SPED 410 - Spring 2015

1. SPED 410
Final Project
DAVID VALTIERRA, MADIHAH SHARIF, & PHOENIX CHEN

2. Our Roles:
Special Education Recommendations
 Phoenix Chen: family member, autism, overview of school, and general
recommendations
 David Valtierra: general education teacher, visual impairment, overview of
special education, and inclusion
 Madihah Sharif: special education teacher, Emotional/Behavioral disability,
and conclusion

3. An Overview of Our High School
Demographics:
Total Enrollment: 636
Low Income: 93%
English Learners: 9%
Students with Disabilities: 23%
Homeless: 4%

4. 0%
45%
51%
1% 0%
2% 1%
Percentage of Students in Each Ethnic
Group
Asian
Black/African-
American
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian
Pacific Islander
White

5. Overview of Special Education
 Special education students deserve to have a unique, proper, and
comprehensive IEP. (Wilkinson, 2012).
 IDEA requires that students with disabilities and learning impairments be taught in
environments with students without disabilities. (LRE) (Yell, 2010).
 Special education students benefit from the Zero Reject principle from IDEA. No
student with a disability should be excluded from a public education. (Heward,
2013).
 All students with disabilities shall receive a free and appropriate public
education. (FAPE) (Heward, 2013).

6. Inclusion
 All students should have access to the general curriculum and be taught in classes that
contain general and special education students.
 Inclusionary practices include co-teaching, creating a structured classroom, and using
differentiated instruction. (Land, 2004).
 Components of successful inclusion include more friendships, more social initiations,
positive peer role models, completion of IEP goals, higher expectations, more staff
collaboration, respect for everyone, understanding and acceptance of diversity, and a
greater sense of community. (Kids Together, Inc., 2015).
 Research shows that when involved in inclusion, students with disabilities receive higher
test scores, better job opportunities, miss fewer days of school, and are less likely to act
out in class. (Raeback, 2015).
 According to IDEA data center research, students with disabilities in NY spent more time
away from peers than in any other state in 2011. (Raeback, 2015).
 The Principals and Inclusion Survey of 2000 (PIS) revealed that there is a distinct
connection between principals’ attitudes toward inclusion and choices regarding
student placement. (Vazquez, 2010).

7. Teaching Students with Disabilities:
General Recommendations
 Review previous lecture and summarize key points
 Speak directly to the students with disabilities
 Use visual aides
 Give assignment both orally and in written form
 Provide timelines for long-range assignments
 Give students opportunities to improve on their work
 Reduce or eliminate auditory and visual distractions

8. Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities
 Taped classes
 Use of interpreters or note takers
 Allow extra time to complete exams
 Use of computers in class or access to computers
for writing assignments and exams

9. Autism
PHOENIX CHEN

10. What is Autism?
Autism is a mental disorder that is
characterized, “in varying degrees, by
difficulties in social interaction, verbal and
nonverbal communication and repetitive
behaviors”

11. Academic Recommendations for
Autism
 Visual Supports
 Daily Schedule
 Classroom arrangement
 Present materials in various ways
 Teach in front of a blank background

12. Social/Behavioral
Recommendations for Autism
 Choice Boards
 Social Stories
 Keep language simple and concrete during communication
 Reword sentences when necessary
 Avoid using sarcasm and idioms

13. Emotional/Behavioral
Disorders
MADIHAH SHARIF

14. What is EBD?
 IDEA’s definition of “emotional disturbance”: condition that is accompanied by
one of several characteristics that are displayed over an extended period of time
and have negative consequences. (Turnbull, 152)
 Internalizing Behavior (depressive, withdrawing)
vs. Externalizing Behavior (aggressive, non-compliant)
 5 disorders including:
 Anxiety Disorder
 Mood Disorder
 Oppositional Defiant Disorder
 Conduct Disorder
 Schizophrenia

15. Academic Recommendations for EBD
 KidsTools Support System
 Goal contracts, planning templates
 Wrap Around Strategy
 Service Learning
 3. Modifications to assessments
-Individualized, more breaks and extended time
(Turnbull, 161-165 )

16. Social/Behavioral
Recommendations for EBD
 Positive Behavioral Support (PBS)
 3 Problem Solving Skills:
 1. Effective Communication
 2. Anger Management
 3. Taking another’s perspective
(Turnbull, 166)

17. Inclusion Recommendations for EBD
 Class -Wide Peer Tutoring (CWPT)
 Student Engagement (Turnbull, 164)

18. Visual Impairments
DAVID VALTIERRA

19. What is Visual Impairment?
 An impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a
child’s educational performance. (Odle, 2009).
 Some forms of visual impairment include low vision, functional
blindness, and total blindness. (Odle, 2009).
 There are many different warning signs for students with visual
impairments. (Odle, 2009).
 Some characteristics include restricted movement, poor academic
performance, and obstacles related to social behavior and
independence. (Odle, 2009).

