Sensory Learning: Identifying Opportunities for Students with Visual Impairments and Multiple Disabilities to Engage in

1. Sensory Learning: Identifying Opportunities for Students with Visual Impairments and Multiple Disabilities to Engage in Literacy Activities Weekends with the Experts Amy R. McKenzie, Ed.D. Florida State University January 19 & 20, 2007

2. Presentation Outline • Welcome & Introductions • Background Information on the Speaker • What is Literacy? • Determining Sensory & Literacy Needs • Learning Media Assessments • Interactive CD: Cathy • Diagnostic Teaching & Assessment • Sensory & Communication Assessments • Reporting Assessment Results • Interactive CD: Sara

3. Presentation Outline • Stages of Literacy Development • Encouraging Literacy Development: Identifying Environments, Teaching Strategies & Activities • Environments • Strategies & Activities for Fostering Early Literacy • DVD Literacy Episode • Functional Literacy Planning • DVD Literacy Episodes

4. Presentation Outline • Conclusion: Our Next Steps • Teacher Perceptions • IEPs • Service Delivery • References/Resources • Question & Answer

5. Breaks • Friday: Afternoon Break 3:00-3:15pm • Saturday: Morning Break 10:30-10:45am • Saturday: Afternoon Break 3:00-3:15pm

6. Background Information on the Speaker

7. Past and Current Research • Emergent literacy opportunities for students who are deafblind or visually impaired • Investigated: • Environment • Activities and strategies • IEPs and Assessments • Professional Perception • Knowledge and skills of TVIs for supervising paraprofessionals • Inclusion perceptions of pre-service general education teachers

8. Overview & Fundamental Truths

9. Overview • All team members must have an open mind about the literacy development of students with visual impairments and multiple disabilities. • Keep all options open! (Koenig & Holbrook, 1995. p. 81) • Consider the needs of the student, not the needs of the team or placement environment.

10. The Fundamental Truths By Cay Holbrook & Alan J. Koenig Truth #1 Every child who is blind or visually impaired has the right to attain literacy to the greatest extend of his or her abilities.

11. The Fundamental Truths By Cay Holbrook & Alan J. Koenig Truth #2 All students who is blind or visually impaired have the right to literacy instruction from a qualified teacher of students with visual impairment.

12. What is Literacy?

13. Three Facets of Literacy • Emergent Literacy • Academic/Conventional Literacy • Functional Literacy

14. Emergent Literacy Emergent literacy is the process of developing literacy that begins at birth and ends when children begin to engage in conventional or functional reading and writing (Sulzby & Teale, 1991)

15. Academic Literacy “The basic reading and writing skills taught in a conventional literacy medium during elementary and middle school years” (Koenig & Holbrook, p. 265, 2000)

16. Functional Literacy “The application of literacy skills and the use of a variety of literacy tools to accomplish daily tasks in the home, school, community and work setting” (Koenig, 1992). This definition relates more to academic students applying their literacy skills to daily tasks.

17. Functional Literacy Functional Literacy • For students with visual and multiple impairments, both the application and the vocabulary are functional in nature. • It is meaning-centered; reading that focuses on the reader’s knowledge and experience. The emphasis is on deriving meaning from what is written. (Rex, Koenig, Wormsley & Baker, 1994)

18. Literacy for Students with MI A broader definition of literacy is needed due to the fact that: • Not all students will be traditional readers and writers, but they will have literacy! • Communication is often the primary need of students with multiple disabilities. • A variety of communication modes are used by students with multiple disabilities.

19. Langley’s Definition of Literacy • …literacy is communication especially when the concepts and issues are applied to students with visual impairments and additional disabilities. In this respect, then, literacy is the most basic foundation for all learning, for receiving and imparting information, and for initiating interactions with others. What is more important for students with visual & multiple disabilities is that literacy opens the doors to personal relationships, shared interests, leisure activities, learning strategies, partial to full independence at home and in the community, and vocational possibilities (Langley, 2000, p. 1)

20. Various Aspects of Literacy • Reading is the complex, recursive process through which we make meaning form texts using semantics; syntax; visual, aural and tactile clues; context; and prior knowledge (p. 75). • Writing is the use of a writing system or orthography by people in the conduct of their daily lives to communicate over time and space. It is also by the process or results of recording language graphically by hand or other means, as by the use of computers or braillers (p. 77).

21. Various Aspects of Literacy • Speaking is the act of communicating through such means as vocalization, signing or using communication aids such as voice synthesizers (p. 75). • Listening is attending to communication by any means; includes listening to vocal speech, watching signing, or using communication aids (p. 73). • Viewing is attending to communication conveyed by visually representation (p. 76).

22. Various Aspects of Literacy • Each of these aspects demonstrates an integrated language-communication approach to literacy, as suggested by Rex, Koenig, Wormsley & Baker (1994) for all students in Foundations of Braille Literacy. • Language and Communication Activities = Literacy Activities • Literacy Activities = Language and Communication Activities

23. Expanding the Framework • We all have to step outside of the box when it comes to our philosophies and teaching of literacy to students with multiple impairments. • The conceptual framework for literacy must be expanded beyond academic reading & writing!

24. Determining Sensory & Literacy Needs

25. Determining Sensory & Literacy Needs Determining these needs can be accomplished through a number of assessments including: • Learning Media Assessment • Diagnostic Teaching • Sensory & Communication Assessments

26. Learning Media Assessment

27. Why Conduct a LMA? #1: IDEA says so!

28. Why Conduct a LMA? #2: It is an objective way of documenting the following elements of IDEA mandates: • An evaluation of the student’s reading and writing skills • An evaluation of the student’s reading and writing needs • An evaluation of the student’s reading and writing media (Koenig and Holbrook, 2000)

29. Why Conduct a LMA? #3: It is an objective way to observe and document the student’s preferred sensory channels. #4: It is the first step in the development of an appropriate, assessment-based communication and literacy programs for students with visual & multiple disabilities.

