1. Guiding Principles for Designing Instruction
Self-determination: honor students’ preferences
Family- & culture-centered planning
Educational accountability: all students can learn & deserve high quality instruction
Personalized curriculum: draw from both adaptations of academic curriculum & life skills the students need for current & future environments
Inclusion: enhance participation in inclusive settings
Functional & age-appropriate skills: daily living and appropriate to students chronological age
Choice: encourage choice-making
Research as a resource for practice: data-based intervention research provides resource for what & how to teach

2. Team Process Collaboration by a team of professionals is essential
Must take into consideration the characteristics of the individual:
strengths & needs
Consider the environment in which student functions and will function in the near future
Include objectives for the student that are tied to the general curriculum

3. Monthly/ Quarterly

4. Individual Student Planning
Multi-disciplinary Team approach
“One Voice”
Involving GE, SPED, other services
Review data, schedule and outline actions to better support student
1 time per/ mon. until establish success
No longer than 45 minutes
Agenda with action plan

5. Purpose of Assessment Capacity Building vs Deficit Finding
Capacity Building (O’Brien & Mount, 1991)
Focus on strengths and preferences
Avoid use of standardized assessments that are not appropriate to a student because of physical or sensory impairments or cultural differences
Use of observations & interviews

6. Deficit-finding Perspective
“Rebecca Ferguson has an IQ of 21 and a mental age of 1 year, 18 mos. Her scores on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were below basal levels. She has Down’s syndrome and severe mental retardation. R cannot use the toilet or eat independently and will require lifelong assistance for personal care. She is nonverbal except for some random vocalizations. R sometimes engages in aggressive behavior including spitting, and slapping

7. Capacity-building perspective
“Rebecca is a 16-year old girl with brown eyes and black hair who has been medically classified with Down’s syndrome. Her scores below basal levels on the Vineland and the Weschler Intelligence Scale support her ongoing eligibility for special education services. R is highly social and greets others using eye contact, smiles, a wave, and an occasional hug. She makes her needs known by moving to an area or obtaining materials (e.g, her bathing suit to go swimming). She can sign “eat” to request food. She has strong preferences is assertive….