IEP Exercise

AT in the General Classroom

Public Laws
Scavenger Hunt

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

SETT Framework
Case Study:
Joshua

Communication Board

Low Vision
Case Studies:
Adam
George

AT Device Abandonment

Computer Access Barriers
Case Study: Marty

Without Hearing
Case Study: Susan

Universal Design

Funding
Case Study: Karen

Group Work:
IEP/IST Exercise

Empowering ESL Students with Universal Design
Experience Reflection and Course Evaluation

Group Work:
IEP/IST Exercise

Task: Please read the hypothetical case study and documentation about a student we will call "Anna" that we will use as the basis of this exercise. You will consult as a team on this particular case. Each of you will take the role of one content area classroom high school teacher (you choose). This exercise will have the following components:

1. Completed SETT framework (can be in a table format, matrix format or narrative).

This SETT framework matrix was developed as a group by Carol Lisa Hom, Adrienne LaGier, Tricia Ryan, and Yesim Yilmazel-Sahin.

2. Provide a well organized report (or set of mini reports) that you would take with you to a IST committee meeting (i.e., attendance, grades, samples of student work, write up of concerns with student work, behavior, what you have tried, what works doesn’t seem to work etc… in your class)

Please see the SETT framework matrix.

3. A plan for implementing strategies and assistive technology tools for this student in each of your content areas (e.g., the content areas each of you have identified hypothetically). The plan must include consideration of the following identified learning environments and the instructional tasks :
· Identify all human resources and indicate their roles in supporting the student.
· Develop a timeline for implementation including time required to assess effectiveness of this intervention.
· How do you intend to use these tools and strategies to support student performance?
· What training does the student and staff need for successful use of these tools?
· How will the effectiveness of this intervention be measured?

Please see the SETT framework matrix.

4. Convert your individual plans (item #3 above) to the “proper IEP language” and format by completing the appropriate section(s) of a students IEP (choose one of the on-line IEP generators or use one you are familiar with). Remember this is an IEP based on the IST input not a legally binding IEP—but the importance of Team Consensus of the measurable goals, objectives and outcomes still remains the same. This is probably the hardest part of the experience -- for while each of you might try strategies and techniques out in your classroom and have specific goals and benchmarks --the overall plan must be clear, crisp but encompassing all the areas—it can not just list 4 specific goals from each of you —that would be too overwhelming for a student. Consider the question: what difficulties/strengths does this student have in each of our classes? What similar strategies/techniques can each of us work on that reinforces each others efforts and helps this student move forward?

This IEP Plan was developed as a group by Carol Lisa Hom, Adrienne LaGier, Tricia Ryan, and Yesim Yilmazel-Sahin.

5. After you have agreed upon this student’s “IEP”, submit a mini activity/lesson plan indicating the adaptation of the lesson to address this student’s needs (as specified in the IEP). You only need to show the lesson plan format not the detailed step by step lesson (e.g., see DCPS template or BLT template).

As Anna's history teacher, I developed a lesson plan that addresses Anna's needs discussed in the IEP plan. I used graphic organizers and lots of visuals since ESL learners would greatly benefit from visual representations of the content.

I also used jigsaw activity in my lesson plan because with jigsaw activities, students take responsibility for one another’s learning, identify purpose and important concepts in a text, and report information gained. This approach is especially useful for second language learners because they can get support from their peers when they need it. Also, because the jigsaw procedure makes students responsible for the comprehension of all the students in their home group, students like Anna can rely on much more support than they might receive in many content areas. In addition, since Anna will also be responsible for presenting information to her group, she needs to participate in the small group discussion and ask questions to clarify her own thinking. Through the constant negotiating of meaning and continuous use of oral language each day in class, Anna can practice her speaking skills and be more confident in participating class discussions.

In addition, Anna and other ESL students will maintain a dialogue journal with the history teacher. A dialogue journal is an ongoing conversation between student and teacher via the written word. This journal intends to help the history teacher and Anna gain insight into the Anna’s understanding and learning process. Teacher will respond to the content of Anna’s entries, not the form. Through this journal, Anna can demonstrate content knowledge, ask questions and clarify misunderstandings about content. Along with promoting written fluency, this journal will allow for a level of communication between Anna and the history teacher that is not typically possible in a classroom. Dialogue journals are also known to lessen anxiety and increase student motivation.

Last Modified October, 2003.