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A new academic year is here and with it new opportunities to reflect on the triumphs and challenges with distance learning. What worked well? What didn't? Who thrived and who struggled? At the same time, we are trying, as best we can, to plan for an uncertain school year. How do we provide inclusive high-quality instruction to all?

As we transition back into a new school year, now is the time to stop and think about the students and families who experienced the most barriers in distance learning. In this article, we will focus on one such group, learners with deafblindness. How can we best approach teaching students with deafblindness and supporting their parents? Answering this question now helps us to proactively design inclusive instruction for learners with a variety of high-intensity support needs. Even if you don't think you will be teaching a student with deafblindness, please read on. There is a lot to learn from the experiences of these students and their parents. You might just find that designing instruction for learners with deafblindness opens your eyes to more equitable ways of providing distance learning.

Want to learn more about learners with deafblindness? Check out the National Center for Deafblindness to learn more about deafblindness.

What have we learned from parents of children with deafblindness?

Parents of children with deafblindness, like all parents, experienced different methods of distance learning during COVID. However, given that so much of distance learning was provided using technologies that require the use of vision and hearing to learn, what was it really like for these parents and their children?

The National Center for Deafblindness, in partnership with the TIES Center, reached out to parents of children with deafblindness to learn more. What we learned was encouraging, frustrating, and packed with important lessons for anyone planning for inclusive and engaging distance learning in the fall. Here is what we found.

Let's Celebrate the Small Victories!

Let's celebrate the good news first! Many families of students with deafblindness reported that when distance learning began, they were excited and humbled by the work of teachers who helped to bring what worked in school into their homes during distance learning. Parents and caregivers relished these small victories:

Teachers who reached out to families just to say hello and share an understanding of how challenging the situation for everyone is right now.

Teachers who were consistent in their communication respected how families best communicated (text, email, video consult) and would openly acknowledge the ways that distance learning lessons were not yet accessible for their children with deafblindness.

Caregivers and teachers who problem-solved how to integrate learning into existing family routines, whether these be household routines (such as dressing, mealtime, a daily family stroll) or academic routines at home (such as getting the family organized for their synchronous online learning sessions, aligning lessons of the learner with deafblindness to sibling lessons).

Teachers who provided materials that were extremely organized. For example, a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) who provided braille materials clearly labeled for sighted parents and organized by week.

Teachers who were allowed to drop off materials or resources to their doorstep, or provided safe places for parents to pick up resources and materials.

Parents and teachers who were creative and weren't afraid to try new or unexpected things as the weeks of distance learning went on. For example, a parent reported that her child's Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) teacher sent weekly lessons and materials in the mail that focused on fun, because that was the primary goal of the family, to have fun while learning.

Teachers who provided guilt-free options to opt-out or save a lesson for another day. For example, one parent remarked that her teachers fully supported her no-learn Wednesday. "Every Wednesday we did no school, it was the break we both needed to reset. We watched movies, cuddled in the morning, just took time to enjoy each other. I wish I would've implemented this in our routine sooner. It really helped with her anxiety and change of routine."

What Were the Biggest Barriers?

Not all went well for families of students with deafblindness. It was a challenging and unprecedented time for all. While some children and families were able to do the best they could with distance learning, it is important to also recognize that many families struggled. The quality of services provided to families varied greatly. Parents reported that the following instructional barriers:

Administrators and teachers who wrongly assumed that distance learning meant that they were not required to teach children with deafblindness at all given the change in educational service delivery.

Professionals who required parents and students to show competency to get access to distance learning. For example, a therapist who unilaterally decided that a child wasn't allowed to join a video call with peers because it was assumed she didn't have enough vision and/or hearing to benefit from the experience.

Professionals who would not respond or provide specific feedback to family members (parents, siblings, extended family members) who struggled to know if they were implementing lessons "right."

Instructional teams who placed high demands on families for their time, paired with expectations that the family should "do it all." For example, one parent remarked that she was willing to teach her child, but also wanted her daughter's instructional team to understand and acknowledge that she was a parent first, not her child's new paraprofessional.

Schools or districts who provided boxes of materials and lesson ideas without the specifics of how to implement these resources in their home. Parents reported that they wanted more video coaching or office hours they could call into with their questions.

How Do We Do Better?

In the spring, we were focused on continuity or keeping the learning going. Reflecting on our victories and barriers is an important step in planning for a new and uncertain academic year. There is much to learn from these families and their children with deafblindness. The diversity of experiences, supports, and approaches used to continue learning for students with deafblindness is especially important for all teachers because they broaden our understanding of learner variability, which can only serve to improve our planning for all.

Here are three takeaways that will empower your instructional planning and collaboration:

Aim for progress, not perfection. Providing high quality and rigorous educational experiences at school or at home for children with deafblindness requires a great deal of forethought, creativity, and iteration. No matter how hard we try, we will not be perfect and there may be times where we make mistakes. When this happens, think about how you can improve to find solutions. What is working that you can leverage? How can you align the family's daily activities and routines with the IEP and educational goals? What are the barriers for families that you might help reduce? Make a list now with your colleagues and return to it when you get stuck in the fall.

Consider the needs of the entire family unit, and expect there to be great variation among families. Whereas teachers of children with deafblindness are encouraged to be child-focused, they must now also be family-focused. Each family's experience of the pandemic and distance learning is unique. Some families might be experiencing extreme fatigue from being asked to teach and collaborate, while others might feel alone and adrift without support. Some families' experiences will change drastically during the school year due to illness or unemployment. Think about what kind of information would help you better plan for the school year and begin reaching out to parents and caregivers to learn more about their needs and resources for distance learning. Some siblings seek ways to be involved in teaching and learning with their brother/sister with deaf-blindness. How can siblings be empowered in the educational process?

Collaboration and building relationships are critical. Anticipate that you will need additional time this upcoming academic year to meet, listen to, and work with parents and caregivers. Building and maintaining relationships that lead to a meaningful collaboration of high-intensity support needs takes time and energy. Acknowledge and prioritize collaborative practice. In instructional team meetings, share and celebrate the victories/ successes and challenge assumptions that active involvement and inclusion during distance learning of a student is not possible. A great first step is to advocate now for more time for collaboration with families and other professionals. Consider how you can improve your collaborative practice and coaching skills with parents during distance learning.

Distance Learning Series: DL #21, September, 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Hartmann, E., & Probst, K. (2020). Distance learning and deafblindness: Learning from parents (DL #21). TIES Center.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are the Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

215 Pattee Hall

150 Pillsbury Dr. SE

Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #21: Distance Learning and Deafblindness: Learning From Parents

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Looking for inspiration to help you with the new academic year? In this DL post, we highlight the voices of parents of children with deafblindness. Check out collective wisdom on how to be more proactive and inclusive in distance learning.

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Parent Survey Presentation for Inclusion Collaborative Conference (slides)

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Parent Survey Presentation for Inclusion Collaborative Conference (slides)

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Family Support Plans Presentation for Inclusion Collaborative Conference

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Family Support Plans Presentation for Inclusion Collaborative Conference

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Utilizing Family Support Plans to Tailor Distance Learning Programs to meet the Needs of Students with Significant Support Needs Adie Buchinsky, Special Education TOSA, CHIME Institute Amy Hanreddy, Professor of Special Education, California State University - Northridge Caitlin Healey, Assistant...

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Distance Learning: We Can Do Hard Things...Together! - Speaker Series September 2020

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Strategic Participation in Online Class Meetings

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Strategic Participation in Online Class Meetings

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Strategic Participation in Online Classes for Students with SSN

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Contributed by Jasmine Otero

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By Jaimee A. Swift

Vilissa Thompson (she/her/hers) is making it known that Black disabled women, femmes, and non-binary folks are not waiting for a seat at the table--they have destroyed that "table" and are creating their own spaces and platforms on their own terms.
Trigger Words: Ableism and anti-Blackness.
Vilissa Thompson's interview is a part of 'Voices in Movement' December 2019 theme, 'On Belonging.' To read the descriptor of 'On Belonging', please click .

Vilissa Thompson, 34, is one of the most dynamic leaders and activists of our generation. Hailing from Winnsboro, South Carolina, through her work as a licensed master social worker social worker, writer, advocate, consultant, and speaker, Thompson is committed to dismantling racism, ableism, and misogynoir that pervades in Black, white, and non-Black communities of color. She is dedicated in addressing white and Black cisheteronormative ableist revisionist history that has tried to erase the rich and beautiful legacy and contemporary leadership of Black disabled women, femmes, and non-binary folks. Most importantly, she wants people to know that herself and other Black disabled women, femmes, and non-binary people are not waiting to be seen, heard, or recognized--they are doing the work and always have done the work to center themselves in the conversation and do so on their own terms and by their own means. In other words, Thompson's political and personal stance is pretty clear: if you are not right, you can get left because ableism and racism has no place in the struggle for Black liberation.

The founder and CEO of Ramp Your Voice!, a self-advocacy and empowerment movement for people with disabilities, Thompson is also the creator of #DisabilityTooWhite, a hashtag that provided a pointed critique to the media, political and community leadership, and public policy that often centered whiteness and white disabled people and overlooked the livelihoods of Black people, people of color, and poor disabled people. In creating the Black Disabled Woman Syllabus, "an online and continually growing tool that has been cited as a critical addition to current discussions on women's health, carceral reform, body positivity, and mental health."

Thompson spoke with me about challenging racism and ableism in white and Black communities; why knowing about the radicalism of Black disabled women, femmes, and non-binary folks is critical to and for global, Black disabled feminist solidarities; the importance of honoring our Black disabled feminist ancestors; and why her grandmother is a Black Woman Radical who forever inspires her.
What was the moment or moments that led you into your activism?
Vilissa Thompson (VT): "It actually started when I created Ramp Your Voice in 2013. Before that, I was actually writing about disability through the lens of a social worker, since I am a social worker, and I saw that there were not too many people doing that through the disability landscape. At that time, many of us who I consider are now veterans in the scene now, started up around the same time in 2013 or 2014. It was then that I really saw the importance of combining my professional experience as a social worker and combining my lived experience as a Black disabled woman and doing so in a way that was intentional. I know that particularly as Black folks, when you talk about 'Black-only' things, people try to pigeon-hole you into that and for me, I started off talking about things generally. I touched on race here and there but I did that generally because I wanted to show my range and ability to be able to talk about different things such as politics, education, and healthcare. That allowed me to be seen that could be interviewed, someone who could bring their professional work into that type of space, and weave the more intentional work when it comes to race and disability into that. I was really concerned about being pigeon-holed unfairly. "

"Sometimes, I think Black writers and activists can sometimes be pigeon-holed in a way that does not allow us to show our range in tackling topics that relate to race, gender, and disability because we are always being sought out for just the 'race work'. After a couple of years doing this work and people saying, 'Oh, she can talk about different things' while intertwining the race aspect, that is when I felt more comfortable to discuss race, gender, and disability fully, and not worried about being pigeonholed. It was very intentional. That is just who I am. I am really glad the way I did my work, allowed me to be where I am today. I don't think if I had done it differently it may not have manifested the way I have hoped."
In your article about activist ﻿With this, what was the process of learning to Belong to yourself as a Black disabled woman? Johnnie Lacy, you write about how often Lacy felt invisible or as if she didn't belong in the Black community because she was disabled, and you also discussed the ableism, racism, and discrimination Lacy faced while attending San Francisco State University. In the article, you also write: "When I look in the mirror, I see a Black person, a Black woman. My Blackness matters just as that of non-disabled Black people and I will not be ignored or dismissed because I am disabled."
VT: "It has been a journey. When I look at myself, I see Black first because being from the South, that is just my identity: just being a Black person in a Black family, going to a predominantly Black school district. Nobody really focused on the disability part--it was always considered the medical aspect of myself. I didn't understand growing up that disability was an identity like my Blackness or my womanhood. So, there was that detachment there for a really long time. It wasn't that I didn't know I was disabled--I am a wheelchair user and that is not something I can ignore--but it really wasn't a firm part of who I was growing up and even into my young adulthood. It wasn't until I started doing my activism and meeting other Black disabled women and femmes during the time I started Ramp Your Voice!, I really connected with them and was able to see how they move, they navigate, and how we saw that we had a lot in common--especially those of us who had physical and visible disabilities. Many of us had similar experiences--dealing with lonesomeness as the only disabled Black person in certain spaces and seeing and hearing Black folks sometimes saying things that are not really appropriate--particularly when it comes to other disabilities. We discussed how we processed those things and how we can do a better job of getting our community where it needs to be in understanding disability. So, when I came across Johnnie's story, it really resonated with me. She was a woman from a different era but she still encountered the same problems as those of us in this time frame. It was really affirming to know the things I experienced were not uncommon and there have been people before me whose experiences I could lean on to really propel my own work and to understand that work will continue after I am gone and to do what I can to leave a legacy for those coming up after me."

"In understanding race and disability, there are some reasons why I understand as a Black community collectively, we have certain ideals about disability that have been shaped by how Black disabled bodies have been treated from slavery until now. I can understand the reluctance of packing on--quote un-quote--another identity when you are already Black and being Black is hard enough. However, it is critical to understand the history of what it is like to be a Black disabled person. It is also critical to understand the cultural dynamics that shaped how I view the ableism within the Black community."

"However, it is also important to understand how the racism in the disability community functions as well because that is what Johnnie and other Black disabled folk before me and those of this time, see. When many people think about disability, most of the time, a white disabled man or woman comes to mind. When we see Black disabled folks especially, they are usually used as props for charity, the non-profit industrial complex, and usually are portrayed in pity with a helpless tone. You don't really see Black disabled people living their lives and when you do, we are made to be this exceptional one-off unicorn type of individuals when we are not. The disability community has a very stark racism problem and has a very stark issue with creating space for Black disabled folks and other disabled folks of color to understand disability that is not whitewashed. It does not allow Black disabled folks and other disabled folks of color to feel included. When you think about these other organizations, many of them are white as far as staff and as far as leadership. Depending on how big the organization is, they may not even have disabled people at the helm."

"So, there is a lot of work that needs to be done within this space--in the disabled community--that has to transpire that isn't talked about. I think that for the current crop of activists, like myself, especially with social media, we are able to push these much needed conversations forward to make people feel uncomfortable and to hold people accountable. This is a very big thing I have noticed in disability spaces: the lack of accountability and the lack of responsibility of problematic leadership and problematic transgressions that take place."

"We need more diversity when we are talking about employment barriers or education barriers. We need to dive deeper into certain topics because disabled people as collective maybe disadvantaged but when you break it down by race, those who are Black and Brown and other identities, are significantly impacted. We really need to create a more clear picture which in fact helps people of color communities, like the Black community, to understand these issues better. That is one of the things I really do like working in the Black community because statistically many of us are disadvantaged when it comes to key issues. However, it is also about getting folks to understand that you cannot effectively eradicate these political and social issues if you leave out disability."

