Dealing with Differences: Strategies That Work!

Elementary

FDLRS-SouthFlorida Diagnostic Learning and Resource System-South

• Child Find• Parent Services• Human Resources

Development• Loan Library (online)

• Assistive Technology

Logistics

•Cell phones (on silent or vibrate)•If you need to make a call, please excuse yourself and go outside

•Bathrooms are located•Break will be around•Lunch will be around

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Accommodations Manuals (Available on Accommodations Wikispace)

Objectives/Learning goals• Participants will :

• Know how to differentiate between an accommodation and modification.

• Identify individual student needs.

• Identify appropriate accommodations when planning lessons, implementing and monitoring accommodations.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations.

...so that the level of success in the general education curriculum is constantly increasing for each individual learner.

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Agenda• Activity (Face of the Student)

• Law/Access

• UDL/DI

• Modifications

• Accommodations• Presentation• Responding• Setting• Scheduling

• State and District Testing

• Computer Based Testing

• Activity: Putting into practice

• Integrating Accommodations• Identifying• Planning• Implementing• Monitoring

• Learner Characteristics

• List 3 characteristics of a student whose special needs had to be considered when planning instruction and assessment.

• Please— do not use “labels.”

Face of a StudentLearner Characteristics/

Effects of Disability

1.2.3.

• In Florida, all students with disabilities have the opportunity to work toward grade-level academic standards.

• Students with disabilities may use accommodations during instruction and assessment.

• Accommodations meet the individual student needs and ensure equal ACCESS to the academic content standards

Access…..It’s the Law!

• Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA)

• Individual Education Plan (IEP)• Section 504

Access

• General Ed. /ESE Class

• Students who have been evaluated and have a current IEP

• Students who have Section 504 Plan

Access may require

•Universal Design Learning (UDL)•Differentiated Instruction (DI)•Accommodations and interventions/supports •Modifications to curriculum requirements

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Florida’s Multi-tiered System of Supports MTSS is the systematic use of assessment data, through the problem-solving process, across districts and schools, to

effectively allocate resources for providing high-quality instruction and intervention aligned to student needs.

Differentiated instruction (DI)

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Accommodations

Both a philosophy and a way of teaching that respects and responds

to the different learning needs of students and expects all students to

experience success as learners.

An educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, that

guides the development of flexible curricula that meets the needs of all

learners from the start.

Changes to instruction or the learning environment

that enable students to access content standards and demonstrate performance. They are used with students receiving special services

through an IEP or 504 Plan.

• DI, UDL, Accommodations Support All Tiers of MTSS• High Expectations for All Learners

• Access to Academic Standards for All Learners• Increased Student Achievement for All Learners

Access may require

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Differentiated Instruction

Developing Designing Delivering instruction and instructional material that makes learning more accessible to ALL students

http://www.cast.org/library/video/udl_at_a_glance

What is Universal Design?

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What Are Modifications?

Changes to what students are expected to learn and demonstrate

•Modified Curriculum•Access Points•Alternate Assessment•Special Diploma ***

What Are Accommodations?

• Change how students are instructed and assessed• Expectations for student achievement do not have

to change• Involve varied strategies and supports• Help students to work around any limitations that

result from their disability• Assure opportunity to access the general

curriculum

Progress towardGrade-Level standards/Benchmarks

• Most students with disabilities are working toward • Achievement of grade-level benchmarks• A standard diploma***

• Students may be at different points along the learning path

• www.CPALMS.org

When Considering Accommodations...

Gain input from:

• Parents

• ESE staff

• General education teachers

• Career and technical education teachers

• The student!• Consider the needs of each student with disabilities on

an individual basis.

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•Given a grade level passage in digital/audio format, Emma will answer 10 inferential questions by applying comprehension strategies such as author’s purpose, cause-effect relationships and analyzing text structure scoring 7 out of 10 questions over 5 consecutive trials.

Example of IEP Goal using Accommodations.

Decision-Making Guidelines

• Accommodations• Must be necessary

• Should facilitate accurate demonstration of knowledge and skills

• Must not provide an unfair advantage or compromise test validity

• Should be the same, or nearly the same, for instruction and assessment situations

Accommodations may be provided in four general areas

•Presentation•Response•Setting•Scheduling

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Accommodations

Presentation Accommodations

• Make it possible for the student to access information for instruction and assessment

• Present content in forms the student can understand

• Students with disabilities may need• Presentation supports• Specialized presentation formats

Presentation Supports

• Difficulty focusing attention on written text•Positioning tools (tilt-top desk, book stand)•Ruler or guide to isolate line of text•Masking•One item per page or spacing•Segment folder•Highlighting

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Presentation Supports

• Difficulty decoding or comprehending written words•Digital text with electronic supports•Oral Delivery •Highlighting or color coding•Use of manipulatives •Preview of vocabulary or key points

