Educating Students Who Need Intensive Supports in a UDL Environment

Educating “Our” Students

Presentation Content

Historical ContextToday's ContextDefinitionsSupportsCurriculum ConceptsUDL Principles & ExamplesAcknowledgement

Special Education is NOT a Place….

Network of Services & Supports

IEP Team Determines

Our Kids in Today's Classroom

Today 57% of students with disabilities spend more than 80% of their day in the general education classroom.....

Improving general education teacher skills is a "lynchpin" to improving outcomes for students with disabilities....

Low-incidence disabilities include—blindness low visiondeafness hard-of-hearingdeaf-blindnesssevere intellectual disabilitiessevere physical impairmentsmultiple disabilityautistic spectrum disorder

 High-incidence disabilities include—

communication disorders specific learning disabilities mild/moderate intellectual disabilities emotional or behavioral disorders

Intensive Supports:

Term used to describe services to students with needs that cannot be met by the general education program alone and may need additional supports & services  

Definition of Intensive Supports from RTI:The most intense (increased time, narrowed focus, reduced group size) instruction & intervention based upon individual student need

  

Students may need intensive supports because…

they have a significant disabilitythey are English Language Learnersthey have a large academic/skill gapthey have significant mental health needssensory needs health care needs 

General Curriculum for All

Intended outcomes of the general curriculum for students with low-incidence disabilities DO NOT differ from those expected for all students

All Teachers ask themselves "What do MY students need to know and be able to Do?"

Planning should focus on an individuals capacities and assets

Curriculum Design "Accessible"

Planning for students with disabilities begins with curriculum

Universal Design for Learning

“Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. UDL

provides rich supports for learning and reduces barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement

standards for all students." 

   

UDL: For All Students

http://www.udlcenter.org/resource_library/videos/udlcenter/guidelines#video0

UDL “What’s In It for Me?

UDL can…

help reduce time required for making modifications & accommodations

provide flexible instructional material, techniques & strategies that help differentiate instruction to meet varied needs

increase student engagement in the classroom

address the diversity of learners at the point of curriculum development (rather than retrofitting) to help educators develop curricula that truly “leaves no child behind”

 

Differentiated Instruction (DI)

“DI is to recognize students' varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning and react

responsively. The intent of DI is to maximize each student's growth and individual success by meeting each student

where he/she is and assist in the learning process.” 

Differentiated Instruction

“To DI is to recognize students’ varying backgrounds, knowledge, readiness, language preferences in learning and interests, and to react responsively. The intent of DI is to maximize each student’s growth and individual success by meeting each student, where he or she is in the learning process.”

Universal Design for Learning

“UDL calls for the design of curricula for the needs of all students in mind, so that methods, materials, and assessment are useable by all.”

UDL begins with curriculum DI begins with the student

Source: UDL Guidelines Version 2.0 by CAST Source: Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2003)

UDL is the foundation...

But, additional layers of support are needed to meet all learners, especially those with intensive needs.

Assistive Technology

“…any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with disabilities”

Differences between UDL and AT

Source: Adapted from “A Working Understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Assistive Technology:Similarities and Differences” by Dr. James Basham

UDL provides access and betterment for individuals of all abilities and disabilitiesproactively makes environmental-based decisions related to the learning environment focused on curriculum, instruction, and assessmentdeals with issues of access and betterment related to the environment’s design (targets the larger system)

AT provides access and betterment for individuals with disabilities (by definition)reactively providing technology to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilitiesgenerally considering issues of access and betterment as an individual’s issue (targets individual need)

Basic Differences of UDL & AT

Source: Rose, Hasselbring, Stahl, & Zabala, 2005

Basic Similarities of UDL & AT

Both utilize problem-solving process

Both utilize various forms of modern technology

Related to individuals with disabilities, both UDL and AT are focused ono Providing accesso Increasing participationo Improving outcomes

Source: Rose, Hasselbring, Stahl, & Zabala, 2005

Some Students will still need AT

“If I need it (whatever the tool is) to complete a task then it is AT for me and should be specified in my IEP”

Examples:students who are blind with braille supportspage turner for student with high-level SCI 

What is Accessible Instructional Material (AIM)?

The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004 Final Regulations, Sec 300.172 Accessible Instructional Materials requires local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure that children with “print disabilities” who need instructional materials in specialized formats (Braille, Large Print, Audio or Digital text) receive them in a “timely manner.”

An increase in the availability, of new flexible learning materials for all students

The AIM Website at http://aim.cast.org is a great resource for connecting UDL with AIM

The Why

To provide students who are unable to obtain information through the use of traditional print materials with accessible materials appropriate to their individual needs.

