LDR-11: Beyond the Assessment – Creating and Using AT/AAC Implementation Plans

1. LDR-11: Beyond the Assessment – Creating and Using AT/AAC Implementation Plans Rachel Kuberry, MS.Ed., Ed.S. Amy Golding, M.A., CCC-SLP January 30th 2014 1:00-2:00 Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

2. Outline: • Assistive Technology Implementation Plan Background • Assistive Technology • Preparation Steps • Process • Practical Tips • Augmentative and Alternative Communication • Preparation Steps • Process • Practical Tips • Q&A Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

3. Lexington Public Schools • Suburban district outside Boston • Approximately 6600 students • District-wide specialized programs serving students with: • Intellectual impairment • Autism • Language-based learning disabilities • Emotional, behavioral, and/or therapeutic learning needs Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

4. What is an Implementation Plan? A concise document that describes the AT tool and how it will be implemented within the environment. Think of it as an “AT Lesson Plan” Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

5. Implementation Plan Resources • Making It Work: Effective Implementation of Assistive Technology Guide (free book by SETBC found here) • Section 5: Develop Assistive Technology Implementation Plan • Implementing Trials with Assistive Technology (free form by WATI found here) • Hey Can I Try That? (free book by Gayl Bowser and Penny Reed found here) • Section called “Make a Plan” addresses incorporating the student into making and AT Plan • Samples: • Oregon Technology Access Program Form • University of Kentucky Form • Georgia’s Assistive Technology Intervention Plan Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

6. AT Implementation Plans Always Include: • The specific AT tool/s • Where it is located • What specific features are used • The goal of the AT • How will we know if the tool is working? • How will we know if the tool is not working? • When the tool will be used • What specific activities will the student use the tool for? Roles and responsibilities of the staff involved • Ongoing monitoring • What do we do if the Student, Environment, or Tasks change? • What do we do at the beginning of the new school year? Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

7. AT Implementation Plans Sometimes Include: • Trial information • How long will the trial last? • How will we know if it worked? • Non-AT strategies • Does the student still need to learn through remediation? • Training information • How will the adults learn to use the tool? • How will the student learn to use the tool? • Are the parents going to be included in training? • Are there new or different strategies that will require training? Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

8. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

9. The good: • Keeps all team members on the same page • Outlines clear roles and responsibilities • Increases use of the AT tool Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

10. The bad: • It takes TIME to create and embed within our service delivery model • Might not contain adequate detail for consistent implementation Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

11. AT Implementation Plan – Prep 1. Know Your Technology… What does each program/classroom have available? • Create an “AT Continuum” for most common assessment areas • WATI: http://www.wati.org/?pageLoad=content/supports/free/index.php • Lexington: http://lps.lexingtonma.org/Page/2062 • Complete “Programmatic AT Assessments” for your special education programs • Work together with your Instructional Technology Specialists to know what general education technology is available Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

12. AT Implementation Plan – Prep • Develop Forms and Blank Templates • Forms for you to fill out as you gather information: • Observation form • Team interview form • Student interview form • Work sample review form • Find all of my forms here: http://lps.lexingtonma.org/Page/3429 • Blank templates for Implementation Plans • Checklist for the steps of the process • “Canned” introduction email to send to Team members Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

13. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

14. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

15. AT Implementation Plan – Prep • Create Method for Storing and Sharing the Plan… the AT Binder!

16. AT Implementation Plan – Process • Gather information from the Team • Observe the student • Meet with Teams to draft the Plan • Finalize the Plan and share it • Ongoing monitoring Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

17. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

18. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

19. Tips for making this work: • Make blank templates • Don’t use the student’s name, when possible • Do not go back in time. Create Implementation Plans only for new students. • Time is important. If you can’t get time with the teachers, go to the administrators for help. • After the Plan is in place, rely on the Team to notify you if anything changes or the plan needs to be adjusted Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

