1. Lisa Brunschwyler & Kimberly Jenkins PaTTAN December 6, 2011
Special Education Paraprofessional After-School Training Series Adaptations to Increase Student Success
Lisa Brunschwyler & Kimberly Jenkins
PaTTAN
December 6, 2011

2. PaTTAN’s Mission
The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services.

3. PDE’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
Our goal for each child is to ensure Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams begin with the general education setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and Services before considering a more restrictive environment.

4. District, IU, Preschool Agency Policy
Your local district or agency’s policies regarding paraprofessional job descriptions, duties, and responsibilities provide the final word!
This is a disclaimer that refers participants to their local district policies for the final word on Paraprofessional duties and responsibilities since there is a wide variance between districts across the Commonwealth.

5. Learner Outcomes Participants will:
Describe how adaptations benefit students
Describe the difference between an accommodation and a modification
Identify 3 accommodations
Identify 3 modifications
Discuss the special education paraprofessional’s role in helping students access the general curriculum
The learner outcomes are listed on this slide. We will revisit the outcomes at the end of the presentation to be sure the outcomes were met.

6. Agenda What are Adaptations? Define Accommodations
Define Modifications
Discuss the Special Education Paraprofessional’s Role

7. Supporting Student Success
Now let’s talk about how we can help students learn that important content information and, therefore, experience the success that motivates them.
Today we are specifically speaking about students with IEPS.
Talk about IDEA…IEP and SDI mention standards aligned systems, prompts (our two previous video conference)
Provide more background…students with complex needs…2 prong test to receive Special Education
In order to ensure that the appropriate adjustments are made, a team gathers on behalf of the students we work with in special education to create an Individualized Education Plan or IEP. In this IEP, the team sets in place ways in which the student can be offered the best opportunity to learn the general curriculum.
All educators, and paraprofessionals working with a student need to be familiar with the student’s IEP and how to implement it. This may include providing adaptations to the general curriculum, including accommodations and modifications.
Federal and State laws and regulations require schools to provide accommodations and modifications to make sure that students with a disability have access to an appropriate education program.

8. Increase Student Success
Adaptations:
Accommodations
Modifications
Adjusting for differences may include accommodations, modifications. In the next few slides we will be discussing each of these adaptations. These should be listed in the specially designed instuction area or included in the specific goal area.
Accommodations and modifications are an important part of the student’s educational program. Many students with a disability may only need small changes to the way instruction is provided (how they are taught) and how they are tested (or complete assignments) so they can participate successfully in the general education classroom

9. Why can we use adaptations?
IDEA
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
In PA, Chapter 14 for Special Education
Federal and state laws and regulations require schools to provide accommodations and modifications for students with a disability to ensure FAPE, Free and Appropriate Public Education.
IDEA- requires that a student with a disability receive FAPE.
Students must meet the two prong test to be eligible to receive special education. The first prong is that the student has an identified disability under the IDEA definitions, the second prong is that the student requires specially designed instruction.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that accommodations be provided to students, even if they don’t have a disability…may be due to health reasons, i.e. allergy
ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities…i.e. student using as wheelchair must have access to school building.
Chapter 14, PA’s educational for special education. For students with IEPs, the specially designed instruction that the student requires to be successful will be identified by the IEP team. The team Supplementary Aids and Services will be used. PaTTAN has developed a handout that defines Supplementary Aides and Services and in the future will be providing an in-depth training . For now, let’s take a look at the hand out (USE DOCUMENT CAMERA)

10. Universal Design for Learning Center for Applied Special Technology
You may also be familiar with the term, UDL which stands for Universal Design of Learning. Universal Design for Learning is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.
UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs
This is a nice website that provided examples of different materials. Teachers can develop their own story books based on content you are currently working on in the classroom

11. Increase Student Success:
Accommodations
We are first going to speak about accommodations for students with IEPS. Again, these tools have been decided on by the IEP team. With that being said, there may be times that your plans don’t go exactly how you anticipated and you may need to tweak what you had planned.

12. Accommodations
Refers to the supports and services that the student may require to access content and demonstrate learning.
Accommodations do NOT change achievement expectations.
Focus is on equal opportunity to learn.
Trainer: If is imperative that you emphasize the importance of this statement. Read it aloud to the group.
“The special education paraprofessional is under the direction of the teacher and should not modify or change any of the student’s work without permission and direction on how to do so. The information offered here is for learning purposes only. Please share your ideas with your teacher so that s/he may direct you toward meeting the requirements of the IEP.”
Accommodations are about leveling the playing field and accessing the information.

