The Access Center

1
The Access Centers Technical Assistance
Activities

• Amy Klekotka
• Technical Assistance Liaison
• Wisconsin Summer Institute 2006
• Addressing Disproportionality
• Green Bay, WI
• August 15-17, 2006

2
Agenda

• Center Activities Introduction and Description
• Technical Assistance Services
• Information Sharing Communities
• Direct Technical Assistance
• Web based Services
• Examples
• Questions and Discussion

3
Access Center Who are We?

• National Technical Assistance Center
• Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, OSEP
• Focus on issues of Access
• Active learning of the content and skills that
  define the general education curriculum for
  students with disabilities

4
Access Center Mission

• The mission of the Access Center is to provide
  technical assistance that strengthens state and
  local capacity to help students with disabilities
  effectively learn in the general education
  curriculum.

5
Access Center Goals

• With an emphasis on research-based programs,
  practices, and tools, our services help students
  learn in the general education curriculum
  through
• Increasing awareness among educators
• Strengthening the ability of educators to be
  informed consumers
• Assisting educators to implement and evaluate
  programs, practices, and tools

6
Three Types of Services

• Ongoing Direct Assistance from Technical
  Assistance Liaisons
• Information Sharing Communities
• State-to-State Information Communities
• District-to-District Information Communities
• Web-based Services
• Training products, Webinars, Access in Action

7
What is Access?

• Active learning of the content and skills that
  define the general education curriculum.

8
Access in the Legislation

• Access
• Participation
• Progress. . .
• What do they have in common?

9
Where does access occur?

• The access to the general education curriculum
  mandate does not speak to the issue of where, per
  se, but rather on what
• However, IDEA indicates a strong preference for
  including students with disabilities in regular
  education settings

10
The Current Challenge

• We are faced with the need to bring the two
  together to promote access, participation, and
  progress, while still meeting unique needs of
  students

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Have you heard this one before?
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Technical Assistance Activities

• Information Sharing Communities
• Direct Technical Assistance
• Web Based Technical Assistance

13
Information Sharing Communities

• Cross-state communities
• Urban district community
• Topical communities

14
Direct Technical Assistance

• Connecting with interested states and districts
• Clarifying technical assistance goals
• Developing technical assistance at varying levels
  of intensity
• Building on technical assistance services

15
A Sampling of Services the Access Center Provides
States and Districts

• Tier One
• Technical Assistance (TA) via products on the
  website
• Resources we place on the website
• Products we produce or contract from outside
  experts
• Web events (Webinars) we host
• Conduct tour of the Access Center Website
• Tier Two
• TA via mediated information sharing
• Conduct informal information gathering
• Provide topical information packets or links to
  information - quick turnaround activities
• Present research and facilitate information
  sharing
• Provide and review state level material and
  guides related to access
• Recruit states and districts for participation in
  national level information sharing communities
• Share the mission, goals and activities of the
  Access Center in an effort to recruit
  relationships with states and districts.
• Tier Three
• TA via state/regional/national activities
• Present at activities that involve key
  stakeholders

Intensity Low Medium Medium
High

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A Sampling of Services the Access Center Provides
States and Districts

• Tier Four
• TA via intense state/region specific work done by
  AC staff
• Assist states in the process of aligning IEP
  goals with state standards
• Develop tool for administrators to use to analyze
  achievement data and make decisions related to
  program needs for students with disabilities
• Assist States/Districts in developing evaluation
  models for showing progress related to access.
• Tier Five
• TA via intense state/region specific work done in
  coordination with other entities
• Collaborate to plan and provide (facilitate or
  oversee) state-wide conferences
• Work with districts to implement a change model
  that will guide the district in better providing
  access for all students.
• Assist in evaluating efforts/programs/policies
  relating to access or improving outcomes for
  students with disabilities
• Train core group of TA providers or trainers in a
  state/ region on topical research.
• Plan and implement regional or state information
  sharing communities
• Work with districts to implement district-wide
  initiatives that increase access

Intensity High Very High
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District 75, NYC

• Implement pilot inclusion program for students
  with Aspergers Disorder at the middle school
  level
• Beginning in Staten Island
• Professional development in June
• From there, deciding on what supports are needed
  throughout the year

19
Bering Strait, Alaska

• Liaisons presented in Unalakleet, AK
• including administrators, special education
  facilitators, and paraprofessionals
• Now doing follow-up videoconferences on
  co-teaching and differentiated instruction.

20
The Big 8 Urban Districts, Ohio

• Relationship with Ohio initially began through
  their participation in a state information
  sharing community
• Relationship grew through direct consultation
  with the group
• Now working on a community of practice among the
  Big 8 urban districts

21
Web Based Technical Assistance

• Training and Products
• Internally and externally produced
• Interactive Opportunities
• Threaded Discussions
• Webinars
• Access in Action

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For more information

• Please contact me
• Amy Klekotka
• aklekotka_at_air.org
• 202-403-5489
• Visit the website
• www.k8accesscenter.org