Evidencebased Practices That Build And Foster Student Competence For Success In Postsecondary Educat

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Evidence-based Practices That Build And Foster
Student Competence For Success In Postsecondary
Education

• Dr. Margo Izzo, Ohio State University
• Margo.Izzo_at_osumc.edu
• Dr. Stan Shaw, University of Connecticut
• Stan.shaw_at_uconn.edu
• Presentation at the State Transition Planning
  Institute
• Charlotte, NC
• May, 2008

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Where are We Going?

• Session Goals
• Review Postsecondary Enrollment and Retention
  Trends
• Discuss Evidence-Based Practices
• Discuss Best Practices Implemented by Quality
  Secondary College Programs
• Conclusions

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Postsecondary Education The Good News

• College students with disabilities increased from
  2.6 in 1978 to 9.2 in 1998
• The National Council on Disability (2004) states
  that higher education is key to the economic
  prospects and independence of youth with
  disabilities. (p. 68)

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Postsecondary Education The Good News

• Students with disabilities who graduate from
  college exhibit similar employment rates and
  annual salaries compared to their counterparts
  without disabilities (Madaus, 2006 National
  Center for Education Statistics 2000)

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The Good News Between 55 - 70 ofSwD Anticipate
Going to College

• Full-time work (52.4)
• Part-time work (30.1)
• Two-year college (30.7)
• Four-year college (25.9)
• Technical school (15.3)
• Military (6.0)
• Vocational rehabilitation services (15)
• Other training (7.9)
• Source The Ohio Longitudinal Transition Study A
  Preliminary Analysis (2004)

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Postsecondary Education The NotSo Good News

• In spite of the more than 50 of students who
  want to go to college, NLTS2 reported that one
  year following graduation only
• 30 of students had taken college classes
• 18 of students were currently enrolled (compared
  to 40 of their non-disabled peers)

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Table 1 Postsecondary School Attendance(N
12,000)
Source NLTS2 (2004) http//www.nlts2.org
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Postsecondary Education The NotSo Good News

• In spite of these increasing numbers, too many
  students with disabilities are experiencing
  limited success and exiting college without
  completing their programs.
• Only 25 of students with disabilities received
  an associate degree after five years at a
  community college.
• (Burgstahler, Crawford, Acosta (2001)

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Why Are Students Dropping Out of College?

• Lack of self-advocacy skills?
• Lack of time management/organization skills?
• Lack of learning and study strategies?
• Student was provided too many accommodations or
  supports in high school by teachers or parents?

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Strategies To AvoidRegarding Transition to
College

• Get a diagnostic evaluation that recommends as
  many
• accommodations and waivers as possible.
• Use as many modifications, accommodations,
  waivers, and
• content tutoring as you can get in order to
  achieve seemingly
• competitive grades.
• Parents should provide whatever advocacy
  (pressure) it takes to
• help student look like college material.
• The best college is the one with the most
  support
• services.
• Parents should make all the calls and send in
  applications or
• documentation because student with a disability
  is busy,
• disorganized, or forgetful.

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Need for Self-Determination

• IDEA 2004 encourages student involvement in
  
• transition planning and acknowledges student
• control at age of majority
• Profoundly different expectations between
• HS and college
• Student must assume role of independent
• self-advocate to receive assistance in
• college
• Increasingly and justifiably, youth with
• disabilities are viewed as capable of
• conceiving and shaping their own futures.
• 
  - NLTS2 (2003)

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Self-Determination Makes a Difference

• Highly self-determined young adults with
  disabilities demonstrated more employment success
  and financial independence (Wehmeyer Schwartz,
  1997)
• Positive correlation between high
  self-determination and high GPA in college
  students with LD (Field, Sarver Shaw, 2003
  Sarver, 2000)

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Characteristics of Self-Determined Individuals

• Self-knowledge
• Internal locus of control
• Positive attribution of efficacy and outcome
  expectancy
• Self-evaluation
• Goal setting and attainment
• Problem-solving
• Decision-making
• When we hear the word self-determination, the
• terms control, goals, choice, and self-
• confidence should come to mind.

