WWW.PROJECTACTION.ORG

Educators, Pupil Transportation, and Public Transportation Working

together to Support Student Post-School Transition

Judy L. Shanley, Ph.D.Director, Administration for Community Living, Mobility Management, & Student Engagement ProjectsEaster Seals Project ACTION

Greg Akin, Director of Transportation, Volusia County Schools, Daytona Beach, FL

Project 10February 2013

ESPA,

Today’s Agenda• Overview of Easter Seals Project ACTION• Strategies to Build a Continuum of Transportation Education

• Travel Instruction

• Education-Pupil Transportation Connections: An example using Community Based Instruction

• Discussion: What are you doing in your community?

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Easter Seals Project Action (ESPA)• Mission: promote universal access to transportation for people with

disabilities…• Supports Transportation and the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA)• Begun by Congress twenty three years ago to build bridges of

understanding between the Transportation and Disability Community• Cooperative Agreement funded by the Federal Transit

Administration and Administered by Easter Seals• Aligned with Easter Seals work to improve the lives of children,

youth, and adults with disabilities

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Four Functional Areas to Help Local Organizations Build Accessible

Transportation Capacity• Training Events – travel training, webinars, online training• Technical Assistance – 800#, email, in-person coalition building events• Applied Research – fund catalyst and gap filling programs to stimulate

academic inquiry and leverage new product development• Outreach – build awareness & create partnerships

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Easter Seals

I-3

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Transportation education creates a culture, accompanied by a coordinated set of

practices, to connect students, families, educators, pupil transporters, and public

transportation professionals to create a system by which students have knowledge,

access, and choice regarding a continuum of transportation choices as they transition from school to postsecondary education,

employment, and independent living settings

ESPA,

Building an Accessible Transportation Continuum for Students with Disabilities to Support Transition

Interconnected Systems and People

Students & Families

http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/

http://www.napt.org/ http://www.apta.com/http://www.dcdt.org/

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WHY CONSIDER TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION?

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Ready by 21 Insulated Pipeline

College and Career Readiness

Families Peers Community Members

ECD & Child After-School Civic, Social, Work Social & Strategic PlacementCare Providers Programs Opportunities Supports & Coaching

Transportation, Health, Mental Health, Housing, Financial

http://www.readyby21.org/

Align Transportation Education With….

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Align Transportation Education With…

Implementation of the Common Core Standards

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HOW CAN YOU IMPLEMENT TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION?

Intense Services

-Travel Training;-Para transit eligibility

-OT/PT/Behavioral Interventions

Focused Transportation Assessments &Education

-Travel Training Assessments-OT/PT Behavioral assessment-Travel Instruction - Familiarization

District-Wide Transportation Education

-Provide professional development to educators around accessible transportation supports-Engage families and students in transportation education in early grades-Integrate transportation content across grade levels and curriculum (ELA, Math, geography, etc.)-Rely on transit for community-based experiences-Invite transit into schools and programs-Establish linkages across educators, pupil transportation, and public transportation sectors-Provide travel instruction - orientation

Moving up the Tiers

Less numbers of studentsMore defined serviceGreater time & resource commitmentSpecialized training and competence of providers

A Tiered Approach to Transportation Education

www.projectaction.org/intiatives/youth

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What Are you Doing at Each Tier? What Can you be Doing at Each Tier?

Tier Current Activities Future Activities

What do you need to make it happen?

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Use this tool across education and pupil transportation

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Here are some Ideas….Strategies to Integrate Accessible Transportation and Transition Services

• Engage families, students, and colleagues – hold a transportation summit– Invite students who use transit, businesses, Voc Rehab

• Conduct resource mapping of transportation resources & travel training services – shared services (church, school, business)

• Connect with transit organizations and mobility management systems– Federal Untied We Ride – www.unitedweride.gov

• Contribute to IEP goals around accessible transportation

• Conduct mobility assessments for students

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Strategies to Integrate Accessible Transportation and Transition Services• Invite transit professionals into events

• Use & visit transit – field trips

• Embed transportation content into curriculum and instruction• Look for grant opportunities to focus on accessible transportation• Connect with local teacher education and rehabilitation preparation

programs• Integrate transportation content into professional development• Understand travel instruction and its components• Consider offering travel instruction services

– Partner with human services organizations, transit agencies, State agencies

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Travel Instruction

Travel instruction is the array, continuum, or family of services offered to individuals with disabilities,

seniors, and others who need assistance to increase their mobility and travel on public transportation

independently.

Association on Travel Instruction (ATI) - http://www.travelinstruction.org/index.html

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Travel Instruction – Multi-tiered Process

• Travel Orientation– Individual or group activity conducted for the purpose of explaining the transportation system.

• Travel Familiarization– Individual or group activity to facilitate use of transportation systems with a travel trainer

accompanying experienced traveler(s) on a new on a new mode of transportation or route to point out/explain features of access and usability.

