Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network 2011-2012 Special Education Paraprofessional After-School Training Series Supplementary Aids and

Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network

2011-2012 Special Education Paraprofessional After-School Training Series

Supplementary Aids and Services: What

Paraprofessionals Need to Know

Jennifer Goldbloom, PaTTAN

March 14, 2012

www.pattan.net

PaTTAN’s Mission

The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and

Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the

efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of

local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services.

District, IU, Preschool Agency Policy

Your local district or agency’s

policies regarding paraprofessional job descriptions, duties, and responsibilities provide the final word!

PDE’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Our goal for each child is to ensure Individualized

Education Program (IEP) teams begin with the general

education setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and

Services before considering a more restrictive

environment.

Agenda

• Legal Foundations for Providing Supplementary Aids and Services

• Defining and Using Supplementary Aids and Services (SaS)

• The Purpose and Use of the SaS Consideration Toolkit

• Considering SaS for students: Wrap up activity

Learner Outcomes

Participants will:• Explain the legal foundation for use of

supplementary aids and services in schools• Describe the types of supplementary aids and

services used to support students with disabilities as learners and participants in their educational program

• Discuss the purposes of the Supplementary Aids and Services (SaS) Consideration Toolkit

• Identify the paraprofessional’s role in supporting students through the use of supplementary aids and services.

Before we begin…

SAS• Standards Aligned

System• http://pdesas.org/ • Standards• Assessment• Curriculum

framework• Instruction• Materials• Safe and

supportive schools

SaS• Supplementary

Aids and Services• Supports provided

to students• Collaborative• Instructional• Physical• Social-behavioral

http://pdesas.org/

http://pdesas.org/

LEGAL FOUNDATIONS FOR PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS AND SERVICES

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IDEA on LRE

“To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular education environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”

IDEA sec. 612 (5)(A)

Least

Restrictive

Environment

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IDEA on Placement

(b) The child’s placement – (1) Is determined annually; (2) Is based on the child’s IEP; and (3) Is as close as possible to the child’s home;

(c) Unless the IEP of a child with a disability requires some other arrangement, the child is educated in the school that he or she would attend if nondisabled;

IDEA on Placement

(d) In selecting the LRE, consideration is given to any potential harmful effect on the child or on the quality of services that he or she needs; and

(e) A child with a disability is not removed from education in age appropriate regular classrooms solely because of needed modifications in the general education curriculum [§300.116]

Student Placement

• First consideration is the general education classroom with supplementary aids and services

• All general educators expect to have students with the full range of disabilities in their classrooms for meaningful portions of the day

• All students are welcome members of the classroom

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IDEA on IEPs

The IEP for each child with a disability includes “A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child to …attain annual goals, be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum…. To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section; [§300.320(4)].

SaS

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Supplementary Aids and Services (SaS)

IDEA Defines SaS:

The term ‘supplementary aids and services' means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes and other education-related settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate” [§300.42]

Question #1• What supplementary aids and services were

considered? • What supplementary aids and services were

rejected?• Explain why the supplementary aids and services

will or will not enable the student to make progress on the goals and objectives (if applicable) in this IEP in the general education class.

*See Annotated IEP for additional details:http://www.pattan.net/category/Legal/Forms/Browse/Single/?id=4db2885acd69f9c443540000&bor=ag=School%20Age%20Annotated**

l=English

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Student Needs Student

Needs

http://www.pattan.net/category/Legal/Forms/Browse/Single/?id=4db2885acd69f9c443540000&bor=ag=School%20Age%20Annotated**l=English



Question #2

• What benefits are provided in the regular education class with supplementary aids and services versus the benefits provided in the special education class?

*See Annotated IEP for additional details:http://www.pattan.net/category/Legal/Forms/Browse/Single/?id=4db2885acd69f9c443540000&bor=ag=School%20Age%20Annotated**l=English

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Student Needs




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Question #3• What potentially beneficial effects and/or

harmful effects might be expected on the student with disabilities or the other students in the class, even with supplementary aids and services?