20. AAC – in Lexington Similarities Unique Features All low-incidence populations Greater need for family training and involvement Tools and strategies always used across multiple environments and tasks Often asking people to significantly change the way they do things • Tools alone are not enough • Strategies training is important • Varying levels of staff familiarity and comfort with tools/strategies Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

21. AAC – Important Concepts • Core vocabulary • Aided Language Stimulation • Prompting • Functional communication/problem behaviors • Descriptive teaching • Activity/task specific communication partner skills • See the work of Cathy Binger & Jennifer Kent-Walsh at: http://tinyurl.com/nas923y • See links from PrAACtical AAC at: http://praacticalaac.org/tag/partner-training/ Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

22. AAC Implementation Forms and Handouts Find all my forms at: http://lps.lexingtonma.org/Page/3429 http://lps.lexingtonma.org/Page/3454 Implementation plan Overview handouts Communication protocol Binder forms • Continuum • Interview forms • Data sheets

23. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

24. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

32. AAC Implementation Plan – “Light Support”: Linear Process Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

33. AAC Implementation Plan – “Complex Student”: Ongoing Process Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

34. Gather Information • Interview • Teachers, therapists, paraprofessionals • Parents • Student • Observe student • Across environments • Across tasks • Try tools • Directly with the student • Across environments • Across tasks Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

35. Draft Plan • Discuss with team members • Mutually draft brief implementation plan including: • Tool(s) and strategies to be tried • Duration of trial • Plan for communication partner training • Roles and Responsibilities • Data to be collected Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

36. Train • Emphasis on strategies over tools! • Emphasis on collaboration and valued opinions and different needs of varying stakeholders • Lecture • Print and digital materials • Overlap sessions with professional staff • Ongoing consultation • Structured parent training • Trying tools directly with student • Frequently assess the needs and skills of communication partners • Provide differentiated instruction Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

37. Draft and Implement Protocol • Discuss with team members • Mutually draft detailed communication protocol • Modify any data collection as needed • Provide additional training to communication partners to ensure consistent implementation Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

38. Review and Analyze • Review data after trial and on regular basis • Modify as needed • Data collection • Implementation plan • Communication protocol • Communicate and train communication partners on changes • Collect additional information when needed Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

39. Strategies for involving the Team • Encourage the student’s liaison to invite other people to participate • If scheduling is an issue, the liaison can gather input from the other team members outside of the scheduling planning meetings • Send questionnaires and checklists via email • Draft the AT Implementation Plan with the team! • Use blank copies of a Plan • Have a face-to-face brainstorming session with the team • Type up the plan and send it out to the team for additional feedback • Send a finalized copy of the AT Implementation Plan to ALL Team members, including the parents Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

40. Strategies for involving the Team • Including multiple communication partners is strongly recommended • May need to be flexible to include family members (e.g., phone calls, multiple meetings) • Establish and maintain a positive rapport with team members • Support the student’s SLP and/or liaison in moving toward a leadership role Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

41. Tips for making this work: • Do not go back in time. Create Implementation Plans only for new students. • Create and share data sheets and informational handouts on strategies • Meet communication partners where they are; build skills and success • For ongoing consultation, document services in the IEP as needed • Consider what student, environment, task, and/or tool characteristics impact the need for different levels of service • Provide enough support and monitoring to reduce or prevent the tool from being abandoned or only used during speech Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts

42. Thank you for attending this session • CEUs – Session Code: LDR-11 • More info at: www.atia.org/CEU • For ACVREP, AOTA and ASHA CEUs, hand in completed Attendance Forms to REGISTRATION DESK at the end of the conference. Please note there is a $15 fee for AOTA CEUs. • For general CEUs, apply online with The AAC Institute: www.aacinstitute.org • Session Evaluation • Please help us improve the quality of our conference by completing your session evaluation form. • Completed evaluation forms should be submitted as you exit or to staff at the registration desk. • Handouts • Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts • Handout link remains live for 3 months after the conference ends. Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts