1. SPECIAL FACTORS PIKES PEAK BOCES LEADERSHIP DECEMBER 2015

2. WELCOME Activity: Find a partner & Read CDE Document Share: Something Reinforced & Something New Summary of Special Factors

3. Limited English Proficiency Don’t ignore student language needs because parents opt out of ELL programs Problem solve ways to deliver dual services to students Consider language related needs in IEP’s Encourage teachers to consult special education staff

4. Health Care Plan Identify student needs to be as specific as possible when identifying accommodations Notify teachers and relevant staff about plan provisions Be open to modifying plan when necessary Document students receipt of accommodations

5. Special Transportation Describe: extent of services, personnel needed to assist, LRE considerations Includes travel to and from school as well as between schools Includes specialized equipment; buses, ramps, lifts Can include additional adult assistance due to medical or safety needs beyond what driver can accommodate

6. Special Factors: Unique Communication Needs Purpose: Consider the special or individual communication needs of the student Brief summary Captures special situations which impact students ability to communicate May point to another Special Factor such as a Behavior Intervention Plan or Communication Plan

7. Special Factors: Unique Communication Needs Mark NO: If there are no communication needs identified in Present Levels & Student Needs & Impact of Disability Mark Yes: If communication needs prevent the student from accessing general education

8. Special Factors: Unique Communication Needs Examples: Mark’s emotional regulation affects his ability to communicate appropriately. See BIP Mary has a hearing impairment, including deafness and uses sign language, see communication plan for further details Laura is nonverbal & uses low tech picture symbols to communicate Lisa has muscular dystrophy and speech intelligibility decreases when she is fatigued

9. Special Factor: Assistive Technology

10. Assistive Technology: Improving student access to the curriculum & the classroom Julie Drago, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing & AT Pikes Peak BOCES Exceptional Student Services Leadership Team

12. According to the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, AT is any: Item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is….. Used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. For many children with disabilities, assistive technology is the lifeline that provides them access to and control over their environment including the home, school and community.

13. AT: Providing the Right Tools Every child can learn. But learning is much easier when you have the right tools. Ultimately, AT helps to “level the playing field” so that students with disabilities can do things that would be extremely difficult or potentially impossible for them to do otherwise. The key element of any successful AT tool is that it is the right match for the needs of the person using it.

15. AT Equipment can range from: Low-Tech adaptive devices, such as pencil grips and slant boards TO High-Tech devices such as speech generating communication devices or specialized computers.

16. For every student with an IEP, AT must be considered Colorado supports the education of all children with disabilities in settings with their nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. As part of the special education process, AT must be considered for all children with disabilities. The legal definition of assistive technology, as defined in IDEA 2004, includes both devices & services

17. AT Services any service that directly assists a student with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device, including: Evaluation Purchase or lease Select, design, fit Coordination of programming Training needed to use an AT device

18. AT is Most commonly used for students with: Communication disorders (augmentative alternative communication devices, AAC) Visual impairments (magnifier, braille, long cane) Hearing loss (FM system) Learning/cognitive impairments (software speech to text) Positioning /mobility impairments (foot rests, wheelchair) Ergonomic issues (positioning, access) Impairments in activities of daily living (adapted eating or hygiene devices) Impairments in recreation and leisure (adapted sports or art equipment) Impairments in environmental control (extended handles to turn on/off lights, automatic door openers)

19. Determining if AT is appropriate in the IEP Although AT needs to be a consideration for every student with a disability, an AT device or service is only part of the IEP if it is something above and beyond what all students have access to in the classroom. The critical question for the IEP Team is this, “ Is assistive technology necessary to increase access to the home, school & community?” The IEP team determines if AT is needed through the development of the IEP The IEP team considers what barriers are limiting access to the environment &/or educational curriculum. The IEP team considers what specific tasks need to be accomplished that an AT device or service will support If AT is determined a necessary part of a students IEP, it is evaluated & monitored in an ongoing rather than one time process Team documents findings in the IEP

20. Documenting AT in the IEP Present Levels: describe the AT being utilized Goals: Does any goal require AT to accomplish? If so, include it Accommodations/Modifications: list all AT being utilized Special Factors: to check or not to check……

21. Checking the AT Special Factor Box: If the student’s needs for assistive technology go beyond what all students within the classroom have access to & if the IEP team has determined AT is necessary to access the general education environment &/or curriculum, then the AT box within Special Factors should be checked.

22. If the AT Box is checked…… Include a simple summary statement to address: The Environment AT will be used in The Task AT will support The Barrier(s) currently identified to accomplishing the task The Specific AT being utilized The Method used to monitor progress When & How Outcome/Results will be shared through the IEP progress notes

23. AT Resources & Guidance The Colorado School for the Deaf & Blind has a technology loan bank for students with visual & hearing impairments www.csdb.org” www.csdb.org Additional guidance can be found at the Colorado Department of Education: http://www.cde.state.co.us/sites/default/files/documents/cdesp ed/download/pdf/guidelines_coloradoassistivetechnology.pdf

24. Looking Ahead……. For the 15/16 school year the PPBOCES AT contact is Julie Drago Jdrago@ppboces.orgJdrago@ppboces.org We will be adding “tech talk” to second semester corridor trainings to share updates & ideas from the world of AT If an AT evaluation is requested by a parent, PPBOCES will contract to complete If an AT evaluation is requested by a building based team, PPBOCES will complete For the 16/17 school year an AT Team will be formed & will create & implement a process for considering the AT needs of students