"The thing I always say to Black folks is you are not ever going to get to your idea of utopia, freedom, or liberation if you think you are going to leave Black disabled people behind because we are not going to be left behind. We have always been here and we are coming with you. It is either we all are free or none of us are free. That is it. There is no in-between. Again, accountability plays a role. Just because you are Black, it doesn't mean you get a pass to be an ableist or offensive or purposefully exclusionary. You do not get a pass for that--just like white disabled folks or even non-Black people of color do not get a pass for being racist or anti-Black. So, I think that for me, the accountability and responsibility is stark because we have seen when no one has been accountable or when no one has been taken to task to really try to make these spaces safe, diverse, and inclusive, which is what they should have been all along. To not make room for different perspectives--whether you agree or not--does not help the collective cause that we have in the disability community, as well as the Black community."

In thinking and ruminating on radical Black feminist imaginations, possibilities, and futures, how would you like to see Black disabled women, femmes and non-binary leadership and solidarity manifest in Africa and in the African Diaspora?
VT: "One thing I love about social media is that I have been able to connect with Black folks through the Diaspora and really learn through their stories. This has really allowed me to understand that we are really dealing with similar situations but also learn about what is going on in different parts of the Diaspora to address ableism, inclusion, and Black disabled folks being free, feeling free, and not being harmed. There is some great work being done in Africa, in the Caribbean, Black folks in the United Kingdom--just Black folks everywhere--and it just makes me really proud but it also makes me frustrated that people don't know what is going on. Black disability liberation isn't just within America. I try to highlight their work because in some ways, what they are going through is similar to what the past Black disabled ancestors went through like Johnnie when the Independent Living Movement was just beginning. Many of our brothers, sisters, and siblings are trailblazers in the community where they are. It is really good and would be good for Black disabled Americans to be supportive of that work and to be knowledgeable about the work and to uplift them. For me, it is all about taking a look into what others are doing across the Diaspora so that I can have a better idea of who to support, how to support, and learn about how other Black disabled folks live. Also, breaking barriers and stereotypes about other groups within the Diaspora is important because the 'Diasporic wars' are a real thing. In learning about what other Black folks are doing, really chips away at the inaccurate depictions of what Blackness is in other parts of the Diaspora so we can all understand that because Black folks across the Diaspora want to be free, we have to be a unified force in understanding how freedom may look like for each of us."

"When it comes to Black disabled women, femmes, and gender non-conforming folks, I really want us to be seen more... forcing the communities--the Black community and disabled community--to really respect who we are, respect the experiences we bring to the table, and respect the fact we are here. We are not locked in the back room anymore or invisible. I want there to be understanding of our unique Black experience within the identities we have and checking the -isms or phobias that we may have against other groups and understanding how those things can impact how we feel safe or included. You can't really say you are for Black people when you are only for a certain type of Black or for a Black person who looks a certain way. We are in a time where Black disabled women, femmes, and gender non-conforming folks are making themselves heard and are pushing back against the anti-Black racism and ableism. We are challenging the status quo that both of these communities have held for so long. We are also not waiting for our turn--we are creating our own spaces and shaking up things on our own accord--so you either get right or get left. This is the attitude many of us have because we have waited far too long and have been forced to wait our turn. And waiting for our turn, we just kept waiting. So, why would we wait our turn at this time when we have so much at our disposable to be heard and to really carve out those spaces and the niche we see is needed? Either you get with it or you look outdated. That is just the way it is."

"This generation is taking the knowledge and the history of the past and really reshaping it in the times we are living in so that all Black folks, particularly those who are disabled and with other identities, are in the front and no longer in the back."
What does a Black Woman Radical mean to you?
VT: "It means remaining steadfast into what she knows is right in her mind and in her heart. It means not to be shaken by opposition--whether it is her own or those on the other side. I think it is so easy to become self-conscious when you are shaking and rocking the boat and realizing that people will not like you because of it. That is something that I had to pay attention to myself because people do not like when you tell them you are a racist or if they are ableist. It is staying true to your heart and your mind. I do not make moves that I do not 100 percent believe in. If I am not passionate about it, I do not need to do it. I know my purpose for the work that I do, I know why I am here, I know what drives me, and I am going to stay true to that. I am going to use my head when I want to map out a plan and my heart to keep the fire burning when it wants to go dim. It means staying true to what brought you into this work and staying true to it until the end. It is okay to be different--as long as what you are doing isn't harmful to the community or to the collective movement, it is okay to be different. And I move differently--I move with intention and I also move in silence. I do not let people know what I am doing unless you are a part of what I am doing. I have a very intentional network of folks who will bring me in--in case I am --and who I can call out in case they are wylin. I have that type of support system. You can really tell when people have certain folks in their corner and mean it versus those who don't."
Who are Black Women Radicals that inspire you?
VT: "The main Black woman who inspired me was my grandmother. She is the reason why I have a very strong sense of responsibility and ethics. She was a Great Depression baby and she grew up in my town, got married young, and around the 1960s, she worked until I started kindergarten. From that point on, I really just saw her strength and how she moved. She was a Leo--if that tells you nothing else! [Laughs] She was truly the matriarch of our family and was very steadfast in what she believed was right and in doing the right thing. She really knew how to love people but she also knew how to hold us accountable. She had a heart of gold but she would not play games--at all--and you knew that. I felt what she modeled in me as a child is the type of woman I am today. I see myself kind of mimicking her mannerisms and her thoughts at this age. Come December, she will have been gone for four years and I have been really reflecting a lot on what she and her generation went through--Black women in the South growing up during Jim Crow, who saw so much, and yet they still had faith and hope even through heartache, pain, and life. And they did not let what they went through steal their joy. My grandmother went through a lot in her life but yet she still had a lot of love to give. She didn't allow the pain to make her bitter. Those are some of the lessons I really reflect on about her."

"I do not think my grandmother would have considered herself a feminist but some of the things she taught me about being true to your values and challenging leadership, leads into a lot of that. The things she would say about women having their own and not following behind no man are the lessons you wouldn't think someone from that generation would have or believe in but she did. It really impacted my outlook on how I engage with people, how I look at relationships, and how I look at myself. For me, she was very radical in her own way--it may not look like what we consider today as radical but to her, the things she was doing and speaking on were very radical things. Women of her generation had to learn and find ways to be radical that may not fit into what we consider today as radical but for them it was a big challenge. She really molded me into who I am today: to be fearless, to do what is right, and not what is convenient. I do not have to follow the crowd and I can be different, and that is just fine."
You can follow Vilissa Thompson on Twitter To visit the Ramp Your Voice! Website, please visit You can follow Ramp Your Voice on Twitter To read the Black Disabled Woman Syllabus, please visit . @RampYourVoice. here. @VilissaThompson.

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Get Right or Get Left: Dismantling Ableism, Racism, and on the Radical Imaginations of Transnational Black Disabled Feminist Solidarities - Black Women Radicals

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Vilissa Thompson (she/her/hers) is making it known that Black disabled women, femmes, and non-binary folks are not waiting for a seat at the table--they have destroyed that "table" and are creating their own spaces and platforms on their own terms.

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The term intersectionality is attributed to legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. In 1989, she spoke on the importance of viewing the cumulative effects of being both Black and female.

Three decades later, the concept of intersectionality is widely adopted and inclusive to individuals who experience oppression in society because of the intersecting effects of racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism, class oppression, etc.

As members of the Latinx community, we are familiar with the effects of prejudice and racism. We may also understand the oppression as members of the LGBTQIA and Latinx communities or women and Latinx communities, or Latinx and of black or brown race.

Yet, there is the often forgotten and rarely discussed, Disability community. Disabled individuals make up roughly 26 percent of the U.S. population and are affected by the oppression of ableism-that is discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.

The combined effects of being marginalized through ableism and racism, as a Disabled Latinx, can weigh heavily. Individuals who identify as members of these two communities face discrimination on a daily level. Lack of access to businesses and services, employment and housing discrimination, prejudice and racism are regular sources of injustice.

Voices of Disabled Latinx

At the same time, realizing the richness and resilience of both Disability and Latinx identities can also be a unique experience.

"My ethnic identity is a source of pride. My disability has been a challenge in my life but has also taught me many things about life and myself," said Tania Azevedo.

Azevedo was born with Cerebral Palsy and is an ESL Tutor and Classroom Assistant in San Diego, CA. As a Mexican-Portuguese-American, her disability has not impacted her cultural and family experience.

"I have always been included in cultural activities within my family circle. We always adapt," stated Azevedo. "I think being disabled and Hispanic are both a part of the person I am. I am proud to be Hispanic, Portuguese and disabled."

As a Disabled Latinx who is also a woman, Azevedo is a member of three intersectional groups that are susceptible to social injustice.

"Being a Latina Woman and Disabled can be a source of oppression and discrimination," said Azevedo, pointing to how these injustices present themselves in her life. "I have faced more disability-related barriers in terms of accommodations in school from elementary to the university level, previous jobs I have had and, in general, the way I am perceived because of my disability."

Azevedo added, "It is about inclusion and true acceptance, not just tolerance."

It is that same unique perspective that drives 40-year-old College Professor Humberto Gurmilan.

"My disability has made me an even more unique individual," said Gurmilan. "I embrace both, but I think that being Latino and having a disability does give me a unique perspective that not many people have."

The Mexican American, Southern California native became disabled as a result of a surfing accident 25 years ago. "I suffered a spinal cord injury while surfing," shared Gurmilan. "I dove off my board head first into the water and hit the bottom, causing a fracture of my C-5-6 vertebrae."

Gurmilan is Vice President of his local School Board and Founder of the Gurmilan Foundation; a charitable organization that supports individuals with disabilities through scholarships and grants. His involvement in cultural activities is also unwavering.

"I am very fortunate that my disability has not affected my participation in cultural activities," stated Gurmilan. "I am active and fully immersed in both cultures and that's because I have a great support team of family and friends."

As a quadriplegic who uses a wheelchair, Gurmilan faces obvious physical barriers and identifies socioeconomic, attitudinal and, emotional challenges as sources of disability-connected barriers as well. As a Mexican American living in California, he says he doesn't feel excluded culturally.

"I live in California so in terms of ethnic or cultural barriers, I don't have many... but, that doesn't mean others don't have these barriers," said Gurmilan. In fact, l ife as a Disabled Mexican-American has contributed to Gurmilan's sense of pride and empathy. "This identity has allowed me to reach so many more people," said Gurmilan. "I relate with both sides and have acquired a huge sense of empathy for both the Latino and Disability communities.

The perception of 19-year-old, Puerto Rican high school student Vanessa Ramos is perhaps the most straightforward.

"My life, as it is, is normal," said Ramos. "I consider myself to be very blessed, I love my life and I am thankful to God for it."

Ramos was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and uses multiple assistive technology and medical devices. In addition to a wheelchair and ventilator, she speaks through the use of computer technology. Ramos Shared, "I am not able to speak so, when I was in preschool, I received a computer that could be controlled with my eyes since that is the only thing I can move, I type in what I want to say and it says it for me."

"One of the greatest things I've been given is a voice."

A voice. Isn't that what each of us treasures? A voice to exclaim our anger against an ableist and racially oppressive society? Or, a voice to proclaim the wonder and richness of our cultural identities? In either circumstance, voices will certainly be heard.

***
Val Vera is a writer who covers disability culture, lifestyle, politics, law, and technology. He tweets from @ValVeraTX.

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The Voices of Intersectionality: Life as a Disabled Latinx

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The term intersectionality is attributed to legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. In 1989, she spoke on the importance of viewing the cumulative effects of being both Black and female. Three decades later, the concept of intersectionality is widely adopted and inclusive to individuals who experience oppression in society because of the intersecting effects of racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism, class oppression, etc.

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When the pandemic reached Rochester, equity coordinator with the city government Luticha André Doucette says that she was concerned for her safety. Doucette has a disability and is immunocompromised.

However, amid the pandemic there was a silver lining. Doucette along with so many others began working from home. Her cats have made regular appearances on ZOOM calls. She said that while it's comfortable, it's also brought up frustration.

"This is a hypocrisy that when non-disabled people need accommodations the world kinda bends forward for them but for us, for years we've been asking for this," said Doucette.

Last year, Bloomberg Law reported that in 2017 and 2018, 21 out of 30 lawsuits over reasonable accommodation requests through the Americans with Disabilities Act sided with employers.

While disability advocates fought for policies like the ADA, Doucette said that disability activism led by white people has largely left out people of color.

"White disabled people have the same work that they need to do internally as non-disabled white people," she said. "So, understanding their own privilege, just because you're disabled, your whiteness still matters."

As Black Lives Matter has raised a call to end racial injustice in policing, public health, and education, Doucette believes that justice for disabled people of color is also part of the equation.

"We can't really talk about getting people out of prisons without talking about getting people out of institutions," she said.

Data from the New York State Department of Health shows that people with developmental disabilities die at a rate two and a half times higher than others who contract the virus. Researchers say this is in part due to group home settings.

She says that even though she can't join protests, she supports the Black Lives Matter movement and sees opportunity for a myriad of voices to contribute to the cause for racial equity.

"What could be really powerful for Black Lives Matter is to join forces with the black and brown queer disabled movement for justice," she said.

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Disability justice is part of the fight for racial equity, says advocate

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When the pandemic reached Rochester, equity coordinator with the city government Luticha André Doucette says that she was concerned for her safety. Doucette has a disability and is immunocompromised. However, amid the pandemic there was a silver lining. Doucette along with so many others began working from home.

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Predictive Chart Writing with Erin Sheldon

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Tactile Books for Students with Visual Impairments

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Overview of how to make different types of tactile books for students who are blind or who have low vision, including those who are deafblind or who have multiple disabilities

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Krip Hop was founded by Leroy F. Moore Jr., an African American writer, poet, community activist who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Moore was born in New York in 1967 to an activist father loosely connected to the Black Panthers. His upbringing sensitized Moore to the challenges faced by African Americans and the disabled.As a youth, Moore discovered that most people had little knowledge of the historical impact of disabled African Americans. This led him to begin research, initially in the music industry.

Moore first spotlighted disabled hip hop artists in the early 2000s. He co-produced and co-hosted a three-part series on what he called „Krip Hop" for a Berkeley, California radio station. The „Krip Hop" series appeared on KPFA's Pushing Limits, which focuses on news, arts, and culture for the disabled community. The series' popularity inspired Moore to create Krip Hop Nation for disabled musicians, since little cultural work or music by people with disabilities had been recognized. „The Krip-Hop movement really makes the pain of the people feel visible", Moore said. „It goes a lot deeper than what people can see.