Think about your role, how can you contribute to:

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Travel Training• One-to-one short-term instruction provided to an individual who

has previously traveled independently and needs additional training or support to use a different mode of travel, a different route, mode of transit, or travel to a new destination - or -

• One-to-one comprehensive, specially designed instruction in the skills and behaviors necessary for independent travel on public transportation provided to an individual who does not have independent travel concepts or skills to go from point of origin of trip to destination and back

http://www.travelinstruction.org/forms/ATIAugust2011DefinitionOfTravelTraining.pdf

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Considerations for Hiring a Travel Trainer• Has the individual completed any structured course or training offered by a recognized vendor?

• Has the individual had experience in all phases of travel instruction?

• Does the individual have school-based travel instruction experience?

• If the individual has completed training, what was the performance of the individual in the course? Is this performance review documented?

• Does the individual have practical experience as a travel trainer? In what settings and with what populations?

• Has the individual worked with educators and contributed to transition planning?

• Is the individual experienced with the transit systems they will be instructing students to use?

• Does the individual belong to any professional associations, such as ATI, where they can receive ongoing professional development?

http://www.projectaction.org/ResourcesPublications/BrowseOurResourceLibrary/ResourceSearchResults.aspx?org=a2GSpnDbruI=&query=Considerations for Selecting and Hiring Travel Trainers

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Travel Training• Assessment

• Planning for a trip

• Natural – Built environment – path of travel

• Boarding/deboarding

• Riding the bus

• Safety and Security Topics

Community-Based Community-Based InstructionInstruction

and the Transportation and the Transportation Plan!Plan!

2013 Project 10

What is CBI?What is CBI? Community-Based Instruction (CBI) is Community-Based Instruction (CBI) is

individual or small group instruction* individual or small group instruction* that that takes place in takes place in natural community environmentsnatural community environments and and teachesteaches life skillslife skills that increase that increase competent competent functioningfunctioning and and enhance quality of life nowenhance quality of life now and in the and in the future.future.

** Supervision: 1:3 or less for students with severe disabilities and 1:6 or less for Supervision: 1:3 or less for students with severe disabilities and 1:6 or less for students with mild/moderate disabilities.students with mild/moderate disabilities.

What is CBI?What is CBI?

CBI is an CBI is an instructional modificationinstructional modification to address to address individual student’s IEP goals and objectives individual student’s IEP goals and objectives systematicallysystematically and with and with sufficient frequency to sufficient frequency to ensure mastery.ensure mastery.

Who Needs CBI?Who Needs CBI?

CBI is necessary for any student with a disability CBI is necessary for any student with a disability who has difficulty applying or generalizing skillswho has difficulty applying or generalizing skills from the classroom to natural environments.from the classroom to natural environments.

How do we know how to ride a train...?

The 3 Domains of CBIThe 3 Domains of CBI

Leisure and RecreationLeisure and Recreation

General Community FunctioningGeneral Community Functioning

Vocational Vocational (Community-Based Vocational Education, or CBVE)(Community-Based Vocational Education, or CBVE)

CBI is CBI is NOTNOT

CBI is CBI is notnot a special activity, weekly class a special activity, weekly class outing, or field tripouting, or field trip

These may all be valid instructional activities, These may all be valid instructional activities, but must not be confused with community-but must not be confused with community-based instruction, which is based instruction, which is regularly scheduledregularly scheduled systematically instructed, and systematically instructed, and designed to meet the designed to meet the individual individual needs of students. needs of students.

Why do we use CBI?Why do we use CBI?CBI is great for...CBI is great for...

StudentsStudents

ParentsParents

Educational staffEducational staff

The communityThe community

StephenStephen 17 years old17 years old NondisabledNondisabled Lives with single parentLives with single parent Attends high schoolAttends high school

In a single, typical week, Stephen goes...In a single, typical week, Stephen goes...

Home

School

Bus

Church

Grocery Store

Beach

Job @ Starbucks

McDonald’s

Birthday Party

Bike Ride

Friend’s House

Walmart

MoviesYMCA

Pizza Hut

Skate Park

JasonJason 17 years old17 years old Autism Spectrum DisorderAutism Spectrum Disorder Lives in a residential facilityLives in a residential facility Attends school in the same facilityAttends school in the same facility

In a single, typical week, Jason goes...In a single, typical week, Jason goes...

School Dormitory

Leisure Room

Dining Room

Chapel

CBI allows us to go from thisCBI allows us to go from this

School Dormitory

Leisure Room

Dining Room

Chapel

To this...To this...

Home

School

Bus

Church

Grocery Store

Beach

Job @ Starbucks

McDonald’s

Birthday Party

Bike Ride

Friend’s House

Walmart

MoviesYMCA

Pizza Hut

Skate Park

For all students

Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives

There are benchmarks requiring students to There are benchmarks requiring students to function in the community at all functioning function in the community at all functioning levels levels

These standards are clearly reflected in the These standards are clearly reflected in the ESE course descriptions used in the VE ESE course descriptions used in the VE Modified, S/C EBD, and Multi VE programsModified, S/C EBD, and Multi VE programs

Access PointsAccess Points

Examples of context requirements:Examples of context requirements:

School ActivitiesSchool Activities

Real-World SituationsReal-World Situations

Real-World SettingsReal-World Settings

How do we implement CBI?How do we implement CBI?

