school resource room to Young Adult Programs) to teach the curriculum (6 lessons)

You can add additional materials and ideas and lessons as needed.

Lessons at Bus Garage Utilization of the Intersection simulation Lab

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Picture shows a gymnasium intersection lab with 2 styles of cross walks and 4 stop signs and one street sign. Two children are practicing safe crossings.

Semi-Permanent Moveable

½ of a Gymnasium Green Tape 2 rolls or

more Black Tape 2 rolls or

more White Tape 4-6 rolls Yellow Tape 1 roll Scissors

6 sign poles 4 stop signs 2 street signs A bus stop sign Environmental/

intersection sounds Device to play the

sounds

•At least 1 Pair of Extra Hands •1 Full Day of Time.

Intersections Simulation Lab Schematic

Schematic created by Amanda English, KRESA, TCVI/COMS 2012

You can Start Small

◦ Bus Safety Discussions in Classrooms

◦ One-on-one training of students

◦ Attend a CBI and ride the bus with the students to

demonstrate skills

Share Your Ideas

Project Action Travel Training http://www.projectaction.org/Training/TravelTraining.aspx◦ Get Going Guide for Every Day Travel◦ Buses and Trains for Everyone Curriculum:

http://www.projectaction.org/ResourcesPublications/BrowseOurResourceLibrary/ResourceSearchResults.aspx?org=a2GSpnDbruI=&query=Buses%20and%20Trains%20for%20Everyone

◦ FACTS Assessment Amanda English: aenglish@kresa.org

Kalamazoo RESA