Curriculum and Instruction: Key Strategies to Promote Equity and Excellence

Currículo e Instrucción: Estrategias Claves para Promocionar Equidad y Excelencia

Currículo e Instrução: Estratégias para Promover Igualdade e Excelência
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Thank You to Stars and Volunteers
Attention Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Leaders
Parents Respond to Autism Survey

Evelyn Hausslein Retires
Evelyn Hausslein, Director of the Federation’s Early Intervention Training Center, announced her retirement, effective October 1, 1999 – coinciding with the tenth anniversary of her arrival at the Federation.  Evelyn was also director of the Federation’s work with NECTAS (the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center).  Prior to coming to the Federation, Evelyn was the Dean of the Graduate School at Wheelock College. 

At a recent Federation staff meeting, colleague Betsy Anderson paid tribute to Evelyn. The following comments are based upon Betsy’s presentation:

“It’s hard for me to remember exactly when I first met Evelyn – but it must have been twenty years ago . . . Evelyn took the initiative to encourage Nora Wells and me to write our first paper on parent-professional collaboration. Before we knew it, we were giving a one-day symposium at Wheelock and later teaching a whole course. That was at a time when parents generally did not do presentations.  After all we were just parents!  We were not her students, nor were we her professional colleagues, but she encouraged us by creating spaces, places for us.

“In 1989 things changed, Evelyn joined the Federation staff. We always knew that Evelyn was a parent, with three children, but largely we had known her in a professional context. As a staff colleague, we had the wonderful opportunity to know her as part of a growing and changing family, including her son Tom, who has a disability. 

“What Evelyn brought to the Federation was a wealth of skills, knowledge, and experience with many sectors of the health, education, and professional preparation systems. Most important, she also brings knowledge, respect, and genuine caring for the people – parents, students, professionals – who are committed to children.”

Evelyn will be missed – but we wish her the very best in her retirement years.
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In Massachusetts, the project will work with the Children’s Health Access Coalition (sponsored by Health Care for All) to increase family representation in state decisionmaking, especially among families of children with special needs. According to Barbara Popper, director of the new project, “Coordination with the Massachusetts Covering Kids project at Health Care for All will be important to understanding the Massachusetts program and ways to incorporate the family perspective.”

Nationally, the project will provide information and training opportunities to interested parents of children with special needs to support their participation in state CHIP planning.  In addition, the project will conduct a survey of Family Voices’ state coordinators to identify parent leaders with state-level CHIP planning experience.

Popper stressed that, “The project welcomes any information about parents’ experiences with CHIP. We are particularly eager to hear from parents interested in becoming a consumer monitor of the Massachusetts CHIP program.” 

To learn more about CHIP activities in a particular state, or for information on how to become involved, please contact Barbara Popper at bpopper@fcsn.org or 617-236-7210, ext. 122.
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Major changes to Chapter 766, Massachusetts special education law, will be made this year, according to state lawmakers and policymakers. Special education reform has been on the front-burner for a long time.  For many months, proposals to drastically change special education law and practice have been pending before the state legislature and the Massachusetts Board of Education. Most of the final votes, however, have been delayed until the 1999-2000 school year. This is in large part due to the fact that decisionmakers heard from so many concerned parents about the harmful impact of many of the proposals and decided it was important to first conduct a formal study1 of the issues. 

The Joint Education Committee of the legislature plans to hold a hearing this fall, and the state Board of Education plans a final vote on Ch.766 regulations in March.  Information about specific dates of the hearing and votes will be disseminated as soon as details are known.  An explanation of the proposed changes follows.

Are any changes to Ch.766 effective this school year (1999-2000)?
Ch.766 remains the law in Massachusetts, and schools must continue to comply with the long-standing special education law and regulations.  School districts cannot implement any of the proposed changes this school year.  Eligibility criteria, timelines, class-size requirements, independent evaluation rights, placement decisions, the IEP form2, and the maximum feasible benefit standard remain fully in effect. The only significant exception pertains to the discipline rights of children with special needs, since schools must now abide by federal rather than state requirements.

