Special Education Teacher Resources

How do I find out which of my students have an IEP or a 504? How do I see their documentation?

How do I know which students have an IEP or a 504?

Step 1:

Sign into our Student Information System:

Aeries Login

Step 2:

Find out which students have IEP's or 504's

Either:

a) On a day when you teach a class: Go to "Attendance" then look for the codes I (IEP) or 5 (504) under programs.

b) Look up each student under "student profile" and look for codes I (IEP) or 5 (504). You would have to go one student at a time. (this is why option a might be better)

Step 3:

Look at Documentation

Elementary:

Case carriers will provide IEP information
Students' 504 plan can be found in Aeries under Student Documents

Secondary: Everything is linked into Aeries, under student documents (follow the directions below)

Secondary IEP/504 Navigation

Questions Regarding IEP or 504:

IEP: Talk to the case carrier

504: Site administration

Considerations for Special Education During Distance Learning

Considerations for Special Education during Distance Learning

Considerations mentioned in our Distance Learning Plan:

Educators must adhere to IEP just as they always would in a brick and mortar setting.
Educators will attend IEPs.
Focus on ensuring equity and accessibility for all students. In addition to accommodations listed in students' IEPs, focus on best practices regarding accessibility of content when designing emote learning experiences. Please see below "Accessibility During Distance Learning" for specifics.
Plan for special education students in you classroom by: including parents (request feedback, input) when your plan instruction. Focus on collaborating (special education and general education working together). Special education teachers can assist with accommodations/modifications of services and/or lessons. General education lessons can be recorded so students can have access to repeat lessons. When considering what practices should be implemented for your classroom, please refer see below heading The Implementation Do's and Don'ts of Special Education Services During Distance Learning
Universal Design for Learning: ensure access and removal of barriers for learning for ALL Students. See Below for UDL During Distance Learning

Accessibility During Distance Learning

It is critical to ensure the accessibility of resources for all students. In particularly, when considering students with individualized education programs (IEPs) or 504 plans. Here are some things that can hep support our diverse learners:

Use Heading styles that will allow screen reader software to navigate from section to section. For Google Docs go to "Normal Text" and change the title to Heading 1, Heading 2, . . .

Use font, size, and text formatting to distinguish between items or to navigate. Ensure no information is conveyed solely buy color or sound. See Examples Below:

What NOT to do	DO
X Keep the heading the same size/font	√ Headings with different sizes and fonts than body text

Use Alt-Text to allow users with screen readers or with slow connections to identify your images, graphs, and charts

How do I add Edit or Add Alt-Text?	Directions: 1) Select an image, drawing, or graphic 2) Right click Alt text 3) Enter a title and description 4) Click Ok or Youtube instructions (for other ways)
When writing a description what should be considered?

Provide transcripts of videos or audio announcements made by teachers. If you read from a script, your script should be posted as the transcript.
- Chrome Extensions: Speech-to-text and text-to-speech

Youtube: How to create a Transcript	1. Click on the More button below the video and select Transcript from the menu. 2. Below you'll be asked to select a language. Make your choice and you'll see a full transcript along with timestamps. 3. Now click and drag to highlight all the text and press Ctrl + C to copy the text. Then paste Ctrl + V into another document to share with your students.
Other ways to transcribe:	Transcribe Videos

If linking to external videos, make sure the videos have closed captioning available.
Use descriptive titles, headers and subtitles to provide added context

Use meaningful text in links to make it easier for users to predict where navigation will take them.

Provide a balance of text, image, video,, and audio. Instruction and resources provided in more than one format provides broader support for the greatest number of users.

Teachers should verify that the external resources they link to have the accessibility features.
If student has real-time translation services such as CART, you may ask them to type in contents in real time while delivering lessons.

Implementation of Special Educational Services During Distance Learning

Implementations Do's and Dont's of

Special Education Services During Distance Learning

Do's

DONT's

Individual plans
Include parents in the planning of services
Collaborate! Working together.
- Special education teachers can help with accommodations/ modifications of services;
- General education lessons can be recorded so students can have access to repeat lessons.
Plan a schedule with service providers and submit that schedule to parents.
Tell parents which goals you will be working on during the sessions.
Connect with students "live"' during the week.
Provide alternative activities if students or parents are overwhelmed.
Ask about student and family well-being and mental health needs.
Take care of your own needs and mental health
Ask for help if you need it,
IDEAS for services:
- Asynchronous: pre-taped lessons such as building a youtube channel with other providers
- Synchronous: 10 minutes teacher talk 2 minutes SWIRLing (speaking, writing, interacting, reading, listening)
- Provide online resources: Lexia, khan academy
Continue to provide ELD instruction

Don't assume a one-size fits all- every family is different in their ability to access technology, provide time to assist their child, and other family obligations.
Expect parents to understand verbal directions. They may need them in writing and they may need them translated.
Give up contacting families if they don't reply. If you can't get ahold of a family, please let your special education coordinator and director know so we can support you in contacting the family.
Assume students are able to sit through long lessons. Construct lessons so students can exit and enter as needed.
Only provide one way of service delivery.
Go it alone! We are here for you!

UDL During Distance Learning

Example of UDL provided in a Weekly Schedule:(Secondary)

Lesson Reflection: UDL Flowchart

Considerations for Assessments

Universal Design for Learning Considerations

(Tap into students' interested, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn)	Connect assessment items to the real world or things that relate to them (ex in science: phenomena) Provide choice in how they answer a question (essay, create a short play, create a video response)
(present ideas in multiple ways)	Give instructions verbally (might be taped ahead of time) and in writing Give alternatives to auditory (speech to text, visual diagrams, charts, provide written transcripts of videos, or closed captioning) Provide alternatives for visual (provide descriptions text or spoken for all images, graphics, visuals, or animations, use touch equivalents (tactile graphics or objects as a reference). Provide alternatives for text (translated for some students to have access to content) Display information can be varied, size of text, font, use of headings, images, graphs, tables, layout, or color is used for information or emphasis Share Rubric to clarify expectations (rubrics with examples of what constitutes quality work)
(provide students with multiple ways to express their comprehension and mastery of a topic)	Allow students to submit assignments electronically or through paper Provide alternatives for showing mastery of content (writing, speech, drawing, comics, storyboards, film, music, dance/movement, visual arts, sculpture, video) Tools for construction and composition: spellcheckers, grammar checks, text to speech, calculators, sentence starters, outlining tools/graphic organizers)