The primary goal of Krip Hop Nation is to increase awareness in music and media outlets of the talents, history and rights of people with disabilities in the hip-hop industry. In an interview, Moore expressed the hope that by listening to his music the audience would understand the need to question authority and the information provided to them. He said he wanted his listeners to learn about their community and to become open to all people. Issues such as racism and sexism are commonly discussed, and Moore hoped that people would examine possible ableism in their attitudes. According to Moore, Krip Hop Nation goes beyond producing music and the bling-bling associated with hip hop; the movement is about advocacy, education and overcoming oppression. For Moore the movement has sought to reclaim negative terms associated with the disabled (such as „crazy", „lame", „retarded" and „cripple"), using them to shock people into understanding and respecting the disabled African American community. Krip Hop Nation addresses discrimination against disabled artists in hip hop by publishing articles and hosting events, lectures and workshops. It has over 300 members worldwide. Moore has explained that „Krip Hop" is a play on „Hip Hop." Although the „Krip" part of the name refers to „crippled", it is spelled with a „k" to avoid association with the Crips.

Krip-Hop Nation Early Stages & Big Achievements:
2003 Leroy meets disabled hip-hop artists on MySpace
2004 Leroy met face to face with Rob Da Noize Temple and Preechman in Brooklyn, NY
2004 Leroy met face to face with Keith Jones at the DNC in Boston
2005 Leroy and Keith Jones performed at the World Stage in L.A.
2006 Pushing Limits on KPFA Radio in Berkeley did a three part series on Hip-Hop & Disability/Deaf
2006 Leroy recorded Krip-Hop in Rob Da Noize Temple's home studio in Brooklyn, NY
2007 Krip-Hop Nation's first mixtape CD
2009 First public event of Krip-Hop Nation at UC Berkeley called Diversifying Hip-Hop: Homo-Hop & Krip-Hop
2010 First festival Krip-Hop performed at DADAFest, Liverpool, UK
2016 Krip-Hop Nation went to South Africa
2019 Krip-Hop Nation host Disabled African Musician Bay Area tour
2020 Three Krip-Hop artists did the theme song for Netflix documentary about the Paralympics

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Krip Hop was founded by Leroy F. Moore Jr., an African American writer, poet, community activist who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Moore was born in New York in 1967 to an activist father loosely connected to the Black Panthers.

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Policing and the Special Needs Community

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Policing and the Special Needs Community

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The Special Report: Policing and the Special Needs Community

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We say that our ancestors are resting in peace but I argue that our Black Disabled Ancestors can't rest in peace because their stories are incomplete and have a lot to teach us today. Black disabled people have ancestors who left knowledge, art, music, culture, politics and a lot of pain for us to pick up, build on, and to tell the harsh truth.

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Black Disabled Ancestors | poorpressprensapobre

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We say that our ancestors are resting in peace but I argue that our Black Disabled Ancestors can't rest in peace because their stories are incomplete and have a lot to teach us today. Black disabled people have ancestors who left knowledge, art, music, culture, politics and a lot of pain for us to pick up, build on, and to tell the harsh truth.

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Distance Learning Behavior Teaching Matrix

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Distance Learning Behavior Teaching Matrix

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Recorded webinars on transition and distance learning

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Recorded webinars on transition and distance learning

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COVID-19 Resources for Students with Disabilities

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COVID-19 Resources for Students with Disabilities

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Engage with NCSI

NCSI TA Facilitators

Each state or territory has an NCSI TA facilitator assigned to it, and acts as a primary contact for support from NCSI. We welcome your questions.

Find your TA Facilitator

By State By Name

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National Center for Systemic Improvement

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Helping states transform systems to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities

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Distance Learning examples from teachers

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Distance Learning examples from teachers

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Educators Share Distance Learning Strategies for Students with Significant Support Needs

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Distance Learning and Transition Services

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Distance Learning and Transition Services

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NTACT Strategies & Resources for Students with Complex Support Needs in Distant Learning Environments 4.14.20

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Family Guide to At-Home Learning | CEEDAR

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This page provides an overview of family guides for at-home learning.

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Math Strategies for Explicit Instruction

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Math Strategies for Explicit Instruction

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NCII developed a series of mathematics lessons and guidance documents to support special education instructors, mathematics specialists, and others working with students who struggle with mathematics. These lessons and activities are organized around six mathematics skill areas that are aligned to college- and career-ready standards, and incorporate several instructional principles that may help intensify and individualize mathematics instruction to assist teachers and interventionists working with students who have difficulty with mathematics. The lessons may be used to supplement mathematics interventions, programs, or curricula that are currently in place. However, these lessons by themselves would not constitute an effective mathematics intervention.

In this video, Dr. Sarah Powell shares considerations for teaching students with math difficulty.

Click on the skill areas below to explore resources and lessons related to each area.

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Mathematics Sample Lessons to Support Intensifying Intervention

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NCII developed a series of mathematics lessons and guidance documents to support special education instructors, mathematics specialists, and others working with students who struggle with mathematics. These lessons and activities are organized around six mathematics skill areas that are aligned to college- and career-ready standards, and incorporate several instructional principles that may help intensify and individualize mathematics instruction to assist teachers and interventionists working with students who have difficulty with mathematics.

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Distance Learning and Communication Support

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Distance Learning and Communication Support

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Did you know that by the time children are 3 years old, they have heard, seen, and experienced millions of words? Language is all around them and provides a model for them as they learn to communicate. However, students who have a communication system, such as a core board, a picture exchange system, eye gaze board, or a computer program that allows the student to press pictures to express themselves have far fewer opportunities to see, hear and experience using their own communication systems. There is a direct link between experiencing communication and learning communication.

What can teachers do to support students who are using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) even when they are not in the same place as the student? Being able to tell people what you want, like, dislike, how you feel, ask questions, and comment about your life should not be relegated to one location. Communication should not happen only during one part of the day (school vs. home) or one class (math vs. art). Being able to communicate when and where you want to is a basic human right, it should be available and its use should be emphasized all day.

When working at a distance with someone who uses AAC it is best to have someone else present, in addition to the student who uses AAC, during the session, but it doesn't have to be a parent. Siblings, grandparents, or other adults who are part of the household can all be (and should be) communication partners. It is also important to remember the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL): multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression.

What Can Teachers Do

Collaborate.

Collaboration among general and special educators, speech-language therapists, and families is vital. If a student who needs AAC does not have access to their AAC, then they do not really have an opportunity to learn. They cannot fully interact with, or respond to, the content. Assure that the student has their communication system at home, battery charged, and ready to use. All of the adults who work with the student should be able to use their primary communication system rather than using a different one for each assignment or interaction. Learn to model using the device or screen capture of the device. Don't worry about perfection.

Use time wisely.

There are only so many hours in a day, and for some students, only a few of these times of day are optimal for student engagement. This may be because of student stamina, family schedules, or a number of other reasons. Use those hours well and check out some UDL ideas for engagement at www.CAST.org .

Use the device to model.

Aided language modeling is one of the best ways to support language learning for AAC users. As teachers prepare their lessons, use a core board or the student's AAC to highlight and model keywords through regular conversations. Take some time and explicitly teach others to model through an "I do, we do, you do" structure. Besides parents, teach family members including siblings to model, and teach friends to model. Teach modeling by modeling. The TIES Inclusive Practice Series (TIPS) publication #5 " Connecting Core Words, Aided Language Modeling, and Literacy " is a great resource if you want to learn more about modeling and aided language.

Prepare students and families.

As you plan for the week, consider what questions you will be asking the student several times or the concepts that are the most important. Make sure to share that information with families so they can work on them before and after lessons, if possible, and reinforce them at other times. A book club may be an excellent strategy for continued reinforcement, communicating with peers, and bringing together home and school.

Use the device to model.

It is so important it bears repeating. When sharing materials with students, every student should get a core, fringe, or topic vocabulary board that includes the words needed for active participation in the session. For instance, a low-tech core board may not include words that are not often used, such as "gravity" or "reaction," that may be needed for a science unit. In this case, a topic or 'fringe' word board will be needed. If the student has a dynamic device, those words might be found under a tab for science content. Model for the family how to use those resources during the lesson.

Core vocabulary

Fringe vocabulary

Topic Boards

Core vocabulary has the 36 most commonly used words. People use a core board to communicate using these words.

Project Core also has some good resources

Fringe vocabulary are words that are used much less than Core vocabulary. It may be content specific or may be personally important.

Topic boards are a set of vocabulary that is specific to a particular topic (e.g., reading The Hungry Caterpillar or learning about light)

Get a reaction.

As you build lessons, think about what is going to get kids talking. Is there a gross fact that will make students groan? A science experiment that will make students gasp? A knock-knock joke that will make them smile? Any topic that really connects to their lives ... for example show and tell about a favorite toy with core words, a picture book with family members, or making a favorite snack. Use that content, material, and enthusiasm to inspire communication. And, remember to use principles of Universal Design for Learning to make sure there are multiple ways to access and respond to information.

To teach AAC use, we must use AAC, model AAC, and engage learners with AAC. Universal Design for Learning, student choice, and adult flexibility remain key components for student learning, whether the students are in the school building or their homes.

In the TIES Distance Learning article on morning meetings, we discussed the importance of morning meetings and social engagement for all students, including those who use AAC. It also has ideas for creating opportunities for peer interactions. The TIPS publication called " How Peers Can Support AAC Use by Students with Significant Communication Needs" is a good place to get more ideas and information.

Disclaimer: The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

Distance Learning Series: DL #10, May, 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Taub, D., & Kearns, J. (2020). Distance learning and communication systems (DL #10). TIES Center.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #10: Distance Learning and Communications Systems

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Students who are learning or using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems have added barriers to learning. Here are some ways to support those students even when you aren't all together.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #9: Start Now to Plan for Students Transitioning Back to School

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Even as teams continue developing their skills to provide distance learning to students with significant cognitive disabilities, States are discussing various scenarios for when and how-to bring students back to schools. Proactively thinking now about what needs to be considered to successfully tran…

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The landscape of education has changed. Schools are different because our world is different. Just a few short months ago students were in school buildings with their teachers and now parents are challenged with the task of becoming coordinators/teachers. Many parents are trying to balance working from home while managing their child's schooling. In response to this new demand, parents are seeking support to help their child complete schoolwork at home more independently. Although many families are struggling with the new distance learning parameters, parents of children with significant cognitive disabilities are especially in need of some solutions to help their child gain independence during the day.

How can I balance being a parent with my new role?

First of all, you are not your child's teacher. They still have teachers in their schools and they are the ones who can help with guiding you through this process. Oftentimes teachers are willing to help but do not always know what you need. Just ask! Balancing being a parent, while trying to support children academically, can be hard. Parents must keep in mind that we are all going through this together. Every day make the decision to "pick your battles", which sometimes means celebrating the few moments of reprieve you got when your child worked independently for at least five minutes. Adding to their working stamina is a great goal, instead of being disappointed they aren't working for long stretches of time from the beginning. This self-regulated work time is new to your child as much of their school day involved adults and peers dedicated to keeping them on task.

How can I help keep my child on-task while also preserving time for my other responsibilities?
The answer: Have your child learn time management skills to stay on-task!

Set up a specific workstation that includes a desktop/laptop and has AAC devices or other communication tools and all materials needed for the subject and task in close proximity.

Utilize any and all technology available, whether it be on a computer, phone, or even a microwave timer. It is best to use a timer that your child can set and stop on their own, which improves their independence and in turn frees up your time.

Minimize distractions from other family members' noise or movement in the house.

Have your child set short-term goals when starting a task to outline what will be done for that subject that day. This can be done by having your child pick items of an activity out of a set of choices and placing them in order on their desk before beginning their work.

If helpful and motivating for your child, have them use a timer to track how long they work on each subject or task.

For small tasks use a microwave or phone timer.
Have your child set a timer for a specified amount of time and then take a break.

For longer tasks use a Pomodoro timer method (also known as a "tomato timer") to have your child track their progress as they work.
The Pomodoro method involves specific steps with built-in breaks for longer work sessions. Read more about the Pomodoro method. Have your child set a goal of what needs to be done, work for a specified amount of time, record progress and take a short break, then get back to work, and then take a long break.

What should my child do when they complete work?

As we all do in some way for our own work, it is important to reward yourself for a job well done, or completion of a task. To say, "students should work without reward" would be the equivalent of saying "adults should work without a paycheck." When preferred activities follow non-preferred activities, this can help students with significant cognitive disabilities make the connection that the more preferred activity is coming if they can power through the current task in front of them.

Choice Boards

Have your child pick from a choice board with a list of leisure activities that they enjoy after completing a certain number of checks per day or in between tasks. Make sure they are your child's choice, not yours. Again, once this system is set up, the goal is that they self-direct the delivery of rewards for themselves almost to the point that you don't need to be in the same room. Some students can work for rewards at the end of the day and/or end of the week as shown in example 2 of the TIES Distance Learning article: Self-Determined Schedule Making. However, if necessary, have your child use a small reward choice board for leisure activities to do between tasks and then a larger reward choice board of activities to do after completing several tasks.

Low-tech and high-tech options: Choice boards can be done through low-tech options, such as creating a word document or by drawing out a table on a sheet of paper with different choices in each box. See example 3 for a version made as a word document that uses icons. Online choice boards can be made if you and your child prefer a high-tech option. You can create a choice board using a website or application. You could also take pictures on a smartphone and create a collage with different choices presented on the same screen. This may be done within an AAC device. This is also something that your child's teacher might have a model readily available that is used at school, which can be edited to include home activities.

To help your child experience a variety of leisure activities, consider removing a choice once your child has chosen it for the day. It is also important to keep variety in choices if your child becomes bored with the options, but still allow the "go-to" favorites you know your child will enjoy. Another consideration is to make sure to have rewards ready and planned ahead so they can be utilized immediately, without the child having to wait for you to set up the reward. This may mean that you pre-set up activities or it might mean that you expect your child to get things that they can get completely on their own so you are not stopping your workday to facilitate in between each activity. This is two-fold, having access to the reward immediately will solidify the connection that your child earned the reward for the work that was just completed. Secondly, it promotes independence in the child choosing and rewarding himself/herself without relying on an adult to go get or set up the reward.

Using high-tech and low-tech tools for staying on task and delivering self-reinforcement can help students with significant cognitive disabilities manage their day without having to constantly recruit adult help, thus relieving parents of some school work responsibilities. Empowering students with significant cognitive disabilities to take control of their own learning is a win-win situation!

Disclaimer: The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

Distance Learning Series: DL #8, May, 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Reyes, E. (2020). Time management during distance learning (DL #8). TIES Center.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

215 Pattee Hall

150 Pillsbury Dr. SE

Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #8: Time Management During Distance Learning

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This article includes a strategy for helping parents support their child in following through using time management skills. These resources can help all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, build independence in creating and implementing daily routines for at-home learning.

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As adults, we typically start our week looking at the plan for each day. Everyone has their own schedule making preferences and ways of doing schedules. With moving to distance learning, our students with significant cognitive disabilities are now being asked to create their own schedule instead of having it determined by their teacher. This, in turn, becomes a daunting task that can be overwhelming for parents and students. Just knowing that a little bit of front end planning can go a long way in helping your child regularly utilize self-management skills can take some of the pressure off you. Also know that you are not alone because we are all navigating these uncharted waters together. It is okay to ask for help or, if you don't have time to create schedules, share this Distance Learning Series post with your child's teacher to solicit help.