If you are aware of instances where schools have tried to implement the proposed changes and/or reduce services, you can call the Disability Law Center at 800-872-9992, which is monitoring current practice.

What major changes to the Ch.766 law have the Massachusetts legislature proposed?

• Repeal of the “maximum feasible benefit” standard.  The current standard for quality of services that Massachusetts special education law requires is “maximum feasible benefit” (MFB). This MFB standard requires schools to provide children with special needs an equal opportunity to reach their full potential.  Districts must provide programs which ensure a child’s “maximum possible development in the least restrictive environment.”  Legislation has been filed which would repeal the state’s higher standard of MFB and would adopt in its place the lower federal standard.3  The proposed legislation would require schools to provide an “appropriate and adequate” education. 

Parents and advocates have raised concerns about the serious harm to children with special needs if schools are permitted to adopt the lower federal standard. Many parents believe that schools will assume that the lower standard gives them permission to reduce services, thus making the existing struggles parents and their children must face even harder. At the same time, data demonstrates that the MFB standard is not the cause of increasing special education costs. Rather, costs are due primarily to an increase in the number of young children with severe disabilities due to advances in medical technology, deinstitutionalization, and high poverty levels.

• Reduction of  independent evaluation rights. Massachusetts law requires school districts to pay for an independent evaluation if the parents disagree with the results of the school district testing.  Although independent evaluations are used infrequently by parents, the information can be invaluable when trying to determine how to meet the needs of a particular child with special needs. The pending proposals would allow schools to take parents to due process hearings to prove that their testing is appropriate or allow parents to use a sliding-fee scale to pay for the evaluations. The sliding-fee scale may not cover all low- and middle-income families.

• Change to state funding of special education. Massachusetts special education costs are consistent with the rest of the nation, but our state funding is not.  In Massachusetts, the state pays for less than a quarter of special education costs.  The vast majority of these costs are paid for by local school districts. Nationally, states, on average, pay for more than half of the special education expenses.

Proposals are pending to provide $60 million in state funds to help local schools pay for the cost of educating students with more severe disabilities. Other proposals would provide much less state funding. Costs are increasing around the country due to the increasing numbers of children with severe disabilities. Many believe it is time for the state to pay its fair share of these costs. 

• Other proposals. The special education bills filed are long and comprehensive and address many other issues such as teacher training, special education eligibility, pre-referral, state monitoring of local districts, and Medicaid reimbursement to schools. 

What major changes to the Ch.766 regulations have the Massachusetts Board of Education proposed?

• Extended timelines for IEP development. Extended timelines could result in undue delays, such that a child could wait more than half a school year before receiving services.

• Reductions in transportation rights and protections, such as reductions in required in-service training on carrying children, equipment inspections, and provisions to allow students who use wheelchairs to remain in their wheelchair while in transit.  The revised proposed regulations require these protections “as appropriate” and in a much less prescriptive manner than do the current regulations.

• Elimination of parents’ and teachers’ right to participate in decisions regarding a student’s specific placement.

• Elimination of the Parent Advisory Councils (PAC) requirement.

• Substantial weakening of parents’ rights to independent evaluations by limiting independent evaluations at school expense to families eligible for free and reduced-cost lunch.  For other families, the school may refuse to pay for independent evaluations and initiate a hearing to show that the school evaluation is appropriate.

• Elimination of reference to the “maximum feasible benefit” standard.

• Significant tightening of eligibility criteria raise serious concerns that the proposed eligibility requirements would deny services to children with disabilities, in violation of state law. 

What can you do?

The following suggestions can help you get more information or share your views on these proposed changes to Ch.766:

1. Write or call your state senator and representative and let them know what you think about the proposed changes. Address: [Your legislator’s name] State House, Boston, MA 02133. Telephone: 617-722-2000.  If you are not sure who your legislators are, call the Elections Department at 617-727-2828; they will give you the name, phone number, and room number. 

2.  Have a letter-writing event at your next PAC meeting. Readers interested in receiving materials to help with this process may call 617-357-8431, ext. 234. 

3. If you have time, you can set up a meeting with your state representative and senator; invite them to visit your schools.  Legislators rely on constituents to keep them informed about the issues.  They can learn a lot about the benefit of special education from your personal experiences. 

