Introduction to Secondary Transition

An overview of the variables affecting transition services and

planning options for individuals with disabilities

A Note About Language

Keeping in mind that individuals with disabilities are first and foremost individuals, I ask all of you to use person first language (i.e., “a person with a disability” as opposed to “an LD student”. Specific attention will be given to this point during the assessment of all written assignments.

Background Information

• We will not discuss slides 4 – 46 in class unless you have specific questions. They are meant to provide an overview of the essential special education knowledge necessary for you to take an active role in this course.

Major Tenants of IDEA• Applies to children ages 3 - 21• Zero reject - nonexclusionary education• FAPE - Free appropriate public education• LRE - Least restrictive environment• Nondiscriminatory evaluation• Due process• Transition planning• AYP - Adequate yearly progress• Advocacy• Confidentiality• Noncompliance - lawsuits• Person first language

Major Tenants of Section 504

• Prevents discrimination by any organization receiving federal funds

• Defines a handicapped person as “Any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities”

• Students served under IDEA are also eligible for 504• Both laws mandate FAPE • IDEA requires an individual education program (IEP)

while 504 requires schools to demonstrate how services are being provided

Major Tenants of ADA (1990)

• Maximize the employment potential of individuals with disabilities.

• Provide “reasonable accommodations” in the workplace.• Employers may not ask if an individual has a disability and may

not discriminate against persons who have a disability.• Colleges and universities must provide appropriate

modifications• Telecommunications must be accessible to individuals who are

deaf

Brief history of IDEA

• Public Law 94-142, Education For All Handicapped Children Act (1975).

• This law was reauthorized and expanded as the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (IDEA) in 1990.

• Reauthorized again in 1997 & 2004 (P.L. 108-446).• Federal regulations for 2004 reauthorization were

released August 14, 2006.• WA regulations released in July 2007.

Who is eligible for services under IDEA?

Students who demonstrate the characteristics of any of the previous

categories IF their disability adversely impacts educational performance

and requires specialized instruction.

What if the disability does not affect academic achievement?

• Students are NOT eligible for services under IDEA

• They may receive services under Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act (1973)

• Section 504 covers many more students than IDEA

Students served under Section 504

Students served under IDEA

Visual representation of school-aged populations served under IDEA and Section 504

Student Need

Consider IDEA

Adverse affect on educational performance?

Yes

IDEA Eligible

IEP Developed

Related Services

Placement Options

Consider 504

Not Eligible

No Disability substantially limits one or more major life activities

504 Protected

Reasonable AccommodationsFAPE

No

Not Eligible

Disability Categories in Washington

• Developmentally Delayed (age 3 - 8)

• Emotional Behavioral Disability

• Speech or language impairment

• Orthopedically impairment• Other Health impaired• Specific learning disability• Mental retardation

• Multiple disabilities• Hearing impairment /

Deafness• Visually impairment /

blindness• Deaf / blindness• Autism• Traumatic brain injury

Categorical Disability Distribution

Specific Learning Disability Speech or Language Impaired

Mental Retardation Emotional Disturbance

Multiple Disabilities Hearing Impairment

Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment

Autism Visual Impairment

Traumatic Brain Injury Developmental Delay

Deaf/Blindness

U.S. Department of Education 2005

Nondiscriminatory Evaluation

Screening

Prereferral

Referral

NondiscriminatoryEvaluation Procedures

All Students

Some Students

Students in need of specialeducation and related services

IDEA Procedures

• Pre-referral - consultation with instructional support team (IST)• Document current levels of student performance (academic,

social, & behavioral)• Implement academic supports - document results• Referral (identification)• Notice of procedural safeguards & due process rights• Parental consent• Evaluation • Eligibility determination (within 35 school days of parental

consent)• IEP development• Placement decision (LRE)• Annual review • Triennial reevaluation• Transition planning

Evaluation Procedures

• Review existing data on the student including classroom-based, local, state assessments, and classroom observations.

• Use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information about the student.

• Provide assessments in the student’s native language.

IEP Development - Who’s involved?

• The student (when appropriate)• Local educational agency (LEA) - who will oversee

implementation of the child’s plan• General classroom teachers (at least 1)• Special education teacher• Therapist• Parents• Others at the discretion of the parents or LEA • Evaluator if other than the special education teacher

Contents of the IEP

• Child’s present levels of performance (e.g., educational, social, behavioral)

• Specific measurable annual goals, objectives, expected levels of performance, timelines

• Information regarding the students placement and related services

• Modifications to the general education curriculum• Dates & times for delivery of services• Means to assess AYP • Transition plan (16 and up)

Continuum of Sped Services - LREMost Inclusive

General Education (Gen Ed) Curriculum

Gen Ed w/ consultative services

Gen Ed & instruction & services

Gen Ed & resource room

Full time Sped classroom

Special school

Special facilities, day or residential

Most intensive

Help general education teachers help you!