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Evidence-Based PracticesSelf-Advocacy Strategy

• Motivation and Self-Determination Strategy
  designed to prepare students to participate in
  education and transition conferences.
• Indicator 13 Checklist
• 1 Student participation in identification of
  postsecondary goals
• 5 Student involvement in identification of
  strengths, needs, and preferences within the
  transition assessment process.

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Self-Determined H.S. Students

• Understand and can describe their disability
• Know how to learn and compensate for weaknesses
• Are good self-advocates
• Know when and how to properly disclose their
  disability and request accommodations
• Function without direct parental involvement
• Understand legal mandates under Section 504
• Engage in planning postsecondary goals through
  involvement in the IEP Team Transition Process
  and developing Summary of Performance

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Practices designed to promote self-determination

• Universal Design - universal design operates on
  the premise that the planning and delivery of
  instruction as well as the evaluation of student
  learning outcomes can incorporate inclusive
  attributes that anticipate diversity in learners
  without compromising academic standards. Such an
  environment will obviously foster student
  self-determination because options are available
  that allow the student to select personally
  productive approaches to learning (McGuire, Scott
  Shaw, 2006)

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Practices designed to promote self-determination

• Strategic instruction - Providing students the
  tools they need to compete in college time
  management, organization, memory skills language
  and communication skills, note-taking, outlining
  (Deshler Schumaker, 2006)

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Practices designed to promote self-determination

• Coaching - not yet evidence-based strategy that
  is being used with some success with students
  labeled ADHD, Aspergers, LD. Activities such as
  listening as a student verbalizes plans,
  encouraging a student to make choices, and asking
  questions that help students reflect on and learn
  from the self-determination process
• (Parker, 2004)

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Helicopter Parents

• Helicopter parents is clearly a pejorative
  term used to indicate the concerns of
  postsecondary personnel and the need to attend to
  this problem
• Differences in the role of parents in HS
  College (IDEA v 504)
• A transition plan for parents - Parent advocacy
  to student self-sufficiency

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Understand How Laws Change After High School

• IDEA NOT IN EFFECT (i.e., no FAPE, no special
  education, no availability of diagnostic
  evaluations, no formal parent role, no
  guarantee of a seat or success)
• 504/ADA provides equal access (i.e., no
  discrimination) but only if you are otherwise
  qualified, self-identify, and provide acceptable
  documentation of a disability

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Disability Documentation for Postsecondary
Education

• Section 504 Requires Data to Answer the
  Following Questions
• Does the student have a documented
  disability?
• Does the current disability substantially
  limit a major life function (e.g., learning)?
• What supports and accommodations are
  reasonable and appropriate based on the data?

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IDEA 2004 - Evaluations

• Evaluations before change in eligibility
• An evaluation is not required before the
  termination of a childs eligibility under this
  part due to graduation from secondary school with
  a regular diploma, or due to exceeding the age
  eligibility for FAPE under State law (
  300.305(e)(2)).

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The Evaluation Dilemma

• IEP or 504 Plan insufficient to meet
  documentation requirements
• Secondary schools moving to more functional data
  (Response to Intervention, Curriculum-Based
  Assessment, Functional Behavior Assessment)
• Postsecondary schools require documentation of a
  current disability need for academic
  adjustment.
• Postsecondary personnel have typically used
  recent psycho-educational evaluations to
  determine eligibility

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Requesting Formal Evaluations

• Although formal evaluations are no longer
  required, IEP Teams and/or parents can still
  request evaluations or re-evaluations in order
  to
• 1) to determine whether the student continues
  to be a student with a disability
• 2) to determine if the students educational
  needs still require special education and related
  services
• 3) to determine the present levels of academic
  achievement and related developmental needs of
  the student
• 4) to determine whether any additions or
  modifications to special education and related
  services are needed to enable the student to meet
  
• the measurable annual goals set out in the IEP
  and to participate, as appropriate, in the
  general education curriculum.