4. Set up a meeting to discuss special education reform with your PAC, community members, or any other group.  Call Johanne Pino at Massachusetts Advocacy Center, 617-357-8431, ext. 234 to request a speaker for your meeting.

Call Massachusetts Advocacy Center, 617-357-8431, ext. 234, if you would like to receive an information packet regarding proposed changes to Ch.766, or if you would like to be placed on the mailing list.  The Federation web page (www.fcsn.org/ch766/update.html) will provide regular updates as well.
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Celebrate Chapter 766!
1999 marks the 25th anniversary of the implementation of Chapter 766, Massachusetts Special Education Law. The Massachusetts Advocacy Center along with the Federation for Children with Special Needs, the Disability Law Center, and MASSPAC invite you to join us in a celebration of the successes of this law.

It’s a perfect time to demonstrate why the law is beneficial and worth fighting to preserve. To do this, we need your help to plan celebratory activities across the state this fall.  Here are some ideas of ways to celebrate:

• Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) could initiate simple celebrations, such as a party with a 25th anniversary cake, or award ceremonies for graduates of Ch. 766 programs, teachers, and/or administrators who have made a difference in the lives of children with special needs.

• The celebrations can be aired on local cable TV shows, visible to the larger community, to focus on the successes of special education programs for all children and for your community. You can invite your state representatives, media, local teachers’ union, administrators, school committee members, etc.

• The celebrations should be simple, easy to do, and support your community efforts.

• Massachusetts Advocacy Center can supply sample award certificates, invitations, press releases, flyers, or connections with other PACs for ideas.

• We are hoping to get “Celebrate Ch. 766” buttons and bumper stickers printed for distribution in your community.

• We are planning a final statewide event in Boston with a huge Chapter 766 birthday party.  The date is not set yet, but we will keep you posted. 

Here is our chance to celebrate. Get behind this opportunity now! We look forward to hearing from you about your thoughts and/or plans. If you need information, assistance, or have suggestions or ideas, please contact Martha Joseph at MAC at (617) 357-8431 ext. 228. Thanks for your participation! 
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Legislative & Policy Update
IEP Pilot Process Begun in 15 Districts
The Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) has begun a process to completely overhaul the way Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are designed and developed in Massachusetts. School administrators and families in 15 school districts across the state will participate in piloting, or trying out, the new IEP process this fall. Families in the selected school districts will be invited to participate—on a strictly voluntary basis—in the IEP pilot.  The pilot process will continue throughout the fall of 1999. The Federation has been participating with the DOE in this process, and will be reviewing issues and concerns that families raise as they participate in the pilot.  Feedback from families and schools will be the basis for refining and changing the new IEP form and process.  Statewide implementation of the new IEP is planned for the fall of 2000.

The new IEP being piloted is very different in form and content from the IEP currently used in Massachusetts. Such sweeping change in the process may result in different outcomes for children. The effects that the new IEP process may have on children is part of what will be accessed during the pilot process. Concerns regarding changes in this process that participating parents should be aware of are discussed below.

Step 1
The pilot IEP process has three steps. The process begins with an evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services. An eligibility flow chart has been designed to walk the Team through the eligibility process. Because this flowchart may potentially change the eligibility standard for special education, feedback surrounding its use with individual students is being sought. 

The pilot IEP also allows for an “extended evaluation” period of up to eight weeks following the initial special education evaluation. This extended evaluation is intended to allow for more in-depth and disability-specific testing; it is not a continuation of testing, which should have been completed during the initial evaluation. This extended evaluation option is not a part of the current IEP process. It is one of the more controversial aspects of the IEP process being piloted because of its potential for extending the amount of time an eligible child could go without receiving services. Extended evaluation is not currently noted in federal or state special education laws. In addition, there is no statement of the right to an Independent Educational Evaluation noted on the pilot IEP form. Parents should be aware that right does still exist. 

