EAP Training powerpoint presentation

1
February 2005
2
Overview of Procedures
Identification / Parent Permission
Diagnosis
Verification
Registration on Database
EAP Profile
Resource Distribution Allocation
3
Setting the EAP context
4
Setting the EAP context

• The Education Adjustment Program (EAP) is part of
  the systemic response to the Ministerial
  Taskforce on Inclusive Education for Students for
  Disabilities. The program contributes to
  promoting inclusive and accountable curriculum
  for students with disabilities and the resourcing
  processes that reflect this endeavour.

5
Setting the EAP context - cont.

• The Ministerial Taskforce Report recommends
• support for inclusive education
• renewed commitment to the place of
  parents/caregivers in education
• a simpler, less time-consuming and more flexible
  resourcing process to replace ascertainment.

6
Setting the EAP context - cont.

• The EAP has a legislative basis e.g.
  Anti-discrimination Disability Discrimination
  Act (DDA), Education (General Provisions) Act
  (EGPA) and the Disability Standards (Draft).
• It is part of national and international trends
  seeking to develop inclusive education practices
  within an adjustment approach.

7
Setting the EAP context - cont.

• The EAP is consistent with development of an
  Inclusive Education context
• e.g. EQ 2010 statement
• review of EQ policies to reflect inclusive
  practices
• move to an adjustment approach from one that
  focuses on disability.

8
Setting the EAP context - cont.

• Development of the EAP represents a point in EQ
  history that sees a transition from the current
  Ascertainment system for students with
  disabilities. Past processes have focused on
  knowledge of the impact of disability on learning
  (essentially a deficit model).

9
Setting the EAP context - cont.

• The EAP on the other hand focuses on the
  education adjustments being made by a school to
  support a student in accessing curriculum,
  achieving curriculum outcomes and participating
  in the life of the school.

10
Setting the EAP context - cont.

• The EAP will commence operation in Term One, 2005
  and be phased in over three years.
• Students with an existing ascertainment will be
  moved to the new EAP as part of a scheduled
  review process.

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Setting the EAP context - cont.

• In the move from Ascertainment to the EAP, a
  concerted effort has been made to retain those
  aspects of ascertainment that are valued by the
  education community including parents and
  caregivers, particularly
• the professional practices that give teachers
  additional information with which to provide
  inclusive education
• the processes around diagnosis and verification
  of a disability, including maintenance of the six
  disability categories recognised by EQ
• the centralised database for corporate management
  of information on students with disabilities.

12
Setting the EAP context - cont.

• Aspects of inclusive education that the EAP seeks
  to enhance include
• strengthening of collaborative partnerships with
  parents and caregivers in the education process
• recognition of the inclusive educational
  decisions that teachers make within their
  classrooms on a regular basis
• respect for the adjustments that teachers are
  already making in facilitating inclusive
  education, by providing access to additional
  resources in ways that are less demanding of
  teacher time than the current system.

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Key milestones Education Adjustment Program 2005
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Key milestones Education Adjustment Program 2005
EAP Guidelines and Procedures available on the Web http//education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/learning/ students/disabilities/ February
EAP report by the University of Queensland due for release. February
Professional development materials regarding the orientation to the EAP available for district implementation. February
Interim SCOLR Professional development for key district administrators. February
Information regarding authorised Verifiers across different disability groups available for schools. February
Work commencing on the development of the EAP Beginning School Profile. February
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Key milestones Education Adjustment Program
2005 cont.
EAP Profile available for download from the web. March
Interim SCOLR activated. March
Validation training for EAP Transition Coordinators. March
16
Key milestones Education Adjustment Program
2005 cont.
Completion of review schedule for currently ascertained students to EAP. April
Commence trials of the new EAP Beginning School Profile. AprilMay
EAP Transition Coordinators develop validation schedule. April
Validation process commences. May November
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Key milestones Education Adjustment Program
2005 cont.
Professional development materials and implementation of the EAP Beginning School Profile available for key personnel. JuneJuly
EAP Beginning School Profile available for download from the web. July
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Key milestones Education Adjustment Program
2005 cont.
Deadline for EAP Profiles including the EAP Beginning School Profile. Deadline for Verifiers to receive request for verification. Deadline for Verifiers to receive verification support documents Deadline for EAP Profiles (including the EAP Beginning School Profile)to be submitted to Central Office. Indicative staffing allocations for projected growth provided to districts. Monday August 29 Week 9 Term 3 Friday Sep 9 Week 10 Term 3 Friday Oct 7 Week 2 Term 4 Friday Nov 4 Week 6 Term 4
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Key milestones Education Adjustment Program
2005 cont.
New Adjustment Information Management System (AIMS) finalised and professional development for key administrators made available for school community. OctoberDecember
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Identification
21
Identification