What should they do when a student is struggling in class?• Start a confidential file on a secure computer.• Describe the student in a one paragraph narrative that concludes w/

your concerns.• Identify the student’s current levels of functional performance in

each of the following domains: academic, social, emotional/behavioral - one paragraph overview from IST pre-referral.

• Begin to create a database so that you can chart the student’s progress over time.

• Identify and implement research-based instructional strategies.• Build a relationship with the parents.

Academic areas of focus

• Listening comprehension

• Oral expression• Basic reading skills

(alphabetic principle, decoding, phonemic awareness, fluency, semantics)

• Reading comprehension

• Basic writing skills (handwriting, spelling, grammar)

• Written expression• Math computation• Math reasoning• Problem solving

Listening Comprehension

Sara is able to sustain her attention during group activities for 15 - 20 minutes. She follows three-step oral directions and is able to recall at least five story elements from orally read texts. She asks clarifying questions, provides feedback pertinent to the listening activity (e.g., I’ve seen my dog chase cats too!), and responds to verbal cues. Sara is meeting GLEs for listening comprehension and is a joy to have in class.

Sample Documentation

Oral Expression• Sara adjusts her language based on

the situation (e.g., when speaking with friends vs. adults). She initiates discussions and participates in group activities (e.g., brainstorming). She is able to articulate supporting details and organize information into logical sequences. She speaks clearly and distinctly using developmentally appropriate grammar, syntax, tone, and inflection.

Sample Documentation

Basic Reading Skills• While Sara possesses strong listening

comprehension and oral expression skills, she struggles with basic reading skills. For example, during a Pre-Primer Subject Word List screening using the Qualitative Reading Inventory- 4, Sara scored in the 60th percentile or frustration level. She was unable to automatically identify the words “children”, “other”, “animal”, “place”, “every”, “thing”, “write”, and “live”. Sara is often unable to read words containing complex letter patterns (e.g., -ought, -aught). She has difficulty decoding multi-syllabic words (i.e., two and three syllable). When prompted she is able to use prefixes and suffixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words 50% of the time.

Sample Documentation

Using data to inform instruction

4045505560657075808590

Week1

Week2

Week3

Week4

Week5

Week6

Sight WordsDecodingFluencyComprehension

Sara’s Reading Performance

Intervention

Results of FBA for Jimbo Rucksack in multiple classes Jimbo ﾕ s Daily Schedule: 7:50 - 8:10 Arrive at school. Breakfast on the playground. 8:10 - 9:00 Language Arts with Ms. Janis 9:00 - 9:40 Social Studies 9:40 - 10:20 Gym or Current Events 10:20 - 11:00 Science 11:00 - 11:30 Lunch 11:30 - 11:50 Recesss 11:50 - 12:30 Math 12:30 - 1:10 Specials (Music, Art) 1:10 - 1:40 Study Hall 1:40 - 2:20 Technology, Drama, Community Projects 0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Mon Tue Wed Thurs Friday

Office Referrals for September - November

Office Referrals

Jimbo's FBA Results - 3 Observations Per Class

0

5

10

15

20

25

Interrupting Distracting Threatening

Science

Social Studies

Language Arts

Math

Instructional Approaches by Class

0

1

2

3

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Lecture

SG activitiesLG ActivitiesClass Discussion

Independent Reading

Peer tutoring

ReadingWriting

Science

Social Studies

Language Arts

Math

Scientifically-based Research

• Involves the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to educational activities.

• Employs systematic empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment.

• Includes rigorous data analysis.• Is evaluated using experimental or quasi-

experimental designs• Has been accepted by a peer reviewed journal or

approved by a panel of independent experts.

Specific Learning Disabilities

Section IV

Defining SLD• The definition of SLD is changing (IDEA 2004)• Sometimes called the “invisible disability”• Unexpected difficulty / low performance• Inefficient processing in the area of disability• “… a disorder in one or more of the basic

psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical computations.”

Early Warning Signs of SLD

The following behaviors may indicate that a child has a specific learning disability:

• Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds• Difficulty "sounding out" unknown words• Repeatedly misidentifying known words• Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including letter

reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left), and substitutions (house/home)

• Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic signs (+, -, x, /, =)

• Difficulty understanding or remembering what is read because so much time and effort is spent figuring each word

Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (1999). How children learn to read. Retrieved September 2, 2006 from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6253

NOT SLD if

The deficit is primarily the result of:• Hearing, visual, or motor disability• MR (mental retardation)• SBD (serious behavioral disorder)• Environmental, cultural, economic

disadvantage• LACK OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION

SLD Determination

• School districts have two means to determine if a student qualifies as having a learning disability:– Severe discrepancy model (Classic)– Response to Intervention (IDEA 2004)

Lyon, R. G., Fletcher, J. M., Shaywitz, S. E., Shaywitz, B. A., Torgesson, J. K., Wood, F. B., et al. (2001). Rethinking learning disabilities. In C. E. Finn,

A. J. Rotherham, & C. R. Hokanson (Eds.), Rethinking special education for a new century (p. 270).

Mental Retardation

MR IQ cut points: 50 - 70 = mild 35 - 50 = moderate 20 - 35 = severe Below 20 = profound

Response to Intervention (RTI)

• IDEA 2004 regulations state:

“The criteria adopted by the State [to determine the child’s eligibility as SLD] must permit the use of a process based on the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention” Section 300.307 (a) (2)

Defining RTI

“…an assessment and intervention process for systematically monitoring student progress and making decisions about the need for instructional modifications or increasingly intensified services using progress monitoring data.”

The National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD, 2006)

Seven Core Principles of RTI

• Use all available resources to teach students• Use scientific, research-based instruction• Monitor classroom performance• Conduct universal screening / benchmarking• Use a multi-tier model of service delivery• Make data-based decisions• Monitor progress frequently

Three-Tier Model of School Supports

Intensive Interventions

Strategic Interventions

Core Interventions

Strategic Interventions

Intensive Interventions

Core Interventions

Academic Behavioral

Individual studentsTargeted assessment-basedProgress monitoring 1x per week

Individual studentsTargeted assessment-basedProgress monitoring 1x per week

Some at-risk studentsHigh efficiencyProgress monitoring 2x per month

Some at-risk studentsHigh efficiencyProgress monitoring 2x per month

All studentsPreventative / proactiveStudents benchmarked 3x per year on core academic skills

All studentsPreventative / proactiveStudents benchmarked 3x per year on social/behavior skills

Key Terms

• Fidelity - the extent to which the instruction is implemented as planned.

• Universal screening (Tier I) - benchmarking of academic, social skills, and behavior (fall, winter, & spring).

• Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) - a means to measure student development over time.

Interventions

• Strategic interventions (Tier II) – Short-term (9 - 12 weeks) interventions provided to small groups

of students (3 - 6) where remedial instruction occurs in a core academic, social skills, or behavioral area (e.g., phonemic awareness).

– Three to four sessions per week – 30 - 60 min. per session. – Progress monitoring biweekly (minimum)

• Intensive interventions (Tier III) - – Small group (3 or less) or individual instruction– May be for 12 weeks or more– Up to two 30 min sessions daily– Weekly progress monitoring (minimum)

RTI is a Problem Solving Process• RTI is a flexible service delivery model• Define the problem• Analyze the cause - this requires a conceptual shift

from the problem occurring in the student to a need for improvement educational environment “What can we as educators do differently?”

• Develop a plan• Implement the plan• Evaluate the plan

Inclusion

Section 1

Mainstreaming vs. InclusionInclusion • Conceptually similar to

mainstreaming but… represents a paradigm shift where students have an inherent right to be in the general education classroom without demands to “keep up” in order to remain there.

Mainstreaming • Selective placement of

students in one or more general education classrooms

• Based on the assumption that students have earned the opportunity to “keep up” with other students.

Rogers, 1993

Note: Full inclusion is > 80% of the school day in a general education setting

Inclusion Readiness

• Effective inclusion requires comprehensive collaborative efforts that involve system-wide planning, implementation, and ongoing evaluation (McGregor & Vogelsberg, 1998)

• Common understanding of purpose and need• Incentives• Administrative support• Leadership• Resources

Triangle of Supports (Fisher, 2000)

Personal Supports

Assistive and instructive technology

Curriculum accommodations & modifications - UDL

Transition Defined

• Transition - A change in status from behaving primarily as a student to assuming emergent adult roles in a community(deFur, Todd-Allen, & Getzel, 2001)

• Effective transition begins at the elementary and middle school with students assuming a maximum responsibility for developing the plan (Wehman, 2006)

National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS-2, 2005)

• High school completion rates up 17%, with 70% completing high school

• Increase in postsecondary education enrollment from 15% to 37%

• Lower full time employment rates (39% vs. 57%)• 90% remain single• 75% live with parents• > 50% had been subject to disciplinary action at school, fired

from a job, or arrested compared to 33% in 1987.• Approximately 70% were employed at some level (Benz, Lindstrom,

& Yovanoff, 2000)

Transition Services - IDEA

• Must be based on student needs, taking into account their preferences and interests

• Be results oriented• Focus on improving the academic and functional

achievement of a student with a disability• Facilitate the movement from school to postschool

activities

IEP requirements under IDEA 2004

At age 16 the IEP must include:• Appropriate measurable goals based upon age

appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where appropriate independent living skills;

• The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching these goals.