13. Accommodations
Accommodations are changes made to the instruction or learning environment that do not change what the student is expected to learn.
This slide contains the definitions for:
Accommodations—these are changes that do not change the WHAT the student needs to learn: the content. Accommodations do NOT reduce learning expectations
Accommodations involve many kinds of techniques. Accommodations help students work around limitations related to their disability. They are implemented to make sure that students with a disability can participate as fully as possible in the general curriculum and they are better able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Accommodations should foster independence for students.
The point we are stressing is that accommodations are changes that are made on behalf of the student to facilitate their learning.

14. Accommodations
Accommodations are changes made to the instruction or learning environment that do not change what the student is expected to learn.

15. Accommodations Accommodations Presentation Response Setting
Timing and Scheduling
Accommodations can be broken down into 4 general types…presentation, student response, instructional setting, and timing and scheduling.

16. Accommodations
Presentation Accommodations – adjust the presentation of material
Examples:
Read aloud directions and test items
Braille or large print
Books on tape or use of audio recordings
Use of visual aids
Chunking material or fewer problems on a page
Presentation Accommodations adjusts the presentation of materials and allows a student to access instruction and assessment in ways that assist them when reading standard print. Alternate modes may include: auditory, tactile, and visual
Teachers and paraprofessionals may need to make changes in the way they provide content
Other examples are: magnification devices, screen magnification software, electronic readers
Use of visual cues: highlighter- key words
use of reading windows
underlining
picture schedules/ use of icons
providing the student notes or reminders

17. Accommodations
Response Accommodations – adjust the manner in which students respond to activities or answer questions
Examples:
Use computer to type answers, check spelling and/or grammar
Writing in test booklet instead of filling in circles on testing form
Dictation devices; speech to text software
Additional time to complete activity or test
Response Accommodations adjust the manner in which students respond to activities. These accommodations allow students to complete activities, assignments and assessments in different ways. A student may use some type of technology or device in their response such as a computer or assistive technology device
Response accommodations could benefit students with physical, sensory or learning disabilites
Examples:
Note taking device (AT)
Student speaks; person scribes for them
Augmentative communication device
Provided a larger space to write their responses
Use of a tape recorder

18. Here is a visual where a student can respond by making a choice

19. Here is another response example…student does not have to write but can pick the noun, pick the verb…put the sentence in the correct order to make sense.

20. Accommodations
Setting Accommodations – change or adjust the place or conditions where education occurs
Examples:
Use of headphones to buffer noise or to listen to calming music
Separate location in classroom away from larger group
Seating near the teacher
Use of potable “study carrel”
Setting Accommodations change the setting or the conditions where a student completes an assignment or test
These accommodations could benefit students who are easily distracted with large groups of students or their own accommodations distract others
Examples:
Away from windows/doors
Study carrel
Need to be in a small group
Have a place where they could stand instead of sit

21. Compliments of Martha Stewart
You can make one yourself…just ask Martha Stewart!

22. Accommodations
Timing/Scheduling Accommodations – adjust the time allowance for the completion of work or scheduling of tasks
Examples:
Providing extra time to complete work
Scheduled breaks
Use of visual schedules and cueing
Scheduling Accommodations can increase the amount of time a student is permitted to complete an activity or assignment The student may have changes in how his or her time is organized for completion of an activity or assignment. A student with learning difficulties who has processed information more slowly may need extra time to complete their work or a student who has difficulty focusing or is easily frustrated while completing their work may have regular scheduled timed breaks while they are working.
Examples:
Scheduling of daily activities
Breaks from instruction- “relaxation break”
Maybe student is taking medication…maybe there is medical need that effects student’s energy level

23. Here is an example of a visual schedule to help the student with transitions and behaviors

24. Increase Student Success: Examples of Accommodations
Books on tape
Test taken orally
Use computer for writing
Additional time
Large print
Using visual aids
Seating near the teacher
Fewer problems/questions on a page
Communication aids or devices
Accommodations may include books on tape, being offered additional time to complete an assignment, or large print materials. Notice that we are not changing the content but how the student accesses the content.
Notice that the graphic of the magnifying glass does not change the information that is magnified, it only makes it larger.
Communication- a board or something more complex…think about technology..some students may always need these to communicate.
Some students may have no language but develop language overtime and may no longer need what they using.
Accommodations help
the student get to the
information

25. Accommodations Things to think about…
How long will the student require this accommodation?
How will I fade the use of the accommodation?
Will the student always need this accommodation? i.e. think about wearing glasses.
Some can be faded over time..some cannot, i.e. wearing glasses