• There are professional and legislative
  obligations to respond to the learning needs of
  ALL students.

22
Identification cont.

• Teachers make adjustments as part of their
  regular teaching practice. Educational
  adjustments are typically made as early as
  possible after identification of the students
  need.
• These adjustments are refined as teachers become
  more familiar with the student and his/her
  learning.

23
Identification cont.

• Data-gathering processes need to be in place to
  check that the educational adjustments are
  targeting barriers to learning.
• Within the data-gathering process, parents need
  to be recognised as a key source of information
  and be included as an integral part of the
  collaborative process.

24
Identification cont.

• For some education adjustments, teachers may need
  to consult with a variety of specialists to
  identify the most appropriate suite of
  adjustments available to support a student in
  accessing curriculum, achieving core-learning
  outcomes and participating in the life of the
  school.

25
Identification cont.

• For maximum impact, school-based resource
  management teams will need to constantly monitor
  and modify the allocation of resources to support
  teaching adjustment needs.

26
Identification cont.

• Based on information gained through the process
  of refining adjustments, a students education
  team, which includes the parents/caregivers, may
  conclude that a diagnosis of disability needs to
  be investigated.

27
Identification cont.

• At this point, a parent/caregiver permission form
  (EAP 01) must be signed (and held in the
  students file) as the student becomes part of
  the processes involved in the Education
  Adjustment Program.

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Diagnosis
29
Diagnosis

• All students are expected to engage in a
  curriculum that is inclusive. Education
  Queensland acknowledges that, in some cases,
  schools require additional resources to assist
  with the implementation of inclusive education
  practices.

30
Diagnosis cont.

• Education Queensland recognises six categories of
  disability for additional resourcing through a
  verification process
• Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Hearing Impairment
• Intellectual Impairment
• Physical Impairment
• SpeechLanguage Impairment
• Vision Impairment

31
Diagnosis cont.

• Specific EQ personnel are authorised to diagnose
  two categories of disability. These are
• Intellectual Impairment
• SpeechLanguage Impairment.

32
Diagnosis cont.

• In the categories of VI, HI, PI and ASD the
  expectations of diagnosis by specialists remains
  the same as for the ascertainment process (see
  EAP Guidelines and Procedures for clarification).

33
Diagnosis cont.

• The IAS as a single category has been removed
  students previously ascertained under this
  category will instead be considered to have
  multiple impairments in the areas of II and ASD.

34
Diagnosis cont.

• The EAP system for reporting a disability
  diagnosis is basically the same as under
  ascertainment and relevant forms are available in
  the EAP Guidelines and Procedures document.
• Diagnostic reports must meet EQ disability
  requirements through the process of verification.

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Verification
36
Verification

• Verification is a process that confirms that
  diagnostic information
• meets EQ criteria
• supports the students eligibility to be
  supported through additional resources allocated
  to the district (in the areas of HI, PI and VI).

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Verification cont.

• As in ascertainment, the verifying officer is not
  the specialist involved in diagnosis.

38
Verification cont.

• Existing verification processes and criteria for
  entry to Early Special Education (ESE) programs
  and/or services will continue.

39
Verification cont.

• Verification of diagnostic criteria involves
  approved EQ specialists and must meet the EQ
  criteria for the categories of
• Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Hearing Impairment
• Intellectual Impairment
• Physical Impairment
• Speech-Language Impairment
• Vision Impairment.

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Verification cont.

• Education Queensland recognises the following
  diagnoses from the following specialists for
  additional resourcing purposes

Diagnosis of Recognised Specialist/s
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Psychiatrist, paediatrician, neurologist
Hearing Impairment (HI) Otolaryngologist, audiologist
Intellectual Impairment (II) Guidance officer, paediatrician, neurologist, psychiatrist, geneticist
Physical Impairment (PI) Paediatrician, neurologist, orthopaedic surgeon or other medical specialist e.g. geneticist
Speech-Language Impairment (SLI) EQ speech-language pathologist
Vision Impairment (VI) Ophthalmologist, paediatrician, neurologist
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Verification cont.

• For a student to continue to be considered for
  the pool of additional resources, verification of
  the diagnostic criteria MUST be reviewed, at
  least once during each of the following periods
  of schooling
• P3
• 47
• 810

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Verification cont.

• Review of verification MAY require review of
  diagnosis

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Verification Review Process
School-based person assigned to student
Checks initial and or most recent diagnosis
Diagnosis meets criteria (Currency)
Diagnosis does not meet criteria (Currency)
Verifier waives need for new diagnosis
Review of diagnosis 0
Verification
Profile submitted
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Verification cont.

• A revised EAP Profile must be submitted in the
  event that a diagnosis has changed.

45
Verification cont.

• EQ verifying officers
• have relevant disability expertise
• are district approved
• are centrally recognised.

46
Verification cont.

• EQ Verifying Officers are allocated to districts
  from a centrally generated list which is
  maintained by the Disability Services Support
  Unit (DSSU).
• Verifying Officers have been selected from both
  state and non-state sectors.

47
Verification cont.

• If the Verifying Officer does not confirm that
  the diagnosis meets EQ criteria, the MES is the
  point of clarification.
• The MES in the district where the student is
  based is responsible for responding to any
  concerns regarding Education Queensland policies
  on diagnosis and verification criteria.

48
Verification cont.

• Confirmation of eligibility for additional
  resourcing
• In the disability categories of HI, PI and VI,
  additional verification criteria are required for
  students to be considered eligible for submission
  of an EAP Profile and therefore be considered for
  additional resources to the school. This is the
  same process as Ascertainment used for
  discriminating between levels 23 and levels 46.
  
• For ASD, II and SLI, verification that the
  diagnosis meets EQ criteria is the only
  requirement for the submission of an EAP Profile.

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Verification cont.

• Verification and review of diagnosis in Early
  Special Education
• Verification of a suspected diagnosis occurs on
  an annual basis following district procedures.
• Formal diagnosis and verification of that
  diagnosis for children in Early Special Education
  must occur prior to schooling.

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Verification cont.

• Verification and review of diagnosis in Early
  Special Education cont.
• It is expected that a diagnosis for ESE children
  with a suspected diagnosis will be confirmed in
  the year before the child begins formal
  schooling, if they are to be considered eligible
  for additional resourcing in that first year.
• If confirmation for eligibility is not approved
  by the districts verifying officer/s,
  clarification can be sought from the Manager
  (Education Services).

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The EAP Profile
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A rationale for the EAP Profile

• History
• Review of other instruments over two years by a
  Working Group with rotating membership across
  Education Queensland, Queensland Catholic
  Education Commission, and Association of
  Independent Schools, Queensland
• Ministerial Taskforce on Inclusive Education.
• Selection of philosophy
• Steering Committee

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A rationale for the EAP Profile cont.

• Process of development
• Selection of questionnaire items. (Two-day
  workshop with working group)
• Refinement of items, clarification of focus areas
  and sub-areas
• Six focus areas emerged
• First round feedback to members of working group,
  some others
• Incorporation of feedback

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A rationale for the EAP Profile cont.

• Pilot, using working group contacts
• About 150 cases across all sectors
• Focus groups of students with disabilities and
  their parent/s

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A rationale for the EAP Profile cont.

• Incorporation of feedback
• Development of consistent method for people to
  respond to questions.
• Smoothing out items
• Editing/presentation

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A rationale for the EAP Profile cont.

• Trial of the Profile
• Included gt1500cases, from EQ, Catholic and
  Independent Sectors
• Facilitated through PEO (SS) in each district
• Covered metropolitan, provincial cities, rural
  and remote areas
• Sample was selected to represent the distribution
  of students with disabilities on SCOLR

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A rationale for the EAP Profile cont.

• Some interesting facts about the Profile
• It can be scored, and the scores are normally
  distributed
• Scores are consistently related to Ascertainment
  levels
• It is a valid and reliable instrument.

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A rationale for the EAP Profile cont.
Scores on the Profile are normally distributed.
59
A rationale for the EAP Profile cont.
Scores on the Profile are consistently related
to Ascertainment levels.
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The EAP Profile

• The EA Triple P is
• the Education Adjustment Program
• the Education Adjustment Program Process (EAP
  Process)
• the Education Adjustment Program Profile (EAP
  Profile)

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The EAP Profile cont.

• The Education Adjustment Program consists of
• guidelines and procedures
• research program
• professional development
• SCOLR re-development
• Profile.

62
The EAP Profile cont.

• The Education Adjustment Process is
• Outlined in the EAP Guidelines and Procedures

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The EAP Profile cont.

• What is it?
• The EAP profile is a questionnaire focusing on
  what school personnel do to support a student
  with disabilities in school.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• What does it do?
• It records the education adjustments being made
  to support a student in accessing curriculum,
  achieving curriculum outcomes and participating
  in the life of the school.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• The EAP Profile
• reflects current education adjustments being made
  by teachers for a student
• involves teachers and parents directly
• involves the individual student (whenever
  possible)
• Records the frequency of education adjustments.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• What does the Profile look like? How is it laid
  out?
• It has 74 questions.
• Most questions have examples attached to them.
• It has six focus areas Curriculum,
  Communication, Social participation-/ emotional
  well-being, Health and personal care, Safety, and
  Learning environment/access.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• There are different numbers of questions for each
  focus area
• Curriculum (15 questions)
• Communication (19 questions)
• Social participation/emotional well-being (13
  questions)
• Health and personal care (8 questions)
• Safety (11 questions)
• Learning environment/access (8 questions)

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The EAP Profile cont.

• Curriculum
• The largest focus area
• Looks at the adjustments made in
• consultation and planning
• curriculum content
• teaching strategies (pedagogy)
• use of teaching materials (resources)
• assessment.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• Communication
• Looks at adjustments made in
• consultation and planning
• use of assistive technology
• curriculum content and teaching strategies.

70
The EAP Profile cont.

• Social participation/ emotional well-being
• Looks at adjustments made in
• consultation and planning
• school-wide student management
• curriculum content and teaching strategies.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• Health and personal care
• Looks at adjustments made in
• consultation and planning
• curriculum content and teaching strategies
• monitoring
• specific health care procedures.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• Safety
• Looks at adjustments made in
• consultation and planning
• school-wide student management
• curriculum content and teaching strategies
• specific safety procedures.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• Learning environment/access
• Looks at adjustments made in
• consultation and planning
• teaching strategies
• use of assistive technology.

74
The EAP Profile cont.

• When completing the Profile all focus areas are
  to be considered for all students based on what
  happens in the delivery of the educational
  program (use the last six months as a guide).

75
The EAP Profile cont.

• How does it work?
• The education team completing the Profile is
  asked to report on the frequency of education
  adjustments.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• Frequency
• Respondents should indicate how often adjustments
  are made by ticking the closest alternative
  listed for each item.
• Varies from once per semester to every day to
  continuous.
• Some adjustments may be made with fluctuating
  frequency.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• Respondents should make one response for each
  question.

78
The EAP Profile cont.

• So, how do you complete the profile?

79
The EAP Profile cont.

• Who uses the Profile?
• Class teachers, teacher aides, specialist
  teachers, parents, administrators, guidance
  officers, speechlanguage pathologists,
  occupational therapists, physiotherapists, school
  nurses
• Whoever is part of the students educational team
  may all contribute to the Profile.
• At least one person at each Profile meeting
  should be trained in using the Profile.

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The EAP Profile cont.

• What do you need to know about?
• Observe the student for a few days before the
  Profile meeting, just to refresh yourself with
  what you are doing.
• Be familiar with the curriculum documents for
  your year level.
• Be familiar with the students IEP, or any other
  management plans that have been developed.
• Contact other teachers who work with the student,
  such as the PE or music teacher. Some of them may
  not be able to come to the Profile meeting. Find
  out about the adjustments they make in their
  lessons.
• If you are in a high school, find out what other
  subjectteachers are doing.

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The EAP Profile The Profile meeting

• Preparation
• Hold a preliminary meeting with teachers to
  determine the adjustments that are being made.
• Contact parents and teachers and make a
  convenient meeting time.
• Give parents a copy of the Parents Frequently
  Asked Questions Sheet, plus a copy of the
  Profile.
• Give class teachers a copy of the Profile, and
  perhaps the Parent FAQ.
• Read relevant curriculum documents, e.g. the IEP
  and syllabus documents.

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The EAP Profile The Profile meeting cont.

• During the Profile meeting
• Welcome all members.
• Indicate the approximate time it will take.
• Have enough copies of the Profile available so
  each person can see the items as they are
  discussed.
• If people have used check-lists to record
  adjustments in the past few days, have these
  available for reference, as well as any work
  samples or curriculum notes that might be useful.
• Work through each item, going for a general
  consensus on what adjustments are being made at
  the present time for the student.
• After the Profile has been completed, thank the
  educational team for their time.

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The EAP Profile The Profile meeting cont.

• After the Profile meeting
• Ensure all documentation is complete and
  accurate.
• Ensure SCOLR data is up-to-date.
• Pass to principal to obtain sign-off.
• Make a copy of the documents.
• Post the copy of the Profile to Central Office.
• Place the original document in the students
  school file.

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Data Entry to SCOLR (2005)
85
Data Entry to SCOLR (2005)

• The Education Adjustment Program (EAP) replaces
  Ascertainment as of January 2005.
• SCOLR will continue to be the database for the
  management of students with disabilities until
  the end of 2005.

86
Data Entry to SCOLR (2005) cont.

• SCOLR will be modified to support the EAP process
  in 2005, after Day 8 and the end of February
  census collection (expected mid March).
• This will ensure the continued support of
  administration of students with disabilities
  while the new Adjustment Information Management
  System (AIMS) is being built and implemented.

87
Data Entry to SCOLR (2005) cont.

• It is intended that AIMS will replace SCOLR for
  the commencement of the 2006 school year.

88
Data Entry to SCOLR (2005) cont.

• Prior to the implementation of SCOLR
  modifications in March 2005 there will be some
  changes to entry of data into SCOLR.

89
Data Entry to SCOLR (2005) cont.

• Modifications to SCOLR designed to support the
  transition from Ascertainment to the EAP process
  will be implemented in March 2005.

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Data Entry to SCOLR (2005) cont.

• SCOLR data will be converted to AIMS. The EAP
  profile data received by Central Office by Friday
  of week two of term 4 2005 will be available when
  AIMS goes live.

91
Data Entry to SCOLR (2005) cont.

• PD will be available to users through Central
  Office processes.

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Resource Distribution and Allocation
93
Resource Distribution and Allocation

• Central Office is responsible for analysing
  submitted student profiles, and existing current
  ascertainment data (20062007) to
• make equitable distributions of resources to
  districts
• provide information to districts to assist them
  in the further equitable allocation of resources
  to schools.

