Interdisciplinary Support for High-Intensity Needs in Education (iSHINE) is a specialized training initiative to prepare to pre-service speech-language pathologists, reading specialists, and special educators to serve children with disabilities who have "high-intensity" needs as members of interdisciplinary teams in K-12 school settings.
iSHINE includes interdisciplinary coursework and field experiences to provide opportunities for graduate student scholars to meet a set of competencies related to high-quality services for children with multiple or significant disabilities who require intensive individualized interventions.
This portfolio contains three main areas of focus. Within each area of focus, specific competencies that I was required to meet as an iSHINE scholar are listed. Under each competency, I have included artifacts and rationales as to how the artifacts match each competency. Artifacts may be repeated if they match more than one competency.
Here is the outline of this portfolio:
1. Focused Instruction a. Educational Standards b. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) c. Instructional Programming d. Assessment 2. Interventions a. Intensive Interventions b. Considerations for Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) c. Implementation of Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) d. Advocacy 3. Research to Practice a. Literature Review: Interventions b. Literature Review: Interdisciplinary c. Design d. Dissemination
FOCUSED INSTRUCTION
Educational Standards:
COMPETENCY: Compare and contrast the Common Core State Standards, NC State Essential Standards, and Extended Content Standards.
Artifact 1:Interdisciplinary Academic Lesson Plan
In an attempt to compare and contrast three different types of educational standards, I collaborated with a Speech/Language Pathology graduate student to create an academic lesson plan with specific links to all three types of educational standards. In order to compare and contrast the standards, we had to have a general goal in mind before browsing through each of the types of standards to find similar goals within them. Our general goal was for the students to gain some skill in alphabetic knowledge, specifically reading and writing letters in an inclusive group setting. From there, we found Common Core State Standards (CCSS) that aligned with 1) reading letters, 2) writing letters, and 3) working collaboratively with all peers, even those who may use AAC. Then, we found NC Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS) and Extended Content Standards (ECS) that aligned with the precedented CCSS goals.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
COMPETENCY: Describe tenets of Universal Design for Learning... - In inclusive classroom settings - Within a MTSS or PBIS
Artifact 1: Interdisciplinary Academic Lesson Plan Universal Design for Learning (UDL) allows for models like inclusive classroom to succeed. As my Speech/Language Pathology graduate partner and I created this interdisciplinary lesson plan, we knew that. We added a section to our lesson plan called "Research Based Instructional Practices," and we included the CAST overview of UDL and how each part of the model (why, what, and how) applies to our lesson (2018).
Instructional Programming
COMPETENCY: Design appropriate instructional programs for K-12 students with HIN including... - IEP goals - Data collection methods - Accommodations and adaptations
Artifact 1: High Intensity Needs (HIN) Lesson Plan A fellow iSHINE scholar in the special education program and I created a lesson plan using the NC extended standards to address informational texts in a group setting, as well as aspects of interdisciplinary teaming. Our lesson plan included evidence based practices, universal designs of learning, and appropriate accommodations and modifications to ensure active participation for our target student.
Artifact 2: AT Consideration in the IEP Discussion Board Post One process that is required for all students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the consideration of Assistive Technology (AT). In order to determine if a child requires AT, the IEP team must gather data around the child's areas of needs and areas of strengths. Once it has been determined that the child does need AT, the IEP should follow the steps outlined in the discussion board post below to determine appropriate accommodations and modifications for the students using proper AT.
Assessment
COMPETENCY: Document student learning and developmental outcomes using curriculum-based, standardized, alternative, and authentic assessment methods.
Artifact 1: Progress Monitoring Plan Discussion Board Post For this discussion post, I worked with a Speech/Language Pathology peer from my cohort to create a progress monitoring plan based off of a case study for a child with High Intensity Needs (HIN). In this plan, we developed a six-week approach to continuously assess and revise instructional goals and approaches in order to ensure growth from the student.
INTERVENTIONS
Intensive Interventions
COMPETENCY: Design intensive individualized interventions using an interdisciplinary team-based approach
Artifact 1: High Intensity Needs (HIN) Lesson Plan A fellow iSHINE scholar and I collaborated to create an individualized lesson plan after receiving a brief description of the student. As a reading education graduate student, I was recommended using a Tar Heel Reader book so the lesson could appropriately fit the student's needs and interests. My partner, a special education graduate student, recommended using the CAR model to engage in group shared reading for a part of the lesson. Together, we were able to tailor the lesson to the student, while also making the lesson accessible for small-group or whole-group instruction.
Considerations for Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC)
COMPETENCY: Describe considerations related to the selection and implementation of assistive technology (AT) supports and/or AAC in school, home and community environments.
Artifact 1: Informative Video about Assistive Technology (AT) While choosing appropriate AT for students with High Intensity Needs (HIN), it is important to take the child's needs into account, as well as the setting in which he has a need. In this video, I give examples of various AT devices and services that could be implemented in various settings to exemplify how many options there are for educators.
Implementation of Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative/Alternative Communication(AAC)
COMPETENCY: Assess for, implement and evaluate AT and/or AAC with school-age children with disabilities who have high intensity needs: - Evaluate individualized intervention plans - Make data-based decisions using ongoing progress monitoring
Artifact 1: Informative Video about Assistive Technology (AT) In this video, I discuss how vital it is for IEP teams to consider and implement AT for students with High Intensity Needs (HIN). I also recognize the misunderstanding of AT as only devices instead of devices and services so that educators understand the full process of choosing, implementing, and monitoring AT and appropriately implement it in their classrooms.
Artifacts 2: AT Assessment Process Infographic Based off of the progress monitoring plan that can be viewed in Competency 1 Section E of this portfolio, this infographic offers a user-friendly visual to aid in the understanding of the AT assessment process. The process consists of five main parts: referral and preliminary decisions, primary decisions, trial use, final decisions, and implementation. Each part is briefly defined in the graphic below.
Advocacy
COMPETENCY: Identify a variety of advocacy activities related to AT and/or AAC use.
Artifact 1: Informative Video about Assistive Technology (AT) Individuals with High Intensity Needs (HIN) need strong advocates to bridge the gap between themselves and their communities.This video can act as that bridge to inform others about the many considerations of AT. It is important for a community to understand that "AT" is not just a term to describe an object; rather, it is a process that can be utilized to help individuals with varying needs interact with the world around them.
RESEARCH TO PRACTICE
Literature Review: Interventions
COMPETENCY: Complete a literature review on intensive individualized interventions to improve communication, literacy, and/or behavioral outcomes.
Artifact 1: Cerebral Palsy Virtual Portfolio Instead of writing a literature review on intensive interventions to improve communication, literacy, and behavioral outcomes for students with Cerebral Palsy, I create a virtual portfolio available to the community. Through a virtual portfolio, the resources and information I compiled have a larger audience and could potentially help more people in need than a standard literature review that may go unpublished. The portfolio included six sections, which are listed below. 1) Definition of Cerebral Palsy 2) Cerebral Palsy in Literature 3) Assistive Technology for Literacy 4) Communication/Language Resources 5) Web Resources 6) Relevant Research
Literature Review: Interdisciplinary
COMPETENCY: Summarize the research evidence on a variety of interdisciplinary classroom-based instructional models.
Artifact 1: AAC Consideration Summary To write this paper, I worked collaboratively with a Speech/Language Pathology student from my cohort. After she created an outline which compiled various research from the field, I wrote this paper to define the seven most important considerations while developing an AAC system for CCN. The seven considerations are listed below. 1) Who uses AAC? 2) What are the needs of the student? 3) What are the student's current abilities? 4) What form of AAC would work best for this student? 5) How can the student best access his AAC device? 6) What selection of vocabulary would work best for this student? 7) How do you engage this student with the AAC device during a typical school day?