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IDEA of 2004 Requires Transition Assessments

• Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in
  effect when the child turns 16 the IEP must
  include
• Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based
  upon age appropriate transition assessments
  related to training, education, employment.
• http//www.nsttac.org

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IDEA 2004Summary of Performance

• For a child whose eligibility terminates under
  circumstances described in paragraph (e)(2) of
  this section, a public agency must provide the
  child with a summary of the childs academic
  achievement and functional performance, which
  shall include recommendations on how to assist
  the child in meeting the childs postsecondary
  goals
• ( 300.305(e)(3)).

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What Does the Summary of Performance Offer

• A tool to bridge the gap between standardized
  assessments and actual current performance
• Informal assessment data
• Data on actual skills and behaviors
• Problem solving skills
• Self-advocacy skills
• Accommodations based on classroom performance,
  rather than standardized test data
• Accommodations that are actually used

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Assumptions about SOP

• Does not require new testing
• Data exists in students file and from current
  teachers
• Based on students postsecondary goals
• Narrative of strengths and needs should distill
  data into understandable and useable terms
• Not jargon
• Not a list of test scores
• Not a list of see attached report

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Implementing the Summary of Performance

• The SOP is most useful when linked with the IEP
  and transition planning process and the student
  has the opportunity to actively participate in
  the development of this document.
• The SOP should be developed by someone who knows
  the student and should be reviewed and approved
  by the IEP Team
• The SOP must be completed during the final year
  of a students high school education.
• It can be the basis for transition planning
  throughout high school so it is virtually
  completed by the senior year

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SOP Development

• Suggestions
• Be sure to include informal data from classrooms
  and testing accommodations
• Be sure to include names and dates of assessments
  and standard scores
• Indicate basis for disability determination
• Ask the student how do you learn best?
• Clarify accommodations listed in IEP versus those
  that were actually utilized
• Limit statements related to future success

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Nationally Ratified Summary of Performance
Template (SOP)

• This is a model form that they may use as the
  basis for developing their own
• It is available at http//www.cec.sped.org/pp/pdf
  s/SOP_Ratified.pdf
• This template has been ratified by many national
  organizations including CEC, DLD, CEDS, LDA,
  HECSE, and CLD
• A review of SDE websites indicates that fewer
  than 1/3 meet IDEA SOP mandates and less than 20
  fulfill the template guidelines.

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• Part 1 Background Information this section
  requests that you attach copies of the most
  recent formal and informal assessment reports
  that document the students disability or
  functional limitations and provide information to
  assist in post-high school planning.
• This is critical for the documentation of a
  disability in post-school settings.
• This section includes the name and contact
  information for the professional completing the
  SOP

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• Part 2 Students Postsecondary Goals These
  goals should indicate the post-school
  environment(s) the student intends to transition
  to upon completion of high school.
• The goals(s) could include employment, higher
  education, training, community participation,
  and/or independent living
• This sets the direction for the focus of the
  contents of the SOP

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• Part 3 Summary of Performance This section
  includes three critical areas Academic,
  Cognitive and Functional levels of performance.
• Next to each relevant area, complete the
  students present level of performance and the
  accommodations, modifications and assistive
  technology that were essential in high school to
  assist the student in achieving progress.

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• Part 4 Recommendations to assist the student in
  meeting postsecondary goals This section should
  present suggestions for accommodations, adaptive
  devices, assistive services, compensatory
  strategies, and/or collateral support services,
  to enhance access in a post-high school
  environment.

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• Part 5 Student Input - It is highly recommended
  that this section be completed and that the
  student provide information related to this
  Summary of Performance. The students
  contribution can help
• secondary professionals complete the summary
• the student to better understand the impact of
  his/her disability on academic and functional
  performance in the postsecondary setting
• postsecondary personnel to more clearly
  understand the students strengths and the impact
  of the disability on this student.
• This section may be filled out independently by
  the student or completed with the student through
  an interview.