The goals in IDEA 2004 represent a shift from process to results and outcomes

Employment

• Working provides an opportunity to receive payments and benefits that lead to greater independence

• Individual productivity on a daily basis is critical for dignity and self-esteem

• Having a job facilitates the development of social networks and friendships

(Wehman, 2006)

Self-Determination

Defined: A combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behavior (Wehmayer, Agran, & Hughes, 1998)

Curriculum consideration• Self-awareness• Decision making• Self-advocacy• Goal expression and

elaboration

Self-determined students with disabilities understand their strengths and limitations. They are able to take control of their lives and assume adult roles (Flexer et al., 2008).

Developmental Characteristics (EA)

Early Adolescence: – 10 - 14 years old– Withdraw from parents– Explore adult roles– Problem solving through

trial and error– Abstract and deductive

reasoning (Piaget, 1966)

Transition Planning– Focus on self-awareness– Explore career options– Develop self-determination

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008)

Developmental Characteristics (MA)

Transition Planning– Activities should develop

self-confidence– Contextualized learning

experiences (e.g., work in the community)

– Focus on independent living, leisure, and extracurricular activities

Middle Adolescence– 15 - 17 years old – Pressure to conform and

engage in risk-taking behavior– Discrepancy between actual

self and self-perceptions is most pronounced (Lichtenstein, 1998)

– Drop out rates increase as students avoid frustration and embarrassment

Developmental Characteristics (LA)

• Late Adolescence– 18 - mid 20s– Develop personal

identity and intimacy– Employment– Postsecondary

education opportunities

Transition Planning– Problem solving – Sensible decisions– Self-advocacy– Support from adult

services program

Other Ecological Transition Considerations

• Develop study skills, procedures for choosing institutions, exam strategies, financial aid, and disability support services (Postsecondary education)

• Provide social services, support personal hygiene,financial and community supports (Poverty)

• Educate and involve parents in transition planning, include their role in employment and continued support post-IEP (Relationships with parents)

• Choosing courses, organizing schedules, mastering content (High school)

Person-Centered Planning

• Develop meaningful adult living goals and a means to achieve those goals

• A team works to identify the student’s history, dreams, nightmares, relationships, and abilities

• The team should analyze the environment the student plans to enter, the demands of that environment, and the skills and supports necessary to succeed (ecological perspective)

• Plan with the end goals in mind (backward plan)• Develop benchmarks

Transition Service Integration Model

• Integrates resources from schools, the rehabilitation system, and the developmental disabilities system

• Collaborative effort during the last year of school (typically age 21) to provide a paid, direct hire job

• Secure funding to continue employment• Provide opportunities for community participation• Support autonomy and self-determination

(Certo et al., 2003)

Transition Skills

• Shopping• Travel• Banking• Emergency Care• Advocacy• Social etiquette• Dining out

• Reservations• Work habits• Scheduling• Organizing• Hygiene• Friendships• Sexuality

Relations with peers

Mass media

Role of work

Extracurricular activities

Pursuit of independence

Risk taking, Juvenile crime

Postsecondary education

Poverty

Relationships with parents

High School

Adolescence

Ecological View of Adolescence (Lichtenstein, 1998)

Transition Implications of Ecologic View

• Establish social connections and community participation after high school (Relationships)

• Positive role models (Mass Media)

• Realistic understanding of the disability (Role of Work)

• Encourage and support extracurricular activities as part of the IEP (Extracurricular)

• Teach independent living, travel, and life-skills (Independence)

• Teach safety precautions, natural consequences, and emergency procedures (Risk taking)

Cross’s Barrier Model (1981)

• Situational - lack of time or money• Institutional - schedules or location• Dispositional - attitudes or self perceptions

Thoughts on Ecological View of Transition

• How might a critical analysis of the macro-systems affecting transition enable us to provide efficacious service delivery options for individuals with disabilities?

• Macro-systems refers to looking at transition through a holistic lens or the “big picture” approach.In what ways does a critical analysis of the big picture help us provide an effective transition and related services for individuals with disabilities?

Relationships with peers

Stigma / embarrassment

Separated from Peers/ isolation

Defeated attitudeVictim complex

Loneliness

Pursuit ofindependence

Parents

Transportation

Lack of choices

Student life goals

Poverty

Employment

Lack of basic need

fulfillment

Lack of technology& resources

Family history

Mass media

Labels

Promotion of drugs & violence

Computer / internet

Junk Mail (credit card offers)

High School

Homework

Peer pressure

Difficulty with social skills & relationships

Multiple buildings

Stereotypes

Pursuit of independence

Family support

Community outreach

Financial stability

Housing / location

Employment

Risk-taking / Juvenile Crime

Proving one’s self by acting against

social norms

Drugs & Alcohol

Gang affiliation / peer pressure

Stealing

Consequences

Boredom

Respect

Relationships with parents

Absent parents

Oppositional

Dependence vs.independence

Child at the centerof marital disputes

Generation Gap

Family values /religion

Postsecondary education

Self-advocacy

Work Load Management

Time Management

Financial & Informational

Resources

Paperwork Training

Interview & Resume Training

Extracurricular activities

Relationshipw/ peers

Leadership Training

Transportation

Managing Supplies

Team Player

Assistive Technology

In your Flexer text don’t miss!