Step 2
For students found to be eligible for special education services the next step in the process is to develop an IEP. One strength of the new IEP form is that it is designed to allow increased access to the general curriculum for all students. Effectively navigating this new IEP process will require an understanding of the state’s curriculum frameworks. Training will be needed for parents and teachers alike. A completed IEP will include many of the components of the traditional IEP, including goals and objectives, a description of the student’s strengths, needs, and learning style. 

Perhaps the aspect of the pilot IEP that has raised the most concern is that the Team determines the student’s placement type, not the actual placement. The placement type defines the components of the setting that will most effectively meet the student’s needs, but not the actual location of the program. Once the Team determines the least restrictive environment in which the IEP services can be effectively delivered (placement type), the school administrator is responsible for determining the specific location where the student will receive those services. Parents will have the right to appeal the proposed placement determination if they do not think that it allows their child to meet their maximum educational potential.

The Federation is interested in hearing from families and advocates that have been involved in the IEP pilot process. The information provided by families will be used to guide changes in the process before statewide implementation of the new process. If you have been involved in the pilot process, please contact Margaret Marotta Smith of the Federation at 800-331-0688 x135 or msmith@fcsn.org.
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“Trudi was born in Germany during World War I. She was a zwerg or a dwarf. She was very small. Trudi’s mother was sad because she was not like other babies. This made Trudi sad, too.

When Trudi was a little girl the other kids teased her and made fun of her. This made Trudi angry and also lonely.  She wanted more than anything to be tall and to feel that she belonged.

One day Trudi met Pia, the animal trainer in the circus. Pia was a zwerg, like Trudi, but she was beautiful and brave and no one made fun of her. Trudi wanted to be just like Pia. 

When Trudi grew up, she was strong and courageous. During World War II, she helped her Jewish friends by hiding them in her home so they would not be arrested by the Nazis.

At the end of the story, Trudi thought about what Pia had said to her a long time ago — that Trudi belonged in her home town.  Finally, Trudi felt she belonged. She knew that even though people she loved died, she could keep them always with her, in her heart.”

Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi is on the Oprah Book Club book list. Required reading in one Massachusetts 9th-grade English class, it is a complicated story with very mature themes.  Long discussions took place at “Emily’s” IEP Team meeting about whether she should read this book or maybe something else — perhaps something a little easier.  Emily’s parents wanted her to participate in class discussions. If she read something else, such participation would be impossible. The debate reached a pretty intense level.  Finally, the head of the high school English department entered the fray. She reviewed Emily’s previous work and the learning profile on her IEP, and then talked with her. Her conclusion was that Emily could participate with the appropriate accommodations. 

The special education department was a bit unsure. They had never had a student with mental retardation participate in this manner.  What if Emily couldn’t keep up? What if the other students became impatient?  What if the English teacher protested?  The expectations seemed too high, and the risk too great.

Yet, the parents and the Team pushed ahead.  The head teacher assured them that if it became too much, another course of action could be followed.

Emily could not read the entire novel without assistance, but she read as much as she could. Her teachers and her parents helped her by reading sections to her and by outlining some of the chapters. The special education teacher assisted Emily by pre-teaching each lesson one day in advance. Then, when Emily had questions or comments that she wanted to contribute to the discussion, together they wrote them on index cards, and Emily took them with her to the next class.  She also “read” the books-on-tape version of the novel. 

The summary above was part of the report Emily shared with the class about what she learned from the book. Her analysis was unique. She focused almost entirely upon the struggle of the heroine of the novel to find her place in the world, to truly belong.  In fact, there was hardly a dry eye in the room—students and teachers alike—only hushed silence when she concluded her report.  “Trudi finally knew she belonged!”

What does Emily’s contribution say about our assumptions, concerns, and expectations when it comes to all students having the opportunity to participate in the general curriculum and to be part of the learning community of the school?  IDEA-97 calls for all students to have a chance, to learn what the other students learn, and to demonstrate their knowledge. 

Finally the opportunity to fully participate in and contribute to the authentic learning mission of the school community is becoming a reality for students with disabilities.

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Ask Eileen 
Empowerment Through Information
by Eileen Souza, Information Specialist 
This column highlights questions that Eileen and the other Federation Information Specialists are most frequently asked.