What is this "new normal" supposed to look like? Am I doing enough?

Just know that anything you are doing for your child while still balancing the rest of your life and family IS enough! Stressing out about how to make everything "perfect" or just as it was in school is an impossible task. It will not be a replica of your child's school day in your home because the setting is just plain different. Okay, now that we got that out of the way...It is important for parents to maintain positive relationships with their children through the process of moving to remote learning. Children are feeling just as uneasy about our "new normal" as we are and there is no need to add to that emotional turmoil. Becoming too strict about "to-dos" for your child will not bring health to your family relationship and could cause longer-term damage than not finishing a math assignment that night.

How can I help my child become more independent at home?

Parents need to complete their own work at home while keeping their child on track. One way to help students with significant cognitive disabilities to stay on track is to facilitate their self-determination skills by helping them follow a daily schedule. Self-determination skills are any skills that increase independence by allowing students to be self-directed in their choices. When students with significant cognitive disabilities are empowered through choice and autonomy in building their daily plan for work tasks, this can help reduce anxiety and provide a means for the student to be more productive in completing learning tasks. Independent time management skills are also needed so students can stay on-task once they begin an assignment or task. In a world where students are not able to control much around them, even the adults cannot, this can be a way to regain a sense of control with choice and autonomy. Building in opportunities for independence and allowing a flexible schedule can provide some structure but keep anxiety at bay.

Using a Self-determination Strategy to Plan a Daily Schedule
This part of planning should take no more than 15 minutes

Have your child outline a schedule for the day by picking options from a set of choices to plan their own order of events.

Keep in mind realistic expectations of what can be achieved in a learning session. Look to your specific school recommendations and then adjust as needed. The following are a combined list of recommendations from several district school websites:

Elementary: If the school is recommending 60 minutes face-to-face academic time, this would equate to 20 minutes of learning time a day for literacy, math, and content areas (i.e. science, social studies) or special areas (i.e., art, music, PE)

Middle school: 120 minutes of face-to-face academic time would equate to 30 minutes of learning time a day for literacy, math, science/social studies, special areas (i.e., art, music, PE)

High school: 180 minutes of face-to-face academic time would equate to 45 minutes per core subject area and 30 minutes for special areas (i.e., art, music, PE)

Make sure your child creates a balance of preferred and non-preferred activities to break his/her day up with challenging and enjoyable tasks.

Allow your child to prioritize certain subjects occasionally but not the same subject every day.

Allow the option of doing work on Saturday or Sunday to make up for days that were skipped during the week and to help spread the week out. This can be incredibly helpful for working parents that may have more time to oversee activities or help on the weekend.

Make sure your child is checking off items as they finish them, not you as the parent, to increase independence and choice.

Use a checklist format instead of a schedule format to indicate that subjects can be done out of order on any given day as long as a certain number of checks are received.

Set a small goal of 2 checks out of 4 subject areas.

Break harder daily academic tasks into smaller chunks so more checks can be earned for bigger rewards (e.g., earning 5 checks out of 10 items, but each item is a shorter task).

Low-tech and high-tech options: Creating a checklist can be done in many formats depending on the format to which your child is more responsive, and how much time you have to create one. A low-tech checklist example would be to create a word document or write the different subject areas in a table on a piece of paper with blanks for checks (use icons or picture symbols if needed). See Example 1 for a way to organize the boxes. If you and your child prefer to use technology, then you could make a more high-tech checklist by finding an online editable schedule or using a list maker on a smartphone. This could also be done within an AAC device.

Rewarding Oneself for Completed Work

You can set your child up for success by connecting your child's self-made schedule to a self-delivered reward system. Once you set this connection up for them, you will see that many students, including with significant cognitive disabilities, enjoy the predictability of the setup and will seek to repeat the process and take more ownership in subsequent rounds of work-rewards. Example 2 shows added columns for your child to total up "stars for the week" and set mini-goals and rewards along the way. The key here is to be flexible and help your child choose a frequency of rewards that is motivating but still challenges them to build stamina for working longer periods of time. In the example, the child can pick from an array of choices each day that are smaller rewards and then at the end of the week if the weekly set goal is achieved, the child can choose from a set of bigger rewards. Choice boards are discussed in the TIES Distance Learning Article: Time Management During Distance Learning

Balancing school assignments when parents cannot always monitor all activities is hard, but can be made easier through use of self-determination strategies. Creating a flexible schedule allows students to have input into their day and pace their learning so assignments get done more independently and with less frustration from both students and parents. As a parent, know that this process may require some setting up, but the reward of seeing your child spend part of their day doing work and leisure activities independently is worth it.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

215 Pattee Hall

150 Pillsbury Dr. SE

Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #7: Self-determined Schedule Making

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This article includes two strategies for helping parents support their child in planning their daily schedule and following through using time management skills. These resources can help all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, build independence in creating and implementing daily routines for at-home learning.

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With remote learning, instead of getting dressed for school in the morning, grabbing our bagged lunch, and heading out the door for school, we are home in pajamas and are trying to "go to school" from our living rooms. Families may have to help more with academic learning and children may have to be more independent in how they learn. Some of the academic learning routines work well, but sometimes children may get stuck and frustrated during remote learning.

As parents, we face challenges when we try to help our children in their school work. We may not always have the time and energy to help our child with academic school tasks. In addition, we may not fully know or understand:

the content our children have to learn.

where to find resources or tools to help.

what happened before or after this activity.

how to give helpful feedback or whether our child is taking the right first steps.

As a family member of a child with significant cognitive disabilities, you probably already have strategies for helping your child when they are stuck in their learning. However, as a family member wanting to support your child in their learning, here are some strategies and tools to help your child get "unstuck" when they are frustrated in their learning- so they can be independent and successful learners. While not all of these tips may work for you, we hope that some will resonate.

1. Identify the Main Goal or Purpose for the Assignment

When you first start to help your child, clarify the key concept or skill for the assignment. In other words, know what your child needs to learn and how they need to show what they know. When you know what is most important about the assignment, then you can advocate for flexibility in how they get there. If you and your child are not clear on the learning goal or what success looks like, this is an opportunity for collaboration with the teacher.

Encourage your child to re-state the learning goal using their own words, so they really understand what they are working to achieve. Sometimes identifying the primary goal can help you better understand where they may be getting stuck in the process.

For example, perhaps your child has a full packet to complete. If you are able to help identify the purpose of the packet and what your child is supposed to ultimately learn by completing the packet, then it becomes more clear how to direct their attention and to support them. It also helps you to know what they may skip or what they already know.

2. Recruit Interest in the Topic

Engagement is critical for learning. If your child is stuck in their learning, finding ways to recruit their interest is a good first step. Open the lines of communication about what interests them about the material. You could chat, text, draw a picture, or use AAC.

Communicate about how the concept is used in the real world. Share how the content has an application that is of value to your child or in your community.

Discuss what can be skipped or saved for a time when your child is more engaged.

Find a peer you child could talk with to help re-engage your child with the assignment.

3. Look for Flexible Pathways: Choice can be Key

Do they need a refresher about the concept they are learning? If so, maybe there is a video online, an article or book, and/or a bulleted summary to support their background understanding.

Do they need a different way to show what they know? Instead of just writing or typing answers, maybe an audio recording (e.g., try vocaroo, or Speakpipe), a video (e.g., try screen-cast-o-matic or flipgrid), a graphic organizer, or a diagram. If the assignment or learning requires a certain tech tool that is challenging, perhaps there is another tool that they already know that could be used instead. This is an opportunity to communicate with the teacher about what has worked (or not worked).

Where you can, help your child to minimize distractions. Some days, they may want to work in the busy kitchen with lots of background noise - other times, they may need to work alone in a room. Keep the communication open for what is working - or not working- during the challenging learning moments. Remember that how you might work through an activity may differ from how your child wants to do it.

4. Break Bigger or Longer Tasks into Smaller Chunks

Having manageable, "bite-sized" bits to work on can be really helpful. Whether you divide the work by time or by task increments, you and your child will know whether there is progress in the right direction. Celebrate the small steps, such as when you can check off an item on the "to-do" list.

Share feedback with your child on the process - it is not just the outcome.

Make a list of strategies or ways that worked for your child to get "unstuck"with their learning, so they can reference those more independently in the future.

Work with the routines and tools that already work well - build on what works. Use your favorite text-to-speech tool, timer, or scheduling planner.

Think about different ways to visualize the work into smaller chunks. If you have 10 problems in one worksheet, you could divide them into 2 chunks.

Conclusion

In remote learning, there will be times where our children get stuck and are frustrated in their learning. As a parent who is now taking on some of the "teaching" responsibilities, add these tips to what you already do to help your child to get "unstuck" in their learning. Know the learning goal for the activity, make personal connections to the content, brainstorm and try different strategies and tools to make progress, and take it one step at a time. Share what is working - or what is not working - with each other and, where relevant, with your school team. Find times to laugh and enjoy learning together. There is tremendous opportunity today to develop new routines and ways of learning that will extend beyond this period of remote learning- and that can be empowering for everyone.

Want to learn more about student indepence and learning?
Expert Learning is for All Using the Least Dangerous Assumption in Educational Decisions
Disclaimer: The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

Distance Learning Series: DL #6, April, 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Posey, A., & Taub, D. (2020). Getting "unstuck:" Tips to help your child if they get stuck with their remote learning (DL #6). TIES Center.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

215 Pattee Hall

150 Pillsbury Dr. SE

Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #6: Getting "Unstuck:" Tips to Help Your Child if They Get Stuck with Their Remote Learning

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This article includes 4 tips to help parents support their children when they are stuck in their learning during this new remote learning. These tips can help all students, including those with significant cognitive disabilities, build independence with their own learning.

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While the federal government, lawyers, and advocacy organizations debate whether or not the rights and responsibilities detailed in IDEA should be fully in place during a pandemic, those of us working with school teams are trying to meet the needs of students and staff to the best of our ability. This brings up a lot of questions:

What does Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) for students with disabilities, especially for students with significant cognitive disabilities, look like over distance learning?

Data collection? Are people kidding here!? How would you collect data with students who require extensive support?

Does this mean general and special educators should return to their respective corners and work alone again rather than collaborating and supporting inclusion?

Although TIES Center is working through these same questions and is eager to hear how others are addressing these issues, this post is the beginning of delving into this topic. Let's start the discussion with the last question.

There is lots of research and personal experience demonstrating the benefits of inclusive practices for all students, including those with the most significant cognitive disabilities. While it may be tempting to hole yourself off and work in isolation from other teachers, now is the time when we all need each other most. Because let's face it, we have about 800 things we are trying to do at home to maintain some semblance of routine and mental health for ourselves and others. Having the shared goal of creating accessible lessons and materials for distance learning offers an opportunity to work with your peers and to use that creativity that often feels stifled in day to day routines of taking attendance, overseeing recess and hallway times, and trying to get that stupid copier to work. So, yes! Keep working with your general and special education colleagues, speech-language therapists, and anyone else who may have ideas for providing effective and engaging distance learning for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

What Is SDI?

Now that we have that question settled, let's start to talk about SDI and what it might look like over distance learning.

Specially Designed Instruction, or SDI, is "adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability and to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum..." 34 CFR §300.39(b)(3).

SDI is

Individually designed for a student who has an IEP

Designed to help a student make progress on grade-level standards and to narrow learning gaps

Supplemental to the general education instruction

Delivered through adapted content, instructional techniques, increased frequency of opportunities for feedback and practice, and increased intensity (how long it is taught).

Provided by general and special educators

Inclusive of individually identified skills that help a student access the content (e.g., behavior goals)

Providing SDI through Distance Learning

Things to consider:

SDI is important for students with IEPs to make progress or they would not have an IEP.

If schools are providing instruction to some students, they have to assure access for all students.

Privacy issues, such as what happens if you only gather kids with IEPs into an online chat, come up because we cannot control who may be in the background of those conversations, who may or may not already know about someone else's status as a student with an IEP, and focusing on small groups of students with IEPs opens the school up for potential privacy violations.

Given all of that, educators are better able to protect themselves and maintain effective instruction if general and special educators and related service providers collaborate whenever providing whole group distance learning or heterogeneous small groups if you are co-teaching an online class.

Potential Distance Learning Options

What would distance learning actually look like? There are many ways to do it. These basic ideas will be addressed in more detail in other TIES Center's distance learning resources, but let's get started with some basics.

High Tech Options:

When general and special educators have a set time to meet with the whole class and present information, explain an activity, answer questions and engage all students.

Most students will use the chat area of the distance learning platform to ask teachers private questions or receive additional instruction or feedback in the moment.

Some students will need a smaller group experience after the whole group instruction, which could be provided by breaking the class into two or three smaller groups. Each of the educators could facilitate a group, while one group works independently with check-ins from teachers. Remember both general and special educators are able to provide SDI. Keep these groups flexible for each week or activity.

A few students will need more intensive support, in which case, the general or special educator can follow up with individuals to provide the SDI needed.

The special education teacher can direct a paraeducator on specific instructional strategies, prompts, or modeling that can be used. The paraeducator could provide this support through chat boxes or visual reminders during whole group instruction to support the student with the most significant disabilities. For example, within a shared online document, the paraprofessional could use chat to implement a behavioral reminder of paying attention.

When general and special educators provide an introductory lesson using a recorded Powerpoint, Flipgrid or other means of asynchronous instruction, SDI could be provided through.

"Office hours" where students reach either teacher by phone, email, or a live chat to receive supplemental instruction or feedback.

Additional instructional activities that align with or provide access to the general education content and lesson, such as scaffolded instruction and providing background knowledge.

Pre-teaching of a skill, concept, or how to use a support or strategy, such as a graphic organizer, before the whole class has the lesson or the student with the IEP is expected to engage with the lesson.

Low Tech Options

Is it possible to provide SDI in a low/no-tech way through distance learning? Yes, though it requires you know your students well enough to anticipate their needs since you will not be available in the moment to provide support.

Using the packet for the general education class, provide scaffolded written directions or picture supports to prompt the student on specific skills.

Add additional materials to the general education packets that allow for the use of symbol systems (e.g., Boardmaker and other comparable tools), tactile supports, or direct instruction on how to use the associated graphic organizers, materials, or prompts.

Provide written instructions on how to use a calming strategy (e.g., five finger breathing) and have the student practice.

Provide additional instructional activities in the packet that align with the general education content and lesson, but provide scaffolded instruction or background knowledge needed to complete the assignments assigned to all of the students.

How do you collect data?

Data collection is a challenge when you are not with the student during the instruction. This topic requires additional attention, but for right now, we will focus on the big ideas.

Yes, you should be collecting data--at the very least about the amount and types of SDI you are providing

Data can be collected through online work and quizzes for some of the IEP goals

Data may also need to include some self-reporting from students (e.g., a tally sheet of how many times the student practiced five finger breathing)

Data for some things may only be possible when you are synchronously working with students online

In some cases, families may be able to support data collection through picture or video taking (shared through an encrypted service), work samples, or noting frequency of behaviors

Remember, without data we have no idea where students are and are not succeeding.

