20062007 Virginia Alternate Assessment Program VAAP: Instructional Process and Resources

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2006-2007Virginia Alternate Assessment Program
(VAAP)Instructional Process and Resources

• Virginia Department of Education
• Office of Special Education Instructional Services

John EisenbergEducational Specialist in Severe
Disabilities (804) 225 -2711John.Eisenberg_at_doe.v
irginia.gov
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• Starting Point for VAAP

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Who Should Take the VAAP?

• Guidelines for Participation
• The following cannot be reasons for
  participation
• Poor attendance
• English as a Second Language
• Social, cultural, and economic differences
• Disruptive behavior
• Students reading level
• Expectations of poor performance
• Amount of time receiving special education
  services
• Low achievement in general education
• Categorical disabilities labels
• Place where the student receives services.

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Participation Questions

• 1. Does the student have a current IEP, or is one
  being developed?
• 2. Does the student demonstrates significant
  cognitive disabilities.
• Sources of information (Learner Characteristics,
  psychological evaluation, achievement tests,
  social adaptive behavior test results,
  observations from parents and teachers, social
  maturity data, curricular content, etc.)

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Significant Cognitive Disabilities Exploring
the Definition

• VDOE Guidance Document
• Provide IEP teams with summary of research to
  assist in the clarification of which students
  have been defined as having significant cognitive
  disabilities
• The American Association on Mental Retardation
  (AAMR)
• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
  Disorders IV-TR
• Federal Register
• Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disability is the
  focal point of discussion.
• IEP team reviews student learner characteristics,
  Adaptive Behavior Scores, and Intelligence
  Quotient Scores.

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Significant Cognitive Disabilities Learner
Characteristics

• Learner Characteristics defined in literature
• Communication difficulties that affect
  self-determination, behavior, social
  interactions, and participation in multiple
  learning environments.
• Uneven learning patterns in all domains including
  cognition, communication, socialization, and
  self-help.
• Multiple disabling conditions concurrently with
  mental retardation, including physical
  disabilities, sensory challenges, and medical
  needs, that impact health, stamina, and
  engagement in learning tasks.
• Motor impairments, in addition to
  cognitive/developmental delay, that makes
  participation in routine tasks challenging.
• Difficulty learning new tasks, maintaining new
  skills, and generalizing skills to new
  environments.
• Individualized methods of accessing information
  in alternative ways (tactile, visual, auditory,
  and multi-sensory).

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Significant Cognitive Disabilities Adaptive
Behavior
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Significant Cognitive Disabilities Intellectual
Functioning

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
  Disorders IV-TR outlines a range of IQ levels,
  ranging from mild to profound mental retardation.
  

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Significant Cognitive Disabilities

• What types of disabilities are reflected in the
  research?
• When examining incidence data, this one percent
  may include the following disability categories
• Moderate, severe, and profound mental
  retardation, as a primary, secondary, and/or
  tertiary disability
• Multiple disabilities
• Autism
• Deaf-Blindness where intellectual delays are
  moderate and/or severe.

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Participation Questions

• 3. The students present level of performance
  indicates the need for extensive, direct
  instruction and/or intervention in a curriculum
  framework based on Aligned Standards of Learning.
  The present level of performance, or student
  evaluation, may also include personal management,
  recreation and leisure, school and community,
  vocational, communication, social competence
  and/or motor skills.
• Blended curriculum with high levels of support in
  a curriculum that is reduced in depth and
  complexity
• Sources of information (Informal and formal
  assessment results, checklists, data log, work
  samples, structured or spontaneous observations
  from teachers and parents, measurable IEP goals,
  scheduling matrix, curricular content, list of
  necessary supports.)

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Participation Questions

• 4. The student requires intensive, frequent, and
  individualized instruction in a variety of
  settings to show active interaction and
  achievement.
• Sources of information (Measurable IEP goals,
  scheduling matrix, instructional strategies
  effectiveness data, list of various inclusive
  settings, learning style inventory, etc.)
• 9th Grade and above
• The student is working toward educational goals
  other than those prescribed for a Modified
  Standard, Standard, or Advanced Studies Diploma.
• Sources of information (list of diploma options
  and requirements, curricular content, measurable
  IEP goals, transition plan, parent and student
  discussion, etc.)

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• Now that you have the right student..
• what do you do next?

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• Getting to Know Your Student

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STEP 1 Develop a Student Profile

• Essential to assess your student
• Student Profile Form (Page 23-24)
• What are your students strengths
• Communication
• How does he/she communicate (expressive/receptive)
  ?
• What are the communication priorities for the
  student?
• How is the team going to move the student to a
  more advanced level of communication?
• Academics
• What type of academic instruction has the student
  been exposed to?
• All core content areas
• What are the students strengths in each core
  academic area?
• What types of materials or instructional
  practices work well with the student?

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STEP 1 Develop a Student Profile

• Assess Student Needs
• Sensory and Medical Issues
• Vision, hearing, motor, fine motor, and medical
  issues
• Does the student have any of the above?
• What types of accommodations and adaptations does
  the student need to gain access to instructional
  content?
• Instructional and Support Needs Review Section 3
  (Pages 41-57)
• What types of differentiated instructional
  techniques are needed with this student?
• What type of assistive technology can help
  improve instruction for this student?

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• Get to Know the Curriculum
• and Determine Student Entry
• Points to the Curriculum

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STEP 2 Curriculum Based Assessment

• Based on student strengths and needs
• Determine how student will fit into your local
  functional and academic curriculum (Blended
  Curriculum)
• Key questions to ask
• Does my division/school have a functional skills
  curriculum?
• Does my division/school have a local academic
  curriculum?
• Are my classroom routines and activities aligned
  with the divisions curriculum?
• Does it address all components (strands) of the
  Aligned Standards of Learning?

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STEP 2 Curriculum Based Assessment

• Aligned Standards of Learning (ASOL)
• Foundation of the academic curriculum
• 4 core content areas
• English
• Mathematics
• History and Social Science
• Science
• Must address full breadth of curriculum
• Each content area has multiple strands
• Must teach standards in each of the strands
• Determine the entry point for each strand

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ASOL Strands
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STEP 2 Curriculum Based Assessment

• Starting Point
• Grade level blueprints for core content area
• Recommended ASOL
• Does the ASOL listed for each reporting category
  address skills the student might be able to
  demonstrate achievement on after a year of
  instruction?
• If yesthose ASOL become the instructional entry
  points
• MATHEMATICS EXAMPLE Sally is a 5th grade student
  
• (Process)
• Examine Blueprint and Assess Student
• Plot entry points on Matrix or Scope and Sequence
  Document
• Transfer entry points and organizing topics to
  the Instructional Priorities Planning Document

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Blueprints Crosswalk

• Blueprints represent the SOL curriculum that has
  been reduced in depth and complexity

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Grade 5 ASOL Mathematics Blueprint Summary
Table Select one ASOL from EACH reporting
category.
Sally Entry Points
Entry Points M-NS 12
Entry Points M-CE 5
Entry Points M-G 7
Entry Points M-PS 6
Entry Points M-PFA 5
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Number and Number Sense Whole Numbers
Representations and Relationships at Skill Group
3 and all other ASOL in this box become the
starting point for Sallys instruction in this
reporting category
Using the Matrix helps teachers plan for units
and lessons based on the organizing topics as
well as track the progression of a students
skills throughout the year
Computation and Estimation Whole Number
Operations and Estimation Addition and
Subtraction at Skill Group 3 and all other ASOL
in this box become the starting point for Sallys
instruction in this reporting category
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(No Transcript)
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Use ASOL Instructional Priorities Planning Sheet
to Summarize

• ASOL Instructional Priorities Planning Sheet
  (Pages 25-30)
• Student Sally M. Grade 5
• Name of Person Mrs. Jones Position/Role
  Sped Teacher
• Mathematics_______________________________________
  ____________________
• From the following list, pick one or more of the
  topic areas that will serve as instructional
  priorities
• Strands
• Number and Number Sense
• Computation and Estimation
• Geometry
• Probability and Statistics
• Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
• Organizing Topics
• Whole Numbers Representations and Relations
• Geometry 2 Dimensional, 3 Dimensional
• Statistics

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ASOL Instructional Priorities Planning Sheet

• Purpose
• Summarizes all core content areas
• Which strands/reporting categories have been
  addressed for instructional planning
• List of all ASOL identified as entry points are
  listed in one document
• Instructional organizing topics are identified to
  help with thematic or unit instruction planning
• Addresses functional skills priorities
• Assist in the development of your curriculum
• Assist in the development of your IEP
• Present Level of Performance
• IEP Objectives
• Supplementary Aids and Services
• Assistive Technology

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Repeat Process for All Content Areas

• Documents in Instructional Manual
• Reading Matrix (Page 79)
• Mathematics Matrix (Pages 151-154)
• History and Social Science Scope and Sequence
  (Pages 275-286)
• Science Scope and Sequence (Pages 353-362)

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What if a student is not at the skill level of
the grade level blueprint?

• Always start at the blueprint for the grade in
  which the student is enrolled and then move
  progressively back to find the entry point
• Example 11th Grade Student
• Starting point
• 11th grade blueprint student not at that skill
  level
• Move to the 8th grade blueprint student not at
  that skill level
• Move to the 7th grade blueprint student not at
  that skill level
• Teacher does this process until they find entry
  points at the grade level blueprint that is the
  appropriate instructional starting point
• Grade 3 blueprints are the lowest level of
  complexity in the ASOL curriculum
• Represents the level of skills for all students
  who are beginning instruction in reading,
  mathematics, science and social studies
• Teacher may have to instruct student in a number
  of prerequisite skills to get student ready to
  enter the ASOL curriculum at this level

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Entry Points

• Do all the ASOL entry points have to come from
  the same grade level blueprint?
• NO.. A teacher may use any of the grade level
  blueprints to find appropriate instructional
  entry points but the starting point for
  investigation is always the grade level of the
  student
• ASOL chosen for entry points may vary in grade
  level by reporting category
• Example SCIENCE 4 Reporting Categories
• Scientific Investigation
• S-SI 3 Grade 5 Blueprint
• Force, Motion, Energy, and Matter
• S-FME 1- Grade 3 Blueprint
• Life Processes and Living Systems
• S-LP 2 Grade 4 Blueprint
• Earth/Space Systems and Cycles
• S-IE 1 Grade 3 Blueprint

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Early Literacy and Mathematics Resource

• Manual Support Documents
• Introduction to Early Literacy Pages 61-69
• Introduction to Early Mathematics Pages 127-
  131
• Additional Department of Education Resources
• Reading http//www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruct
  ion/Reading/reading.html
• Math http//www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction
  /Elem_M/emath.html
• Foundation Blocks Instructional Resource for
  Prerequisite Skills
• http//www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Elem
  _M/FoundationBlocks.pdf
• Partner with your general education teachers

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Summary Step 1 and 2

• Step 1- Develop a student profile
• Strengths and Needs
• Instructional strategies
• Assistive Technology
• Accommodations required
• Step 2 Begin curriculum based assessment
• Find student entry points for each content area
• Map out entry points by organizing topics
• Summarize students instructional priorities
• Summarize whole group instructional priorities
• Begin planning curriculum

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• STEP 3
• Providing Instruction

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Understanding the Aligned Standards

• How to read an ASOL
• Content Area Mathematics
• Strand Measurement
• Selected Aligned Standard M-M5
• M-M 5 The student will
• a) identify the number of pennies equivalent
  to a nickel, a dime, and a quarter
• b) determine the value of a collection of
  pennies, nickels, and dimes whose total value is
  100 cents or less.

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Understanding the Aligned Standards

• Determine the essential knowledge and skills
  required in an ASOL
• Curriculum Framework Documents
• TTAC Online
• Must teach all skills listed
• E-R4 The student will demonstrate comprehension
  of fiction and nonfiction.
• C) Discuss characters, setting, and events.

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Develop Themes and Units

• Thematic instruction is based on the idea that
• People acquire knowledge best when learning in
  the context of a coherent "whole," and when they
  can connect what they're learning to the real
  world.
• Thematic instruction seeks to put the teaching of
  cognitive skills such as reading, mathematics,
  science, and writing in the context of a
  real-world subject that is both specific enough
  to be practical, and broad enough to allow
  creative exploration.
• Examples Month of the year, back to school, all
  about me, animals, and plants, etc.
• Ideas for units http//www.ehcs.k12.nj.us/curricu
  lum/linkscatalog/Thematic20Units20Links.htm
• Examine the organizing topics selected for your
  students
• Cluster those skills around thematic units

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Lesson Planning

• Break themes into lessons
• Components of lesson planning
• Anticipatory set
• Theme
• Student tasks
• Materials
• Assistive Technology required (Pages 47-48)
• Ideas for differentiation (Pages 41-57)
• Testing for understanding

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Lesson Plan Ideas

• TTAC Online
• VAAP TAB
• Teacher created lessons for students with
  significant cognitive disabilities
• Enhanced Scope and Sequence Lessons
• Check local curriculum resources
• Outside products Smartboard, Intellikeys, etc.
• Sample Activities in Instructional Manual
• Reading Section 4 (Pages 81-126)
• Mathematics Section 5 (Pages 155-215)
• History and Social Science Section 6 (Pages
  287-333)
• Science Section 7 (Pages 363-413)

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Evidence of Student Achievement

• Student work samples
• Collect after each unit, lesson and activity
• Create a student achievement folder
• Collect diverse types of evidence
• Student products
• Video
• Audio
• Anecdotal records
• Worksheets
• Quizzes/Tests
• Pictures

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Collections of Evidence

• Spend 9 months providing instruction
• Collecting evidence and testing for
  understanding
• Last few months of school
• Organize and check collections of evidence to be
  submitted for VAAP
• Pick evidence that best demonstrates the students
  understand of the standards you have chosen to
  defend
• Make sure all reporting categories are addressed
• Place DIS stickers on all evidence you want
  considered for scoring purposes
• Transcribe video and audio evidence as a backup

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Technical Assistance Supports

• T/TAC Online
• Manual, lessons, on-line training, upcoming
  events, and resources
• T/TAC Staff
• Provide training on teaching students with
  significant cognitive disability
• Content trainings
• Communication trainings
• Designing accessible instructional materials
• VA Department of Education
• Question and Answer Documents after rollouts
• Helpful tips on collections of evidence after
  range-finding
• Parent documents
• Parent training team
• Local Training
• Attend general education content in-service
  trainings
• Organize teams to share ideas for instruction,
  themes and lessons
• Work with division specialists in content areas
  as well as disability specialists

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Contact Information

• John Eisenberg
• [phone]
• John.Eisenberg_at_doe.virginia.gov
• Gordon Trump
• Gordon.Trump_at_doe.virginia.gov