Effectively Using IEPs in the Creation of Accommodation Plans

1. Effectively Using IEPs in the Creation of Accommodation Plans Kristen Philbrook Regional Disability Coordinator Humanitas

2. The IEP in Job Corps Role, function, and uses

3. What is an IEP? Individualized Education Program • Individualizedplan that outlines the student’s: • strengths and weaknesses • abilities • the impact of the student’s disability in the educational setting • goals (e.g. educational, social, etc.) • agreed upon accommodations • agreed upon special education services

4. The IEP in Job Corps • The IEP serves as • Documentation of a disability • One tool for determining accommodation needs on a Job Corps accommodation plan * Remember: For centers with high school programs who fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the IEP serves as the program plan for the delivery of special education services and supports

5. The IEP as Documentation of a Disability • In order to be considered a child with a disability under IDEA, 2 conditions had to have been met: • The child is a person with a disability • The child is in need of special education services • Given this, Job Corps accepts the IEP as one source that documents that an applicant/student is considered a person with a disability

6. The IEP as a Tool • The following information from an IEP can help in the development of an accommodation plan: • Present levels of performance (sometimes known as a PLOP) • Goals necessary for the individual to access the general education curriculum • Supplementary aids, supports, and services

7. The IEP as a Tool (cont’d) • Participation in state and district wide tests • Educational setting where services will be provided • Transition Services

8. Present Levels of Performance PLOP

9. PLOP • A well written PLOP should tell you all the things you need to know about a student’s present levels of functioning including: • strengths • weaknesses • standardized performance data • strategies that have been used successfully • Goals within an IEP should have been written based upon the content contained within the PLOP

10. PLOP Example #1 * All identifying information has been redacted

11. Accommodation Examples Areas of weakness/need Possible accommodation(s) Processing speed Improving editing skills Difficulty staying focused Difficulty transitioning Difficulty completing work Difficulty completing tests on time Give extra time to answer questions Software to help with editing Frequent breaks Reminders given 10 minutes prior to change Organizer or daily checklist “to dos” Extended time for completing tests

12. PLOP Example #2

13. Accommodation Examples Areas of weakness/need Possible accommodation(s) Difficulty completing assignments Needs positive reinforcement Needs tasks broken down into smaller units Difficulty starting tasks Frequent reminders of due dates and/or daily planner or organizer Frequent positive feedback Break down larger assignments into smaller chunks Verify understanding of directions

14. Goals Gleaning educational data from the goals within an IEP

15. Goals • The IEP lists measurable annual goals, consistent with the student's needs and abilities • Baseline tells you what skills the student has in that area/subject

16. Supplemental Aids, Services & Supports

17. Supplemental Aids, Services, & Supports • Allow physical and programmatic access to the general education curriculum • Assistive technology • Extra time on tests/assignment • Proctor • Large print • Personal assistance • Frequent breaks

19. Supplemental Aids, Services, & Supports • What accommodations would you offer?

20. Participation in State-wide Tests

21. Participation in State and District Wide Tests • Ask yourself: • Have they taken state assessments with accommodations and/or modifications? • Are they exempt or do they take alternative testing? • This information can help you understand: • Assessment method in which the student is participating • Types of accommodations being afforded in testing situations

22. Testing Example

23. Possible Accommodations • TABE tests and other standardized tests • Extra time • Directions read • Small group setting • Other tests • Directions explained

24. Educational Services/Settings

25. Educational Services/Setting • Where and when special education and related services were be provided: • General education environment • Special education environment • Amount of time spent in each location or service

26. Services/Settings Language in IEP • The IEP says that a student was “pulled out” into a resource room • The IEP says that a student needs “1:1 support” Does this mean the student will not be successful in the Job Corps program?

27. Services/Setting Language in IEP • How is the information provided in the Services/Settings section useful to Job Corps staff? • What did “1:1” or “pull-out” mean for this individual? • What areas/subjects were they receiving the support? • How much time in the day were they receiving extra assistants? • What did that assistance look like? • Could technology increase his/her independence in the learning environment?

28. Justification/Rationale • The IEP should also include a justification explaining why the student needed “pull-out” or “1:1”support • Ask the student

29. Questions for the Student • When you were given the opportunity to leave class and work in a small group, did that make completing your work easier? • Why was it easier (or more difficult)? • What did you like about working in a small group? • What made it difficult to complete your work in the classroom? Was it distracting? • What did the teacher do to help you?

30. Test Your Knowledge Example A Example B

31. Transition Services

32. Transition Services • By age 16 all IEPs should include needed transition services including transition activities and post-secondary goals • This information outlines the students future plans: • Career goals • Post-secondary education goals • Independent living needs

33. Transition Services Example

34. Transition Services Example (cont.)

35. Older IEPs Extracting relevant information from older documentation

36. Valuable Information • Use this information as a foundation to understand how the students disability has impacted the student in the past and develop questions to ask the student. Pay particular attention to information regarding the individual’s • Disability(s) • Strengths • Areas/subjects support was being provided

37. Let’s Review!

38. Determining Appropriate Accommodations • The accommodations listed on the IEP may or may not be appropriate for the student in the Job Corps setting • Remember : • Accommodations need to match the disability • Be current • Address functional limitations

39. Things to Remember When Developing an Accommodation Plan • Of key importanceis that the DCs/Reasonable Accommodation Committee review(s) accommodation needs in discussion with the applicant • Must consider all areas of the Job Corps program

40. Ask the Audience? • What area of the IEP will you find information about the student/applicants current level of functioning? • PLOP • What part of the IEP will tell me if the student has used assistive technology? • Supplemental Aids, Services, and Supports • If a student was removed from the general education classroom, what part of the IEP tells me why? • Justification/Rationale

41. Ask the Audience (cont.)? • Who is the most important person to talk to when creating an accommodation plan? • Student

42. Resources

43. JC Disability Website

44. JC Learning Disability Website

45. Job Accommodation Networkhttp://askjan.org

46. Job Accommodation NetworkSOAR Results for Processing Speed

47. Regional Disability Coordinators • Boston and Dallas Regions - Laura Kuhn laura.kuhn@humanitas.com • Atlanta and Philadelphia Regions - Nikki Jackson nikki.jackson@humanitas.com • Chicago and San Francisco Regions - Kim Jones kim.jones@humanitas.com