Jill Omer, Speech Language and Autism Coordinator

Instructional Practices for Students Measured on the Tennessee Alternate (NCSC) Assessment
Jill Omer, Speech Language and Autism Coordinator Alison Gauld, Behavior and Low Incidence Disabilities Coordinator

Our accountability system has two overarching objectives
and Growth for all students, every year Faster growth for those students who are furthest behind This is faster growth, INCLUDING ACADEMIC growth for all students

National Center and State Collaborative
GOAL Ensure that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities achieve increasingly higher academic outcomes and leave high school ready for post-secondary options This DIRECTLY aligns with the goals of the Tennessee Department of Education

Communicative Competence
Career College Community Curriculum Common Standards Core Content Connectors Graduated Understandings Instruction Grade-level Lessons Accommodations Systematic Instruction Assessment Formative Interim Summative NCSC’s approach to access to the Common Core State Standards is based on a comprehensive system… (Advance animation) …that coherently incorporates evidence-based curriculum and instruction models, and produces technically defensible formative, interim, and summative assessments. The curriculum component specifies what students will be taught and learn, and includes the Common Core State Standards, Core Content Connectors (or CCCs), and Graduated Understandings. The Instruction component addresses how students will be involved in the teaching and learning of the standards, and includes grade-level model lessons, and guidance in providing accommodations as well as systematic instruction. The Assessment component addresses how student performance in lessons and the standards will be measured, and includes both formative and interim assessment models, and a well-designed summative assessment. A critical element to the framework is a focus on communicative competency as the base for student access to the Common Core. The communication goal of the project is that all students have a communication system in place by Kindergarten and are able to gain and demonstrate knowledge using that communication system before they are assessed in the 3rd grade. Ultimately, access to the Common Core State Standards is directed toward the goal of College, Career, and Community Readiness for all students. (Advance slide) Communicative Competence

Beliefs All students can learn and demonstrate growth (ALL means ALL)
Specialized instruction (IDEA, ELL and Title) is a continuum of services (not a place) Relationships and collaboration (tearing down silos of education) so stakeholders will focus on decisions that are best for ALL students Responsibility and accountability in teaching and supporting ALL students Strong leadership at all levels to ensure that students are supported in the least restrictive environment High quality professional learning empowers all stakeholders and builds capacity for the success of ALL students Focus on first bullet, all means all. We will discuss this further in the presentation but the focus is ALL receive CORE INSTRUCTION of a comparable amount, research supported, 90 minutes of ELA and 60 minutes of math daily. Also, focus on emphasizing a full continuum of services, individually decided.

Key Goals of Special Populations
Improving Student Outcomes Prevention Intervention Achievement Outcomes Managing Performance Effective employees at every level of the organization with a focus on improving student outcomes.

Number of Students Within Each Eligibility Category
OHI SLD This was presented at IAIEP and it is important information to remember that the large majority, well over 75% are within SLD, OHI, and SLI categories and do not have a significant cognitive impact…. SLI

Students Eligible to be Assessed Using an Alternate Assessment
11%-5% of students with disabilities are most significantly impacted. These are the students with low incidence disabilities and/or multiple significant disabilities. OHI SLD …today, and in all of the NCSC trainings, we are discussing this small sliver, the 1%-5% of students who are impacted by a cognitive disability to such a degree that an alternate assessment is appropriate and the LRE assessment option for that student at that time. SLI

Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria
The student has a significant cognitive disability. Review of student records indicate a disability or multiple disabilities that significantly impact intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior essential for someone to live independently and to function safely in daily life. Participation Descriptions A student with a significant cognitive disability is one who has records that indicate a disability or multiple disabilities that significantly impact intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Adaptive behavior is defined as actions essential for an individual to live independently and to function safely in daily life. Having a significant cognitive disability is not determined by an IQ test score, but rather a holistic understanding of a student. From FAQ section: NCSC does not define a “significant cognitive disability” in terms of a “cut off” IQ score. The guidance is 2 standards deviations below the mean or 70 or below but this is an individual decision. Most students with significant cognitive disabilities have intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, or autism, but not all do. And, not all students with these disabilities are considered to have a “significant cognitive disability.” Students demonstrating academic deficits or difficulties due to learning disabilities, speech-language impairments, and emotional-behavioral disabilities do not qualify for participation in the [NCSC Alternate Assessment]. Performing 3-4 grade levels below peers without disabilities is not evidence of a significant cognitive disability. Academic deficits or difficulties alone do not indicate that a student has a significant cognitive disability. Further, a significant cognitive disability will be pervasive, affecting student learning across content areas and in social and community settings. Students with autism or intellectual disabilities should be carefully considered for the [NCSC Alternate Assessment], but they should not automatically be assigned to the alternate assessment based on their identified disability category. Not all students with autism or intellectual disabilities have a significant cognitive disability. Many students eligible to receive special education and related services under these categorical labels are able to participate in general assessments, with accommodations. Students receiving special education services who are identified as having orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, or traumatic brain injuries, do not necessarily have a significant cognitive disability. Determinations for student participation in statewide assessments must be evidence centered and made individually for each student by the IEP team. Students demonstrating mild to moderate cognitive disabilities may be more appropriately placed in the general assessment system with accommodations. Anticipated or past low achievement on the general assessment does not mean the student should be taking the [NCSC Alternate Assessment].

Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria, cont.
The student is learning content linked to (derived from) the State Standards. Goals and instruction listed in the IEP for this student are linked to the enrolled grade-level standards and address knowledge and skills that are appropriate and challenging for this student. Participation Descriptions The student’s disability or multiple disabilities affect how the student learns curriculum linked to the CCSS. The student is learning content that is linked to (derived from) the CCSS that appropriately breaks the standards into smaller steps. NCSC has derived these smaller steps from the CCSS to guide instruction and they are called Core Content Connectors (CCC). A CCC is a representation of the essential “core” content of a standard in the CCSS. Each CCC was identified by examining hypothesized learning progressions aligned with the CCSS to determine the critical content for students with significant cognitive disabilities. For information on the CCC, click here (state website). From FAQ section: You may ask, “Why is it important to indicate that a student is receiving instruction on content linked to the CCSS…” The decision to align a student’s academic program to the Core Content Connectors that are linked to the CCSS and participation in the [NCSC Alternate Assessment] limits a student’s direct contact with the breadth of the CCSS for the grade level in which he/she is enrolled. This limited or modified exposure to the grade level standards may have significant impact on academic outcomes and post-secondary opportunities.

Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria, cont.
The student requires extensive direct individualized instruction and substantial supports to achieve measurable gains in the grade and age-appropriate curriculum. The student: requires extensive, repeated, individualized instruction and support that is not of a temporary or transient nature, and (b) uses substantially modified curriculum and individualized methods of accessing information in alternative ways to acquire, maintain, generalize, demonstrate and transfer skills across multiple settings.

Criteria Not Appropriate for Decision-Making
Disability category or label Poor attendance or extended absences Native language/social/cultural or economic difference Expect poor performance on general education assessment Academic and other services student receives Educational environment or instr. Setting Percent of time in Special Education ****Important to emphasize, a student could spend the great majority of their day or full time attend general education and still take the alternate, just as a student may attend the full day in a self-contained setting and still take TCAP. The LRE does not determine the assessment, these are tow independent decisions to be considered annually at the IEP by the team. (Could lead in with question on what participants think might be inappropriate criteria not to use before showing, or just refer to Appendix A form or Guidance document page.) A full list of these criteria can be found in Appendix A or page 5 in the Guidance document.

Criteria Not Appropriate for Decision-Making (cont.)
English language learner (ELL) status Low reading level/achievement level Anticipated disruptive behavior Impact of test scores on accountability system Administrator decision Anticipated emotional duress Need for accommodations (e.g., assistive technology/AAC) to participate Clarify that individual characteristics related to ELL status or the extent of individualized support needed in using accommodations CAN factor into decision-making, but that generalizations about “ELL Status” or type of accommodation used is NOT an appropriate basis for decisions. If questions arise about how to tell if it is appropriate for an ELL with an IEP to take the [NCSC Alternate Assessment], refer to FAQ section: An ELL should be considered for the alternate assessment if (a) his/her cognitive functioning indicates a significant cognitive disability using assessments in his/her home language as appropriate, and (b) he/she meets the other participation guidelines for the [NCSC Alternate Assessment]. Assessments of adaptive behavior and communication, as well as information on goals and instruction in the student's IEP should take into account linguistic and sociocultural factors for valid interpretation of what may or may not be a significant cognitive disability. If an ELL with an IEP does not meet the criteria for the alternate assessment, he/she should take the general assessment with accommodations as appropriate. Point out that other FAQs are addressed in the FAQ section, and that if participants have other questions not there, to be free to ask. Note too, the state contact information for future questions on page 8 of the Guidance document.