Dear Eileen,
Are the current Chapter 766 regulations still in effect, and do schools have to follow them?

Your question is certainly a popular one and speaks to an issue which has caused tremendous confusion among parents across the state.  The answer is simple:  yes, the current Chapter 766 regulations are in effect for the 1999-2000 school year, with a few exceptions, and yes, schools do have to follow them.  The exceptions are: 

 • Discipline procedures for students with special needs (Section 338),
• Development of IEP/Required elements of the IEP (Section 322 & 112), and
• Requirements of three-year program plans for special education (Section 501).

The Massachusetts Board of Education voted to rescind these three sections of Chapter 766 regulations at its June meeting.  In particular, rescinding Sections 322 and 112 that have to do with the development of the IEP is generating much confusion this academic year. For now, schools are using the old IEP forms anticipating that the new IEPs will be ready next fall. The Massachusetts Department of Education is moving quickly to roll out a new IEP based on the Federal IDEA Regulations. Both of these issues are discussed in depth in other articles of this NewsLine.

For a discussion of the new IEP form and process being piloted by the Department of Education, see “IEP Pilot Process Begun in 15 Districts” on page 2.  To read more about the proposed changes to Chapter 766, see “State Continues Push to Change Chapter 766” below.
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NewsLine News in Brief

MRC Announces State College Tuition Waiver
The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) recently announced that the Board of Higher Education has approved a tuition waiver at all state colleges, universities, and community colleges for clients of the MRC and the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.  For more information, contact MRC at 617-204-3868 or toll-free at 800-245-6543.

Nationwide Eligibility for RIDE Users
Thanks to the ADA (49 CFR, Part 37), eligible “RIDE” users in Massachusetts are considered “ADA Paratransit Eligible” in every state that has such a service.  To register as a guest for the paratransit service in another state, riders will need to contact the appropriate transit authority there. The MBTA will certify your eligibility by forwarding a “Certificate of Paratransit Eligibility” to the appropriate agency. 

Ford and Ferre Receive Freedom Award
This summer, President Clinton presented the Medal of Freedom to several prominent Americans.  Among the recipients were two people who have played a major role in the revolution occurring during the last quarter of this century on behalf of people with disabilities. 

One recipient, former President Gerald Ford, signed into law the comprehensive federal special education act in November 1975. This law, now called IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), has transformed the lives of millions of children with disabilities, as they have gone to school with their brothers and sisters and neighbors and moved into productive lives as adults.

Another honoree, Sister M. Isolina Ferre, pioneered a program of community employment for young people with disabilities.  Over 20 years ago, before terms like “supported employment” even existed, Sister Ferre was running a program in Ponce, Puerto Rico, that has served as a model for community-based vocational programs in the states and many other countries.

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Curriculum and Instruction: Key Strategies to Promote Equity and Excellence

[This article is excerpted from the PEER Fact Sheet, “Curriculum and Instruction” by Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D. The PEER Fact Sheet has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. PEER (Parents Engaged in Education Reform) is a project of the Federation.  Funding for the publication was provided by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education through grant #H029K50208.]

Curriculum and instruction can be designed to make sure that students with disabilities have meaningful opportunities to achieve the high academic standards established for all children. Instead of beginning with a separate curriculum for students with disabilities, educators can design lessons based on the general education curriculum and standards. “Right from the start” instruction can be planned to ensure that the general curriculum is accessible and challenging for a diverse group of students. In this article, the author uses the following definitions: 

Curriculum is the content or subject matter — the ideas, skills, and concepts that students are taught in a particular subject area, such as math or language arts. Curriculum describes what students learn.

Instruction describes the teaching methods and learning activities that a teacher uses to present the curriculum. A teacher has many different ways to teach students a given topic or unit. Instruction describes how educators teach the curriculum.

What does the law say?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides that all children with disabilities be appropriately involved in and progress in the general education curriculum and that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities must be educated with their nondisabled peers. The law presumes that children with disabilities can learn in regular classrooms with their nondisabled peers. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) must include an explanation of the extent, if any, to which a child will not be educated with his/her nondisabled peers. Generally, regardless of the educational setting, the child’s curriculum and IEP goals and objectives are based on the general curriculum and standards. Research has shown that regular education classrooms can use instructional methods that enable students with all types of disabilities to participate and excel in the general curriculum.

