1. Extended GLE’s Curriculum and Instruction
What’s the connection to curriculum and instruction?

2. In this section we will:
Think about what instruction might look like for our own students.
Become familiar with access tools
Review how the ExGLE’s link to goals and objectives
Plan for access to general education curriculum
Create “images of success” for our students
During the next hour and a half, we’ll work together to understand what these changes mean to ourselves and our students throughout the instructional year. The process is new how the new assessment system will effect our instruction is still unknown territory. As the theme of this conference says, we’re striving for images of success for our students. Each change has led to improvement for our students. As difficult as it was for us when the alternate assessment began in Alaska, our students have benefited. They have been exposed to broader curriculum, they’ve had the benefit of systematic instruction and data recording and they’ve learned and grown!

3. The National Alternate Assessment Center
Stepwise Process
Instruction is linked to grade level content standards
Define outcomes for all students
Identify instructional activities for all students and how individual students with disabilities will access
Target specific IEP objectives
The NNAC has been working on improving alternate assessment nationwide to meet requirements of NCLB and IDEA. The Stepwise process describes a way to plan for instructing students with significant cognitive disabilities in grade level curriculum. You have the Stepwise packet which we’ll use to plan for access later in the session.

4. If you’re feeling like this….
The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind.
Maya Angelou

5. Take a Deep Breath….
We’ve survived before, and students continue to increase their learning
We are all still learning the best ways to educate students with significant disabilities
IDEA 2004 is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
We’re in that place again where we’re not sure what is coming. We were there before, not knowing what was coming and not wanting to make change.
Quote by Marilyn Ferguson: It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear. It’s like being between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to.

6. Historical Perspective: Changing Curricular Context for SCD
Early 1970s
Adapting infant/early childhood curriculum for students with the most significant disabilities of all ages
1980s
Rejected “developmental model”
Functional, life skills curriculum emerged
1990s
Also: social inclusion focus
Also: self determination focus
Assistive technology
2000
General curriculum access (academic content)
Plus earlier priorities (functional, social, self determination)
Digitally accessible materials
There is a focus on general curriculum access for all students, even students with the most significant disabilities. NCLB and IDEA both emphasize this. We’re all at the forefront of learning how to do it.

7. General Curriculum Access Content Standards for All Students
Arts
English/Language Arts
Employability
Geography
Government and Citizenship
History
Remember general curriculum content for all students is in a variety of areas. Nationally special education teachers are being encouraged to increase collaboration with general education teachers in planning and instructing lessons. General ed teachers have already designed their lessons to meet the grade level standards.

8. Content Standards for ALL Students
Library/Information Skills
Math
Science
Skills for a Healthy Life
Technology
World Languages

9. Extended Grade Level Expectations
Reading
Writing
Math
These are only part of the student’s educational program. They are the areas measured by NCLB

10. What about functional life skills, social and self-determination skills?
Still important
Part of the IEP
Not part of the assessment
The assessment measures only part of the student’s educational program
What NCLB measures is only part of the student’s educational program. NCLB measures only language arts and math. That is not the whole program for students without disabilities and it’s not the whole program for students with disabilities. Students with significant cognitive disabilities still need instruction in functional skills, social and self-determination areas.

11. Opening up access
Digital and other assistive technology is opening up access for many of the students
Students with disabilities are learning to read, write and use math
Reading, writing and math are functional skills
Given the opportunity, access to academic activities and systematic instruction, research is demonstrating that many students with cognitive disabilities are learning to read, write, and use math.

12. Let’s start with access tools
There are many tools to help students access print and spoken language
Let’s review a few of these and share others you know or use.

13. Read with technology Start to Finish Books Reading Pen Write: Out Loud
Students read in school every day. For most, being able to read is something we don’t think about. For others, however, the task can be a challenge due to a variety of reasons. Often this challenge becomes a nightmare after years of successive failure in the school environment. Those with severe disabilities may not ever get the chance to try. It’s our responsibility to figure out ways to teach students with significant cognitive disabilities to read write and use mathematics.
Bookworm by AbleNet, Talking photo albums, talking picture frames,
Read and Write
Denham, 2004

14. Reading using graphics
Other ideas: teacher draws simple drawings, Boardmaker, Pix reader/pix writer, photographs,
Modified text from Jumangi using Writing With Symbols 2000.
Denham, 2004

15. Reading with symbols, objects, voice...
.. graphics/symbols (Writing with Symbols 2000, Widgit)
.. a communication aid (Step-by-Step, AbelNet)
.. objects
.. tactile cues

16. “Active Participation”
Cheap Talk 4 (Enabling Devices)
DynaVox 3100
Communication devices must provide a means of active participation within the curriculum
Step By Step Communicator, Abel Net
Picture Exchange Communication System, PECS
(Pyramid Educational Consultants)

17. A portable keyboard (AlphaSmart)
Writing with software, pictures, keyboards…
..word prediction (Read and Write Gold, textHELP)
.. a custom overlay and adaptive keyboard (Overlay Maker, IntelliTools)
..webbing software (Inspiration)
A portable keyboard (AlphaSmart)

18. Writing with pictures, word cards…
.. individual laminated symbols secured with Velcro (Boardmaker, Meyer-Johnson)
.. word stamps
.. sentence strips in science
oxygen ●
A plant needs
water ●
The plant needs sunlight.
.. pictures – drawn, magazine

19. IEP Goals
The assessment is no longer based specifically on IEP goals and objectives
According to IDEA, goals and objectives must be linked to general education standards
Grade level expectations and extended GLE’s are new
Now more clearly aligned to general curriculum
Goals and objectives teach skills to access curriculum
Academic curriculum and the ‘hidden’ curriculum in school
GLE’s we must become familiar with the ExGLE’s as we begin to write IEP’s this spring and from now on.

