Domain 4: Secondary Academic Programs
4.1 Adapt or alter the general curriculum for students with disabilities
4.2 Use or share resources with teachers on how to embed transition content within general academic courses
4.3 Align students' IEP goals with identified measurable postsecondary outcomes
4.4 Modify transition programs based on current reform models used in my district or school
4.5 Plan for accommodations and modifications in postsecondary settings
4.6 Provide or coordinate academic accommodations for students taking state assessments as needed
4.7 Assist students to self-advocate for accommodations within core academic courses
THE LAKE & Paraprofessional Guide
4.1, 4.2, 4.6, 4.7
4.5, 4.7
UDL Lesson Plan
When providing accommodations for students in the general education setting, it is easy for teachers and students to rely too heavily on paraprofessionals. Although not intended to be a hindrance, too frequently paraprofessionals can have dominant presence in the general education classroom, which can have a negative impact on the students they are there to help. In the article, "Perspectives of Students with Intellectual Disabilities about their Experiences with Paraprofessional Support," the participants in the study reported that frequently, paraprofessionals in the general education classroom resulted in:
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Reinforcing negative stereotypes about the capabilities and maturity of the student with disabilities.
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Leads to bullying despite adult intervention.
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Students have fewer opportunities to interact with their peers and teacher.
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Student are not receiving adequate instruction because the paraprofessionals are doing some or all of their assigned work.
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Lack of adequate instruction may also be linked to a lack of appropriate individualized supports by the special education teacher (Broer, Doyle, Giangreco, 2007).
To avoid having a negative impact on our students' participation in the General Education setting, my school created THE LAKE. This acronym stands for Teaching High Expectations in a Learning And Knowing Environment. THE LAKE is a designated resource room that allows to students to have a quiet place to take a test, to have the test read to them, to regroup when frustrated, or to work on assignments in the quiet setting. It is available for all students (with the exception of having the test read to them) and is accessed at the discretion of the student. This classroom was created to facilitate greater access to the general education setting.
To help paraprofessionals understand what their role is in the general education classroom, I created this guide to share with them at the beginning of the school year. It describes their role, responsibilities, and provides adaption strategies that they may use at the discretion of their collaborating teacher. This guide was designed to help paraprofessionals generate a positive presence within the classroom while performing their duties responsibly.
When students go to college, all of the special education services that they were automatically given in high school disappear. Many students are unprepared for the responsibility of self-identifying by going to their university's Disability Support Services(DSS) office, or they are not comfortable asking their professors for accommodations. According to McCall, students who do not experience coordinated transition activities in high school may go to college without knowledge of accommodations that are available to them, or they may like the services offered but lack the self-advocacy skills to communicate needs with professors when situations arise (McCall, 2015).
I created this brochure to help prepare students who are planning to attend Ozarks Technical Community College following graduation for seeking accommodations. The brochure provides information on available services, eligibility requirements, the process of applying for accommodations, and general tips for working with the DSS office and professors.
Annual IEP Goals for College Readiness
4.3, 4.5
One of the most important skills a student can have when going to college is self-determination. Studies have shown that successful students with disabilities demonstrate:
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A strong internal desire to succeed and base their decisions on this desire.
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They are goal-oriented
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They accept their disability, can identify their strengths and weaknesses, and set goals that they can achieve. (Anctil, Ishikawa, Scott, 2008).
Developing annual IEP goals to support the development of self-determination is a great way to help students become their own advocates. In the example below, I created an IEP goal that is designed to help the student to develop the necessary skills to ask her professors for accommodations once she is enrolled in college.
Post-secondary Education Goal: After graduation, Allison will major in computer graphics at a four year university.
Annual Goal: To improve self-advocacy and college readiness, Allison will meet individually with her teachers to request accommodations on course work and tests, increasing accuracy from not performing this skill to performing it at least once per semester for each class, as measured by teacher reporting by the end of this IEP.
Benchmarks:
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Allison will provide teachers with list of accommodations and explain each accommodation to her teachers.
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Allison will review accommodations with her teachers if grade falls below a “c” average to identify any changes that need to be made.
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Allison will utilize tutoring options with her teachers when grade falls below a “c” average. Times to meet include before school, after school, and during advisory class.
Knowing that the DSS at most universities require students to self-identify and discuss accommodations with their professors prompted me to write a self-advocacy goal . I would have Allison complete an informal assessment, such as the Learning Needs Checklist (Post-secondary Education and training pg. 78), to help her identify what accommodations she needs and what should be put on her IEP. I would then have her take the accommodations to her teachers so she can explain the supports she needs in their class. Her teachers would then need to report back to me the date and time she reported to them and complete a short survey about the quality of their conversation. I would request that they complete the same steps anytime throughout the semester that she reaches out to them independently for an accommodation or request for tutoring.
In a study by McCall comparing the transition activities that prepared students with disabilities for college, the one activity that all students involved in the study had in common was inclusion in the general education curriculum and classroom. The overall study shows a positive relationship between inclusive practices and postschool success (McCall, 2015). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that accommodates different learning styles and needs in one setting. According to Burgstahler, "the goal of UDL is to maximise the learning of students with a wide range of characteristics by applying UD principles to all aspects of instruction (e.g., delivery methods, physical spaces, information resources, technology, personal interactions, assessments (Burgstahler, 2012).
This lesson was created as an example of how to incorporate UDL principles in daily practice to meet the needs of students with different needs in the same classroom. Providing multiple formats for presenting the instruction, and multiple response formats allows students with many different needs to participate and learn the same information.
References
Area Special Education Cooperative (2003) Special Education Paraprofessional Handbook. Retrieved from: http://www.asec.net/archives/asecparahandbook8-03.pdf
Anctil, T.M., Ishikawa, M.E., Scott, A.T. (2008) Academic Identity Development Through Self-Determination: Successful College Students With Learning Disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 31(3), 164-174
Bolt, S.E., Decker, D. M., Lloyd, M., Morlock, L. (2011) Students’ Perceptions of Accommodations in High School and College. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 34(3), 165-175
Broer, S., Doyle, M., & Giangreco, M. (2007). Perspectives of students with intellectual disabilities about their experiences with paraprofessional support. Advocacy in Action: Bridging Research and Practice in Special Education Advocacy, (3).
McCall, Z. (2015) The Transition Experiences, Activities, and Supports of Four College Students With Disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 38(3). 162-172
Peterson, L.Y., Van Dycke, J.L., Roberson, R.L., and Seaghat, J.M. (2013). Promoting student transition from enttitlement services to eligibility resources. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 49(2), 99-107.