1. Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network Grade-level, Standard-Aligned Instruction for Students with Complex Support Needs

2. Improving Education Practices for…. Describe the work that Pennsylvania has done related to ensure that students with complex supports needs are included in standards aligned instruction. Share models/frameworks that Pennsylvania is using to help IEP teams provide authentic and meaningful access to the grade-level standards for students with complex support needs 2

3. Pennsylvania: Stages of Readiness 3 No Awareness Denial Vague Awareness Pre-PlanningPreparationInitiationStabilization Community Readiness Model: Edwards, Jumper- Thurman, Plested, Oetting & Swanson (2000)

4. Pennsylvania’s Vision When students with disabilities are provided with appropriate instruction and supports, they can learn grade-level academic knowledge & skills and communicate in ways that are commensurate with their same age peers without disabilities. 4

5. Pennsylvania: Students with complex support needs… Are those student with disabilities who comprise about 1 – 2 % of all students; and, Are most often are assessed via the PASA, rather than the PSSA; and, May include students who have intellectual disabilities and/or may need life skills support, multiple disabilities support, autistic support or physical support; and, May require augmentative communication systems and assistive technology in order to access, participate and progress in learning. 5

6. A More Detailed Look at Pennsylvania Students 70% or 9800 students communicate orally or use symbol based augmentative communication, read basic sight words and can count 15% or 2100 students communicate using emerging symbolic systems and demonstrate consistent receptive responses 12% or 1680 students communicate using pre- symbolic systems and demonstrate consistent sensory responses 5% or 700 students demonstrate inconsistent receptive responses 6

7. Using Standards to Address Instruction Teachers should ….. Apply strategies for linking to grade level content instruction; Identify clear instructional goals and objectives; and Ensure that the instructional goals and objectives are assessed Resulting in ….. Student work that reflects appropriate constructs in reading, mathematics and science. 7

8. Reading Skills of Students with Complex Support Needs Adapted from: NCSC GSEG8

9. Mathematics Skills of Students with Complex Support Needs Adapted from: NCSC GSEG9

10. Communication Skills of Students with Complex Support Needs 10 Pre- symbolic Emerging Symbolic Words Symbols Pictures Picture symbols Tactile symbols Objects Sounds Eye Gaze Purposeful movement

11. Pennsylvania Work to Date Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Special Education Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network School Teams and Parents Leadership Team 11

12. Pennsylvania Work to Date University of Pittsburgh/PASA National Center and State Collaborative University of Kentucky/ILLSA General and Special Education Partnerships 12

13. Pennsylvania Work to Date Aligned to SAS State modeled the importance of general and special education working together PDE Guidance to School Teams Commitment On-going research-based professional development Website: PDE and PaTTAN Information resources Consistent Message All means all Infrastructure 13

14. Pennsylvania’s Standard Aligned System Clear Standards Fair Assessments Curriculum Framework Instruction and Interventions Materials & Resources School Climate Student Achievement

15. Pennsylvania Work to Date Model Lessons Created by General and Special Educators working together Professional Development Awareness Targeted Assistance to Individual Schools and Students Standards-Aligned IEPs Instructional Process 15

16. What is the status in your state? As a state, educators and parents have the knowledge and skills needed to ensure that SCN are actively and meaningfully engaged in grade-level content…. –Vague Awareness –Pre-planning –Preparation –Initiation –Stabilization 16

17. Access to the General Curriculum The IEP team must determine how a student with complex support needs will be provided access to the general curriculum regardless of the setting(s) in which the instruction is delivered. 17

18. History of Curricular Context for Students with Complex Support Needs 1970’sDevelopmental Model 1980’sFunctional, Life Skills Model 1990’sSocial Inclusion Focus Self Determination Focus Assistive Technology NOWAccess and Participation in General Education Curriculum Digitally Accessible Materials

19. History: Curricular Approaches 19 FunctionalAccess to General Curriculum Often directed at learning an activity – cashing a check, taking a bus, etc. Often directed at learning skills and concepts – adding, comprehending, etc. Functional performance of the activity is the goal Performance of skills and concepts is the goal Activities are the end goal and discrete skills are used as part of the activity Activities serve to practice and understand the skills and concepts; generalization of concepts Supports allow a student maximum participation in the activity Supports allow the student to perform the skill

20. Decisions for the IEP Team Special considerations –Will the student need Assistive Technology to actively participate in the instructional process? Access to the general curriculum –Grade Level –Instructional Level –Supplementary aids and services –Specially designed instruction Measureable Annual Goals –What are the priorities for instruction? Standards-Aligned Student-Specific 20

