Great Ideas Convention 2015 Thought Leader What Makes Special Education Special: Individualized Education Without the STAAR-M Becky Moschgat, MA, Ed, ECE Kathleen Bliss, MA Ed. ECE Heather Moore MA SPED C.A.R.E., Private Consultants
What's So Special About Special Education: Life After The STAAR-M I. Introduction Kathleen Bliss, MA Ed. ECE Becky Moschgat, MA Ed. ECE Heather Moore, MA SpEd A. Foundation B. Law C. Continuum of Special Education Services II. Connection Between General Education and Special Education Teachers A. General Education Teachers Need to be Curriculum Experts B. Special Education Teachers Need to be Experts In the Areas of Interventions and Supports to the Curriculum C. Effective Student-Focused Collaboration III. Establishing the Difference Between Accommodations and Modifications of Curriculum According to State Standards A. Understanding the Accommodation/Modification Pathway of Learning B. How the Hierarchy of Accommodations/Modifications Affect the General Curriculum IV: How Does This All Relate to Life After The STAAR-M? A. One Assessment cannot drive all instruction and programming B. Accommodations need to be utilized in the areas of instruction, grading, and assessment in order to be effective C. Lack of a modified State test does not preclude classroom-level modifications V. Conclusion Contact Information for Educational Trainings: C.A.R.E. www.educatorscare.com Kathleen Bliss, MA Ed. ECE C.A.R.E Consultant kathleenbliss@sbcglobal.net Becky Moschgat, MA Ed. ECE C.A.R.E. Consultant bjmoschgat@aol.com Heather Moore, MA SpEd C.A.R.E. Consultant hmoores4@aol.com
The Law What We Know The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments (IDEA) (P.L. 105-17) explicitly emphasize the importance of providing access to the general education curriculum, so that students with disabilities can meet the educational standards that apply to all children. Specifically to insure: Access to general education curriculum Regular education classroom Maximum extent possible Special Education is not a place Support and services: what and where One curriculum general education curriculum Special Education s Perspective IDEA s LRE Provision To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. Section 612 (a)(5) (A) (IDEA 04) Supplementary Aids and Services are. aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education- related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with non- disabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with [LRE]. Section 602 (33) (IDEA 04) Access to the General Education Curriculum To ensure access of the child to the general education curriculum, so that he or she can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children. Section 300.39 (b) (3) (ii) (IDEA 04) Bliss, Moore, Moschgat 2015
Providing a Continuum of Services The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) requires states to establish procedures to ensure, "that to the maximum extent appropriate," students with disabilities are educated with children who are not disabled. Programs serving children with learning disabilities as well as those with speech/language and other related services requirements need to be available in all schools. These services will range from simple external supports such as monitoring to specialized supports provided outside of the general education classroom or off campus. The implication of the law suggests that services should be delivered first, if appropriate, in the individual students least restrictive environment (LRE), with their typically developing peers before considering a more restrictive setting such as a resource or special education classroom. Providing a continuum of service is contingent on effective collaboration between general education and special education staff. This starts with collaborative discussions between curriculum directors, special education directors and directors of general education instruction. General education teachers bring their expertise of the standards, design and delivery of the general education curriculum to the team. Special education teachers bring a wide variety of research-based strategies and interventions that facilitate student engagement and learning. Combining the general education teachers expertise of curriculum as designed, and the special education teachers expertise with research-based strategies and interventions of specially designed curriculum, leads to effective collaboration. Bliss, Moore, Moschgat 2015
Accommoda(on/Modifica(on!!Pathway!of!Learning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Same!!!!!!!!!!Des(na(on! Grade Level Curriculum And Standards Accommoda(on!! Road!!!Same!!!!!!!!!!!! Des(na(on! Grade&Level& Curriculum/& Standards& Different!! Des(na(on! Other& Standards& Curriculum and/ or Standards Modifica(on!! Road! Standards based curriculum typically provides a variety of levels of instruction that are designed to meet the needs of a diverse population of learners. When data indicates the student continues to struggle with the curriculum, as designed, accommodations can be implemented. When considering interventions, many educators use the terms accommodations and modifications interchangeably when, in fact, they are distinctively different terms. In order to effectively program for students, educators need to understand the difference between