Timeline for Transitioning Assessments
school year— Students who qualify for an alternate assessment will be given the: Portfolio in ELA, Math, and Science 3-8 K-2: Locally scored and administered High school students who have not been given the Portfolio ELA, Math, and Science have Portfolio as an option this year Social Studies not assessed this year school year— Eligible students: NCSC ELA and Math: Grades 3-8 and 11 Science and Social Studies assessments to be determined (Alison) The delay was due to our inability to adequately train teachers, not because of the NCSC assessment. It will be our assessment going forward and was specifically developed by teachers, parents, and professionals who work with students within the 1%

Changing the Assessment

Criterion-Referenced Assessment
The NCSC Assessment will be criterion-referenced “Norms” will be decided during standards setting process after operational administration Standard cut scores will be calculated for individuals within the 1% in various states after the Spring 2015 administration The scores will fall in a normal distribution Progress towards mastery is measured

Portfolio Assessment Isolated, unrelated skills are measured for a single student The student is compared to themselves Mastery of the skill is the goal Skill mastered Skill mastered Skill mastered Skill mastered Skill mastered

The Relationship Between the Two Mandated Assessments
NCSC TCAP

TCAP, NCSC, and Portfolio
Portfolio gave the appearance that students on the alternate assessment had mastered the assessment and were ready for TCAP

Measuring Student Growth on NCSC
This provides a marker from one year to the next so “1 year growth” can be determined from the measurement for that student between two school years Grade 3 Grade 4

Grade 3 Grade 4 1 Year Growth

Grade 3 1 Year Growth Grade 4

Measuring Growth on Portfolio
The skills are very difficult to relate or compare to each other “1 year growth” is not defined Skill mastered Skill mastered Skill mastered Skill mastered Skill mastered

Come back ready to work in small groups for the remainder of the day
Break Come back ready to work in small groups for the remainder of the day

Core Instruction Two Guiding Beliefs: All students receive high quality core instruction Special education intervention does not replace core, but is in addition to core instruction What does core instruction look like for students whose current Least Restrictive Environment is determined to be outside the general education classroom?

“Least Dangerous Assumption”
States that in the absence of absolute evidence, it is essential to make the assumption that, if proven to be false, would be least dangerous to the individual. Therefore, the IEP teams should operate from the criterion of least dangerous assumption by considering the least restrictive setting, general education, first, for all students, regardless of disability, before considering more restrictive settings. Evidence and data collected should be discussed before making the determination that a student requires a more restrictive setting at each IEP meeting (Rossetti & Tashie, 2013). To answer this, we first need to consider the least dangerous assumption. This is best practice for all students. It is the foundation to determining intervention, accommodations, modifications, and LRE.

Least Dangerous Assumption in Action

Core Instruction The state standards guide core instruction. If after analyzing the student data, convening an IEP team, developing goals, and considering accommodations and least restrictive environment a team determines that the LRE is outside of general education for a specific subject area(s), the special education teacher will need to ensure that the student receives core instruction that is appropriately modified and scaffolded. To do this, we must start to break down standards and consider the skills and knowledge that a student must be taught.

Breaking Down the Standards
Guided Practice and Discussion

Practice Breaking Down a Standard
Work in small groups to practice: You will need to select a student to focus on throughout the remainder of the day Pick up a packet of standards (provided up front) for the student’s current grade level Read over the grade level standards and select one to break down into specific skills At least one member from each small group, please write the standard and the identified skills on a piece of chart paper so we can share out and all learn from each other

Share Out

Communication Competence
Jill

NCSC Communicative Competence Communicative Competence
Career College Community Curriculum Common Standards Core Content Connectors Graduated Understandings NCSC Communicative Competence Goal All students have a communication system in place by Kindergarten and are able to gain and demonstrate knowledge using that communication system Instruction Grade-level Lessons Accommodations Systematic Instruction Assessment Formative Interim Summative NCSC’s approach to access to the Common Core State Standards is based on a comprehensive system… (Advance animation) …that coherently incorporates evidence-based curriculum and instruction models, and produces technically defensible formative, interim, and summative assessments. The curriculum component specifies what students will be taught and learn, and includes the Common Core State Standards, Core Content Connectors (or CCCs), and Graduated Understandings. The Instruction component addresses how students will be involved in the teaching and learning of the standards, and includes grade-level model lessons, and guidance in providing accommodations as well as systematic instruction. The Assessment component addresses how student performance in lessons and the standards will be measured, and includes both formative and interim assessment models, and a well-designed summative assessment. A critical element to the framework is a focus on communicative competency as the base for student access to the Common Core. The communication goal of the project is that all students have a communication system in place by Kindergarten and are able to gain and demonstrate knowledge using that communication system before they are assessed in the 3rd grade. Ultimately, access to the Common Core State Standards is directed toward the goal of College, Career, and Community Readiness for all students. (Advance slide) Communicative Competence

