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Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training Paraprofessional Training

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Page 1: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Special EducationSpecial EducationParaprofessional TrainingParaprofessional Training

Page 2: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Growing number of Paraprofessionals

Since the 1960’s – total number of paraprofessional employed in public schools grew from approximately 10,000 to over 500,000.

Estimated that 290,000 paraprofessionals work in special education alone

Reference: York, 2003

Page 3: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Changing Roles It has been almost 50 years since “teachers

aides” were introduced into our nation’s schools to allow teachers to spend more time in planning and implementing instructional activities

Initial duties: primarily routine and included clerical tasks, monitoring learners in non-academic environments, maintain learning centers, duplicating instructional materials, etc.

Reference: Gaylord, 2002

Page 4: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Roles of Paraprofessionals Today

“Increasing numbers of researchers have revealed that a vast majority of paraprofessionals spend all or part of their time assisting teachers and other licensed practitioners in different phases of the instructional process or the delivery of other direct services to learners and their parents.” (Gaylord, 2002).

Page 5: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Paraprofessional Responsibility

In York and Ghere study, six specific categories of paraprofessional responsibility emerged from the data.

Four of the six categories focused directly on supporting students with disabilities - 1st - Supporting Academic Development of Students with Disabilities 2nd - Supporting Communication Development and Social Integration

of Students with Disabilities 3rd - Supporting Functional Skill Development of Students with

Disabilities 4th - Supporting Individual Management Needs of Students with

Disabilities 5th – Serve as communication link between special education and

other school personal 6th – providing general school and program support, such as

assisting with clerical tasks and material development or assistance to students who do not have disabilities

Page 6: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

P.L. 94-142P.L. 94-142Education for All Handicapped Children Education for All Handicapped Children

Act (EHA)Act (EHA)

Law was passed in 1975 Law was passed in 1975 Guaranteed all children: Guaranteed all children:

the right to a free and appropriate the right to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE)public education (FAPE)

in the least restrictive environment in the least restrictive environment (LRE)(LRE)

Page 7: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

IDEA ‘97IDEA ‘97

PL 105-17PL 105-17 Individuals with Disabilities Education ActIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act

Must first consider providing Must first consider providing services to students with services to students with disabilities in the general disabilities in the general education classroomeducation classroom

Programs for students with Programs for students with disabilities must align with the disabilities must align with the state standardsstate standards

Page 8: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

The No Child Left Behind ActThe No Child Left Behind Act

President Bush signed into law on President Bush signed into law on

January 8, 2002January 8, 2002

Requires accountability for Requires accountability for all all childrenchildren

Seeks to close the achievement gap Seeks to close the achievement gap between groups of studentsbetween groups of students

Page 9: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Individuals with Disabilities Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act Improvement Act

Reauthorization of IDEA 97Reauthorization of IDEA 97

Became effective July, 2005Became effective July, 2005

NCLB had a significant impact on the NCLB had a significant impact on the reauthorization of IDEAreauthorization of IDEA School accountabilitySchool accountability Personnel certificationPersonnel certification

Page 10: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

No Child Left Behind…

Paraprofessionals A paraprofessional is defined as an individual who

provides instructional support to students May be assigned the following duties:

One-on-one tutoring Assisting with classroom management Conducting parent involvement activities Providing instructional support services Assisting with computer instruction Serving as a translator Providing instructional support in a media center

Page 11: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

DisabilitiesAutismDeaf-BlindDeaf/Hard of HearingEmotional and Behavioral DisorderIntellectual Disability

• Mild, Moderate, Severe, and Profound

Orthopedic ImpairmentOther Health ImpairmentSignificant Developmental DelaySpecific Learning DisabilitySpeech-Language ImpairmentTraumatic Brain InjuryVisual Impairment

AUT - DB - DHH - EBD -

ID -

OI - OHI - SDD - SLD - SI - TBI - VI -

Page 12: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

IEP Individualized Education Program

A written document developed by a committee measurable goals and objectives special education services the school system will

provide

Every child in special education has an IEP

Page 13: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Confidentiality

Information about students is confidential.

Records are stored in a locked, safe place.

Be careful not to discuss students with others.