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Resource Distribution and Allocation cont.

• Central Office is also responsible for providing
  guidelines to enable districts to equitably
  allocate resources to schools.

95
Resource Distribution and Allocation cont.

• District Offices are responsible for managing the
  equitable allocation of resources across the
  district.

96
Resource Distribution and Allocation cont.

• Schools are responsible for managing their
  allocated resources.

97
Validation
98
Validation

• Replaces the Moderation process under
  Ascertainment.
• The processes used in the EAP ensure that
  reliable and valid data is obtained through the
  Profile process.
• Transition Coordinators work with personnel in
  each district to develop and implement a
  validation plan for the district.
• The EDS is responsible for quality assurance and
  validation in each district.

99
Validation cont.

• Validation will involve
• approximately 10 of Profiles
• the use of established school procedures and
  documentation.

100
Validation Process

• Validation seeks to ensure that reliable data is
  obtained through the Profile/s. The process has
  four levels
• The first level is internal to the school, and
  involves that at least one person in the
  education team is trained in the EAP Profile.
• The second level is the Verification process
  which ensures that only those students who are
  eligible for additional resourcing submit an EAP
  Profile.
• The third is also at the school level and
  involves the principal signing off on the
  Profile.
• The fourth is at district level, and will involve
  a series of light samplings by Transition
  Coordinators, Education Adjustment Program
  (TC-EAP) that support schools in complying with
  EAP expectation.

101
Validation Process cont.

• Specific details regarding the implementation of
  the first three levels of validation can be found
  in the EAP Guidelines and Procedures. The rest of
  this document refers to the fourth level of
  validation.

102
Validation Process cont.

1. Executive Director informs principal that a
   nominated student has been selected as part of
   the state-wide EAP external validation process.

103
Validation Process cont.

• Attached to the letter to the Principal will be
  the following
• overview of the Validation process
• checklist that will be completed by the TC-EAP.

104
Validation Process cont.

• Principal to inform parent that their childs EAP
  Profile has been selected as part of the
  state-wide external validation process.

105
Validation Process cont.

• Attached to the letter to the parent will be the
  following
• overview of the Validation process
• checklist that will be completed by the TC-EAP.

106
Validation Process cont.

• Contact from TC-EAP to principal negotiating
  date/time.

107
Validation Process cont.

• Principal to organise for case manager and others
  to be available.

108
Validation Process cont.

• TC-EAP will use any of the following processes to
  complete a check list
• sight documents
• interview relevant people.

109
Validation Process cont.

1. TC-EAP provides feedback to principal, District
   and Central Office in relation to the validation
   outcomes

110
Validation cont.

• What Validation IS
• A process that validates that a school has
  followed the EAP procedures.

• What Validation is NOT
• Taking over the principals role in assuring the
  quality of the process.

111
Validation cont.

• What Validation IS
• A process that validates that a school is able to
  demonstrate that they are making the adjustments
  recorded in an EAP profile.

• What Validation is NOT
• A process that takes away the principals role in
  assuring the quality of the adjustments being
  made.

112
Validation cont.

• Specialist teachers should be consulted, but
  appropriateness of adjustments is the
  responsibility of the principal.

113
DRAFT
114
Overview of Procedures
Identification
Step 1
Quality Assurance Points Approved Diagnosis
Providers Approved EQ Verifiers Principal
sign off Validation process
Obtain record parent permission to start process
Step 2
Diagnosis
Step 3
Verification of diagnostic criteria
Step 4
Confirmation that student is eligible to be
considered for additional resources under the EAP
Though diagnosis is verified, the student is not
eligible for additional resourcing through EAP
Adjustments
Register student on database (SCOLR)
Step 5
EAP Profile/s completed and submitted
Step 67
Central Office Distribution of resources
Step 8
District Office Allocation of resources
School Application of resources