Question #4• To what extent, if any, will the student

participate with non-disabled peers in extracurricular activities or other nonacademic activities?

*See Annotated IEP for additional details:http://www.pattan.net/category/Legal/Forms/Browse/Single/?id=4db2885acd69f9c443540000&bor=ag=School%20Age%20Annotated**l=English

Student Needs




LRE BEC

• For more information on legal foundations, refer to the LRE BEC and the SaS Fact Sheet

Check for Understanding

1. The goal of providing SaS is to:a. give students a head start.b. make sure the paraprofessional knows

what to do.c. enable students to be instructed along

with their peers.d. have paraprofessionals do everything for

students.


2. IEP teams need to consider SaS for a student so the student can bea. be included in general education to the

maximum extent.b. be removed to another class.c. get teachers and paraprofessionals

working together.d. get assistive technology.

DEFINING AND USING SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS AND SERVICES

Consider Your Student

• Think of a student you work with who has an IEP

• Write down some of the supports this student receives

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Supplementary Aids and Services

Collaborative Adults working together to support students.

Instructional Development and delivery of instruction that addresses diverse learning needs.

Physical Adaptations and modifications to the physical environment.

Social-Behavioral

Supports and services to increase appropriate behavior and reduce disruptive or interfering behavior

Source: Etscheidt & Bartlett, 1999

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SaS: Collaborative Examples

• Communication among adults• Professional development related to collaboration

• Scheduled time for co-planning and team meetings

• Co-teaching; classroom consultation • Scheduled opportunities for parental collaboration

• Assistance/support teams

• Individual student support teams

• Home-school communication

• Study buddies (teacher assigned pairs of students)

• Mentor teachers (coaching/guided support)

Collaborative Ideas

SaS: Instructional Examples

• Using a keyboard/portable device• Instruction in keyboarding skills • Providing guided notes• Using scaffolding to plan for written work• Providing visual cues• Modifying curricular goals

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Instructional Ideas

• Using special paper or writing tools• Color-coding mathematical symbols• Highlighting reading

materials/directions• Providing graphic organizers/note-

taking tools• Students can respond in different

modes• Providing instruction on and utilizing

guided notes

• Arrange furniture differently or provide specialized furniture

• Adjust sensory characteristics of environment (e.g., temperature, sound)

• Provide access to specific areas of classroom or other settings outside of classroom

• Allow for water bottle or sensory object during instruction

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SaS: Physical Examples

• Structural examples (e.g., seating aids, bumpy mat,

• Lighting (non-glare, additional light source)

• Preferential seating• Visual timers

Physical Ideas

SaS: Social-Behavioral Examples

• Modify rules or expectations• Peer supports (e.g., facilitating friendships)• Individualized behavioral support plan• Social skills training• Counseling supports

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Social-Behavioral Ideas

• Cooperative learning strategies

• Instruction in communication skills

• Home-school communication

• Consistent system of rewards

• Preparation for transitions

• Private prompt for redirection

• Self-regulation strategies instruction

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SaS: Role of the IEP Team

• The IEP team determines supplementary aids and services necessary for each child to receive specially designed instruction in the least restrictive environment.

• Placement determination must be the final component of the IEP development process.

• The IEP team decides the educational placement for an individual student.

Basic Education Circulars (PA Code)

Paraprofessional’s Role

• Implementing planned program of SaS supports

• Collecting data• Providing input to the team• Facilitating supports• Promoting use of natural supports• Fading adult support


3. The four categories of SaS are:a. AT, para support, hand-over-hand,

consequences.b. collaborative, instructional, physical,

social-behavioralc. communication, behavioral, personnel,

facilitationd. classroom arrangement, paras, sensory

input, antecedents.


The paraprofessional’s role is toa. provide input to the team.b. implement the planned supports.c. decide which supports to implement.d. both a and b. e. both a and c.

THE PURPOSE AND USE OF THE SaS CONSIDERATION TOOLKIT

What is the SaS Consideration Toolkit?