Conclusion

These are just some initial considerations and ideas, but they address some of the big questions in the field right now:

Work together. It is more effective for your students with significant cognitive disabilities and offers you an opportunity to problem solve with your colleagues.

Providing SDI is possible in high and low tech ways

Data collection may look different

Educators are amazing. You are amazing. Remember to breathe.

Disclaimer: The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

Distance Learning Series: DL #3, April, 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Taub, D. (2020). Effectively specially designed instruction (SDI) within the distance learning environment: What in the world does that look like? (DL #3). TIES Center.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: 612-626-1530 www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #3: Effective Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Within the Distance Learning Environment: What in the World Does That Look Like?

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During a move to distance and online learning, educators and administrators are struggling with what it means to provide specially designed instruction for students with the most significant disabilities. TIES Center has some considerations around the initial basic questions for supporting students with IEPs.

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Behavior is a big topic. Since the beginning of time, one could argue, children have behaved differently in the comfort of their own home than they have at school. As adults, we behave differently at home than we would at work, around our peers, or outside of the comfort of our places we call home (and there are many reasons for that). Why would it be any different for our children? What happens when school becomes a part of home, especially when that hasn't been where school-life has been conducted before?

First of all, a clear message to families and the people at home...you will not be perfect at this, nor should you expect to be, as you are all an integral part of what makes a home - home. Your relationships with your children have not historically been those of engaging in academics or trying to make progress on IEP goals. You are mom, dad, brother, sister, guardian - but not a provider of research-based instructional practices, content experts or curriculum planners, nor should you feel like that is now your role.

Second of all, a clear message to school team professionals...you will not be perfect at this, nor should you expect to be, as you are all an integral part of what makes school - school. Your relationships with your students have not historically been those of supporting them outside of the school day or trying to make progress on IEP goals when you are not able to oversee what or how they engage in activities from day to day. You are general and special educators, paraprofessionals, and related service providers - but not a family member with all the love, routines, and relationships that come with being a family member, nor should you feel that is now your role.

Take a deep breath...no, I mean it...take one. Now, let's do this!

Understanding the Need for Positive Behavioral Supports

Positive and consistent behavioral supports are needed by all students and, for some students, are absolutely vital to support meaningful engagement in academics. Distance learning situations are no different in this regard. Behavioral supports offered to all students provide structure to routines and activities. They are threaded throughout the way we teach, are shown by how we know when to push and increase expectations, or when we decide to give breaks and allow for downtime and reflection. We can also see it in how we prompt, wait and fade our support of students while they are engaging in learning.

An initial task before us is identifying and transferring the knowledge of things that work for us in school to the new reality that exists for families at home. Collaboration and communication are key. Also key are deliberately defining what those supports have been historically, and what they should be within the new context and activities so that families can best support their children with the most success. By intentionally identifying and consistently providing these supports, students with significant cognitive disabilities will be more able to participate and engage the same as their peers within the current distance learning reality.

School Team Reflections Supportive of Families:

The first step in creating behavioral supports for children who need them most right now is for school teams to reflect, identify, and then share with families the essential practices that they often use throughout the school day, but don't even have to think about from day to day in a school building because they are unconsciously skilled at them. This happens from practicing them all day long, across many different students, and in many different environments. It would be like asking fish, "How is the water?" their response would most likely be, "What water?!".

Now is the perfect time for teachers and related service providers to reflect on what mantras they use, jokes they have that create space for laughter when students get stuck or need help persisting, the guidance they give to creatively bring students' attention back to the task at hand and try their best. These tricks of the trade are essential for families to understand as they embark on creating successful distance learning for their child.

Teachers, what do you do that sets up the learning situation for the most success? How do you set up the learning environment so that it is organized, consistent and responsive to students? How do you anticipate the needs students may have? What specifically, with an identified student in mind who requires positive behavioral supports, do you know about fast or slow triggers that they may have within a learning environment (e.g. fast are ones that are predictable and happen quickly, slow are those that simmer and build over time)? Are there situations that the family may not have encountered before that are typical within a structured academic setting that you could give them guidance and perspective on? Things that are pitfalls? Things that are super positive?

Examples of this could be:

Affirmations you give to identify what is going well with an activity, behavior, or choice a person is making in any given moment

Words, phrases, gestures, or body language that you use to tell students you want to see more of something (or less of something) as it pertains to behavior, persistence, patience, and engagement

When do you speak or prompt, gesture, wait or pause? What scenarios make you choose one over the other? For example, if you ask a student to answer a math problem and frustration happens, do you ask in a different way? Provide a gestural cue? Pause to let the student think and decrease language in the moment? Why?

Gestures you use, how long you pause and wait

Visuals you have that symbolize expectations or routines

Warnings or words you use when you need a group or individual to think about what they are doing and make good choices in the moment

Things you have noticed that this particular individual really enjoys or things where the opposite is true

Songs you sing when it is time to clean up, move on, transition from one activity to another

Brain-break and body movement activities you use that could be utilized at home, the timing of when you use them, and how can you tell by a student's posture or engagement that more might be needed?

Songs or sayings you use to assist in remembering content or teach social-emotional learning and behaviors

Family/Home Considerations to Support Behavior

Another step in creating behavioral supports for children who need them most right now is for families to think about and be able to communicate to the school team about what the current realities are within the home learning environment. Collaboration and communication have always been central to setting up successful programming for students. Now, more than ever, it will require open and clear communication about what strengths, needs, and challenges are presenting themselves for our students from day to day.

Similar to school teams describing what works/doesn't for a particular student, as families are experiencing distance learning together, we need to have a way for them to identify, communicate and suggest what they believe their child is experiencing from day to day and things the child and/or family might be needing from their school team as supports, learning or feedback. The following questions could guide the conversations:

Families, thinking about your child, answer the following questions and be prepared to talk to your team about them, as a guide to conversations:

What are the behaviors you need help in problem-solving?

What was your child doing?

How long does the behavior occur? When does it happen? How often?

What happened before the behavior (these are known as antecedents) that might have influenced the student's behavior? (think about the time of day, activities, locations, materials, people, requests and commands)

Were there other things that happened that might be contributing to the behavior such as not sleeping well, not being able to get outside, or other things outside of what is currently a normal routine?

How did you handle the situation?

What do you think they might have been trying to communicate to you? (ideas: wanted more/less attention, excitement, needed help, frustration, anger, pain or discomfort)

High and Low Tech Ideas for Collaboration and Communication for Behavioral Supports

Having a way for teams to collaborate regarding behavioral supports and needs will no doubt become more routine and established over time. In the near term, there are high and low tech options that families and schools could try on for size to see if it meets the needs of the student while learning at home:

SeeSaw is a great tool for communicating between home and school. Pictures, videos, and notes can be sent back and forth between people, and students themselves can post things that they want to highlight or ask questions about. When it comes to behavioral supports, sometimes SeeSaw can respectfully capture things in the moment, that can then be discussed at a later time. This allows for calm discussion and reflection about what happened, in situations where that would be beneficial.

Creating a form that teachers and parents could utilize that creates a space for thinking objectively about behaviors; specific positive behavioral supports that are being utilized or could be tried; potential communicative functions of behavior; as well as what the possible antecedents are to a challenging behavior.

School teams can help families establish consistent, organized, and respectful learning environments and routines. This could include structures, such as places to put completed work, folders to help with organization, assisting with setting times of day and routines based on the individual student and their person-centered needs in this regard.

Establishing a way for families to keep track of data if there is a behavior that needs to be problem-solved so that the conversations can be based on what is happening at home and adjustments that could be brainstormed together utilizing that data. This could be high-tech such as creating a Google form (high tech) or pencil/paper (low tech).

Regardless of the technology used or the forms created, the most important thing to remember as you start collaborating and supporting behavior at this time of distance learning is to create spaces for reflection, listening and problem-solving together. Families and school teams are in a position of working together on behalf of their collective children like they never have been before. Remain positive, student-centered, and strength-based...the rest you will figure out together!

Disclaimer: The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

Distance Learning Series: DL #2, April, 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Sommerness, J. (2020). A collaborative start to behavioral supports (DL #2). TIES Center.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: 612-626-1530
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #2: A Collaborative Start to Behavioral Supports

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Positive and consistent behavioral supports are needed by all students, and for some students, they are absolutely vital for meaningful engagement to be achieved. By intentionally identifying, collaboratively communicating, and consistently following through on the identified supports, students with significant cognitive disabilities are more able to participate and engage meaningfully through distance learning.

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One of the most important ways to help students feel safer and more in control is to build schedules and routines they can count on. Many elementary classrooms use morning meetings to check-in with students and lay out the goals of the day. Even with asynchronous distance learning or packets of work that go home, this is still possible.

For distance learning using internet tools, there are multiple ways to create a morning meeting video/welcome. Some possible ways to record and share information: SeeSaw, Google Classroom, Schoology, Blackboard, Canvas, Fligrid, Padlet, or a private Youtube channel. Flipgrid, Youtube, Padlet and some of Google Classroom do not require a paid account so it may be helpful if your district/school does not already have a platform. If you are looking for ways to move online with your classroom meetings, check out Ceedar Center's Virtual Tool kit for moving to online learning.

Sometimes low tech is the way to go. A morning meeting can be done through a morning email, a shared notebook (virtual or not), a daily warm-up routine, and/or a simple check-in phone call.

Access Considerations

Use closed captions. If your recording system does not have that, type out a script (or close approximation) for what you are saying. Youtube closed captioning guide . PowerPoint closed captioning guide . Tech Republic has a list of Five Speech Recognition Apps that may help closed caption audio/video files.

Color is awesome but black and white may be better for accessibility. Use contrasting colors if necessary. You can use the AEM Accessibility Guide to help you check if the colors you are choosing are accessible.

Keep your graphics uncluttered. Keep text to a minimum.

Specialized supports for students with IEPs

For students with IEPs, you want to keep the morning message as similar to the rest of the class's as possible. However, an introductory note with accessibility ideas for families on how to help their child be a more active part of the morning meeting. Basic ideas such as including more visuals, supporting parents on using a core board or other AAC, or ensuring audio is available can be good reminders for families.

For students with the most significant cognitive disabilities

Here are two examples: one high tech and one low tech. All of the examples could be aligned with a core board and keywords.

Notice that both examples include similar pieces:

An accessible greeting, using text, audio (when applicable), and AAC symbols or structure for modeling.

A short personal message from the teacher welcoming the students to class.

An accessible way for students to check-in.

An outline of what academics students will be doing today.

Example: High technology

To start today, please go to Padlet and tell the class one thing you have learned in the past week .

Example: Low technology

Elementary school example

Good morning friends! I miss you!

Today, make or take a picture for your friend. Send it with your packet.

Make one choice from each area. There are a few options in each subject area.

ELA---we will share your favorite parts of a story.

Math---we are learning about fractions.

Science--we are going on a scavenger hunt.

Social studies--we are reading about community heroes.

Other--choose from the art, music, or movement choices.

Have a good day!

--Ms. Taub

Middle School example

Good morning students,

I miss seeing your smiling faces each day. And your eyes rolling as I give you homework :). Today's warm up:
Email, phone, text, or send a letter to your assigned classmates telling them one thing you learned last week. Or, you can return it with your completed packet and I will make sure the student receives it.
Today, you will complete pages 4-7 in your packet. If you have any problems or questions, you may email me, call the school homework hotline, or call/text your friends to get help.

Have a great week!

-Ms. Taub

Done! Take a deep breath and remember to give yourself the freedom to make mistakes and experiment. There is no one way to do this.

You did it! Great job.

Disclaimer: The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

Distance Learning Series: DL #1, April, 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Taub, D. (2020). Morning meetings (DL #1). TIES Center.

TIES Center is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education (# H326Y170004). The Center is affiliated with the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) which is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) leads the TIES Center partnership. Collaborating partners are: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North-Carolina-Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: 612-626-1530 www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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Building Engagement with Distance Learning | DL #1: Morning Meetings

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One of the most important ways to help students feel safer and more in control is to build schedules and routines they can count on. Many elementary classrooms use morning meetings to check-in with students and lay out the goals of the day.

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Ed Roberts | "About Ed" from Ed Roberts Day 2018

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May Math Media Madness Click on a picture for a Story or Song or Video

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Does communication stop when you get home from work or school? No!

Should AAC only happen at work or school? No!

Successful communication happens when people with communication difficulties can use their Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system in all environments. And families are so important in this process.

In this blog post you will find some general strategies for getting AAC happening at home, as well as some practical ideas to try out and get you started.

General strategies for home

Your home is a busy active place, with many comings and goings. But two things need to stay consistent for your child who uses AAC. Firstly, your child needs to have easy access to their AAC system. And secondly, your child needs to see their AAC system being used by people at home to communicate real messages in real situations (aka "modeling").
Always available
Is your home set up for AAC? Can you grab the AAC system ready to communicate quickly and easily? Can your child access their AAC system independently? It's important to give your child access to an AAC system all the time. It needs to be in easy reach and/or always in the same place.

If your child uses a high-tech AAC system (such as Proloquo2Go on an iPad), it can be a great idea to have light-tech (or paper-based) version of it in places around the house. Could you stick laminated boards to places such as the mirror in the bathroom, cupboard doors or table tops? This means that the AAC can be grabbed and used easily! Having a light-tech or paper based backup of the AAC system is also useful if something happens to the AAC device. Follow the steps here to get yours started.

You can also download and print quick communication boards. These give you access to lots of words that can be used anytime.
AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom
The Proloquo2Go Crescendo core word boards are available in the AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom. The Core Word Classroom offers a large collection of learning resources, which are designed to support implementation of any AAC system that is based on core words. Learn more about the AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom.

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Language opportunities for using AAC at home - AssistiveWare

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Communication does not stop at home or at school. Successful communication happens when people with communication difficulties can use their AAC system in all environments. Find strategies for using AAC at home in this blog post.

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What is Epic or Fail?

Epic or fail is a game played on the talk show, Ellen. She gives her audience signs and they watch videos. She pauses videos at a crucial point and makes the audience guess if it will be....

epic = success

fail = something will go wrong

...then she shows the rest of the video clip so everyone can see if they were right or wrong.

What speech goals can you address?

Predicting/inferencing/looking for evidence

Verb tenses

Social skills - "how would you feel if..."

Articulation/fluency at sentence/conversational level while verbally expressing responses

Describing

Sequencing

And so much more!

How can you play Epic or Fail in speech?

Display on a computer, tablet, or iPad

Make sure you get the clip to the right point in the show, avoid excess parts (and skip the ads)

Review what an epic and fail means and what they should be looking for.

When Ellen pauses the video, you can pause the You Tube clip to elicit conversations while students provide their answers.

No signs needed, students can use thumbs up or down or just verbally share.

You can provide students with sticky note visuals to encourage complete sentences.

More benefits of using this game in speech

Perfect for mixed groups

Motivating, most students know who Ellen is

There are tons of videos of this game on You Tube. You can play this multiple times!