Procedures are clearly outlined in Volusia Procedures are clearly outlined in Volusia County Schools’ County Schools’ Special Programs and Special Programs and Procedures for Exceptional StudentsProcedures for Exceptional Students

Handout:Handout: ““Procedures for Community-Based Instruction”Procedures for Community-Based Instruction”

Determine Student NeedDetermine Student NeedParent and/or Student Survey:Parent and/or Student Survey:A.A. What environments do the student’s family and What environments do the student’s family and

peers access?peers access?B.B. What are the student’s probable future What are the student’s probable future

environments?environments?C.C. In what environments and activities does the In what environments and activities does the

student need instruction?student need instruction?D.D. Are there environments and activities in which the Are there environments and activities in which the

student is not able to participate?student is not able to participate?1)1) What are the barriers to his/her participation?What are the barriers to his/her participation?2)2) What training/adaptations/modifications are needed to What training/adaptations/modifications are needed to

enable the student to participate?enable the student to participate?

Documenting CBI on the IEPDocumenting CBI on the IEP Special Factors : “CBI” statement (“Student will receive Special Factors : “CBI” statement (“Student will receive

instruction in the community…”)instruction in the community…”)

Objectives requiring instruction in the communityObjectives requiring instruction in the community

Support Services: Special Education ServicesSupport Services: Special Education Services Special Instruction in Independent FunctioningSpecial Instruction in Independent Functioning

Setting: “Community”Setting: “Community”

Frequency should reflect average number of outingsFrequency should reflect average number of outings

Documenting CBI on the IEPDocumenting CBI on the IEP Assessment/Participation/Placement:Assessment/Participation/Placement:

CBI is considered time with nondisabled peersCBI is considered time with nondisabled peers Placement based on percentage with nondisabled peersPlacement based on percentage with nondisabled peers

Emergency ProceduresEmergency Procedures

Emergency Procedures Plan must includeEmergency Procedures Plan must includeA. Contact person at school A. Contact person at school B. “Student Locator” formB. “Student Locator” formC. Means of contact C. Means of contact D. Emergency transportationD. Emergency transportationE. Items to carryE. Items to carryF. In case of emergency, who contacts parents? F. In case of emergency, who contacts parents?

Who contacts school?Who contacts school?

Funding for TransportationFunding for Transportation Middle Schools: Middle Schools:

IDEA to purchase Votran tokens or other public IDEA to purchase Votran tokens or other public transportationtransportation

High Schools: High Schools: CBI buses provided and funded through VCS CBI buses provided and funded through VCS

Transportation Department Transportation Department School activity buses, when applicable, also School activity buses, when applicable, also

funded through VCS Transportation Departmentfunded through VCS Transportation Department Reimbursement for use of school vans through Reimbursement for use of school vans through

IDEA officeIDEA office

Determine Methods of Determine Methods of TransportationTransportation

Consider post-school outcomes – what methods of Consider post-school outcomes – what methods of transportation will student need to access?transportation will student need to access?

If using school or private vehicle–If using school or private vehicle– Requirements through Risk Management when transporting studentsRequirements through Risk Management when transporting students

Student Transportation Department procedures for driving Student Transportation Department procedures for driving school busschool bus Commercial Driver License through TransportationCommercial Driver License through Transportation

Student Transportation Department Procedures:Student Transportation Department Procedures:““Emergencies & Disasters / School Bus”Emergencies & Disasters / School Bus”““Student Supervision”Student Supervision”““Student Injuries”Student Injuries”

Developing CBI InstructionDeveloping CBI Instruction Monitor student data to determine progress Monitor student data to determine progress

and need for modifications or changesand need for modifications or changes

Both teacher and para carry out instruction, Both teacher and para carry out instruction, but teacher is responsible for planning and but teacher is responsible for planning and monitoring instructionmonitoring instruction

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Promoting Travel Training and Transportation Education – Be Engaged!

• Join the accessible transportation for students (ATS) online community-http://www.espa-ncst.communityzero.com/ats

• Sign up to receive all of ESPA notifications www.projectaction.org • Use Project ACTION tools and materials

http://www.projectaction.org/Initiatives/YouthTransportation.aspx• Attend online Webinars – forming partnerships, advocacy, etc.• Collaborate across disciplines

– Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Division on Career Development & Transition, National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) , National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services

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Florida State and Local Opportunities

• http://www.dot.state.fl.us/ctd/contacts/ctcsbycounty.htm

• Pinellas – Travel Training - Riding the bus is easy, and PSTA offers free

travel training. Call the InfoLine at (727) 540-1900 to get started.

– Join Community Advisory Committees http://www.psta.net/TAC.php

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Contact Information• Judy Shanley

– jshanley@easterseals.com– 800-659-6428– 202-403-8354

• Greg Akin– gpakin@volusia.k12.fl.us– 386-258-4677