26. Accommodations Activity
In this activity, we are going to collect many suggestions from you on ways we can help students ‘get to’ or access the curriculum. Remember that we are not changing what the student needs to know, but how they learn it.
Accommodations help
the student get to the
information

27. Susie is on grade level for reading and math but has difficulty staying on task to complete her math worksheet that has 20 problems.
Answer: Presentation
Worksheet is adjusted- number of problems is broken up into chunks- student is given 4 worksheets with 5 problems per page
Paraprofessional chunks the problems into groups…has her complete four problems, reviews the work, and takes a break…then moves on to the next chunk of problems.
Others…

28. It is difficult for Jacob to write quickly and legibly when he is taking his social studies quiz which provides small spaces for his answers.
Answer:
Response
Jacob answers questions orally and paraprofessional scribes his response.
Jacob is permitted to use a computer to type his responses.
Jacob’s quiz provides a larger space for him to write his responses.
Timing
Jacob is provided more time to complete his quiz

29. Linda has difficulty keeping track of multiple step or complex instructions when her teacher is giving oral directions in the front of the classroom.
Answer:
Presentation-
Directions are provided in writing to Linda
The teacher writes directions on smart board/overhead when giving assignments

30. Matt has a visual impairment that makes it difficult to see the smaller graphics and fonts in his algebra book.
Answer:
Presentation
Book pages/Charts are enlarged so Matt can use them.
Use accessibility or accommodation settings or software that he may be using for other content classes.

31. Jimmie’s study skills class is very large and held in the school’s small auditorium. The sound level easily distracts Jimmie and he has trouble completing his assignments.
Answer:
Setting/presentation
A small group is designed with peers. Directions are provided in writing. The group reads the directions and completes the assignment independently.

32. During language arts class students provide oral responses to questions. Jennifer is non verbal.
Jennifer uses her AT device to type her response which provides a vocal response.

33. In the classroom…

34. Accommodations: The Paraprofessional’s Role:
Follow accommodations listed in
the student’s IEP
Coordinate implementation of the accommodations with the classroom teacher
Provide necessary support
When appropriate, decrease dependence on use of accommodation
Please remember it is not the Special Education Paraprofessional’s role to modify or change any of the student’s work without permission or direction from the special education teacher.
Specific accommodations are defined in all statewide assessments. There should be consistency across environments with how these accommodations are provided. These same accommodations may be used during testing in either the classroom or high stake state assessments.
There may be different places in the student’s IEP where you may find accommodations listed. You may find accommodations listed in the Specially Designed Instructions, or a specific goal pages or in a behavior plan

35. Increase Student Success:
Modifications
We can also help students learn through a ‘modification.’ In this next section, we will discuss what a modification is and how it can benefit the learning of our student and your role as a paraprofessional in providing a modification.

36. Modifications
Modifications are changes made to the content, instruction or learning environment that change what the student is expected to learn.
Modifications may be necessary if a student is currently not working on the same grade level as his or her classmates.
They are practices that change, lower, or reduce learning expectations. Modifications should only be considered after other types of accommodations and supports have been tried. Keep in mind, accommodation can be used along with modifications.
Modifications—alter what students are expected to learn, but still allow them to interact meaningfully and productively with grade level content as much as possible. This will also alter the expectations for their assessment.
We have to keep in mind that our goal is for the student to LEARN the content, not just be “in the classroom”
Modifications are changes that are made on behalf of the student to facilitate learning.

37. Modifications Modifications are made to the
, instruction or learning environment that what the student is expected to learn.

38. Modifications are changes
Refer to changes made to curriculum expectations in order to meet the needs of the student.
Modifications are made when the expectations are beyond the student’s current skill level.
Instruction is based on the student’s skills.
It is imperative that you emphasize again that special education paraprofessional should not modify or change any of the student’s work without permission and direction on how to do so from the teacher.
Modifications depend on the what the IEP team finds most appropriate for the student. Modifications must be clearly defined in the IEP as a modification changes the curricular expectations for the student. Modification are made when the expectations of the general curriculum are beyond the student’s level of ability. Therefore, the focus is on learning based on student ability to perform. Let’s review what some of these modifications may be. (next slide)
Modifications are changes
to what the student
is expected to learn.

39. Modifications Partial completion of requirements
Use of different instructional materials to support the general education curriculum
Taking the PASA (Pennsylvania Alternative System of Assessment) rather than the PSSA
As we mentioned when defining modifications, such as having the student complete only some of the course requirements
The student’s IEP team may also decide it is necessary for the student to be administered an alternate state assessment. Allowing the student to take an alternative assessment rather than the PSSA.

