AT & UDL in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports

1. AT & UDL in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports David Davis Coordinator Technology & Learning Connections

2. PS/RtI Project USF • Technology & Learning Connections: AT & UDL Team Increasing student achievement through the systemic alignment of technology, policies, and curriculum.

3. Florida Dept. of Education PS/RtI in Florida MTSS Scaling up

4. Florida Dept. of Education / 1 • FDOE Mission Statement • Highest student achievement (full option graduation) • Seamless articulation and maximum access • Skilled workforce and economic development • Quality efficient services

5. Florida Dept. of Education / 2 • Programs • 21st Century Community Learning Centers • Just Read, Florida! • Sunshine Math • Science Fairs • Earth/Space Science • Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System • Positive Behavior Support • Response to Intervention

6. PS/RtI / 1 • FLDOE Statewide RtI Implementation Plan - 2008 • The basic elements of RtI are required by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); therefore, they are included in the broad-based initiatives for schools striving to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

7. PS/RtI / 2 • Clearly, each set of efforts is built upon common elements, but with single-purpose resources and in segregated activities. Each separate effort also involves a unique set of terminology, professional development requirements, and data collection and reporting systems, which result in district and school personnel perceiving that an overwhelming number of parallel initiatives are either required or encouraged.

8. PS/RtI / 3 • Goals • Align language • Align common core beliefs • Align professional development • Align data collection & reporting • MTSS provides avehicle for alignment

9. PS/RtI / 4 • RtI is the practice of providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction or goals and applying child response data to important educational decisions (NASDSE, 2006)

10. Florida’s MTSS

11. It's a Frame, Not a Box

12. Parts of the “Frame”/ 1 • A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a term used to describe an evidence-based model of schooling that uses data-based problem-solving to integrate academic and behavioral instruction and intervention. • The integrated instruction and intervention is delivered to students in varying intensities (multiple tiers) based on student need. • “Need-driven” decision-making seeks to ensure that district resources reach the appropriate students (schools) at the appropriate levels to accelerate the performance of ALL students to achieve and/or exceed proficiency .

13. Parts of the “Frame”/ 2 • 3 Tiers of service delivery into which all academic and behavioral instruction/intervention “fit.” • Content is not been defined by the model • Use and regular review of data to ensure students are responding to the tiered instructional delivery.

14. Parts of the “Frame”/ 3 • Instruction/interventions are modified and intensified based on student performance data • Instruction is integrated and systematically planned across the tiers

15. What is an MTSS / 1 The goal of an MTSS is: highly effective academic instruction and behavioral supports as evidenced by positive student growth and performance data and no disproportionate representation of student subgroups (e.g. race, economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, etc.).

16. What is an MTSS / 2 • A multi-tier system rooted in the data-informed practices of RtI and PBS. • Tier 1 – comprehensive tier with an emphasis on school-wide differentiated universal core instruction & behavioral supports • Tier 2 – supplemental instruction/interventions that move from universal in nature to small group or individual • Tier 3 – highly individualized instruction/interventions and supports

17. What is an MTSS / 3 • Everything is anchored in Tier 1

18. What is an MTSS / 4 • Interventions • Resources • Services • Funding • Data Collection

19. What is an MTSS / 5 • Requires alignment and consensus • Consensus • Superintendents • Curriculum Directors • ESE Personnel • IT Dept. Personnel • School Staff (Principals, Teachers, Therapists, etc.) • Instructional Support Personnel • Assistive Technology Specialists

20. What is an MTSS / 6 • Requires alignment and consensus • Infrastructure • Training & technical assistance for all educators • Alignment of professional development • Recalibration of roles & responsibilities • Identification of key roles to monitor fidelity of implementation • Identification of practices and decision making across tiers • Alignment of district policies, procedures, and systems

21. What is an MTSS / 7 • Implementation • Identification of the critical components of the framework • Development of an on-going support of an evaluation system to address fidelity of implementation • Urban Special Education Leadership, May 2011

22. Implementation / 1 • Florida’s MTSS program works with districts through: • Professional development • Sharing system change tools & resources • Development of district and school based problem solving teams • District Action Planning Process (DAPPS) for Implementation of a Multi-tiered System of supports

23. Implementation / 2 • Florida’s MTSS program works with FLDOE through: • An MTSS liaison located at FLDOE • Meetings with representatives from the various FLDOE Bureaus • Coordination of professional development

24. Implementation / 3 • Technology support for students with disabilities is now integrated into Florida’s MTSS • Accommodations • Assistive Technology • Accessible Instructional Materials • Universal Design for Learning • Instructional Technology • Virtual Instruction

25. Guiding Concepts / 1 • 3 tier system of supports

26. Guiding Concepts / 2 • Gradual Release of Responsibility • Teachers, therapists, etc. shift from assuming all the responsibility for performing a task . . . to a situation in which the students assume all of the responsibility” (Duke & Pearson, 2002)

27. Guiding Concepts / 3 • Transparency of Services • Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. • Arthur C. Clarke (3rd law)

28. Guiding Concepts / 4 • Transparency of Services • Any sufficiently advanced education system is highly effective, seamless, and transparent.