Chapter 1• Ecological view of adolescence, p.6• Table 1-1, p. 9• Definition of transition services under

IDEA 2004, p. 13• Self determination defined, p. 17• Person-centered planning, p. 19• Community based experiences, p. 21• Postsecondary education, p.24• Family involvement, p.25• Transition system issues, p. 27

Chapter 2• Kohler’s transition education model, p. 48• IDEA 2004 transition requirements, p. 51

Chapter 3• Essential elements of transition planning, p.

56• Cultural and racial inequities, p. 58-59.• Table 3-1, p. 62• Table 3-2, p. 64• Table 3-3, p. 65• Six step strategy to guide reflection, p. 69• Table 3-5, p. 75

In your Flexer et al. text don’t missChapter 4• Factors contributing to unemployment &

difficulties students’ face, p. 84• Four stages of career development, p. 95• Table 4-1, p.96Chapter 5• Table 5-2, p. 107• assessments, p. 109-129.Chapter 6• Table 6-1, p. 139• Table 6-2, p. 141• Table 6-3, p. 143• Figure 6-3, p. 146• Figure 6-4, p. 147• Steps for curriculum planning, p. 148-157

Chapter 7• Figure 7-1, p. 163• Table 7-1, p. 165• Managing instructional

environments, p. 166-170• Chapter 8• Table 8-1, p. 182• Monitoring and evaluation, p. 183-

184• Table 8-3, p. 188• Table 8-4, p. 190• Figure 8-1, p. 198-199

In Dell et al. don’t miss

Chapter 1• Figure 1-1. , p. 5• Figure 1-4, p. 11Chapter 2 - ALLChapter 3 – ALLChapter 4 – ALLChapter 5• Figure 5-1, p. 114• Figure 5-9, p. 121Chapter 6• Accessibility features p. 147-155Chapter 7• Table 7-1, p. 158• Table 7-2, p. 166• Table 7-3, p. 174• Alternative output options, p. 184-185

Chapter 8 – ALLChapter 9• Table 9-1, p. 217• Table 9-2, p. 219• Table 9-4, p. 220• Figures 9-1 & 2, p. 223 - 227 Chapter 10 – Skip (syllabus change)Chapter 11• Table 11-3, p. 266• Table 11-4, p. 271• Tips for parents, p. 273• Figure 11-3, p. 276-277Chapter 12 – ALLChapter 13 - ALL

503 Reading / PresentationsFebruary 5• Shelly - Bond, R. & Castagnera, E. (2006). Peer supports and inclusive education: An underutilized resource. Theory into Practice,

45(3), 224-229.• Angy - Conderman, G. J., & Katsiyannis, A. (2002). Instructional issues and practices in secondary special education. Teacher

Education and Special Education, 23, 167-179. February 12 • Gale - Edyburn, D. L. (2004). Rethinking assistive technology. Special Education Technology Practice, 5(4), 16-23. February 19• Ken - Christensen, R., Overall, T., & Knezek, G. (2006). Personal educational tools (PETs) for Type II learning. Computers in the

Schools, 23(1/2), 173-189. • Teresa - Edelson, D. C., Gordin, D. N., & Pea, R. C. (1999). Addressing the challenges of inquiry-based learning through technology

and curriculum design. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 8(3&4), 350-391 February 26• Cindy - Kirschner, P.A., & Erkens, G. (2006). Cognitive tools and mindtools for collaborative learning. Journal of Educational

Computing Research, 35(2), 199-209.• Ben - Maccini, P., Gagnon, J. C. & Hughes, C. A. (2002). Technology-based practices for secondary students with learning disabilities.

Learning Disability Quarterly, 25, 247-261. March 5• Matt - Higgins, K., Boone, R., & Williams, D. (2000). Evaluating educational software for special education. Intervention is School and

Clinic, 36(2), 109-115. • Teresa - MacArthur, C. A., Ferretti, R. P., Okolo, C. M., & Cavalier, A. R. (2001). Technology applications for students with literacy

problems: A critical review. The Elementary School Journal, 101, 273-301.March 12• Carolyn - Reed, P. R. & Lahm, E. A. (2005). A resource guide for teachers and administrators about assistive technology (general

edition). http://wati.org/?pageLoad=content/supports/free/index.phpApril 9• Jessica - McGuire, J., Scott, S., & Shaw, S. (2006). Universal design for learning and its applications in educational environments.

Remedial and Special Education, 27(3), 166-175.• Teresa - Burgstahler, S. (2003). The role of technology in preparing youth with disabilities for postsecondary education and

employment. Journal of Special Education Technology, 18(4), 7-19.

Transition Assessment

Purposes of Transition Assessment• Determine education, working, living,

personal, & social requirements• Evaluate the student in terms of proficiency,

agency eligibility, and admission standards• Match individuals with appropriate program

options

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 43)

Halpern’s Transition Model (1985)

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008)

Collecting Evidence• Thus far we have utilized an ecological

perspective to understand the transition planning process, deconstructed it into component parts, and identified barriers that might inhibit the success of secondary students with disabilities.

• Now we need to identify the evidence we should collect to make this determination.

• What should we collect, observe, or document? How often? How will we know if our plan is successful?

Transition Planning • Identify interests, abilities, capabilities, strengths,

needs, potentials, & behaviors• Try different tasks to determine how preferences

match abilities for program options and postsecondary settings

• Identify concrete ways to help students, families, and team members work toward common goals

(Flexer et al., 2008, p. 107)

Lehigh Transition Reports

• Consider the substantive depth and breadth of these documents and the time constraints inherent with current special education teacher case loads. Critically analyze the documents and help us, as a class, develop a plan to incorporate the most salient aspects of their model into our future transition planning.

• What themes were present in our class responses?• Create an outline of our transition plan.

Person-Centered Planning

• Driven by individuals and their families• Focuses on individual attributes and capacities• Future-oriented• Collaborative (community commitment) • Emphasizes supports and connections

Everson & Reid (1999)

Do we have anything to add to this?

Role of the Transition Coordinator

• Services within the school• Interagency / business linkage• Assessment and counseling• Community education and training• Family support• Advocacy• Program development, implementation, assessment,

and evaluation

Quality Indicators of Transition Assessment Instruments

• Validity - accurately measure the stated construct (e.g., self-determination)

• Reliability - replicable results (stability)• Ease of use • Scoring• Meaningful outcomes

Formal Transition Assessments

• Norm-referenced - Compare student to peer group of similar age and developmental level

• Criterion-referenced - Evaluate mastery of discrete skills, specific tasks, or technological proficiency

• Tend to be standardized in terms of administration and evaluation of results

• Provide a limited but useful view of the individual

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 111)

Formal Transition Assessment Examples

• Wide-Range Interest and Opinion Test (WRIOT) $840 http://www.harcourt-au.com/default.asp?action=article&ID=74

• Bennett Hand-Tool Dexterity Test $247 http://www.roymatheson.com/equip_dexterity.html

• Test of Interpersonal Competency for Employment (TICE) $99 http://www.stanfield.com/sch2wk-4.html

• Waksman Social Skills Rating Form $60 http://homepage.mac.com/rickray/stevewaksman/resources.html

• The Job Observation Behavior Scale (JOBS) $140 http://www.stoeltingco.com/tests/store/ViewLevel3.asp?keyword3=1125

• American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) Adaptive Behavior Scales $172

http://portal.wpspublish.com/portal/page?_pageid=53,69632&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Functional & Informal Assessments

• Provide detailed information about individual’s specific strengths & areas of need

• Supplement standardized assessments• Results provide authentic information about how

the student performs in specific environments• Provide a starting point for instruction• Allow for the development of progress

monitoring systems

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 119)

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 116)

The Knowledge Battery (KB)

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 117)

The Knowledge Battery (KB):Continued

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 122)

Sample ecological job analysis

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 123)

Sample ecological job analysis:Continued

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 120)

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 124)

Kent StateTransition Services Job Analysis

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 125)

Kent StateTransition Services Job AnalysisContinued

Formal Transition Assessments

• Norm-referenced - Compare student to peer group of similar age and developmental level

• Criterion-referenced - Evaluate mastery of discrete skills, specific tasks, or technological proficiency

• Tend to be standardized in terms of administration and evaluation of results

• Provide a limited but useful view of the individual

Functional & Informal Assessments

• Provide detailed information about individual’s specific strengths & areas of need

• Supplement standardized assessments• Results provide authentic information about how

the student performs in specific environments• Provide a starting point for instruction• Allow for the development of progress

monitoring systems

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 122)

Sample ecological job analysis

(Flexer, Baer, Luft, & Simmons, 2008, p. 123)

Sample ecological job analysis:Continued

Sample Plan - Section I• Background Information • Rationale for Assessment• Assessment Format• Assessment Protocol• Person-Centered Planning (likes, dislikes, and wants)

- continuing education - employment preferences- community participation- social participation- home living- self-care- academic (functional)

Sample Plan - Section II• Academic Assessments

- reading sight words- reading and spelling- standardized test (Kaufman Functional Academic Skills)