CONTEXT Emerging data showing that students who need communication support are not receiving it. Emerging data showing that students are not developing symbolic language across grades/years in school. NCSC hosted a Communication Summit in June 2012 to provide state teams with data collected from their teachers about current communication supports in their classrooms. The data was clear: students who need communication support were not receiving it, and students were not developing symbolic language across grades/years in school. Without a firm communication foundation, access to any academic content is significantly limited. Oral speech is not an indicator of intellectual disability. In fact, without a way to communicate one’s most basic needs, an individual is at significant risk. Relative to accountability assessment, the path to academic content requires, by definition, symbolic language. Participation in instruction, learning of the general curriculum, and likelihood of independence as an adult are all connected with communication competence.

What Is Communication? First we must understand the definition of “communication” According to Merriam-Webster dictionary: com·mu·ni·ca·tion noun \kə-ˌmyü-nə-ˈkā-shən\ : the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else Let’s look at the definition, it includes al the words we need to begin creating a communication system for each student that they can access and utilize in all settings: Act Process Words, sounds, signs, OR behaviors To exchange information Express your To someone else Footer

Communication Activity

Reflection on Activity
What do you feel while participating in this activity? What did you see? What did you hear?

Successful Communication
Intent MODE Listener Comprehension Successful Communication Intent—what you want or a desire to engage Mode—how you will do so (verbal, written, visual, etc.) Listener comprehension—the listener understand the message even without contextual cues or an “interpreter” who is reading the speaker Successful—the message was understood as intended Language implies standardization, rules, and symbols. Language also implies mutual understanding by the individuals who share knowledge of the language system. Communication implies a much broader set of output behaviors and combinations of output behaviors which may or may not be of a standardized form, but which convey intent and are understood and “readable” by the listener. These non standard forms are for communicating about basic needs. In order to communicate about information, the form must be more sophisticated, likely involving AAC (Alternative Augmentative Communication). Engaging in academic content requires the use of a standard symbol system. Leaving school without being able to use a standard symbol system at a minimum leaves the student at risk for abuse and neglect, not to mention the failure to leave school ready for post secondary opportunities including college, career, and community. Language – implies standardization, rules, and symbols; implying mutual understanding by the individuals who share knowledge of the language system Communication – implies a much broader set of output behaviors and combinations of output behaviors which may or may not be of a standardized form, but which convey intent and are understood and “readable” by the listener

Steps Towards Communication Competence
Evaluation—Formal and Informal Create a system Teach the student how to access and use the system Increase language Evaluation--motor, visual, hearing, interests, current communication pathways or habits, how is the student going to access communication, verbal, sign, picture symbols, switches, SGD? What are the student strengths we can build on to create this opportunity that is effective, efficient, and portable? Create a system—Use all the data we gathered to put together the physical and planning portion of the communication, what devices do we need, who needs trained on the communication system selected, (always include family in the training), who is responsible for what Teach the student how to access and use the system—Just because it is a system built towards their needs doesn’t mean they know what to do with it. Have you taught the symbols, signs, or way to activate the system? How does the student tell you the vocabulary they want is not available? How do they request programming? How do they tell you it is broken? How do they tell someone they use this as a communication system? Do they know why this is worth it? (accessing communication is often laborious and frustrating. Many of these students have found ways to get their basic needs met and now you are asking them to “jump through a hoop” what is going to make it worth it? Why should they communicate? The students need to help design and then create the system, they HAVE to buy-in for this to be an effective option for them. Increase Language—”I need a drink,” “I am tired,” “”I need help,” this is not communication, remember Communication is defined as: the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else---NOT simply basic needs Communication is essential to learning, and to connecting with other human beings. We know this connection is a most basic essential need. Therefore, it has to extend beyond I want______ and I need______________statements. All people attempt communication, just because we don’t understand them, doesn’t mean they aren’t talking, it means we haven’t created a way for them to ensure the message is received Footer

Evaluation Formal— Results from formal language assessments including both receptive and expressive measures Results from formal speech assessments Results from medical assessments in regards to motor, vision, and hearing Informal— Results from informal progress monitoring Observations from various settings and during various levels of independence File review Interest inventories Parent interview OT, PT, SLP, Paraprofessional, General Education Teacher, siblings/relatives, a new listener/observer

Evaluation Results What does the student already communicate successfully to speakers who know them? To unfamiliar listeners? What does the student most want to talk about? What are the student’s language, speech, and motor strengths? What does the family most need to communicate with the student about? What does the student need to do to increase independence? What is going to be a powerful factor going forward? What are the roadblocks? Who should be creating the system? Who should be progress monitoring? When do we meet again to review progress and consider next steps?