How can parents advocate to restructure curriculum and instruction for their child?
1. Learn about the general curriculum and standards for your child; request copies of the curriculum and standards for your child’s grade. Begin with the general curriculum offered to all students as the basis for writing your child’s IEP goals and objectives.

2. Ask the school to arrange for a complete assessment of your child’s learning strengths and weaknesses, including a description of the kinds of learning activities and teaching styles that will promote success. Request a reading assessment from a qualified teacher. 

3. Ask the IEP team to ensure that specific learning conditions, such as participation in cooperative learning groups, are incorporated into the short-term objectives or benchmarks. 

4. Choose teachers whose teaching styles best match your child’s needs. You might interview or observe teachers to identify an appropriate match, or enlist the help of an administrator to assign your child to a teacher whose teaching style is suited to your child. Remember that one regular education teacher, under certain circumstances, must be a member of the Team.

5. Make sure that the IEP team includes in the IEP the modifications and supports your child needs to participate fully and make progress in the general curriculum, as required by IDEA. Examples of modifications are: personalizing the way students show what they know (e.g., multiple choice instead of essay); providing assistive technology, such as an augmentative communication system; individualizing the amount of work required; or assigning a report instead of an oral presentation. The IEP should also specify the supports and services school personnel will need to teach your child effectively, and the learning environment your child needs to progress in the general curriculum.

6. Make sure your child’s IEP addresses how s/he will participate in statewide or districtwide assessments, and lists necessary accommodations, as required by IDEA.
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Currículo e Instrucción:
Estrategias Claves para Promocionar
Equidad y Excelencia

[Este artículo fue tomado del Boletín Informativo de PEER, "Currículo e Instrucción" por Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D.  El Boletín Informativo de PEER ha sido aprobado por la Oficina de Programas de Educación Especial del Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos.  PEER (Padres Dedicados a la Reforma Educacional)  es un proyecto de la Federación.  Los fondos para la publicación fueron provistos por la Oficina de Programas de Educación Especial del Departamento de Educación a través de subvención #H029K50208.]

El currículo y la instrucción puede ser diseñada para asegurarse que los estudiantes con discapacidades tengan opurtunidades significativas para alcanzar altas normas académicas  establecidas para todos los niños.  En lugar de empezar con un currículo separado para los alumnos con discapacidades, los educadores pueden desarrollar lecciones basándose en el currículo de educación general que refleja las normas.  “Desde el comienzo” las instrucciones pueden ser planeadas para asegurar que el currículo general sea acesible y sea un reto para un grupo diverso de alumnos.  En este artículo, el autor usa las siguientes definiciones:

Currículo es el contenido o las materias—las ideas, habilidades, y conceptos que se les enseña a  los alumnos en áreas particulares de la materia, como matemática, o artes del lenguaje.  El currículo describe lo que los alumnos aprenden.

Instrucción describe los métodos de enseñanza y actividades de aprendizaje que el maestro utiliza para presentar el currículo.  Un maestro tiene muchas maneras diferentes de enseñar a los estudiantes un tema.  La instrucción describe como los educadores enseñan el currículo.
 

¿Qué dice la ley?
El Acta para la Educación de Indivíduos con Discapacidades (IDEA) provee que todos los niños con discapacidad estén apropiadamente envueltos y progresen en el currículo general y que estén educándose con sus compañeros sin discapacidad en la  extensión máxima apropiada.  La ley presume que los niños con discapacidades pueden aprender en salones regulares con sus compañeros sin discapacidades.  El Programa Educativo Individualizado (IEP) tiene que incluir una explicación de hasta que grado (si hay alguno) el niño no va a estar educandose con sus compañeros sin discapacidades.  En general, a pesar del lugar donde recibi la educación, el currículo del niño y las metas y objetivos del IEP son basados en el currículo general y las normas.  Las investigaciones han demostrado que que los salones de educación regular pueden usar métodos de instrucción que les facilite a los alumnos con todos tipos de discapacidades de participar y  sobresalir en el currículo general. 
 