The Why

To enable students with print disabilities to gain the information they need to complete tasks, master IEP goals, and reach curricular standards.

AIM Conclusion

• What are they? Braille, Audio, E-text, Large print.

• Why should I care? Creativity occurs at the margins not the middle.

• What does that mean? It means solutions & new tools created for the few end up benefiting all.

Joy Zabala & Skip Stahl CAST

The Link Between RTI & UDL

 

AssessmentInforms

Instruction

PoorAchievement

≠Disability

CurriculumMay NOTBe Good

4 All

ImproveEducationalOutcomes

UDL Supports Instruction

UDL can support the specialized instruction & supports for students with significant disabilities as specified in their IEP

UDL does reduce the need for specialized instruction and supports

UDL does not replace AT supports for students with significant disabilities as specified in their IEP

UDL does pave the way for LRE 

UDL and LRE...

When universally designed general instruction includes tools and materials that are included in students' IEP's as assistive technology it opens the opportunity for LRE access for students with significant needs.

UDL has the potential to reduce the need for accommodations and modifications for students with IEP's, English language barriers and 504 plans. 

Supports for Diverse Learners

Universal Design for Learning

Assessment & Differentiated Instruction

Specialized Instruction

Assistive Technology

UDL

SI

RTI

AT++++++++++

Begins before students walks

through the school doors

The Principles: Setting the Stage

The Principles of UDLMultiple Means of..

Representing ContentAction and Expression of Knowledge

Engagement in Curriculum and Activities

http://www.udlcenter.org/sites/udlcenter.org/files/updateguidelines2_0.pdf

Multiple Means of Representation

“There is not one means of representation that will be

optimal for all learners; providing options for

representation is essential.”

- CAST

Concrete Age Appropriate Real Life     Teaching Materials

Multiple Means of Representation

Expressed through community-based instruction by:

This provides flexibility to accommodate all students with very diverse needs.

Multiple Means of Representation

Priming, or pre-practice, has been documented as an effective classroom intervention for students with significant cognitive disabilities It has been shown effective in reducing disruptive behavior

in students and increasing on-task behavior

Activating background knowledge  

Multiple Means of Action & Expression

Student Perspectives: Why Choices in Communication Methods?

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allowing students to choose.... assignment order subject order

decreases undesirable behavior

Engagement facilitates the inclusive education of students with severe disabilities, such as:

Multiple Means of Engagement

Student engagement variables were significant predictors of school dropout and completion for students with LD or EBD and students without disabilities.

Reschly and Christenson’s study examined the engagement of students with learning disabilities and emotional disturbance and the relation of this engagement to school completion. 

Strengthen Student Engagement

The two basic elements that together provide the roadmap for teachers to focus on and facilitate student engagement: 

Preconditions are the factors that must be in place even before classroom instruction begins

    Pedagogy are positive character

attributes and appropriate behaviors for achieving in school and becoming good citizens as adults

Strengthening Student Engagement

Pre-Conditions Learning relationships    Creating the ideal classroom environmentRewards and incentives Guiding principles Habits Fundamental skills                

PedagogyDesigning for rigorous and relevant learning Personalized learning Active learning strategies Focus on reading             

Strengthening Student Engagement

Take responsibility for student engagement practices It is primarily the teacher’s responsibility to engage the

students, as opposed to the teacher expecting students to come to class naturally and automatically engaged. 

EngagementEngagement

Which UDL Principles do you See?

http://www.edutopia.org/stw-school-turnaround-student-engagement-video

Common Core and State Standards

High Quality Instruction

Least Restrictive Environment

Response to Intervention

Universal Design for Learning

Differentiated Instruction

Shah, N. (n.d.). Education Week: Standards Open the Door for Best Practices From Special Ed.. Education Week American Education News Site of Record. Retrieved August 2, 2012, from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/04/25/29cs-speced.h31.html?qs=Universal+design+for+learning

U.S. Challenge

Build core skills in a way that takes into effect the diversity around all students, especially students with learning difficulties

Curriculum which goes deep and allows for students to master concepts

U.S. Challenge

We must continue to look at other countries doing better and reflect on the why.

Continue to do everything possible to narrow the achievement gap of our students with disabilities

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the following agencies and people who helped support and develop this resource.

Agency Support Advisory TeamCAST James Basham, Ph.D.IDEA Partnership Maya Israel, Ph.D.Ohio Department of Education Alisa Lowrey, Ph.D.Ohio State Support Teams Patti Ralabate, Ed. D. OCALI Joy Zabala, Ed.D

Core Development TeamShawna Benson - Deb Brewer - Heather Bridgman - Deb Dargham - Jeff McCormickBill Nellis - Lorene Phaler - Patti Porto - Jan Roger - Ron Rogers - Greg Wilson