No prep required!

Where can you find these clips? Search "Ellen Epic or Fail" on You Tube or use some of the videos below!

Like this idea? Want similar ideas? CLICK HERE to view how I use commercials in speech!

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Have you seen Epic or Fail on The Ellen Show? The game is fun, engaging, and SUPER easy for students of multiple levels to pick up. This blog post is FULL of ideas on how to use the game in your speech therapy class from working with mixed groups, focusing on verb tenses, sequencing and more!

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THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT total running time: 29:30 minutes

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This article includes content provided by Spotify. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.

Reading on mobile? Watch The Punk Syndrome here
Blasting onto day three of our New View season comes The Punk Syndrome, the angry Finnish documentary about learning-disabled band Pertti Kurikka's Name Day. It really is extraordinary stuff: four middle-aged men who are not the most obvious rocker material raging against the machine in an undeniably impressive way.

The Observer's Philip French was a fan, calling it "a very likable, relaxed film", while Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw wrote that "the film makes a tacit but eloquent case for punk being a great, liberating musical medium... there's a refusenik genius in one song's roar of nihilist anger against the pedicurists who cut their toenails". And if you want a taster for it, here's a clip that perfectly captures the band's raw energy.

Once the dust has settled, come back tomorrow for a gentle follow-up: a profile of stop-motion effects legend Ray Harryhausen.

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Reading on mobile? Watch The Punk Syndrome here Blasting onto day three of our New View season comes The Punk Syndrome, the angry Finnish documentary about learning-disabled band Pertti Kurikka's Name Day. It really is extraordinary stuff: four middle-aged men who are not the most obvious rocker material raging against the machine in an undeniably impressive way.

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CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION | Official Trailer | Netflix | Documentary

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You've been working on AAC all school year. Motivating, modeling and moving out of the way while your students blossom with communication. Now it is summer. Your students will be in swimming pools, lakes, sprinklers or even hot tubs. What to do? Here are some ideas on how to make communication continue to happen in the water!

Temporary Tattoos can be made at home using special paper or custom orders can be created by companies like Stray Tats. You can have a strip of symbols "tattooed" on your students arm or leg, have yes and no on your own hands or come up with a solution that is perfect for you. If you are really committed go for the real thing! (and send me pics!)

Print boards on waterproof paper and use them in the water. Waterproof paper can be purchased at Staples or other stores or online from Amazon or specialty companies.

Laminating, especially using a heat seal laminating machine and thicker laminating plastic is another great way to waterproof low tech communication boards. Remember to cut before you laminate (and then cut again WITHOUT cutting the paper underneath) to keep your board waterproof. After you laminate you have lots of choices:

Print communication symbols, boards or spelling boards on tee shirts, bandannas or fabric to use in the water. You can also buy shirts or bandannas. Communication partners can wear a tee shirt or tank top or carry a cloth to be used in or around water.

Do you have a creative solution? Please send pictures!

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You've been working on AAC all school year. Motivating, modeling and moving out of the way while your students blossom with communication. Now it is summer. Your students will be in swimming pools, lakes, sprinklers or even hot tubs. What to do? Here are some ideas on how to make communication continue to happen in the water!

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Summer seems to have started in South Florida. It is hot, really hot. When it is really hot, swimming and water play seem to be a natural fit. We first promote the idea of water safety and make appropriate referrals. But, we LOVE to promote communication in and around the water. It used to be simple... no AAC devices too close to the water. We had some really cool no tech communication supports that worked in the water. We still use them. Has anyone made a communication kick board? If not, we still highly recommend creating them. Stock up on clear contact paper.
But now there are some great water protection iPad and iPod cases. AND a Bonus Solar option. We are definitely going to try these this summer:

Overboard iPod & iPad Phone/iPod $25.99 (MSRP ) iPad/Tablet $44.99 (MSRP)

100% waterproof iPad pouch

Floats safely if dropped in water

Guaranteed submersible to 19ft / 6m

Transparent front allowing full use of device features

Back window for iPad 2 rear camera support

Keeps out dust, sand, dirt and water

Made of environmentally-friendly biodegradable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)

Works with any Tablet or E-reader

AriCase ™ iPhone & iPad
Rock - iPad$ 79.99 (MSRP)

Sandproof & waterproof to 3 feet

and has an adjustable supporting stand.

Available in Black, Yellow or White.

Tide- iPhone $39.99 (MSRP)

Compatible with most 4G Smart Phones

Floats with provided floating lanyard (check buoyance before use)

Fully functional touch screen

Communicate with phone in the case

Video above and under water (Touch screen functionality could be hampered under water depending on water pressure)

Protection from snow, rain, dust, and sand

Comes with yellow adjustable neck lanyard & yellow floating lanyard

Inner dimension: 4.90″ x 2.70″ x .55″

DryCase-iPad and iPod $59.99 (MSRP)

Waterproof Vacuum Seal

Stero Headphone & Mic Jack

Hold Handle

Crystal Clear

Works with any Tablet or E-Reader

Tested to 100 feet for 1 Hour

LifeProof- iPod (iPad coming soon) $79.99 (MSR)

Waterproof to rated depth of 6.6 Ft (exceeds highest international rating)

Crystal Clear photo and video quality under water

Can be used with waterproof headphones for sound

Designed for water immersion

Keeps water out, yet sound works for shower or rain

Available in Colors

With lots of Sun.... Extra For the Summer

KudoCase Solar
$199.00 iPad 2 & iPad 3 (MSR)
(developer description)

Solar Power - New solar ink technology, works with outdoor & indoor light

Average use is 10 days with 2hrs iPad use per day with average light

HDMI port built in - watch your iPad on the big screen

Automatic iPad Sleep and Wake built into the flap

USB Power Out - Charge your phone, bluetooth, camera... directly off the solar case

Battery backup - High capacity 10A battery built into the case to store excess energy created by the light

Keyboard Stand - Angle the iPad at a comfortable 15 degrees for easier typing

Movie Stand - Position the iPad into a landscape movie / receipe angle

Durable protection - Protect the iPad from any angle

Thin, only 7/8″ total thickness

Whistle Locator - Cant find the iPad? Simply whistle and the case will beep to let you know where it is

Environmentally Friendly

The worlds only organic solar panels

Housing is made from biodegradeable grains

Every online purchase includes a planted tree with the Arbor Day Foundation

We would love to hear about your AAC and Water Plans. Please Comment.

Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking

Related posts

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AAC & iPads to the Beach- It's PrAACtically Summer

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Summer seems to have started in South Florida. It is hot, really hot. When it is really hot, swimming and water play seem to be a natural fit. We first promote the idea of water safety and make appropriate referrals. But, we LOVE to promote communication in and around the water.

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A middle school English and special education teacher share how they meet the needs of all of their students-and the new practices they'll bring back to the classroom.

Every student has needs, but they don't all have the same needs. In the English 7 classes we co-teach, for example, more than 60 percent of the students have identified special needs, and many of our students are English learners. And although our Title 1 school is able to provide an iPad for each student, given the level of poverty in the neighborhood we cannot assume that every student has internet connectivity. That's a lot of different needs, especially when you take into account that our classes have up to 38 students.

We already faced a variety of challenges, but when our classes went digital almost overnight, we experienced a new layer of difficulty. As we have all year, we brainstormed, researched, and tried many approaches, all in the spirit of letting no one fail. We found four successful strategies that have kept our co-taught students thriving.

1. Address Reading Access Needs

Many of our students are able to think and talk about grade-level ideas but are not yet able to read grade-level texts. We were able to address this in the classroom by forming small groups to read texts aloud, providing the class novel as an audiobook, and modeling fluent reading. With the shift to distance learning, however, we had to find ways to replace the in-person supports.

One approach we've used has been to record ourselves reading all texts and provide that audio support embedded in all assignments. We are also providing leveled texts for each student's reading ability, made possible by article sources like Newsela. We're also taking advantage of our learning management system, as Google Classroom allows teachers to assign differentiated documents easily-we have students grouped in reading level bands, and we assign leveled texts or assignments that have been modified to suit each group.

2. Address Writing Needs

During in-person teaching, we were able to model both planning and writing techniques. We were able to give students real-time feedback on their writing in class, as well as provide visual supports like sentence frames and word banks.

We shifted our approach for distance learning to include more mentor texts than we used to use in the classroom, and screencasts of us modeling the writing techniques. Josh was already familiar with making screencasts, but Sarah had to learn on the fly. Students can access these videos at any time via hyperlinks in their assignments. We're also still able to provide sentence frames and word banks, although the resources that used to be very accessible as visuals on our classroom walls are now digital, and students need to switch between apps to access them-they can watch a video on Google, but they complete their writing in a separate app called Notability.

To replace real-time feedback, we have been adding comments on their Google documents and providing scores using an electronic rubric. We've also live co-taught editing and revising via Google Meets, using a sample text that mirrored the most common mistakes we found in their writing.

3. Use Accommodations That Translate Easily to Distance Learning

When we were at school, students with special needs received accommodations related to their learning challenges that helped them access general education lessons. Some of these accommodations have translated easily to distance learning-extra time and modified work are two examples of that. But we've had to give up in-the-moment feedback about writing and the ability to clarify misunderstandings in real time as students now work asynchronously.

Other accommodations that are still easy to provide include opportunities to redo and resubmit work, as well as the ability to use the speech-to-text supports that are available on student iPads and smartphones.

We were pleased to realize the power of using our own video lessons for all students, but especially for those who need multiple exposures to content or longer think time to process ideas. Now we plan to continue providing students with recorded lessons for home access when we return to our physical school.

4. Use Parallel Workload Management Strategies

The two of us share equally in grading and student support, just as we did in pre-Covid teaching. When it comes to planning, we split the work in line with our specialties: Josh is the content expert, ensuring that lessons are robust and aligned with Common Core State Standards, and Sarah is the access expert, providing accommodations and modifications to support student needs and adhere to individualized education programs.

During our daily office hours, students reach out to each of us through email-sometimes to Sarah, sometimes to Josh-and we know that we'll respond similarly since we're on the same page.

Distance learning is challenging for all students, but even more so for students who need accommodations. Some days are really tough, for us and for our students. The bright side has been that many of our students who present the most challenges are not struggling as much as we might have predicted. Instead, many of them are advocating for themselves and finding a new level of self-awareness that they did not possess in the classroom.

The challenge of distance learning has shifted our perspectives as we have worked to devise new ways to meet students' needs, and these ways will transfer to in-person teaching when we go back to our classroom.

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A middle school English and special education teacher share how they meet the needs of all of their students-and the new practices they'll bring back to the classroom. Every student has needs, but they don't all have the same needs.

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Simplified Netflix Watch Party instructions

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Simplified Netflix Watch Party instructions

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SWIFT Guide , and SWIFT Playbook, , as well as identified links to other organizations we think are particularly relevant in this time of social isolation. SWIFT Resource Shelf

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Resources for teachers, parents, students, caregivers

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Many accessible STEM lessons through Discovery Cube

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Many accessible STEM lessons through Discovery Cube

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Login Not a member yet? Click here to create an account.

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Presented by Eric Tucker, Executive Director, Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools, NY; Anisa Phillip, SPED Coordinator, Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools, NY; and Megan Gross, Special Education Teacher, Poway Unified School District, CA
Hosted by Barbara Pape, Policy and Communications Director, Learner Variability Project, Digital Promise

Sponsored by Digital Promise
WATCH THE EDWEBINAR RECORDING Get a CE Certificate for this edWebinar Learn more
As COVID-19 ravaged the world, teachers and parents have turned on a dime to maintain their students' learning journey. It hasn't been easy. Challenges have particularly presented themselves in the special education community. How can we do IEPs online? Can teletherapy really work? What happens when a student loses their classroom aide and parents are essential workers so not available to support their children during the school day? Where are the programs to help students, parents, and teachers manage stress and grief? What will re-entry look like for the complex learners as schools begin to re-open, with the potential for more closings in the fall and winter?

In this edWebinar, we discuss the new realities of online learning for broad groups of students in special education. We outline the challenges, the bright spots where new ways of teaching and learning have been effective, and ways to build bridges to the future of special education.

Discuss ways teachers and administrators are tackling online learning, including fulfilling IEP mandates for students.

Present the many bright spots of the current home-based learning. For example, the increased partnerships being formed between parent and teacher.

Explore how lessons learned can help reimagine education as students reenter the schoolhouse.

Showcase some of the free resources available for families and teachers to use to advance home-based learning for students in special education

Provide information on a new coalition, the Educate All Learners Alliance (EALA), that curates and shares special education resources and builds community.

In this edWebinar, we:

This recorded edWebinar will be of interest to teachers, librarians, and school and district leaders of all grade levels.
About the Presenters
Eric Tucker is co-founder and executive director at Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School (LAB). He was the director at the Federal Reserve Bank of NY. As managing director of Catalyst Strategy, Eric led school design and implementation work for clients including Ascend, Excel, and Building Excellent Schools. As CAO and executive director of the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, Eric grew a national network serving 450 urban schools. Eric taught argumentation and debate in Providence and Chicago. Eric has a Doctorate from Oxford University.

Anisa Phillip is a special education coordinator at Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School (LAB). She began teaching at Hudde Middle School as a literacy specialist for ExpandEDSchools. She then served as a Math Fellow at InnovateEDU and completed a teacher residency at LAB. Anisa has taught 6th- and 7th- grade ELA, writing, and history to students in a 12-1-1 setting, where she scaffolded instruction to support student needs and encourage growth. She has a B.A. from John Jay and an M.A. in education from Relay Graduate School of Education.
About the Host
Megan Gross is a special education teacher on special assignment in the Poway Unified School District. She has taught and facilitated inclusive education for students with disabilities at both the elementary and secondary level for thirteen years. Megan is the co-author of The Inclusion Toolbox and ParaEducate. She is the 2017 California Teacher of the Year.
Closed Captioning will be added within two weeks of the live event.
Barbara Pape is the policy and communications director for the Learner Variability Project at Digital Promise. She has 20 years' experience in strategic communications, writing, and policy analysis, primarily in education. Previously, she served as the executive producer of the award-winning Teaching & Learning conference, sponsored by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, where she developed content and oversaw outreach and communications. As a writer, she has written for numerous publications, including Harvard University, the National Education Goals Panel (U.S. Department of Education) and Parents magazine. Barbara also served as editor and publisher of the first electronically delivered education newsletter, the Daily Report Card. She served on the Advisory Board of the Kennedy Center's Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education Committee, serves as a judge for the Miliken-Penn Graduate School of Education Business Plan competition, and is on the Boards at the Education Writers Association and Potentia. She earned an Ed.M. at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and launched her career as a middle school language arts teacher.

Join the Personalize Learning for Learner Variability community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

Digital Promise was created with the mission to accelerate innovation in education to improve opportunities to learn.

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Special Education: What COVID-19 Has Taught Us and How We Can Take Lessons Learned Into Re-Entry

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In this edWebinar, we will discuss the new realities of online learning for broad groups of students in special education. We will outline the challenges, the bright spots where new ways of teaching and learning have been effective, and ways to build bridges to the future of special education.