providing accommodations and/or modifications to the curriculum. Accommodations are supports and services that help students demonstrate their learning. They provide instructional practices, procedures, and tools designed to lessen the effect of the student's disability by allowing equitable access to grade-level curriculum. Collaboration between general education and special education teachers is the cornerstone to providing appropriate classroom accommodations. As depicted in the Accommodations/Modifications Pathway to Learning visual above, students may require differentiated instruction allowing for a different delivery and response mode to their learning. Their path toward the goal may vary, but the end goal is the same as their grade-level peers, specifically grade-level standards. Modifications are specially designed to provide the student opportunities to acquire and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of enrolled grade-level standards by reducing and or simplifying the complexity of the concepts and `standards. The modified learning should be vertically aligned to the standard even though the learning is not at grade-level. Modifications change the scope of the curriculum. If accommodations are used effectively and completely, within the framework of the grade-level curriculum, a very small percentage of students will need to travel the pathway of modifications leading to alternative goals and standards. Bliss, Moore, Moschgat 2015
How The Hierarchy of Accommodations/Modifications Affect The General Curriculum ACCOMMODATIONS Layer 0 No changes All students are assigned the same assignments. Standards and grading remain the same for everyone. Layer 1 Minimal changes All students are assigned basically the same assignments, except some receive additional environmental supports/tools for self-regulation, organization, or reinforcement. (Some accommodations) Standards, and grading/assessments remain the same for everyone. Environmental tools/supports embedded into classroom structure. Layer 2 Significant Changes Layer 3 Complex Changes All students are assigned basically the same assignments, except some receive a different delivery style or lesson design to accommodate their disability. (Significant accommodations) All students are delivered the same basic content. There are changes in how it is learned, assessed, and/or graded. (Complex accommodations) Standards and grading/assessments remain the same for everyone. Instruction may be differentiated for individual learners. Standards remain same. Instruction and grading/assessments may be differentiated for individual learners. MODIFICATIONS Layer 4 Some Changes to Curricular Standards Layer 5 Significant Changes to Curricular Standards Layer 6 Complex Changes to Curricular Standards Some students are assigned reduced or similar assignments that are more appropriate to their skill level. (Some modifications) Students are assigned a smaller part of the general education curriculum. (Significant modifications) Students are assigned alternative activities relating to the general education curriculum. (Complex modifications) Instruction, assessments, and grading are outside of standards but vertically aligned. Instruction, assessments, and grading are outside of standards, but vertically aligned. Instruction, assessments, and grading are based on individual goals and class participation. Adapted by Bliss, Moore, Moschgat (2015) from STatewide Autism Resources & Training Center (START, 2010), Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Life After the STAAR-M With the STARR-M is no longer an assessment option for students with disabilities, confusion about programming and accountability prevails. It is important for administrators to ensure the fidelity of their programs by emphasizing effective daily instruction as it relates to the state standards rather than an emphasis on the state assessment alone. The challenge is to remain student focused, while maintaining the rigor of both general and special education instruction. If a full continuum of services is provided along with appropriate and effective accommodations, the majority of students will be assessed appropriately through the current framework of the STAAR With Accommodations and STAAR Accommodated. The law ensures access to the general education curriculum, so the learner can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children. This implies that curriculum should be accommodated and/or modified based on student need and disability, not teacher preference, ease of programming or the availability of a modified assessment. The STAAR-M is gone. May it rest in peace. The good news, we can, and must, still accommodate and modify curriculum and assessments. We must train our teachers to be skilled in the effective use of accommodations and modifications for student programming. STARR-M, we will miss you. Rest in peace. Challenging Your Thinking Throughout our presentation, our goal has been to challenge your thinking on the special education services provided in your district. We have covered the law, the need for effective collaboration between general education and special education staff, accommodations and modifications to curriculum, and moving forward from the STARR-M. It has been our pleasure to lead you through this Thought Session. Bliss, Moore, Moschgat 2015