Background Information

“Count Us In”2007 Provincial Itinerant ConferenceFriday, April 20, 2007Mary Ann Bibbywith thanks to Perry Leslie for his valuable input

Background Information • Audit training session - January, 2007 • People involved: audit contractors, district reps, ministry personnel • Category Checklists - January 2007 • Special Education Services Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines, July, 2006.

Purpose of this presentation • Review Ministry procedures and guidelines dated January, 2007 • Highlight important changes • Highlight special considerations and things to watch for • Obtain feedback from the field

The Ministry of Education wants to provide good service to students, and wants to be able to provide evidence that this is being done. We can be helpful in achieving that goal.

Guide to indicators in this presentation • This indicates that the statement is taken directly from the BC Ministry of Education Category Checklist, January, 2007 • This highlights some of the important statements taken from the Manual: ( E.10 Deaf or Hard of Hearing; pp 76 - 80) but does not include everything • This indicates that these are important things to remember

Definition: Medically diagnosed (audiological assmt) No more than 2 yrs old for bilateral conductive/mixed losses A) significant bilateral B) unilateral with significant n delay, or C) cochlear implant Difficulties must be educationally significant Loss results in substantial educational difficulty (Central) Auditory Processing - not included unless student also has hearing loss Deaf or Hard of HearingLevel 2 Funding Allocation1701 Code F

Assessment information • Indicates substantial educational difficulty due to hearing loss and identified by audiological assessment • dB loss is not the sole criterion for determination of need for ed. intervention • Other assessment ( usually done by a TOD): standardized ( ability and achievement); CBA and observation; teacher reports etc. • Districts must determine method of communication ( most enabling language(s) and/or technology supports) for access to the curriculum

Services • Specification of regular ( frequent and direct) service from the TOD • According to documented need • Learning activities are directly related to needs associated with hearing loss

Programming and Implementation (IEPs) • Areas: language, speech, speech reading, auditory management; sign language, deaf culture etc. - all where appropriate • Should also address social/vocational needs • Provides a variety of services ( regular, resource, self-contained, individual etc) • Must be individualized ( be aware of computerized statements) and must show change over time

Unilateral Hearing Loss • Unilateral loss is “moderate to profound” • must be a significant hearing loss in the affected ear ( ave. 50 dB or greater 500-4000Hz) • Student has “educationally significant problems directly attributable to hearing loss” • Must have significant speech/language (or other documented) delay

Unilateral Hearing Loss • Must have an annual assessment (by qualified personnel) that: • Provides evidence that the hearing loss seriously impacts the student’s education • Should have evidence of need for/receiving support from a qualified professional • Typically includes audiology, speech. language, communication and/or social skills development The manual states that “in general, the needs of these students can be managed by classroom adaptations”.

Cochlear implants • Students are receiving services on a regular basis from a qualified educational professional with special training • A qualified teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing provides the services

Documentation( for all categories) • Documentation is absolutely essential • “to support that the student has been appropriately assessed and identified by the school district as meeting the criteria of the special education category” • To monitor progress • To build a case for need for appropriate and adequate services and interventions

IEP • Current - dated after September 30, previous school year • Contains goals, measurable objectives, adaptations/modification, strategies • Goals correspond to deaf/hh category; relate to identified needs • Student is receiving special education services on a regular basis;

IEP • Student is being offered learning activities in accordance with the IEP • IEP outlines methods for measuring progress in relation to IEP goals • A parent was offered the opportunity to be consulted about the preparation of the IEP

Personnel & Staffing • A qualified teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing provides the services (CAEDHH Certification) • District responsible for providing staff with the qualifications to meet the specific communication needs of the individual students • Visual language interpreters

Personnel & Staffing • Supporting CI specialists ( should have “appropriate qualifications to support students after they have had surgery for a CI)” • TAs

Important Points • New focus - unilateral losses, progress measuring and annual evaluations • Accountability and documentation ( but “don’t need to go crazy about it!” P.L.) • Assessments must show professional judgments as to appropriateness and adequacy • Teachers must demonstrate that the student is behind and build a case: that difficulties are due to chronic unilateral loss

Important Points • Not enough to have goals and objectives - must also be able to measure progress; show that it is a result of intervention • “observation” is not enough; can effectively be included but must also have documents that show measurable outcomes • Teachers of the deaf/hh will be observing and monitoring performance and are the ones who are accountable • Note that there is need for expertise in working with students who have CIs

Resources • PERCD ( provincial education review committee for deaf students) • Auditory training equipment ( sound field systems) • Provincial Outreach Program • Resource Centre

Maryann.bibby@ualberta.ca BC Ministry of Education :Special Education Audit Team Member, 2007 Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Special Education and Deafness, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta 780-492-3697

Background Information