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What's inside this article: An overview of the escalation cycle, how the brain functions during different emotional states, and evidence-based de-escalation strategies that are used in non-violent crisis intervention to defuse escalated parenting situations.
As a parent, it's important to know some safe and helpful de-escalation strategies for meltdowns.

Sometimes, when children become extremely overwhelmed or they're experiencing sensory overload, they have a meltdown where they lose control over their behaviors.

These situations are stressful for everyone involved and potentially dangerous for both bystanders and your child. Knowing some de-escalation strategies will help you avoid a potential crisis.

The Escalation Cycle

Although meltdowns may seem unpredictable, or like they happen out of nowhere, there is a clear pattern that happens before, after, and during a meltdown.
This is the escalation cycle.
The escalation cycle is something I talk about in a lot of my posts and familiarizing yourself with each of the stages and the different strategies for each stage will help you not only respond to meltdowns but prevent them from happening altogether.

Equally important to being able to identify each stage of the escalation cycle, is to know which non-violent crisis intervention strategies work for each stage.

These strategies, taught by the Crisis Prevention Institute, help keep everyone safe during meltdowns and you should use them in addition to your de-escalation strategies.

Take a few minutes to read this list of 6 NVCI strategies to use during meltdowns. Parents can use these NVCI strategies to help keep their child(ren) safe during explosive moments.

Emotional Regulation & The Brain

The diagram below is a simplified explanation of how various sections of the brain are used and how that affects emotional regulation.

A lot of parents question why I advise avoiding saying no, or trying to reason with a child during a meltdown. This diagram helps make it more clear.

During a meltdown, the brain enters survival mode. It shuts down the thinking part of the brain and simply reacts to a threat (whether perceived or real).

This is a primal survival instinct, known as fight or flight. When faced with true danger, if the thinking part of our brain was functioning we'd hesitate and/or try to use logic and it could cost us our lives.

During a meltdown, often what happens is that 'alarm' goes off when there's not a true threat.
It's like having an alarm system on your home to protect you from burglars but it's so sensitive that it goes off any time a bird lands on your roof.
(I have some free resources for helping kids (and parents) better understand fight or flight here. )

This is why during times where the hindbrain is in control it's important to remain calm and ensure safety until the forebrain is back in control.

You can and certainly should set boundaries, tell your child "no" and discipline them you just need to wait until the forebrain is in control if you want those things to actually benefit your child.

De-Escalation Strategies

Ideally, you should aim to prevent meltdowns and outbursts.

The success rate of prevention is far greater than that of de-escalation. However, sometimes it's unavoidable, so, it's important to know some effective de-escalation strategies as well.

Although some of these techniques may seem more like "what not to do", sometimes our own responses and emotions do make things worse.

1. Do not try to reason with them

When your child is having a meltdown, the logical part of their brain (the prefrontal cortex) isn't working.

During a meltdown, the fight-or-flight instinct takes over, the brain is flooded with adrenaline and cortisol, so they literally cannot access the part of their brain that thinks logically.

It may be tempting to try to reason with your child but often that will make them angrier.

Avoid saying things like "I know you wanted me to pick you up from school, but I have to work late." or "Your pink shirt is in the washer so I can't have it ready in time that's why you need to wear a different shirt."

When the brain is engaged in fight-or-flight, there is a perceived threat. During that time, reasoning attempts are ineffective. Often showing empathy will also make things worse.

Focus on reassuring your child that they are safe, by staying calm and meeting basic needs.

Once your child has actually calmed down, they may respond to this kind of reasoning, but mid-meltdown it won't help.

2. Avoid making demands

Sometimes too many demands can actually cause the meltdown in the first place. But regardless of the cause, avoid making more demands during dysregulated situations.

Telling your child repeatedly to "stop" or "calm down" or "snap out of it" isn't going to make them stop or calm down or snap out of it. It doesn't matter how nicely, or assertively, you ask.

Place all of your other expectations on hold, temporarily. The only thing that matters in the present moment is helping your child calm down.

3. Do not yell to be heard over your screaming child

Yelling makes you appear threatening and will not help de-escalate a meltdown.

Once the fight or flight instinct is activated, it's important to understand that your child's brain is perceiving a threat. They need reassurance that they are safe.

You may think " my child knows I'd never hurt them". Of course, they do. But during these situations, your child isn't thinking logically at all. Their brain is instinctually reacting so anything that seems threatening will worsen the situation.

If your child is screaming do not try yelling so they can hear you. Wait until they stop and then speak to them calmly and empathetically.

Everybody has the right to feel a certain way about any given situation. One thing you never want to do is shame your child for how they're feeling.

Giving validation to their feelings shows your child that you accept their thoughts, feelings, and sensations.

This shows your child that you're on their side. Even if you don't think they have a "reason" to be upset, they obviously are so try to put yourself in their shoes.

Say things like "It makes sense that you are mad right now" Or, "If that happened to me, I would be so upset, too"

Include a "because" when you validate instead of a "but" - this is part of a strategy known as emotion coaching, you can read more on that here.

For example: "It makes sense that you're upset right now because you really wanted the orange cup, not the blue cup - and because it's hard to not get what you want sometimes"

You don't want your child to feel shame for having emotions. We can learn a lot from emotions. It's the actions that need to change.

5. Respect personal space

Everyone's personal "bubble" is different, but regardless that bubble gets bigger with heightened emotions.

Unless your child asks, keep back at least 3 feet from them. Do not try to touch them, hug them, or pick them up (unless they're in danger).

In a heightened emotional state like a meltdown, feeling trapped or closed in by you can farther escalate the situation.

6. Be aware of your body language and facial expressions

It's important to appear calm and non-threatening throughout your child's meltdown. The best way to do this is by being mindful of your body language and facial expressions.

Keep your facial expression neutral. Consciously do a check of yourself and make sure you aren't frowning, furrowing your brow, or clenching your jaw.

Also, be intentional with your body language. Don't cross your arms or put your hands on your hips. Avoid pacing, pointing your finger or other large hand gestures.

It's best to keep your hands in front of your body in a relaxed position.
One of the biggest factors in de-escalation is parental emotional regulation.
7. Get on your child's level

Don't stand over them, looking down at them as you talk. It gives off a vibe of superiority that isn't helpful at the moment. It also can feel threatening.

If your child will sit, sit with them. If not, kneel so you're at eye level with them when communicating. (Although it's usually best to keep communication to a minimum).

You may even need to lay with them if they're on the floor.

8. Distraction

This de-escalation strategy works best if it's used early.

Try distracting your child from the current situation by offering them a favorite toy, a preferred calming activity, or showing them a funny video you think they would like.

This may look likeoffering your child a break in a calm down cornerto also change up their environment.

This technique doesn't mean your child "gets away with" the behavior. Once they're calm and more likely to respond with reason and logic you need to address the original issue.

9. Reflect on your child's wants and needs

Reflective listening shows you are listening to their concerns, however poorly they are being communicated.

Say things like "So you are saying you are upset because you really wanted your pink shirt today?" or " You don't want your Aunt to pick you up from school, do I have this right?"

If you're lucky enough to get a moment where your child says "YES!" to your reflection, it opens an opportunity for you to then validate your child's feelings and help them calm down.

10. Acknowledge your child's right for refusal

Children can suddenly become a lot more likely to cooperate when they don't feel like they are being "forced" to do something.

Acknowledge this right by saying "You're right, I can't make you do ......." then explain why you would like them to choose to do what is asked, and provide a logical consequence.

For example, "You're right, I can't make you clean up your toys. However, we can't play outside until they are put away. The choice is yours."

You're allowed to set boundaries and allow them to choose.

11. Answer their questions but ignore targeted aggression

If your child asks a question during a meltdown, even if it's asked inappropriately or rudely, provide a calm and concise answer.

However, ignore any aggressive statements they make towards you. For example, if your child yells "You're the worst mommy in the world!", do not respond or react.

Keep talking to a minimum, using short responses. Answer their questions and nothing more.

If your child regularly defaults to aggressive communication when they're angry, this is a great communication printable to try (when they're calm - not as a de-escalation technique): Assertive vs Aggressive Communication

12. Silence

Sometimes total silence can help your child begin calming down and then start seeing things more reasonably.

Stop talking altogether to both your child and anyone else around you. I also try to take slow, deep breaths when I'm trying this strategy. Breathe deeply enough that it's audible in the silence.

It h elps me to remain calm and also models a healthy calming strategy for my child - even if they aren't ready to use one.

13. Offer a movement break or a walk

Getting moving is proven to reduce stress, help you calm down, and increase serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter.

During a meltdown, the fight or flight instinct is activated - movement like going for a walk can "trick" your brain into feeling that it's chosen "flight" and helps you start calming down.

Ask your child if they want to go for a quick walk or movement break. You can even try this 7-minute HIIT workout for kids or this dinosaur-themed workout.

14. Be non-judgemental

Regardless of the situation at hand, acting judgemental during a meltdown will only make things worse.

Avoid things like using sarcasm, dismissing your child's feelings, blaming them, or treating them as unintelligent.

Also, avoid lecturing or trying to solve their problems for them at the moment. This conversation needs to come later when they're calm again.

15. Decrease stimulation

No matter what caused the meltdown, additional stimulation can contribute to more overload.

Minimize this stimulation by dimming lights, turning the TV down or off, and having other people leave the room if possible.

It's a good idea to also have a safe calming space where your child can go to remove themself from the situation when they're overstimulated.

16. Avoid saying "no"

If your child is asking you questions, avoid saying the word "no" because it can instantly make things worse.

No is a trigger word for a lot of people.

Nobody likes to hear the word "no," and when emotions are already heightened, it can make things even worse for a child.

Of course, I'm not suggesting you say yes to whatever they want. Simply offer more open-ended answers like "We can plan a time to do that" or "That's something we can talk about when everybody is calm."

17. Use calming visual input

Certain visual input can be mesmerizing and help children calm down.

Try creating a calm down bottle together to use when your child is upset, using an LED light projector or a lava lamp.

18. Deep breathing exercises

The truth is, unless these skills are taught to your child when they're calm, they aren't going to work when they're upset.

It takes a lot of practice and pre-teaching for your child to be able to self-regulate with deep breathing exercises. However, the work can pay off.

Eventually, with frequent practice, while calm, you will be able to prompt your child to do deep breathing exercises when they are upset or to model that breathing and have them imitate you.

If you can get your child to use this de-escalation technique in the moment, it works quite quickly.

Read some tips about how to teach kids to do deep breathing correctly: here

This 5-minute bio-feedback activity (done when everyone is calm) is a great way to show your child how deep breathing helps you calm down; it's called How low can you go?

All of these strategies won't work on all children, and the ones that do work probably won't work every time.

But, having a bank of de-escalation strategies to try is useful for parents who regularly encounter meltdowns.

As you try out these methods and learn how your child responds, you will find the best techniques for you. You may also want to take some time to read: 8 Verbal De-Escalation Techniques for Managing Challenging Behavior & Meltdowns.

Free Printable Poster

Download these de-escalation strategies as an 8.5 x 11-inch poster below. You can use this poster to display as a visual reminder, or to pass out as a handout.

De-Escalation Strategies Poster

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18 Effective De-Escalation Strategies For Defusing Meltdowns

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These effective de-escalation strategies help parents, or caregivers, defuse meltdowns & outbursts in children. These de-escalation strategies will....

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Fun readings of children's books (for kids of all ages).  These are great for kids who have a hard time sitting still to listen while a book is read to them. 

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Fun readings of children's books (for kids of all ages).  These are great for kids who have a hard time sitting still to listen while a book is read to them. 

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Free access to Epic Books. You can assign books and videos to students and track what and how long each student is reading/engaging. Many books are interactive and some have a quiz at the end. 

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Free access to Epic Books. You can assign books and videos to students and track what and how long each student is reading/engaging. Many books are interactive and some have a quiz at the end. 

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Hi! My name is Doug,

I taught elementary science for seven years and made it my students' favorite subject. I created Mystery Science to share my approach with you.

Every lesson begins with a Mystery that hooks your students. I then narrate an unforgettable story told with stunning images and videos and punctuated with opportunities for discussion. Every lesson concludes with simple hands-on activities designed to use supplies you already have (or are easy to get).

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Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

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Hi! My name is Doug, I taught elementary science for seven years and made it my students' favorite subject. I created Mystery Science to share my approach with you. Every lesson begins with a Mystery that hooks your students. I then narrate an unforgettable story told with stunning images and videos and punctuated with opportunities for discussion.

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Sample alignment document from Shelley Moore

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www.stormspeechtherapy.com - Science Experiment and AAC!

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Consider using science to build core vocabulary and descriptive vocabulary! It's fun and there are SO many opportunities to comment, provide opinions, ask questions, answer questions and sequence!!!

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Todos los materiales en español - Wakelet

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¡Todos los materiales que tenemos en Español estarán en esta sección! Siga desplazándose hacia abajo para obtener cuentos sociales, actividades de aprendizaje virtuales, y sitios web todo en Español, ¡Gracias!

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Providing Early Intervention Services through Distance Technology

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Providing Early Intervention Services through Distance Technology

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Providing Early Intervention Services through Distance Technology

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We are a global platform where travel videographers can share their art and experiences with the world. At GlobalGetaways we seek to stem the tide of mass-upload mediocrity by only publishing curated content from the world's best travel videographers.

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Webinars from National Down Syndrome Congress

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Webinars from National Down Syndrome Congress

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Tips and Tools for Online Learning

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Wed, October 7, 2020 -Your Voice, Your Vote- What to Know Before You Cast Your Ballot
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What is at stake in terms of the political landscape of Washington DC? What questions can you ask candidates to determine their position on disability policy priorities? Why is voting so important? In this webinar, self-advocate Connor Long will join the NDSC Policy & Advocacy Team to explore these questions and will discuss his passion for voting and his recent work on the self-advocate-led voting project, "Our Vote Counts."

Tues, July 28, 2020 - Back to School, Or Not? Understanding Your Options
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Download webinar slides
Download NDSC Schooling Resources document

This webinar focuses on helping parents understand the legal implications of different options, including in-person learning, digital learning, homeschooling, and homebound/home instruction providing ideas on how to maintain certain IDEA rights while maximizing flexibility. Moderated by NDSC Policy & Advocacy Director, Heather Sachs, with speakers: Andrew Feinstein, Esq. from COPAA and the Feinstein Education Law Group and LaTaasha Byrd, Parent and Founder of Countdown to K, Inc.

Mon, May 11, 2020 - NDSC House Call: A Talk with the Docs
View Recording on NDSC House Call

Doctors Kishore Vellody, Nicole Baumer, and Peter Bulova will candidly answer your Top 10 questions. These docs are all experts in their fields and members of the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group (DS-MIG).