A student-specific process in which a trained facilitator assists the IEP team to: • Identify student strengths and interests• Describe the general education setting(s);• Compare and identify potential barriers to

participation and learning for the student in the general education setting(s); and,

• Brainstorm supplementary aids and services that will support the student’s learning and participation in general education setting(s).

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Why use the SaS Toolkit?

SaS Consideration Toolkit is used by teams for:

• planning and placement decision-making• problem-solving for supports within a new

general education curricular area;• comprehensive planning for transition to a

new school building, grade or other instructional setting.

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A Multi-Step Process

• Identify Student Strengths and Needs

• Develop Profile of General Education Classroom(s)

• Identify Potential Barriers to Curricular Access and Instruction

• Identify Strategies and Services to Eliminate Barriers

• Identify Viable Alternatives for Implementation

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Components of the Toolkit

A: Introduction and Preparation for Use -- Overview of the SaS consideration process, describing who does what at each step.

B: Student Profile: Summary of Strengths, Needs, and Learning Characteristics

Helps the team organize student information in a format designed to facilitate instructional planning and problem-solving to support inclusive placements.

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C: The Supplementary Aids and Services Consideration Tool

Teams then complete this four-step process that results in the identification of student-specific, environmentally-referenced supplementary aids and services.


D: Supplementary Aids and Services Self-Check

As teams move through the SaS consideration process, this self-assessment tool is a means of ensuring that all steps of the process have been completed with fidelity.

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Recommended Implementation Sequence

• Second page of each toolkit component highlights:– Task– Suggested

personnel– Which

component/ section

Supplementary Aids and Services Consideration Toolkit - Component C

• What are the demands of the general education setting?

• What are potential barriers to learning and participation?

• What are our ideas for SaS to bridge the barriers?

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Component C: Step 1Develop Profile of General Education Classroom(s)

• Instructional Method and Materials

• Instructional Delivery and Social Routines

• Setting Characteristics

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Supplementary Aids and Services (SAS) Consideration Tool1

Completed By:Identify classroom(s) used as a reference point for Step 1:

Date:Student:

2Coding Key: 1 = never; 2 = occasionally; 3 = frequently

1 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 3

Printed Materials Textbook Workbook Trade book Worksheets Newspapers/magazines Other ____________________ Other ____________________

Frequency of Use2

1.1 Instructional Method/ Materials

Identify Supplementary Aids and Services to address potential barriers. Consider all possibilities, consulting available resources and support personnel.

Identify any difficulties you can anticipate for this student (if nothing is changed) based on his/her current skills, needs, and learning profile.

Create a profile of the instructional environment(s) by circling the number that best describes the frequency of use of identified materials and instructional practices.

Step 3: Identify Strategies and Services to Eliminate Barrier

Step 2: Identify Potential Barriers to Curricular Access and Instruction

Step 1: Develop Profile of General Education Classroom(s).

Component C: Step 2 Identify Potential Barriers to Curricular Access and Instruction

– Student skills – Student learning

characteristics– Priority needs in the context of

general education classroom.

*Completed by all team members

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Date:Student:


1 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 3


Frequency of Use2



Identify any difficulties you can anticipate for this student (if nothing is changed) based on his/her current skills, needs, and learning profile


Step 3: Identify Strategies and Services to Eliminate Barrier

Step 2: Identify Potential Barriers to Curricular Access and Instruction

Step 1: Develop Profile of General Education Classroom(s).

Component C: Step 3Identify Strategies and Service to Eliminate Barriers

• Support strategies should maximize participation and reduce instructional barriers

• Use student strengths to address barriers


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Date:Student:


1 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 31 2 3


Frequency of Use2



Identify any difficulties you can anticipate for this student (if nothing is changed) based on his/her current skills, needs, and learning profile..


Step 3: Identify Strategies and Services to Eliminate Barriers

Step 2: Identify Barriers to Curricular Access and Instruction

Step 1: Environmental Scan of General Education Classroom

Component C: Step 4 Identify Viable Alternatives for Implementation

• What does the student need to be successful?

• What do the adults need in order to be able to support the student?