Design
COMPETENCY: Design, participate in, or evaluate an action-research study targeting intervention response and intensity for school-age children with HIN.
Artifact 1: Participant in Trials for Research Study As a graduate student, I collaborated with two faculty members in the reading education department of Appalachian State in order to create video that will later be submitted to Institutional Review Board (IRB) in order to design a research study around. As a participant, I met with a child with complex communication needs and deficits in reading comprehension to provide high quality instruction of reading and language comprehension. Essentially, I was trying to improve this child's ability to make meaning with text and the world around him by improving his metacognitive abilities and his abilities to create connections between books and real life. All of our sessions were video taped. After each session with the child, I would meet with the two faculty members to discuss why I chose to instruct him certain ways, find what worked and did not work, and make any necessary changes to future lesson plans. It is my understanding that those faculty members will be using those videos to create a model of literacy instruction that other teachers will be able to use for students struggling with language comprehension. Artifact 2: Evaluated Case Studies of Students with High Intensity Needs As a part of my Teacher as Research course, my group and I were required to closely observe various children with High Intensity Needs (HIN). I collaborated with one other special educator and one general educator. To begin, each of us wrote down any observations we made with the given artifacts from the child. We then came together and determined interpretations and hypotheses based on those observations before drawing curricular decisions that would most benefit the child. Once we had finished meeting as group, we then independently wrote a one-page write-up based on our collaborative efforts. Below is an example of one case study. The first document is the collaborative document for our group and the second is my independent write-up for the case study.
Dissemination
COMPETENCY: Disseminate research findings at the local, state or national level.
Artifact 1: Plan for Presenting Research In Section 3 Competency 3, I mentioned I was a participant for trials preceding a research study with two faculty members of Appalachian State University. I plan to continue working with these two faculty members to conduct, analyze, and finalize research in this study. I then plan to present this research at a reading conference once the research has been finalized.
Artifact 2: Assistive Technology (AT) Assessment Infographic In an attempt to simplify the AT assessment process, a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and I collaborated to make this infographic. By providing infographics during IEP meetings or other gatherings where AT will be discussed, our research findings will better inform our local community of the five-step process before they may find themselves within that process.
Artifact 3: Informative Video about Assistive Technology (AT) This video is one way to publicly inform individuals with disabilities and their families across communities in various states and even nations of the benefits of AT. Along with the benefits of AT, I have defined what AT is and addressed common misconceptions associated with AT. This video is published on youtube, a public video platform accessible to anyone who has internet.
Artifact 4: TAN Dissemination Video In this video, I discus the model - TAN - to inform in-service teachers of focusing questions they can use in their classrooms every day. TAN provides three questions to judge how effective a teacher's interactions with students is. 1) Are my actions pushing me Toward a closer teacher-student relationship? 2) Are my actions pushing me Away from a closer teacher-student relationship? 3) Are mine and my students' Needs being met? I also included three more focusing questions to help teachers problem solve with their student. 1) What can I do to myself, as the teacher, to better support this student? 2) What can I work on with the student to better support this student? 3) What can I do to adjust the environment to better support this student? This video can easily be show to other teachers as a quick training or reflection exercise to better inform problem-solving skills in a classroom. Citations for research mentioned in this video are listed below this video.
Ablon, S. [TEDx Talks].(2014, October 24). Rethinking challenging kids - Where there's skill there's a way [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuoPZkFcLVs&t=16s Alderman, G. L., & Green, S. K. (2011). Social powers and effective classroom management: Enhancing teacher-student relationships. Intervention in School and Clinic, 47(1), 39-44. Van Loan, C. L., & Garwood, J. D. (2020). Facilitating high-quality relationships for students with emotional and behavioral disorders in crisis. Intervention in School and Clinic, 55(4), 253-256. Van Loan, C. L., Garwood, J. D., Smith, S. W., & Daunic, A. P. (under review). Take CHARGE! A randomized controlled trial of a social problem-solving curriculum to support students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.