What is medical rationing and why is it concerning? What have advocacy groups been doing so far? What protocols are hospitals developing? Why are individuals with Down syndrome considered "high risk"? What are the legal prohibitions of discrimination? What can families do to advocate for their loved one with DS if they are hospitalized? How can your local DS organization get involved? Join Heather Sachs (NDSC), Michelle Whitten (GLOBAL), and Ashley Helsing (NDSS) to learn the answers to these questions and more!

In this webinar, NDSC Senior Education Policy Advisor, Ricki Sabia, discusses guidance issued by the US Department of Education on the provision of services to students with disabilities during coronavirus related school closures. In addition, frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and parent/student rights are answered by COPAA Legal Director, Selene Almazan.

Join NDSC's Policy & Advocacy Team as they update on what's happening in Washington concerning COVID-19.

Fri, March 27, 2020 - Making Music Together: How music therapy benefits all ages
View Recording on Making Music Together

Join Hannah Rhinehart, Director of The George Center Foundation to learn more about the benefits of music therapy.

Wed, March 18, 2020 - Census 2020: Why it Counts to be Counted
View Recording of Census 2020

Responding to the 2020 Census is a chance to shape your future and the future of your community. The population count affects your representation in government, determines how much funding your community receives, and provides data to help you plan for the future.

Tues, Feb 11, 2020 - Convention 101: What is the NDSC Convention and Why Should You Go?
View Recording on Convention 101

Presented by David Tolleson - Executive Director, Sarah Hill - Convention Director, and Tamara Pursley - Programs & Partnerships Director, this session will give you an overview of all things convention and an opportunity to ask questions.

Tues, Dec 10, 2019 - Supported Decision Making
View Recording on Supported Decision Making

Supported Decision-Making (SDM) is a way for people with disabilities to make their own decisions, by using family members, friends, professionals, and other people they trust to help understand the issues and choices being faced. In this webinar, the presenter will discuss what SDM means in practical, everyday terms; why SDM is important in the lives of people with disabilities; and how SDM can be used to promote self-determination. She will also share updates on ways in which SDM is being advanced on the local, state, and federal levels across the United States.

Join NDSC Policy & Advocacy Director Heather Sachs and Autism Society Vice President of Public Policy Kim Musheno, along with an experienced grassroots advocacy self-advocate, as they discuss the basics of advocacy, why it is important to become engaged, and what steps you can take to help NDSC and Autism Society achieve their policy goals to improve the lives of individuals with Down syndrome, autism, and other disabilities.

People with Down syndrome may have a decline in skills for a variety of reasons. Much of the focus has been on Alzheimer's disease but there are many causes, most of which are potentially reversible. A thorough evaluation, with particular emphasis on conditions that are more common in people with Down syndrome is essential. Treatment of these conditions will often lead to an improvement in symptoms. Presented by Dr. Brian Chicoine.

What does the science say? What are the benefits of knowing? Will this impact services for my child?
These questions and more are answered during a webinar presented with our friends from the Autism Society of America.
March 12, 2019 - Convention 101
NDSC Staff members provide an overview of the NDSC Convention. Learn about conference options for the entire family, social and networking events on-site, and how the registration system works.
View recording on Convention 101 March 7, 2019 - Transitioning to Adulthood Without Falling off a Cliff
In this webinar, Dr. Alyssa Siegel, Medical Director of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Transition to Adulthood Comprehensive Care, will address the common challenges that families face during this exciting but daunting time. In conversation with Stephanie Pratico, family-centered care educator and advocate, and parent of two young adults with Down syndrome, this experienced team will delineate planning strategies and solutions that will allow families to fly rather than fall as they approach the transition to adulthood.
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January 17, 2019 - How Your Nonprofit Organization Can - and Why it Should - Engage in Grassroots Advocacy
View recording on Member Engagement

The NDSC & DSAIA a co-hosted webinar regarding how to keep your membership informed and engaged in policy issues, build relationships with elected officials, and serve as the voice of the local Down syndrome community to promote policy change.

The NDSC's knowledgeable Policy & Advocacy Team provide an inside look at the issues, what's at stake, and how you can talk to the candidates.

May 24, 2018 - Communicating Your Vision: Using The Future to Find Your Now
View recording on Communicating Your Vision

Presented by Kristin Enriquez, founder of Sevi's Smile. This webinar explores the importance of creating a Vision for your child. Potential starting points and supports for the development of this Vision will be discussed. Emphasis on how to communicate this Vision effectively with your child's Educational Team, in order to build capacity for increasing experiences of access and opportunity for people with Down syndrome, including the use of a Digital Portfolio.

In this webinar, Bryn Gelaro, AM, LSW, Director of Adult Initiatives and Special Projects for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, addresses the crucial role behavior and mental health play in the overall health of adults with Down syndrome. Behavior and mental health are intricately connected to physical health, but this can be overlooked, misinterpreted or not looked at in the context of the complete health care picture for adults with Down syndrome.

February 22, 2018 - Ask the Expert - Puberty, Sexuality & Relationships
View recording on Sexuality
Dating FAQ's
Puberty, Sexuality & Relationships Resource Sheet
Adult Down Syndrome Center Resources

Presented by Terri Couwenhoven, MS, the clinic coordinator and health educator for the Down Syndrome Clinic at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, this webinar will give you the opportunity to "Ask the Expert" your questions about puberty, sexuality, and relationships for teens and adults with Down syndrome and developmental disabilities.

January 31, 2018 - Adopting a Child with Down syndrome
View recording on Adoption

Presented by Stephanie Thompson, Director, this webinar will introduce families to the National Down Syndrome Adoption network and provide information and resources to families who are interested in adopting a child who has Down syndrome within the United States (also known as "domestic adoption"). The adoption process will be explained, from how to obtain a home study to the finalization process.

November 29, 2017 - Accommodations & Modifications
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Presented by Julie Harmon, Inclusion Coordinator at University of Colorado Colorado Springs (and NDSC Board member). This webinar explores how the use of accommodations and modifications can be a key to meaningful participation in the general education classroom for students with disabilities.

Sam Towers, M.Ed., owner of Towers Behavior Services, LLC is a behavior analyst who has spent 25 years providing services to individuals with disabilities who exhibit problem behavior. In addition, he has served as a special educator and has trained special education teachers at the University of Kentucky. In addition, Towers authored the chapter "Addressing Problem Behaviors in Individuals with DS-ASD" in the book "When Down Syndrome and Autism Intersect".

Chris Rodriguez and Heather Sachs from the ABLE National Resource Center walk participants through a primer on ABLE accounts and how to use them, including what they are and who can qualify for one; what the rules are regarding eligibility, distributions, and account limits; how to open an ABLE account and manage the funds; how the funds in ABLE accounts may be used; and which states are offering ABLE accounts and how these ABLE programs differ.
August 29, 2017 - Include Me! Including Young Children in Early Childhood Programs -
View recording on Inclusion
Presented by Gerin Martin, Ed.D, this webinar is for parents of children with developmental disabilities, aged 2-5. Inclusion, at any level, is an art in partnerships. Learn what high-quality inclusion in an early childhood classroom should look like and how to partner with the early childhood professionals working with your child, in order to carry over skills at home.

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Parent Webinars | National Down Syndrome Congress

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The purpose of the NDSC is to promote the interests of people with Down syndrome and their families through advocacy, public awareness, and information. When we empower individuals and families from all demographic backgrounds, we reshape the way people understand and experience Down syndrome.

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Support for Implementation

The resources found on this site were developed by the ERLC, a member of Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC), as a result of grants from Alberta Education, to support implementation.

Engaging All Learners | Copyright © 2021
Terms of Use | Contact Us

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Literacy for All: In conversation with Dr. Caroline Musselwhite

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The resources found on this site were developed by the ERLC, a member of Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC), as a result of grants from Alberta Education, to support implementation. Engaging All Learners | Copyright © 2021 Terms of Use | Contact Us

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Name writing is a classic goal that sometimes stays on the IEP for decades! Students typically practice name writing by copying and tracing, which leads to little or no generalization. Signing our name is a very important goal, as it is a part of who we are, so it is very important - but we need to address it using strategies that work! This series of tips suggests several strategies that are interactive, motivating . . . and successful!

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'Sign In' refers to have students sign in each day, and tracking their name writing as data across a semester or year. Students can sign in for: school, therapy, afterschool activity, Scouts, etc.

February 2014

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'Sign Up' refers to having students sign up for desired activities or materials. This can be more motivating than signing in, especially when signing up for exciting events. Use actual sheets or PostIts so that students understand the POWER of signing up!

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'Sign Off' refers to having students sign off when leaving or signing off on their personal work. This can be more motivating than signing in, especially when signing work to be shared or celebrated. Use actual materials (cards, artwork), so that students understand the power of signing off!

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This rating scale is an attempt to help capture and quantify the progress students make with name writing before their name is spelled correctly.
**Based on assessing the students' errors. Students' errors are very valuable as they offer a window in to what they know.
*This rating scale was developed by informally looking at a group of students name writing samples across a year. Patterns and features that were seen across students' attempts were identified as possible indicators for this rating scale.

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Here's a super fun 'barrier communication' game to play with students using AAC devices (or speech).

'Barrier Games' are activities that teach students to share information across a boundary. In this case the two girls were on opposite sides of the table, and couldn't see each others' cookies!
June 2014

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Before Writing: getting the right tool, which will often be an alternative pencil

Setting a Topic: writing for a real reason

After Writing: giving informative feedback

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This tip provides background information for:

WHY we should read familiar texts over and over with children

WHO is especially in need of hearing multiple re-readings

HOW we can make this happen

Repeated read alouds are fun for both children and adults - so jump in and read it again . . . and again . . . and again!August 2014

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This tip shares strategies to support emergent readers in 'practice' reading to their siblings, cousins, pets, stuffed animals, or dolls! This practice reading supports students in:

Feeling like a reader

Practicing concepts about print

Developing fluency

This can be helpful for students who are emergent readers and early conventional readers. The tip also includes what NOT to do when practicing.

September 201 4

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This tip describes approaches to writing using

Word banks

Core + Content (Communication system)

Alphabet

Samples are provided, and the importance of increasing use of the alphabet and core plus content for writing is emphasized.

Letter of the Week is a common preschool and special education practice. This tip advices against that practice, and suggests alternatives.

This tip provides background information for:

WHY we should stop doing letter of the week

WHO this tip is for

HOW we can do alternative activities that help students compare letters

November 2014

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Alphabet books are a staple of preschool education. This tip shares ideas for finding and using alphabet books with older students.

This tip provides background information for:

WHY we should share alphabet books with older students

WHO this tip is for

WHERE to find alphabet books that will engage and support older students who are emergent readers

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Our little idea guy marks the tip attachments. They are posted in pdf format. On the few occasions where there was more than one document to attach, we have "zipped" the files.

PDF File Information
If you don't have Acrobat Reader on your computer, go to the following site:
http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Contact us if you need tips in another format.

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tools for communication with special needs kids

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Name writing is a classic goal that sometimes stays on the IEP for decades! Students typically practice name writing by copying and tracing, which leads to little or no generalization. Signing our name is a very important goal, as it is a part of who we are, so it is very important - but we need to address it using strategies that work!

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Before my daughter learned to speak she learned to sign, and the first sign she mastered was "more". More meant more - as in, " Give me more milk before I scream-cry in 5-4-3-2-1..." - but for her, it also meant "again". Sing that song again. Push the toy cash register button again. Make that funny sound with your armpit again, again, again.

Kids like repetition. Most parents get that, but when you've been reading the same story for the past hundred days and that damn caterpillar is still hungry, you can't help but think, "Come on, let's diversify here." You might even start to wonder if your kid is getting a little stuck.

This was a concern I had when I chose my daughter's play-based, child-led preschool. On one hand, I loved how the children had the freedom to explore without a constricting routine. On the other hand, sure, while she could build things with Magna-Tiles or dig in the sand or observe the Komodo dragon, without any direction, wouldn't she just do the same thing she does at home, all day, every day? (At that time, she was obsessed with putting nappies on baby dolls.)

"She might," the school's director Sylvia told me. "But what's wrong with that?"

When I recently asked her about this again, she elaborated. "What adults don't see is that each time a child does something, they see something differently. Why is it that when people travel, they go to the same place again and again? You see something new every time. That's how you get a true understanding of something."

There's scientific evidence to back this up. When children do the same thing over and over - reread the same books, dump and refill the same bucket, ask the same question - connections are being made in their brains that are critical for learning and development.

A study on language acquisition found that kids who were read the same book multiple times picked up new words faster and retained the meaning of those new words better than kids who were read different texts. Another study discovered that when kids reread stories, their conversations about those stories deepened upon subsequent readings - their responses to questions became more varied and complex.

And repeating things is simply comforting for kids - and for adults, too. Familiarity makes us feel safe and secure and less alone. Knowing what comes next is empowering. In this world of uncertainty and chaos, how nice is it to be able to say goodnight to the Moon, stars, air and noises everywhere before drifting off to sleep?

A piece from The Daily Beast titled "We've Been Saying Goodnight to That Moon for 70 Years" quotes Lucy Mitchell's 1921 Here and Now Story Book:

It is only the blind eye of the adult that finds the familiar uninteresting. The attempt to amuse children by presenting them with the strange, the bizarre, the unreal, is the unhappy result of this adult blindness. Children do not find the unusual piquant until they are firmly acquainted with the usual.

What should you do about your kids' repetitive behaviours? As tedious as they might be, go with them. But not in a way that'll make you crazy. Here are some tips:

Even as you cycle through books, keep some familiar favourites around on the shelves.

Look for sequels and books by the same author - kids build stronger connections when they have something familiar to grasp onto, such as a character or style of writing.

Offer open-ended materials that support "schemas", repeated patterns of behaviour. Here's an excellent list from early childhood educator Michelle Thornhill.

Change up the familiar little by little. For instance, after you've read a book for the umpteenth time, cover up some words and let your kid fill in the blanks. Or change up the ending. In time, the kid will feel confident enough to ask, "OK, what's next?"

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Why You Should Let Your Kid Be Annoyingly Repetitive

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Before my daughter learned to speak she learned to sign, and the first sign she mastered was "more". More meant more - as in, "Give me more milk before I scream-cry in 5-4-3-2-1..." - but for her, it also meant "again". Sing that song again. Push the toy cash register button again.

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SELPA Content Lead–ASD, CAPTAIN and Marin County SELPA

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RESOURCES TO SUPPORT SCHOOL CLOSURES/DISTANCE LEARNING FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM

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SELPA Content Lead–ASD, CAPTAIN and Marin County SELPA   

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Resources on this page are provided by educators and families from around the world. We are collaborating to support the needs of students with significant disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These materials are open source and may be adapted to fit your child or student's need. They may not be used for purchase.

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Resources on this page are provided by educators and families from around the world. We are collaborating to support the needs of students with significant disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These materials are open source and may be adapted to fit your child or student's need. They may

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Strategies for Maintaining Personal Connections

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Strategies for Maintaining Personal Connections

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Strategies for Maintaining Personal Connections with Students During Distance Learning

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Sample Family Support Plan - Spanish.docx