Innovations in Rural Sites of LearningCommunity partnerships, technology, and functional curriculum: A look at the combined impact on rural secondary students with special needs
Secondary special needs students with moderate to profound disabilitiesThe combination of differentiated curricula and a blended learning instructional approachThe development of community partnerships that provide customized opportunities for students to strengthen skills and abilities necessary for life outside of school
What’s so unique?
Blended Learning Approach
Face to face small group instructionInteractive instruction using technologyGuided in-school simulationsReal-life experiences in the community
Context and Participants
Rural high school of 150 students with 14% identified as special needsFive moderate to profound intellectually disabled students from 10th and 11th gradesTwo community partners
Differentiated Functional Curricula
Social skills and mannersPersonal care and attireNumeracy (calendar, date formats and codes)Literacy (following lists, maps, and instructions)Lifeskills (food preparation, pouring and serving, table setting, dishwashing, coffee maker and kettle use, microwave use, recycling, elevator use)
Grocery store
Food serving etiquette
Evaluating success
Performance rubricsCommunity partner, parent, and teacher surveyStudent video interviewsStudent questionnaire
Tell me what you think
Future plans
Sustain current partnershipsAdd new community partnershipsExpand functional differentiated lifeskills curricula with embedded technology
Thank you!
For more information on SD51’s grant project and downloadable resources, please visit:
http://www.ruralteachers.com Growing innovations link, scroll to School
District 51, Community Partnership project
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