Page 14: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Continuum of Services

Examples of services offered on a continuum:

General education classroom (with consultation) General education classroom with supports and services Resource services

– Less than 21% outside of regular class– 21-60% outside of regular class– Over 60% outside of regular class

Psycho-educational Center Home Hospital Residential School

Page 15: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Behavior SupportBehavior Support

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

Positive behavior supportPositive behavior support

http://pbsga.org/http://pbsga.org/

Laws that apply to disciplining special Laws that apply to disciplining special education studentseducation students

Page 16: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Paraprofessional DutiesParaprofessional Duties Lead small groups and/or one-to-one for Lead small groups and/or one-to-one for

review and re-instructionreview and re-instruction Keep students on taskKeep students on task Take notes, read material aloud, proctor Take notes, read material aloud, proctor

tests, enlarge materials, audio-tape bookstests, enlarge materials, audio-tape books Implement technologyImplement technology Assist with homework, as directedAssist with homework, as directed Collect dataCollect data

Page 17: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Paraprofessional DutiesParaprofessional Duties

Implement BIP – Implement BIP – positive reinforcement, positive reinforcement, assist with de-escalation, remove student assist with de-escalation, remove student from classroom when warrantedfrom classroom when warranted

Assist with transitions during dayAssist with transitions during daySupport daily living activitiesSupport daily living activitiesAssure students receive medsAssure students receive medsAssist with adaptive equipmentAssist with adaptive equipment

Page 18: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Paraprofessional DutiesParaprofessional Duties

Transport materials from SP ED class Transport materials from SP ED class to GEN ED classto GEN ED class

Provide feedback to SP ED about Provide feedback to SP ED about activities in GEN EDactivities in GEN ED

Assist other students when SWD do Assist other students when SWD do not need supportnot need support

Assist students with appropriate Assist students with appropriate behavior, actions, languagebehavior, actions, language

Page 19: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

“I thought it was my job to sit next to Alex. If I wasn’t sitting directly next to him, I was worried that others would think I was not doing my job.” – Doug, paraprofessional

“Before I saw my relationship with the student as the most critical; now I understand that it is my responsibility to help Becca build relationships with other kids, not with me.” Susan, paraprofessional

Page 20: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Paraprofessionals in the Classroom Movement Toward Inclusion: “There are over five

and a half million students with special needs, and over half of them are supported in the general education setting for the majority of the school day” (US Dept of Ed, 2002)

Why? One reason – the general education classroom is considered to be a rich environment for students to interact with one another as they learn together and from one another (Theoharis and Malmgren, 2005)

Page 21: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

Paraprofessionals as Supports• Paraprofessionals are a

valuable asset to the field of education

•They are often the essential support that allows a student to be educated within an inclusive classroom environment!

Page 22: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

One on One with a Paraprofessional Although the assignment of the

paraprofessional is intended to have a positive effect on the student, often the presence of a paraprofessional can also have negative social effects on the student being supported

However, several strategies exist for helping paraprofessionals to facilitate interaction between students with and without disabilities.

Page 23: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

10 Strategies to Promote Student-to-Student Interaction

1. Ensure the student is in rich social environments2. Highlight similarities between the student and peers3. Re-direct student conversation to the student with a disability4. Directly teach and practice interaction skills in natural settings5. Use instructional strategies that promote interaction6. Teach others how to interact with the student with a disability7. Make rewards for behavior social in nature8. Give the student responsibilities that allow for interactions with

peers9. Systematically fade direct support10. Make interdependence a goal for the student.

Page 24: Special Education Special Education Paraprofessional Training

ReferencesBarr-York, J. & Ghere, G. (2003). “Employing, Developing, and Directing

Special Education Paraprofessionals in Inclusive Education Programs: Findings from a Multi-Site Case Study.” Institute on Community Integration (UCEDD) & Department of Educational Policy and Administration, University of Minnesota (online). Available from http://ici.umn.edu/products/spedpara/titlepage.html

Gaylord, V., Wallace, T., Pickett, A.L., & Likins, M. (2002). “ Impact: Feature Issue on Paraeducatiors Supporting Students with Disabilities and At-Risk, 15(2) (online).

Causton-Theoharis, J. and Malmgren, K. (2005). “Building Bridges:Strategies to help paraprofessionals promote peer interaction” Teaching Exceptional Children 37(6), 18 – 23.