 Self-advocacy. How do students come to understand their own learning needs? How do they learn to explain them to others?

 Primary Role o Provide indirect services to students by providing direct services to their classroom teachers  Develop a “Learning Profile” for identified students Explain the disability in “teacher language” Describe student’s learning strengths/weaknesses Describe “high payoff” accommodations/modifications  Assist teachers with implementing adaptations  Explain and demonstrate adaptations if necessary  Provide encouragement and support  Develop a “Plan B” if needed

 Secondary Roles o Serve as liaison between school and parents o Serve as liaison between school and external professionals o Assist parents with accessing external community resources o Work with students on self-advocacy skills and learning strategies o Develop a plan to help struggling students who are not yet identified as having a disability

 Research supports the consultation model  Maximize benefits of one special needs professional  Improve students’ learning all 30 instructional hours per week by changing their “in classroom” experience

 Gather information from professionals who have assessed the student: o Student’s strengths/challenges and student’s diagnosis as revealed by the evaluation o How the diagnosis is likely to affect this specific student’s school functioning o School adaptations the professional believes the student needs in light of his/her disability  Decision criterion: School’s ability to provide the adaptations – not the disability label

 Faculty belief that students with special needs can learn  Time for the Learning Consultant and classroom teachers to consult  Clear articulation by the administration that teaching students with special needs is an essential part of the school’s mission

 Can have a different name (Student Support Team, Teacher Assistance Team).  Group of faculty members come together to discuss behavioral or academic problems of students in order to provide direction and support.  More information available at NCPD website at

 Contact your local colleges and universities. Those responsible for arranging accommodations for college students with special needs would be excellent guest speakers.  Sign up for free newsletter available from CHADD (Children and Adults with AD/HD), LD Online, and the Council for Exceptional Children. (Links on the NCPD website.)

 Check with area Catholic middle schools that are doing a good job. Many middle school strategies are easily transferable to high school.  Contact your area public schools to see if faculty can be included in upcoming training.  Consider a membership in CHADD or CEC.

 National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)  New book by NCEA: o Serving Students with Disabilities: A Resource for Planning and Implementation  Designed specifically for high schools.  Addresses in greater detail many of the elements in this webinar

 For students already diagnosed with special needs by professionals before they come to us o We rely on the advice of those who already know the student well…  Psychologist  Physician  Parent  Previous school staff  And, of course, seek input from the student