Presentation Supports• Difficulty understanding and following oral directions

• Directions repeated, summarized, clarified and written on board/poster

• Visual cues

• Difficulty understanding and remembering information presented in lectures or discussions• Explicit instruction/cues to identify important

information• Note-taking assistance

Specialized Presentation Formats

• Unable to understand written or spoken language due to a hearing loss•Sign language presentation•Closed-captioned videos•Text scripts

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Specialized Presentation Formats

• Unable to read standard print due to a visual impairment•Large print materials•Braille materials

•Contracted Braille•Uncontracted Braille

•Real objects to represent printed images

Specialized Presentation Formats

• Unable to recognize or decode printed words due to a reading disability• Text read aloud by a person• Recorded books • Screen reader software to translate text to speech

Accessible Instructional Materials(AIM)

• Instructional materials and print instructional materials that have been formatted or adapted to meet individual needs of students with disabilities –Matrix Handbook 2012

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• Braille• Large print• Digital text

• Audio• Images• Manipulatives

• Graphic-enhanced text

http://aim.cast.org/learn/accessiblemedia/allaboutaim

Response Accommodations

• Allow students to use different ways to complete assignments and assessments and demonstrate their knowledge and skills

• Students with disabilities may need• Response supports• Alternate response modes

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Response Supports

• Difficulty with motor aspects of writing• Adapted writing tools, word processors• Writing guides for letter formation and spacing

• Difficulty planning, organizing, and drafting writing• Graphic organizers and outlining techniques• Quick reference guides

Response Supports

• Difficulty with oral expression• Increased wait time• Visuals, such as drawings, pictures, or graphics

• Difficulty with mathematical concepts and procedures• Manipulatives• Planning guides/reference folders• Gridded paper• Abacus (VI only)

Alternate Response Modes

• Unable to express thoughts orally• Sign language• Augmentative and alternative communication• Text-to-speech

• Unable to use handwriting• Word processor/computer/tablet • Voice recorders or speech recognition software• Scribe or recorder

Temporary Task Adaptations

• Temporary learning supports that decrease difficulty of task• Hints to correct answers (page numbers)• Reducing number of options for multiple-choice

questions• Providing a word bank for fill-in-the-blank items

• Gradually eliminated

Setting Accommodations• Difficulty due to mobility or sensory impairments

Accessible workstations or areas in classroomAllow for movementOne to One TestingSpecial equipment and adaptive furniture

• Difficulty controlling own behavior• Clear rules and procedures• Individual or small group setting• Behavior plan (FAB/BIP)• Study carrel for independent work• Close proximity when given directions or lessons

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Setting Accommodations

• Difficulty organizing, storing, and using materials to complete assignments• Compartmentalized storage containers• Checklists of materials for each class or subject• Binders with color-coded dividers or folders• An extra set of materials or textbooks for home

Scheduling Accommodations

• Difficulty completing work on time• Extended time (Assignments, Processing, and Responding)• Frequent breaks• Reduce assignment/shorten for mastery• Preferred time• Lesson broken into smaller segments

• Difficulty managing time• Electronic devices with alarms or cues• Assignment checklists and timelines

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Lunch TimePlease be back at :

Accommodation or Modification? You Decide

1. A parent volunteer reads the questions for a science assignment aloud to a student.

2. While the class learns multiplication facts, the student learns addition facts.

3. Before the lecture, the student is given a study guide that contains the key concepts and vocabulary.

Accommodation or Modification: You Decide

4. Throughout the year, the student is expected to learn only 5 of the 20 weekly spelling words required for the class.

5. The student uses voice recognition software on a computer to complete written work.

State and District Assessments

• NGSSS Benchmarks• Florida Standards

• Access Points

FSAEOC

FloridaAlternate

Assessment

Accommodations on State and District Assessments

• Allowable test accommodations• Change the way students read or respond to test

items• Do not change what the test measures

• Presentation, Response, Setting, Scheduling, and Assistive Devices

Accommodations on State and District Assessments

• Assessment accommodations •Should be used on a regular basis in the classroom

•Must be specified on the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan

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FSA Accommodations

• Some accommodations are not allowed for the FSA or other standardized tests.

• They may be used in the classroom with written parent permission.

FSAClassroom

Learner Characteristics Measurable Annual GoalAccommodation(s)

Progress Monitoring     

Putting into Practice

Computer-Based Tests

• Computer-Based Tests (CBT)• The following spring 2015 CBT assessments will be

administered on the AIR TDS platform. • o FSA English Language Arts – Writing

Component (Grades 5–11)• o FSA ELA Reading, Language, & Listening

(Grades 5–11)• o FSA Mathematics (Grades 5–8)

http://www.fsassessments.org/training-tests

Computer-Based TestsGuide to Accommodations for computer-based

• Accommodations• CBT accommodated forms

• Color contrast• Zoom• Screen reader• Large print• Paper-based test (standard print, large print, Braille)

• Flexible setting,

• Flexible scheduling• Extended time• CBT must be completed within one school day.