40. Standardized State Testing in PA
PSSA – Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
PSSA with accommodations
PSSA-M – Modified Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
PASA – Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment
(found on the PDE website)
Per legal requirements, students in PA are required to participate in all general State and district wide assessment programs.
It is important to be aware of what accommodations are permitted to be used on the PSSA. You want to support the student to gain access to the material, so if you are teaching an accommodation, you need to make sure it is one they can use!

41. Modifications
Student learns 3 vocabulary words while other students learn 10 vocabulary words.
Alternate book of same story at different reading level
Student learns long-division with one divisor while other students work with double-digit division.
Student does not have to answer the essay questions on tests.
We are helping the student access the grade level material, i.e. the plot, conflict, but at a different reading level.
This is where the classroom teacher would look at the standards for the student’s current grade level and prioritizing what you will hold the student responsible for. This was discussed at an earlier video conference and the teams needs to be deliberate when planning the goals for the student.

42. Modifications are changes
Activity
Accommodations help
the student get to the
information
Modifications are changes
to what the student
is expected to learn.
List of examples and have audience determine if each example is an accommodation or a modification

43. Accommodation or Modification?
Additional time to take a test
Peer support provided for note taking
A word bank of choices is provided to answer test questions
The teacher’s directions are recorded for the student
Using your power point handout (slides 43,44 and 45), read the 10 sentences and mark if the statement is an accommodation or modification.
Additional time to take a test : accommodation
Peer support provided for note taking : accommodation
A word bank of choices is provided to answer test questions : modification
The teacher’s directions are recorded for the student: accommodation

44. Accommodation or Modification?
Test questions are read to the student
Student is able to sit at a study carrel to complete their assignment
Student able to create an outline in place of an essay
Additional text book provided to be kept at home
Test questions are read to the student: accommodation
Student is able to sit at a study carrel to complete their assignment: accommodation
Student able to create an outline in place of an essay: modification
Additional text book provided to be kept at home: accommodation

45. Accommodation or Modification?
Student is provided an alternate book that is consistent with theme/topic
Important words on worksheet are highlighted
Student is provided an alternate book that is consistent with theme/topic: modification
Important words on worksheet are highlighted : accommodation

46. The Paraprofessional’s Role:
Modifications
The Paraprofessional’s Role:
Implement modifications as determined
by the IEP team
Coordinate implementation of modifications
with classroom teacher
Remember that you do not make the modification as the IEP team determines the student’s needs, but you certainly are a part in the implementation of the modification. You may be asked to help a child complete an alternative activity while the rest of the class is working on a similar more complex activity such as the division work mentioned above. You may help a student practice and learn high-frequency (most-often-seen-in-print) spelling words rather than the regular weekly spelling list.

47. Modifications Summary:
We have defined ‘modification’ as something that helps the student access the information by changing the expectations or the material.
We have discussed ways that modifications can be made by the IEP team and implemented by the paraprofessional.
In this section, we have established a definition for a modification. We now know that a modification is something that changes the expectation of the student in learning the curriculum. A modification changes ‘what’ a student has to know.
Review the information that has been presented so far in this presentation by reading the summary of such on the above slide. If time, ask participants if they have any questions concerning modifications or how they are implemented.

48. Accommodations Summary:
We have defined ‘accommodation’ as something that helps the student access the information but does not change the content.
We have provided types of accommodations and examples
Trainer: Review the information that has been presented so far in this presentation by reading the summary of such on the above slide. If time, ask participants if they have any questions concerning accommodations or how they are implemented.

49. Learner Outcomes: REVIEW
Participants will:
Describe how adaptations benefit students
Describe the difference between an accommodation and a modification
Identify 3 accommodations
Identify 3 modifications
Discuss the special education paraprofessional’s role in helping students access the general curriculum
Difference between accommodations…HOW
Modifications: WHAT
List 3 of each
As a paraprofessional, where do you locate the student’s accommodations/modifications? (IEP)
Can you make up your own? (NO)

50. References
Accommodations Guidelines PSSA, PSSA-M, Keystone (paper/pencil). (2011). Pennsylvania Department of Education
Accommodations and Modifications What Parents Need to Know. (2003) Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services, Florida Department of Education.
Supplementary Aids and Services. (2011). Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education.

51. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Education
Contact Information
Lisa Brunschwyler
Kimberly Jenkins
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Tom Corbett, Governor
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Amy C. Morton, Acting Secretary
John J. Tommasini, Director
Bureau of Special Education
Patricia Hozella, Assistant Director