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Postsecondary Documentation

• The Association on Higher Education and
  Disability recently published AHEADs Best
  Practices Disability Documentation in Higher
  Education (2005) to support postsecondary
  personnel in this effort. It states,
• The principles espoused by this document
  recommend that institutional documentation
  policy should be flexible, allowing for the
  consideration of alternative methods and sources
  of documentation, as long as the essential goal
  of adequately describing the current impact is
  met (p. 5)
• What is the current reality?

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School-wide Supports

• Responsiveness to Intervention (RTI)
• Positive Behavior Supports (PBS)
• Evidence-based strategies in primary and middle
  grades and in basic subjects (reading, math)
• Both have potential to provide effective
  instruction and social skills to prepare high
  school students with disabilities for college
• Based on their efficacy in lower grades, the
  support of IDEA 2004 and the need for effective
  models at the high school level, extensive
  implementation and evaluation of RTI/PBS in high
  school would be appropriate

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Technology Expectations for College Success

• We have preliminary data that there is a gap
  between technology skills needed and mastered in
  high school compared to those critical in
  postsecondary education? Those skills are across
  three domains
• Assistive Technology
• Learning or Mainstream Technology (Blackboard,
  Vista, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Distance (On-line and Blended Instruction)
• Students with disabilities often need preparation
  across all three domains (Parker Banerjee, 2007)

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Integrate Technology and Transition Planning

• SwD who participated in EnvisionIT, a 40 hour
  transition course delivered online had
• Significantly higher scores on IT Literacy Tests
• Significantly higher knowledge of how to find a
  job
• Significantly higher knowledge of how to find
  information about college
• Izzo, Dillon, Nagaraja, Novak, in press

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Disclosure Teach students how to disclose and
  encourage them to practice their Junior and
  Senior years of High School
• Confidentiality Assure students and teachers
  that confidentiality must be followed.
• Documentation Gain the most up-to-date
  documentation available from secondary sources
  and attach to the SOP
• Accommodations -Provide accommodations in
  secondary that will be approved within
  postsecondary settings
• Grievance Procedures Teach students about
  grievance procedures.

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Disclosure

• Student self-identifying that s/he has a
  disability requiring accommodations.
• A college is not required to provide
  accommodations when it does not know the student
  requires it.
• It is the students responsibility to make
  his/her needs known before they attend class.
• Students are not required to tell them before
  they are admitted to the school.
• If you do not require any accommodations, you
  can choose not to tell.

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Confidentiality

• Keep information private.
• The college must keep this information private.
• College personnel cannot discuss information
  about the student with anyone without
  permission.
• If students want their parents to have a role in
  their postsecondary education, they must invite
  them.

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Accommodations

• Modifications to policy, procedure, and delivery
  method that allow students with disabilities an
  equal opportunity to participate.
• Documentation will determine the accommodations
  received.
• Accommodations must be specific to the
  limitations to learning as a result of the
  students disability.
• Accommodations may be different than what the
  student used in high school.

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Types of Accommodations

• Extended time for tests
• Reader service
• Campus mobility training
• Tape Textbooks 
• Note taker
• Enlarged print
• Scribe for written exams
• Tape-record lectures
• Exams read aloud

• Sign language interpreter
• Distraction-free testing environment
• Calculator 
• Use of a word processor for essay exams
• Specialized assistive technology
• Course substitutions of non-essential program
  requirements

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Conclusions

• Postsecondary education is a realistic and
  necessary option for successful adult outcomes.
• An understanding of the differences between high
  school and postsecondary education is necessary
  if students with disabilities and their families
  are to be prepared to make wise choices for
  successful transition.

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Conclusion

• School personnel and students should use
  transition planning to foster self-determination
  and independent learning in students with
  disabilities.
• It is critical for students to have the required
  assessment data and documentation of needs and
  accommodations if they expect supports in
  postsecondary education.

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For more information

• FAME Online Faculty Resources
  http//www.oln.org/ILT/ada/Fame
• Fast Facts for Faculty Short Information Briefs
• http//ada.osu.edu/resources/fastfacts/index.htm
• Center for Postsecondary Education and Disability
  Dr. Stan Shaw, UConn
• http//www.cped.uconn.edu/index.html