20. Academic Recommendations
for VI
 Classroom environment, arrangements, and seating are important! (Malburg, 2012).
 Use printed or recorded class notes to help VI students. (Malburg, 2012).
 Collaborate with the special education teacher and paraprofessional.
 Take advantage of the many different Braille systems that are available.
 Create appropriate testing accommodations. (Malburg, 2012).
 Incorporate modern assistive technology to help VI students.
 Monitor student progress and set specific goals and expectations. (Malburg, 2012).

21. Social Recommendations for VI
 Encourage students, professionals, and families to practice proper social
skills at home and outside of school. (Torreno, 2012).
 Promote healthy group work in the classroom. (Willings).
 Assign peer mentors at the beginning of the school year. (Torreno, 2012).
 Have VI students use their listening, acting, and memory skills. (Torreno,
2012).
 Build up a student’s vocabulary to make communication easier. (Torreno,
2012).
 Have your VI student share information on their impairment (if they want
to) and any tips on basic Braille. (Willings).

22. Concluding Thoughts…
 Professional Development:
 COLLABORATION!
 The Postsecondary Education Programs Network (PEPNet) (Turnbull, 335)
 Planning Time is Key!
 1. Ask Principal to assign SPED teachers to a specific grade level/subject
 2. OR assign a common planning time for SPED teacher with one team every other
week. Alternate teams every week. (InclusiveSchools)

23. Works Cited
 Heward, W.L. (2013). Six Major Principles of IDEA. Merrill, http://www.education.com/reference/article/six-major-principles-idea/.
 Kids Together, Inc. (2015, April 20). Kids Together, Inc. [Web Log]. Retrieved from http://www.kidstogether.org/inclusion/benefitsofinclusion.htm
 Land, S. (2004). Effective Teaching Practices for Students in Inclusive Classrooms. William & Mary, http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/resources/articles/inclusion/effectiveteach/.
 Malburg, S. (2012). Looking Through Their Eyes: Teaching Suggestions for visually Impaired Students. Bright Hub Education, http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-visual-
impairments/62427-ideas-for-how-to-teach-visually-impaired- students- seeing-the-big-picture/.
 Odle, T. (2009). Visual Impairments. The Gale Group, http://www.education.com/reference/article/visual-impairments1/.
 Raeback, T. (2015, April 1). In Push Toward Inclusion, a Need for Teachers Certified in Special Education. The Sag Harbor Express, online.
http://sagharboronline.com/sagharborexpress/page-1/in-push-toward-inclusion-a-need-for-teachers-certified-in-special-education-36808.
 Torreno, S. (2012). Socialization of Blind and Visually Impaired Students. Bright Hub Education, http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed- visual-impairments/69552-teaching-
social-skills-to-students-with-visual-impairements/.
 Vazquez, M. (2010). Inclusionary Practices: Impact of Administrators'’ Beliefs on Placement Decisions. Eric Institute of Education Sciences. http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED519511.
 Wilkinson, L. (2012, May 26). Key components of Educational Programs for Autism Spectrum Disorders. [Web Blog Post] Best Practice Autism. Retrieved from
http://bestpracticeautism.blogspot.com/2012/05/key-components-of-educational-programs.html
 Willings, C. Social Interactions. Teaching Students with Visual Impairments, http://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/social-interactions.html.
 Yell, M.L. (2010). Least Restrictive Environemnt, Mainstreaming, and Inclusion. Merrill, http://www.education.com/reference/article/mainstreaming- inclusion/.
 Pictures: Pile of Books. Annabella Hagen. Retrieved from http://www.annabellahagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Pile-of- Books.jpg.
 IEP Picture. Education.WM. Retrieved from http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/images/articleimages/iep.png.
 Inclusion Picture. 1.bp.blogspot. Retrieved from http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--gxZKK20_C0/TuJh1PjI4-I/AAAAAAAAAI4/paGa- WJc2m8/s1600/school_five_students.gif.
 Communication Picture. Management Training School. Retrieved from http://www.managementtrainingschool.com/wp- content/uploads/2010/10/Communication.jpg.
 Eye Picture. Cdn.zmescience. Retrieved from http://cdn.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/visual-impairments.jpg.
 Braille Picture. Six.Somerset.Gov. Retrieved from http://www.six.somerset.gov.uk/eis/behaviour_images/233200911280Vision7.jpg.

24.  Office of student disability services. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://web.jhu.edu/disabilities/faculty/guidelines.html
 22 tips for teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/8761-22-tips-for-teaching-students-with-
autism-spectrum-disorders
 Setting up your classroom for a student with autism. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nationalautismresources.com/classroom-setup-for-autistic-student.html
 Using visual supports to help your student with autism. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nationalautismresources.com/visual-supports-for-autism-classroom.html
 What is Autism? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
 Finding Time for Collaboration and Using it Well (n.d) Retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/six-major-principles-idea/.