SPED 410 - Spring 2015

1. Improvement of Practices
Ryuta Doi - Special Education Teacher
Christopher Neal- General Education Teacher
and TVI and OM

2. Our Middle School
• Declining academic scores- 23% below state average
• Instructional Spending- Above state average by $1402 per
student
• Declining student attendance
• Above average class sizes- 27 per class on average
• 99% of students coming from low income households
• 92% of our students are Hispanic/ Latino
• 12% students with disabilities
• Chronic Truancy Rate: 29%

3. Special Education
✓ Provides opportunities for students with disabilities to
succeed in school and everyday life
✓ Evaluation of students and assessment of needs
✓ Offers inclusion in the school community
✓ Related services and providers
✓ Instruction in a Least Restrictive Environment- Opportunity for
instruction among non- disabled student to the greatest extent possible
✓Zero Reject Principle-ALL students must be taught!!
It’s the Law

4. Special Education is about assisting students
with disabilities
Special Education is about challenging students
with disabilities
Special Education is about showing students
with disabilities that they are as much a part of
school and society as their peers

5. Inclusion
Who - General ed. Special ed. Teachers
What - Individualized success of students
Where - General ed. classroom
Why - Increase the success of diverse students

6. General Recommendations
Encourage Parental Involvement
Volunteering
Class Helpers
Event Organizers
*Present opportunities for students to see their parents participating in
their school*
Collaboration
With Related Services, Teachers, and PARENTS
Strategize best ways for instruction
Co-Teaching opportunties

7. General Recommendations continued…
Professional Development
Opportunities for teachers to better their craft
Additional training in the instruction of students with disabilities
Assistive Technology and Materials
Continued investment in technology
Continued encouragement to teachers and students to use technology
Use of modified materials according to disability

8. Behavior and Emotional Disorders
• Includes but not limited to students with:
- Bipolar Disorder, Eating Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Conduct Disorders
• Accompanied by one or more characteristics:
1. Unexplained inability to learn 2. Inability to maintain relationships
3. Inappropriate behaviors 4. Depression 5. Fears (school and personal)
• Effects educational performance
• Possible learning disabilities
• Possible social withdrawal

9. Academic Recommendations
✓ Systematic instructional approach by teacher
✓ Explicit instructional practices
✓ Self Regulated Strategy Development – 6 steps
1. Develop background knowledge
2. Discuss
3. Model
4. Memorize
5. Support
6. Independent practice
*SRSD is a scientifically proven model for teaching students
academic strategies*

10. Addressing Behavior
✧ Goal Setting- Keeps students on task. Gives clear vision of
what to strive for.
✧ Self Talk- Way of students to inwardly talk through task.
✧ Differential Reinforcement- Support one form of behavior
and not another. Using positive reinforcement to increase
appropriate behavior and decreasing or eliminating
inappropriate behavior.

11. Intellectual Disability
- Mental Functioning
- Communication
- Learning takes longer
- Genetic condition, problems during
pregnancy or birth, health
- Adaptive functioning

12. IEP’s and Special Education
What is an Individualized Education Plan?
General education classroom
Accommodations
Adaptive skills

13. Role as Special ed Teacher
- Find the good
- Talk to general ed teachers
- Break longer, small steps, demonstrate,
practice, help
- Immediate feedback
- Team work

14. Students with Visual Impairments
• Visual impairment ranges from low vision to partially
blind/blind
• Effects academic performance even with modifications for
vision correction.
• Impacts successful completion of tasks
• Students could have less motivation to explore or pursue
their environment
• Cognitive limitations

15. Academic Recommendations
General Ed teachers seek and use support of OM specialist and
Teacher of Visual Impairment (TVI)
Classroom
• Room Orientation
• Accessibility
• Positioning student with others
• Safety
Instruction
• Expanded Core Curriculum
• Knowledge and skills need by students with VI
• Differentiated Instruction
• Explicit verbal instructions and descriptions
• Hand over hand demonstrations
• Modified materials
• Larger print text, lecture notes, enlarged pictures, Use of assistive technology

16. Socialization
✧Encourage participation
✧Involve in group work
✧Pursue same interests of peer without VI
✧Promote independence
✧Teach social skills

17. Conclusion
The best for every student
Inclusion
Team work

18. References
NICHCY. Parent Center Hub. IDEAs that Work. January 2011. Web. April 28, 2015 from
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/wp-content/uploads/repo_items/fs8.pdf
The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements. (2008). SRSD: Using learning strategies to enhance student learning.
Retrieved on April 28th, 2015 from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/srs/
The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements. (2005). Instructional accommodations: Making the learning
environment accessible to students with visual disabilities. Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/v02-successsight/
Project Ideal, “Visual Impairments”, Project Ideal, April 28, 2015, http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/visual-
impairments/
American Foundation for the Blind, “Expanded Core Curriculum”, American Foundation for the Blind, April 28, 2015,
http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/professional-development/teachers/expanded-core-curriculum/the-
expanded-core-curriculum/12345
Stetson, Frances. Characteristics of Inclusive Schools. Stetson & Associates, Inc., 2011. Web. April 28, 2015
https://uic.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-4058870-dt-content-rid-
47872562_2/courses/2015.spring.sped.410.23968/Characteristics-of-Inclusive-Schools-Knowing-Doing-Gap.pdf