• How will we get there?


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Component DSelf-Check For IEP Teams

• A self-assessment tool for teams to use as they move through the SaS Consideration Toolkit

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Points to Remember

• SaS Fact Sheet and Consideration Toolkit help structure team planning regarding SaS considerations

• Assists team in developing supports to meet the needs of the student

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Points to Remember

Participation of all team members is critical to the process. • Families bring deep knowledge of student• Teachers bring knowledge of the curricular

and instructional demands • Special education teachers bring

knowledge of SaS• Paraprofessionals bring knowledge of how

the student learns and what is challenging for the student

• Administrators facilitate implementation of plan and are aware of school level resources

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Considering SaS for Students

Activity• Review the scenario. • Choose the combination of supports

you think would best meet the needs of this student to access instruction and make educational progress.

Student A - 5th Grade Student Receiving Learning Support

Strengths: • using computers & technology• long term memory• remembering strategies • generates creative ideas• works well in structured small groups with peers• likes animals, arts and crafts & movies Barriers to participation and learning in general education classes: • reading and math skills below grade level• difficulty interpreting subtle communication from peers and

adults• anxiety with changes in routine• putting ideas into writing with correct grammar and spelling

Choose the combination of supports you think would best meet the needs of this student to access instruction and make educational progress.

Student A - 5th Grade Student Receiving Learning Support

Student B – 6th Grade Student Receiving Emotional and Learning Support

Strengths: • role playing/dramatic acting• sense of humor/sarcastic• likes to be physically active• likes to play games, but very competitive • likes to help adults• likes talking on phone

Barriers to participation and learning in general education classes: • forgets to bring materials home from school to complete

assignments• difficulty accepting limits (e.g. being told no)• difficulty establishing relationships with peers because always

wants to be right• can bully other kids to try to get her own way • poor reading comprehension skills (can read fluently)

Student B – 6th Grade Student Receiving Emotional and Learning Support


Student C – 9th Grade Student Receiving Life Skills Support

Strengths: • follows verbal directions well • loves music and fashion• gets along with familiar peers in school• wants to have a job • uses computer for leisure and academics • likes to take photos

Barriers to participation and learning in general education classes: • asks for clarification for all tasks • needs a lot of reminders to stay on task• limited receptive vocabulary• speech can be hard to understand due to articulation issues • lack of family support/collaboration with school • limited experience with academic instruction in earlier grades

Student C – 9th Grade Student Receiving Life Skills Support


Student D – 2nd Grade Student Receiving Multiple Disabilities Support

Strengths: • uses combination of gestures, vocalizations and electronic,

programmable communication device to express wants, needs and exchange information with others

• highly motivated to learn• enjoys interacting with both peers and adults• math skills are close to grade level• uses power wheelchair

Barriers to participation and learning in general education classes: • difficult to assess learning because of communication challenges• reads sight words; beginning to decode• physical limitations regarding fine motor activities• challenges with computer access• needs wait time to respond to prompts• tries to please adults by giving the answer he thinks they want rather

than thinking it through• personal care needs require him to miss chunks of instructional time

Student D – 2nd Grade Student Receiving Multiple Disabilities Support


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References

• Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/

• Etscheidt, S. K., & Bartlett, L. (1999). The IDEA Amendments: A four-step approach for determining supplementary aids and services. Exceptional Children, 65(2), 163-174.

http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/

Final reminder

• If you registered individually for this session through PaTTAN’s coursewhere system, a certificate of attendance should be available for you to download from the PaTTAN website’s transcript section within about a month.

Contact Information www.pattan.net

Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaTom Corbett, Governor

Pennsylvania Department of EducationRonald J. Tomalis, Secretary

Dr. Carolyn Dumaresq, Deputy SecretaryOffice for Elementary and Secondary

Education

John J. Tommasini, DirectorBureau of Special Education

Patricia Hozella, Assistant DirectorBureau of Special Education

Jennifer [email protected]

Documents

Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network 2011-2012 Special Education Paraprofessional After-School Training Series Supplementary Aids and