Create a System High Tech—For example: Low Tech—For example:
Formal electronic devices that include a purchased Alternative Augmentative Communication device (AAC) An iPad or tablet A laptop An iPhone Think “batteries required” Low Tech—For example: Picture symbols Items Words Think “attached with Velcro”

Teach How to Access the System
The system may appear intuitive, but this is the students first interaction with the system. Each of the skills of access needs to be directly taught Begin with the MOST powerful reinforcers The system must be portable to be effective, teach in multiple locations Teach the adults that come into contact with the student Teach the student’s peers—they are often better administrators, designers, and programmers than we are If the student accesses and uses it right away correctly, it is not sophisticated enough

Increase Vocabulary The process is never complete
Vocabulary and the access to that vocabulary needs to increase constantly Content vocabulary Weekend news Friends names, teacher names, and peers names Current events Topics of interest Increasing verbs, adjectives, and adverbs Juicy words Additional vocabulary may increase the complexity of the system as well with additional boards, frames, increased field, etc.

Teen video http://huff.to/1lj4MnC
When The System Works Teen video

Remember… It is a constant process requiring continuous development both of the system and the student’s understanding and use of the communication system Communication is every student’s first area of need to access curriculum This is not a teacher student activity, it is an everyone activity Footer

A Student Learning a New Communication System Can:
Symbolic Understanding & Receptive Communication, BUT Not use Symbolic Communication expressively Communication is developmental. Student will not learn all of the processes and vocabulary simultaneously and at the same rate. They are experts at listening and understanding us, they are working on becoming experts at expressing their thoughts and ideas. Often, our students will be able to comprehend what we show before they will be able to tell us about it. Do not let their “lack” of communicating to you limit the communicating we do. Knowing that the students are able to receptively understand, it is critical that we provide opportunities for them to participate within the Common Core State Standards through the use of accommodations and scaffolding. Footer

To Do and Not to Do… Do Don’t Repeat your question
Use natural verbal reinforcers Encourage students to cue self with signs Vary your question types Remember the student can choose the mode- not all students are verbal! Try to use all the modes as much as you can Accept the first echo Forget the “why” of every goal Use sentence starters Echo the child Use too many phonemic prompts (they repeat it the way they hear it) Repeat your prompt

Daily Instruction alison

Sample Lesson

Group Practice Use the work you completed earlier within your small groups to begin to develop and design 1-2 lessons for your student. Please take this time to consider: Communication competence of the student Communication skills to be taught The measurable annual goal selected Daily living or skills for independence that can be incorporated naturally during instruction and/or intervention Please have at least one member write their ideas on a piece of chart paper for sharing out.

So, How Does This Link to NCSC?

Instructional Resource SCHEMA Core Content Connectors
State Standards Core Content Connectors (CCC) What Graduated Understandings -Instructional Families -Element Cards with Essential Understandings Content Modules MS Unit UDL’s Elementary Unit HS How Curriculum Resource Guides Point to each component while tracing it back to activities from today. Example: CCSS=TN state Standards, CCC=Breaking down the standards Instructional Resource Guide MS MASSI’s & LASSI’s Elementary HS MASSI’s &

Instructional Resource SCHEMA Breaking Down the Standards
State Standards Breaking Down the Standards What Similar Skills Within Multiple Standards Units of Lessons/Skills MS Unit UDL’s Elementary Unit HS How Curriculum Resource Guides Point to each component while tracing it back to activities from today. Example: CCSS=TN state Standards, CCC=Breaking down the standards Best Practice & Evidence- based Practice Systematic Instructional Lessons

Website Links and Resources
NCSC General Information: Project Summary: Participation Guidelines: Learner Profile:

Website links and Resources cont.
Standards: ELA: Math: Scripted Lessons:

Website Links and Resources cont.
NCSC Commitment to Communication Competence: College and Career Readiness:

Behavior and Low Incidence Coordinator Alison.Gauld@tn.gov Jill Omer
Speech, Language and Autism Coordinator Lori Nixon Director, Assessment Design

Jill Omer, Speech Language and Autism Coordinator

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