30. Why Conduct a LMA? “…the first step to designing literacy programs and discovering methods for ensuring appropriate literacy opportunities for students with additional disabilities are a comprehensive assessment of the need for literacy media and a functional analysis of the student’s response to options and opportunities for…

31. Why Conduct a LMA? …embedding literacy instruction and practice – whether reading, writing, or use of other literacy tools – in all learning environments. These steps should lead to the functional and age-appropriate design, adaptation and application of materials and strategies that will enable the student to engage in literacy activities with his or her peers” (Langley, 2000, p. 1).

32. Initial Assessment Forms needed: • Form 1: General Student Information • Form 2: Use of Sensory Channels • Form 8: Functional Learning Media Checklist • Form 9: Indicators of Readiness for a Functional Literacy Medium • Form 10: Initial Selection of Functional Literacy Medium

33. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels • This is the first step of a Learning Media Assessment for all students with visual impairments • The student’s preferred sensory channel for learning is determined through extensive observation of student behaviors • This process is beneficial to all students, regardless of disability area!

34. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels • Cornerstone of the initial selection phase • In this step, the education team will “objectively determine a student’s primary and secondary sensory channels for learning” (p. 21)

35. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels Purpose: • Provide the basis for selecting appropriate general learning media. • Help inform, but not dictate, the decision on the student’s literacy medium or media. (Koenig & Holbrook, 2000, p. 120) Be cautious: This is the student’s preferred sensory channel, not the most efficient!

36. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels • Use Form 2 from LMA Manual • Data Gathering Environments • Three or more observations • 15-20 minutes for each observation • Variety of environments, including: • Structured and unstructured times • Familiar and unfamiliar environments • Indoor and outdoor settings

37. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels • Data Gathering Participants • Include all team members • Especially parents if they are interested! • Allow for a brief “training” including: • Review of the forms and purpose • Coding of joint observations • Coding of video tapes

38. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels • Data Gathering Procedure • Only observable student behaviors should be coded • Student behaviors can include reactions or motor behaviors • Record behaviors in the order they occur • Be comprehensive and objective when recording behaviors! • Code each behavior V, T, A as well as primary or secondary sensory channels

39. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels • Data Interpretation • Gather observation forms from team • Looking for consistent pattern across the observations in both primary and secondary channels • If inconsistent, look at observations themselves • Also, investigate if a student is not using one sensory channel – may not have the opportunity to use it!

40. Determining Preferred Sensory Channels • If it is evident that this student inconsistently uses his or her senses, and/or is considered to be at a communication level lower than 18-months: consider using the sensory assessment portion of Every Move Counts to enrich this information. • Note:This is not a substitute for the Learning Media Assessment process! • We will discuss Every Move Counts in a few minutes…

41. Functional Learning Media Checklist • Use Form 8 to collect information regarding the student’s use of various learning media for both near and distance tasks in a variety of settings. • Consider current & future IEP goals and objectives when determining which media to observe; involve other team members. • Complete this form for all students!

42. Indicators of Readiness for a Functional Literacy Program • Use Form 9 to determine if a student is ready to progress into a functional literacy program; this must be a team process and determination! • Complete this form for all students! • If behaviors towards the bottom of the list are consistently demonstrated, the student is ready for a functional literacy program – move into Form 10.

43. Indicators of Readiness for a Functional Literacy Program • If Form 9 behaviors are not consistently demonstrated, consider continuing with a communication assessment. The LMA at this point will result in the identification of the student’s preferred sensory channels and learning media channels – visual, tactile, and/or auditory. Also, report the results from Form 9 to show growth over time. • If the Every Move Counts assessment was used, its results can be reported in the LMA.

44. Initial Selection of Functional Literacy Media • Use Form 10 to determine the student’s functional literacy medium. Again, this must be a team process and determination! • Observe the student in a variety of settings; note the student’s natural choice of sensory response mode and working distance.

45. Making an Initial Decision • As with all Learning Media Assessments, the end factor for interpretation is relying on your professional judgment! These assessments do not generate a hard and fast score of any type. • Even at the point of interpretation, the student’s needs must be the primary issue at hand.

46. Continuing Assessment • A continuing assessment is only for a student who has had a full, comprehensive LMA previously conducted and the need for a functional literacy program was determined. • Use all forms described in the previous section, except Forms 9 & 10. Instead, proceed with the use of Form 11: Continuing Assessment of Functional Literacy Media. • If the student was not ready for a functional literacy program, conduct another Initial Assessment for continued assessment.

47. Diagnostic Teaching and Assessment

48. Diagnostic Teaching According to Koenig and Holbrook, 1995: • Students with MIVI have limited experiences; • Students with MIVI need longer time to respond to requests; • Students with MIVI have multiple factors influencing their performance on any one task.

49. Diagnostic Teaching “Diagnostic teaching simply guides a teacher’s instructional practices as though each interaction with a student, whether instructional or not, is an opportunity to engage in an integrated assessment” (Koenig & Holbrook, 1995)

50. Diagnostic Teaching Example: • Hunter is a five year old student with deafblindness and motor impairments, as well as developmental delay. His TVI is using diagnostic teaching to determine his ability to use real objects as part of a a choice board. Hunter is having difficulty associating the objects with the activities.