- general questions and math• Management and Planning Assessments• Vocational Assessments

- included anecdotal information - task analysis- public transportation- safety issues- community skills- dress code and personal care

Sample Plan - Section III

• Ecological Inventories for Future Integration (anecdotal information)

- recreation and leisure- continuing education- instructional strategies- classroom strategies

• Behavior- demonstrations of inappropriate behavior- possible reasons for behavior- alternatives

Sample Plan - Section IV

• Evaluation Summary

- strengths

- support needs

- recommendations

INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN

DOMAIN: Employment

NAME:

Personal Characteristics: Support Needs: Instructional Needs: Recommended Objectives/Priorities for this

year’s IEP: Vo cational Training

Employment training Job Sampling opportunities Voluntee r Work

Vo cational related skills Vo cational Specific Skills

Time Management Skills Money Management Skills Transportation Skills Pedestrian Skills Dressing Skills/Grooming Communication Skills Social Skills Participation and Independence Production Learning

INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN

DOMAIN: Community

NAME: George Doe

Personal Characteristics: Support Needs: Instructional Needs: Recommended Objectives/Priorities for this

year’s IEP: Consumer Activities

Support and instruction gaining access to various community sites either independently or with peers

Community-Based Instruction

Safety Skills Functional Academics Communication Community Integration Leisure/Recreation

INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN

DOMAIN: Home Living

NAME: George Doe

Personal Characteristics: Support Needs: Instructional Needs: Recommended Objectives/Priorities for this

year’s IEP: Living arrangements Family / Personal Relationships Self care

Exploration of di fferent living arrangements

Safety skills to be alone at home Choice making skills

Emergency Procedures General Home Activities Decision/Choice Making Independence Chore Skills Money Management Skills Safety Awareness Skills Meal preparation and planning Tolerating professional clothing Grooming / Personal Hygiene Safety Skills Health / Medical Skills Self-Analysis Skills Self-Reporting Skills

INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN

DOMAIN: Leisure/Recreation

NAME: George Doe

Personal Characteristics: Support Needs: Instructional Needs: Recommended Objectives/Priorities for this

year’s IEP: Leisure

Skills to seek and pla n preferred activities Leisure Skills Age Appropriate social skills Fitness Training

Develop calendar and use Internet and newspaper to locate and plan activities. Increase independence in leisure routines. Attend events with peers Increase physical strength and stamina through swimming and engaging in exercise.

INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN

DOMAIN: Social

NAME: George Doe

Personal Characteristics: Support Needs: Instructional Needs: Recommended Objectives/Priorities for this

year’s IEP: Social

Build communication to enhance social skills. Leisure activities similar to peers.

Social Skills

INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN

DOMAIN: Continuing Education

NAME: George Doe

Personal Characteristics: Support Needs: Instructional Needs: Recommended Objectives/Priori ties for this

year’s IEP: Current Academic Skills

Focus on functional academic instruction in the co mmunity, home and classroom.

.

Intensive Functional Academic Instruction

Origins of Universal Design (UD)

• Developed from architecture in the early 1970’s at North Carolina State University

• Based on the idea that all products should be usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life.

• Examples of Universal Design include curb cuts, TV captioning, & pictorial representation on restroom doors.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)• An educational application of the original

architecture-based UD construct• Developed at the Center for Applied Special

Technology (CAST) for K-12 students• UDL is designed to improve access, participation,

and progress in the general education curriculum• UDL challenges teachers to anticipate, reduce,

and/or eliminate barriers by creating flexible curricula

Premise for UDL

• Barriers occur as diverse learners interact with curriculum (e.g., nonreaders working with text)

• The curriculum and instruction are the problem, NOT the students

• Curricula should consider student differences at the outset… as opposed to retrofitting existing instructional plans (Meyer & Rose, 2005)

UDL is Based on Brain ResearchResearch using the following tools indicates that

global measures of intelligence (e.g., IQ) do not account for individual learning differences at the neural level within the brain (Dolan & Hall, 2001; Wallis & Bulthoff, 1999)

• Positron emission tomography (PET) • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)• Quantitative electroencephalography (Qeeg)

Individual Learning Experiences

Shape Neural Pathways • Brain activity varies by individual based on

previous experiences with the learning tasks (Hund-Georgiadis & von Cramon, 1999; Shaywitz, 2003)

• Modules within the brain expand and contract based on personal experiences (van Mier, Fiez, &

Raichle, 1998)

• Repetition and practice produce changes at the behavioral level and at the neural level within the brain (Meyer & Rose, 2002)

Neural Networks within the Brian

CAST recognizes 3 primary networks• Recognition networks receive and analyze

information “What is this?”• Strategic networks allow individuals to plan

and carry out actions “How am I going to do that?”

• Affective networks are involved in establishing priorities “Why should I do this?”