21. PA Academic Standards Limited Depth Limited Breadth PASA 21

22. Decisions for the IEP Team Participation in Statewide Assessment –In what assessment will the student participate? –Are accommodations needed for the student to demonstrate what they know and are able to do? Supports for School Personnel –What training, coaching, and/or collaboration is needed to help the team? Least Restrictive Environment –With the support of supplementary aids and services, where can the student receive benefit from this IEP? 22

23. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge Does the expected level of student performance maintain fidelity with the depth of knowledge of the original grade level standard? Recall and Reproduction: Level 1 Skills & Concepts: Level 2 Strategic Thinking: Level 3 Extended Thinking: Level 4 23

24. Accessing Grade Level Content, Standards and Curriculum All students a. What are the desired outcomes? b. Have the principles of universal design been considered when designing units/lessons for all? c. What classroom based assessment is planned? Target student with Complex Support Needs a. Which outcomes will be prioritized for direct instruction and monitoring? b. What will formative assessment look like? c. What supports & strategies are needed to address barriers? 24

25. Key Components For Planning That Will Guide Instruction Identify the learning target (SAS: Standard and/or Big Idea) Know what all students are expected to KNOW and DO with the content (SAS: Concepts and Competencies) Know each target student’s strengths, skills, communication levels & IEP goals 25

26. Key Components For Planning That Will Guide Instruction Aim for the learning target by building from the instructional level (Near and Far Links) Identify supports and strategies to promote learning and participation for the student(s) with complex support needs Assess and make instructional changes until the student(s) master the learning target 26

27. Near Links and Far Links 27

28. Planning the Closest Link Science State Standard: 3.3.5.A1: Describe how landforms are the result of a combination of destructive forces such as erosion and constructive erosion, deposition of sediment, etc. Content: Role of weather in erosion of rocks & creation of landscapes Performance: Construct an explanation Nick will hold a rock –Content? No –Performance? No Nick will select pictures of landscape shaped by weather –Content? Yes –Performance? Far link Nick will sequence 3 pictures to show how landscape formed –Content? Yes –Performance? Stronger link 28

29. Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening Reading Independently Standard: 11.1.L.A: Apply appropriate strategies to analyze, interpret and evaluate how authors use techniques and elements of fiction and non-fiction for rhetorical and aesthetic purposes. Content: How authors use techniques to enhance the words in the text Performance: Analyze text and explain the technique used to enhance the words Josh will order notable events in Romeo and Juliet using pictures with simple captions –Content? No –Performance? Far link Josh will complete a graphic organizer to lay out details of a notable event (includes distractors). –Content? Yes –Performance? Far link Josh will answer questions related to problem and solution (distractors included) –Content? Yes –Performance? Stronger link 29

30. Lesson Plan Approach 30

31. Type of ActivityExpectations for All Students SaS for Students with Complex Support Needs – (Examples) Whole Group Instruction: Lecture Discussion Students listen, answer questions and take notes Students share information from text, lecture, and internet related to content. Student will follow along with guided notes supported with symbols and images. Teacher and students have a visual of communication system on board and desks Teacher and/or peers will ask student clarifying questions Answers preprogrammed into communication device Watch for changes in body posture or facial expressions Student will select objects connected to the content to support the information shared in the discussion 31

32. Type of ActivityExpectations for All Students SaS for Students with Complex Support Needs (Examples) Small Group Instruction: Cooperative Learning Groups Partner Pairs/Triads Students process information covered in lecture and answer worksheet questions Students process information covered in class discussions… Think, Pair, Share Student will use graphics to select the correct answer Answers can be pre-programmed into communication device Student can be given a selection of objects or graphics representing key points in the discussion, and can select the object or graphic to share paired with preprogrammed response Independent PracticeStudents use their text to answer worksheet questions Student will use the guided notes supported with symbols and images that stress the big ideas Using sentence strips of pictures with simple captions, the student will answer questions related to the big ideas 32

33. What approach has your state taken? The model we have used is a student by student approach The model we have used is more holistic and classroom based The model we use is a hybrid of student and classroom We have not yet adopted a model We use a different model 33

34. What Pennsylvania has learned? Must be anchored in the IEP team decision-making process General and special education working in partnership Discuss tensions that exist Focus on instruction leads to assessment Continuum of access technology – UDL to AT Need to address ALL students Need to demonstrate HOW –Clear, relevant examples with video s 34

35. Tensions that exist….. Access to standards-aligned instruction (location should not determine what kids get) Amount of individualization required Lesson-level or unit-level planning Access to collaborative planning time Universal Design Embedding functional skills (when, who, how) Transition – Balancing preparation for adult life domains with academics Other… 35