Consider the Student’s Prior Experience• Has the student had the opportunity to answer test questions on a

computer?

• Does the student know how to use a mouse and keyboard, keyboard commands, or alternative input device? Can the student use the scroll bar?

• Does the student know how to use embedded tools for highlighting, erasing, or flagging answers for review?

• Has the student had experience using a calculator or reference sheet on the computer?

Read-aloud Accommodations• FSA ELA Writing Component: Students with an oral presentation on their

IEPs or Section 504 plans may have the directions and prompt read aloud to them. The Writing Component of the ELA test requires that students to read a variety of texts and respond to what they have read. Because this portion of the test assesses reading skills as well as writing skills, the passage may NOT be read aloud to students.

• FSA ELA Reading: Students with an oral presentation accommodation on their IEPs or Section 504 plans may have the directions, test questions, and answer choices read aloud to them. The reading passage may NOT be read aloud to students.

Read-aloud Accommodations

• FSA Mathematics- All mathematics directions, test questions and answer choices may be read aloud to students with this accommodation (this policy has not changed).

• For CBT tests, text-to-speech features will be available on the appropriate read aloud portions for students who are assigned this accommodation in the system.

• Any portion of test that may be read aloud to students may also be signed for students with this accommodation

Calculators• Online Calculators

• FSA Grades 7-8 Mathematics all FSA EOC Mathematics will have a scientific calculator provided in the test delivery system for certain sessions.

• The scientific calculator is available for Sessions 2 and 3 of the Grades 7-8 test and for Session 2 of EOCs.

• Handheld scientific calculators maybe provided to ALL students during the calculator-allowed session(s).• FDOE will NOT provide a list of approved handheld calculators for FSA tests. We will

provide a list of allowable and not-allowable functionalities for the scientific calculator.• The scientific calculator will appear in the FSA EOC training tests when they are updated

and released this month (the calculator in the currently posted EOC training tests has a graphing tool and a regression tool that will no longer be available after the update).

Headphones/Ear-buds

• Grades 5-11 students need headphones or ear-buds for all CBT ELA Reading tests.

• There are no specifications for headphones or ear-buds, but please check to ensure that they work with your computers or devices prior to the day of the test.

• Headphones/ear-buds are not provided by the department.

• Students may use their own headphones or ear-buds.

• A sound test is built in to the beginning of the assessments and students are asked to verify that headphones and ear-buds are working.

Waiver of FCAT/FSA and EOC• The IEP team may recommend

• Students must take the tests

• Grade 10 FCAT/FSA at least twice with accommodations, if needed

• EOC once with accommodations, if needed

• Must have been provided instruction to demonstrate proficiency of core knowledge and skills

• Other graduation requirements met

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Integrating Accommodations

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Accommodations Integration Process

1: Identify Accommodations

• Check the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan for required accommodations.

• Check additional sources for information.

• Student’s need/deficit

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IEP process for Accommodations

IEP At-A-Glance

Section 504 Accommodation Plan

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2: Plan for Implementation

• Plan accommodations for classroom instruction and assessment activities.

• Address logistics • What? • When? • Who? • How?

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Logistical Considerations

• What steps must be taken to ensure the accommodations will be available?

• When should these steps be taken?

• Who is responsible for each step?

• How will the accommodations be implemented in the setting(s)?

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3: Implement and Monitor

• Teach the student how to use the accommodation.

• Provide the accommodation when needed.

• Prompt the student to use it.

• Keep brief, ongoing records to monitor its use.

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Monitoring accommodations

• Recording when the accommodation is used validates the effectiveness .

• Create a legend of commonly used accommodations strategies Accommodations

T.A. Teacher assisted

R.D. Re-directed

T.R. Teacher Read

P.R. Peer Read

Start Time/End Time Monitors Extended Time

4: Evaluate the Effectiveness

• Did the student use the accommodation regularly? Did you prompt the student or did the student initiate on their own?

• Was the student able to participate fully in the activities with the accommodation?

• Was the student able to master the objectives of the lessons or course with the accommodation?

• Did the accommodation help the student feel a part of the class?

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Fading Accommodations

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Collaboration is a must.

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“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working

together is success”Henry Ford

Stay Informed

• Florida Department of Education• http://www.fldoe.org

• BEESS Resource and Information Center• http://www.fldoe.org/ese/clerhome.asp

• Teaching Resources for Florida ESE• http://www.cpt.fsu.edu/ese

• Miami Dade County Public Schools–http://ese.dadeschools.net

Additional Resources• Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System

(FDLRS) Associate Centers

• Florida Inclusion Network (FIN)

• Technology & Learning Connections for Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning Team at University of South Florida (USF)

• Pinterest

• Accommodations wikispace(s)

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Workshop Wind-Up• Questions?• Follow-up Activity• FDLRS Data base • Workshop Evaluation• Thank you for participating!

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Katherine Jimenezkjimenez@dadeschools.net

(305)274-3501