29. Guiding Concepts / 5

30. Accommodations

31. Accommodations / 1 • Definition • Accommodations are changes that can be made in the way the student accesses information and demonstrates performance • Accommodations meet the individual student needs and ensure equal access to the academic content standards • Accommodations make it possible for students to work around the effect of their disabilities

32. Accommodations / 2 • There are 3 Tiers • Accommodations must be anchored in tier 1 • Start from a current tier 1 service or task • Return to tier 1 • If there is no anchorthen address tier 1universally

33. Accommodations / 3 • Transparency • What accommodations or supports can be provided universally to all students? • Presentation supports • Word recognition & comprehension • Following directions • Behavior management • Organization of space and materials

34. Accommodations / 4 • Release of Responsibility • Recognition of self-accommodation • Recognition of the validity of a student self-assessment • Report self-accommodation in the IEP

35. Assistive Technology

36. Assistive Technology / 1 • Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device.

37. Assistive Technology / 2 • Discussion: The definition of assistive technology device does not list specific devices, nor would it be practical or possible to include an exhaustive list of assistive technology devices. Whether an augmentative communication device, playback devices, or other devices could be considered an assistive technology device for a child depends on whether the device is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability, and whether the child’s individualized education program (IEP) Team determines that the child needs the device in order to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

38. Assistive Technology / 3 • Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. The term includes: • Evaluations • Purchasing, leasing, acquisition • Selecting, customizing, adapting, repairing • Coordinating other services • Training & technical assistance

39. Assistive Technology / 4 • Discussion: We believe the definition is clear that an assistive technology service is any service that helps a child with a disability select an appropriate assistive technology device, obtain the device, or train the child to use the device. • Discussion: The definition of assistive technology service does not list specific services. We do not believe it is practical or possible to include an exhaustive list of assistive technology services, and therefore, decline to add the specific assistive technology service recommended by the commenter to the definition.

40. Assistive Technology / 5 • There are 3 Tiers • What assistive technologies can be provided universally in tier 1? • How do we move from tier’s 2 and 3 back to tier 1? • How do we build independence in tier 1?

41. Assistive Technology / 6 • Transparency • Use typical devices when appropriate • Provide more devices universally • Revisit data collection requirements (e.g. self-assessment)

42. Assistive Technology / 7 • Release of Responsibility • Recognition of the validity of a student self-assessment/evaluation • Report self-assessment in the IEP • Recognize universal and small group assistive technology services

43. Accessible instructionalmaterials

44. Accessible Instructional Materials / 1 • Accessible instructional materials are instructional materials and print instructional materials that have been formatted or adapted to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities.

45. Accessible Instructional Materials / 2 • Discussion: Timely access to appropriate and accessible instructional materials is an inherent component of a public agency’s obligation under the Act to ensure that FAPE is available for children with disabilities and that children with disabilities participate in the general curriculum as specified in their IEPs. • Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 156, p. 46618

46. Accessible Instructional Materials / 3 • There are 3 Tiers • Covers all instructional materials • Core materials • Reading/reference materials • Universal manipulatives • Emergent technologies

47. Accessible Instructional Materials / 4 • Transparency • Assessments should be anchored in regular reading assessments given to all students • Accommodations for text accessibility should be available “on-the-fly” • Reviewed by reading coaches & teachers, reading specialists, etc. • Additional services & resources should be provided as needed (increase in tier) • Support should return to tier 1

48. Accessible Instructional Materials / 5 • Release of Responsibility • Can accommodations/digital tools be easily accessed/obtained by the student? • How much of the assessment or determination process and data can the student be responsible for? • Does the student have the tools to convert media “on-the-fly”?

49. Universal design for learning

50. Universal Design for Learning / 1 • Universal Design • “The term 'universal design' means a concept or philosophy for designing and delivering products and services that are usable by people with the widest possible range of functional capabilities, which include products and services that are directly accessible (without requiring assistive technologies) and products and services that are interoperable with assistive technologies."