20. IEP Goals and Objectives
Skills necessary in current and future environments
Identified by the family as important
Teach academic skills because they are functional and socially valid
Meaningful to the student
Expected to be learned within one year
those skills must be embedded in natural routines and in socially valid contexts. They should still be skills that can be taught and learned in different settings and situations throughout the day or week.
Student should not have to wait until they are able to make a bed before they are taught to read
be presumed competent and not denied instruction offered to students of the same age

21. Identifying Priorities
Build on student strengths and preferences
What is important for her to access school learning?
Review grade level expectations in reading, writing and math.
What skills does she need to access “the essence” of the standard?
Reference broad curriculum in each of the areas.
Before we isolated one objective that was somewhat related to the general ed standard. Now we’re required to teach broad skills related to each area.

22. Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives are written to give access to the general curriculum
Consider communication, motor, social skills
Address skills needed for reading, writing and math
Goals and objectives should still be goals and objectives that are taught across environments. Academic skills are not only taught in that academic class---they should be taught across the curriculum to generalize. There is reading in math class and students use number in other subject areas besides math.

23. Identifying reading, writing and math objectives
Our former assessment stretched the concepts and taught isolated skills related to the standard
NCLB makes it clear that we are measuring grade level expectations for all students in language arts and math
Expectations will grow from year to year and skills will build on each other
There is now a strong emphasis on participation in general curriculum
Examples of stretching found in the old assessment--Reading--sees a diaper and moves to the changing area
Math--walks with walker for 5 feet
Nationally, educators are encouraging special education teachers to work closely with regular education teachers to identify grade level units and outcomes. It’s more work to create your own units. Working on the same content as other students that age is required by IDEA and NCLB and gives students shared experiences,

24. Sample IEP Objectives
When given 5 or more words in print (cards, Dynavox, word wall) and asked to “find the word___”, Jess will point to the word requested, 3 out of 3 data days.
After listening to a story, Jess will demonstrate comprehension of main idea by pointing to a picture to answer a “who” or “what” question about the story, 4 out of 5 days each week for 3 weeks.

25. Sample Objectives
Given a personal schedule with words and pictures representing activities, Jess will read the pictures to follow the schedule by getting materials needed for the next activity for 5 out of 6 activities, 5 days in a row.
When given sentence strips with 3-5 words and pictures, Jess will read the sentence, pointing to each word in sequence as she reads, 3 out of 3 sentences per week for 9 weeks.

26. Sample Objectives
When presented with two objects, one related to the activity or story and one not related, Joe will choose the object related to the activity, 8/10 consecutive times.
This objective can be used across the curriculum in reading and other functional activities.

27. Sample Objectives
In a variety of activities at school, when presented with the numbers one, two and three in tactile symbols, Joe will choose them in sequence to count with voice output, sequence activities and demonstrate number order, 4/5 times for 10 days.

28. Grade Level Curriculum + Expectations = Linkage
Students with significant cognitive disabilities:
receive instruction on grade level content standards (may be at a lower complexity level) within the context of grade level curriculum ensuring that the intent of the grade level content standard remains intact
use the same materials, or adapted version of the materials, and appropriate assistive technology to gain access

29. Four Steps to Access Identify or link to the appropriate standard(s)
Define the outcome(s) of instruction
Identify the instructional activities
Target specific objectives from the IEP
Process proposed by the National Alternate Assessment Center. You have the stepwise packet.

30. Writing Content Standard--The student writes about a topic.
Two examples
Open examples from desktop. Talk through the examples.

31. Strategies to Develop Images of Success
Become familiar with learning sequences
Sharing our knowledge
Textbooks related to teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities, developmental checklists. Although not complete learning sequences refer to DRAFT Early childhood learning guidelines and K-2 standards to understand skills typically expected at different age levels. Following are two examples of research supported learning sequences.

32. Teaching Sight Words Sequence
Match picture to picture
Match word to word
Match spoken word to picture
Name picture
Match spoken word to printed word
fish
fish
Research based practices for teaching sight words have established this sequence for teaching sight words.
fish

33. Research Based Practices for Teaching Sight Words
fish cat home
Match picture to printed word
Match Printed word to picture
Read
fish
fish

34. Pictures, words and/or numbers on voice output systems
fish
cat
home
There are many ways for students to access the same information. Be creative.

35. Teaching sight words Stimulus fading
fish
fish
fish
fish
fish

36. Recognizing Numbers 2 Early Trials Middle Trials 2   Later Trials 5

37. Create your own examples
Work in pairs or groups of three
Identify an ExGLE that will be measured in
Think about how your student could access that standard
Share with group to increase our group experience

38. An Example from the NAAC
Let’s watch Jordan learning an English lesson.
Jordan has autism and a cognitive disability.

39. The State Standard the team considered:
Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts. (NCTE)
10th grade: interpret figurative, symbolic, and/or idiomatic (e.g., jargon, dialect) language

40. Jordan learning idioms
Jordan will identify/explain idioms from “To Kill a Mocking Bird.”
Is this reading? Yes. Jordan is selecting the idiom from a choice of two (answer and one distractor).
Does it link to the grade level content standard of interpreting figurative, symbolic, and/or idiomatic (e.g., jargon, dialect) language? Yes. Jordan is using idioms taken from the “To Kill a Mocking Bird” text.
Is it meaningful? Jordan is increasing his understanding of vocabulary and is being provided a context for peer interaction.