(Rose, Meyer, & Hitchcock, 2005)

UDL Addresses Problems with Traditional Assessments

• Print-based assessments measure visual acuity, decoding ability, writing ability, reading fluency, and reading comprehension before they measure subject-specific content knowledge

• Students’ performance on print-based assessments can cause teachers to purport inaccurate inferences regarding students’ learning (Russell & Haney, 2000)

• Traditional assessments often focus on outcomes (e.g., # of terms recalled) without considering process

Principles of UDL

• Enhance recognition by providing multiple flexible methods of presentation

• Support strategic learning by providing multiple flexible methods of modeling and expression

• Support affective learning by providing multiple flexible options for engagement

UDL Teaching Methods Support Recognition

“What is this?”• Multiple examples• Highlight critical features• Provide multiple media

and formats• Support background

context

Support Strategic Networks“How am I going to do that?”• Flexible models of

performance• Provide opportunities to

practice with supports• Provide ongoing relevant

feedback• Flexible opportunities to

demonstrate skills

UDL Teaching Methods

To Support Affective Networks“Why should I do this?”• Offer choices of content specificity whenever

possible • Provide multiple tools to access the

curriculum • Adjust levels of challenge within assignments• Offer choices of rewards• Provide choices of learning context

The UDL Teaching ProcessSet GoalsIdentify standards-based learning goalsEstablish context

Identify StatusIdentify methods, materials, and assessmentsIdentify barriers

Apply UDLIdentify UDL materials and methodsWrite UDL PlanCollect and organize materials

Teach UDL LessonTeach lessonEvaluate effectivenessUnforeseen barriers?Revise

UDL & Differentiated Instruction

• UDL is a theoretical framework for instructional design

• Differentiated Instruction is a practice that can be implemented within the Universal Design framework

• Differentiated Instruction and UDL both encourage curricula that is flexible and designed to decrease learning barriers

Theory to Practice

Principle 1Recognition Learning

UDL Teaching Methods (practice) Differentiated Instruction (practice)

Principle 2Strategic Learning

Principal 3Affective Learning

Universal Design For Learning (Theory)

Access, participation, & progress in the general education curriculum

Three Elements of DifferentiationContent• Several materials are used to present the content • Tasks are aligned with instructional goals

• Instruction is concept focused and principle driven Process• Flexible grouping• Multiple strategies for classroom management

Products• Continual assessment of student progress• Students as active participants• Vary expectations and requirements

Additional Components of

Differentiated Instruction

• Clarify key concepts

• Use assessment as a tool to inform instruction

• Emphasize critical and creative thinking

• Provide a balance between teacher-assigned and student-selected tasks

Recognition Learning “What”

UDL Principle 1 Differentiating Instruction

Provide multiple examples Use several elements to support instructional content

Highlight critical features Instruction is content focused and principle driven

Provide multiple media and formats

Use several materials to support instruction

Support background context Assess students’ knowledge base

Teaching methods

Strategic Learning “How”UDL Principle 2 Differentiating Instruction

Provide flexible models of skilled performance

Demonstrate information and skills multiple times

Provide opportunities to practice with supports

Active and responsible learners

Provide ongoing relevant feedback

Vary requirements and expectations for the learning experience

Offer flexible opportunities for demonstrating skill

Teaching methods

Affective Learning “Why”

UDL Principle 3 Differentiating Instruction

Offer choice of content and tools

Effective organization

Provide adjustable levels of challenge

Student engagement is vital

Offer choices of rewards Effective classroom management

Offer a choices of learning context

Diversify instruction

Teaching methods

Barriers to Student Learning

• Prior knowledge about the concept• Seeing, decoding, or fluently reading text• Filtering extraneous sensory information• Keeping track of information (e.g., organization)• Lack of interest with the topic• Ability to maintain focus for an appropriate

period of time

Strategies for Building Prior Knowledge in a UDL Framework

• Direct Instruction (DI) (Adams & Engelmann, 1996)

• Reflection and recording (Carr & Thompson, 1996)

• Interactive discussions (Jackson, Harper, & Jackson, 2005)

• Answering questions (King, 1994)

• The K-W-L strategy (Ogle, 1986; Fisher, Frey, & Williams, 2002)

• Computer assisted activation (Biemans, Deel, & Simons, 2001)

Eliminating Recognition & Strategic Barriers

• Differentiated Instruction• Graphic organizers (e.g., thematic maps,

network tree, problem and solution map)• Advanced outlines• Digital media• Assistive Technology• Opportunities for dialogue

Eliminating Affective Barriers

• Provide choices in context• Peek student interests• Co-teach with students• Authentic assignments• Real world applications• Technology simulations• Tools that support out-of-reach activities

Websites

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) http://www.cast.org/index.html http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

Check out this lesson:http://www.trecenter.org/udl/lessonplans/underground.htm