¿Cómo pueden los padres abogar para reestructurar el currículo y la instrucción de sus niños/as?

1. Aprenda acerca del currículo general y normas para su niño/a.  Pida copias del currículo y las normas para el grado de su niño/a.  Empiece con el currículo general  que se ofrece a todos los estudiantes como la base para escribir las metas y objetivos del IEP de su niño/a. 

2. Pídale a la escuela que ordene una completa evaluación de las fortalezas y debilidades de aprendizaje de su niño, incluyendo una descripción de los tipos de actividades de aprendizaje y estilos de enseñanza que promocionarán éxito.  Pida una evaluación de  lectura de un maestro calificado. 

3. Pídale al equipo del IEP que se asegure que las condiciones específicas de aprendizaje, como la participación en grupos de aprendizaje cooperativos se incorporen en los objetivos de corto plazo o los puntos de referencia.

4. Seleccione maestros que tengan un estilo de enseñanza que se ajuste con las necesidades de su niño/a. Usted también podría considerar entrevistar u observar maestros para identificar la pareja apropiada o pídale al administrador que asigne su niño/a a un maestro que tenga un estilo de enseñanza que se acomode a su niño/a.

5. Asegúrese que el  Equipo del IEP incluya en el IEP  las modificaciones y apoyos que su niño necesita para participar y progresar en el currículo general como lo requiere IDEA.  Ejemplos de modificaciones son: personalizar la manera que los alumnos demuestran lo que saben, (por ejemplo, preguntas de selección múltiple en lugar de un ensayo); la provisión de tecnología asistencial como el sistema de comunicación aumentativo; individualizar la cantidad de trabajo requerido; o asignar un reporte escrito en lugar de una presentación oral.  El IEP debe especificar los servicios y apoyos que el personal escolar necesitará para enseñarle eféctivamente a su niño y el tipo de ambiente de aprendizaje que su niño necesita para progresar en el currículo general.

6. Asegúrese que el IEP de su niño describa como el/ella participará en  evaluaciones del estado y distrito, con una lista de acomodaciónes necesarias, como lo requiere IDEA.
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Currículo e Instrução: Estratégias para Promover Igualdade e Excelência
[Este artigo foi extraído do PEER Fact Sheet (Folha Fato PEER), “Currículo e Instrução” de Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph.D. O PEER Fact Sheet foi aprovado pelo Departamento de Educação dos Estados Unidos, setor de Programas Especiais de Educação. PEER, Parents Engaged in Education Reform ou Pais Empenhados na Reforma Educacional, é um projeto da Federação. Recursos para a publicação foram  obtidos através do setor  de Programas Especiais de Educação, do Departamento de Educação dos Estados Unidos através da concessão #H029K50208.]

O currículo e instrução podem ser estruturados de  forma  que estudantes portadores de necessidades especiais possam ter oportunidades significativas para conseguir obter os altos padrões acadêmicos estabelecidos para todas as crianças.  Em vez de começarem com um currículo separado para estudantes com deficiências, educadores podem criar lições baseadas no currículo geral de educação e normas. A instrução “desde o começo” pode ser planejada para assegurar que o currículo geral seja ao mesmo tempo acessível e estimulante para um grupo diversificado de estudantes. Neste artigo, a autora usa as seguintes definições: 

O Currículo é o conteúdo ou assunto da matéria—as idéias, habilidades e conceitos que se ensina aos estudantes numa determinada área, assim como em matemática ou linguagem. O currículo descreve o que os estudantes aprendem.

A Instrução descreve os métodos educacionais e atividades para aprendizagem desenvolvidas pelo professor na apresentação do currículo. Um professor tem muitas maneiras diferentes de ensinar a seus estudantes sobre um determinado tópico ou área de estudos. A instrução descreve como educadores ensinam o currículo.

O que diz a lei?
A regulamentação denominada IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) exige que todas as crianças portadoras de necessidade especial estejam adequadamente envolvidas e demonstrem progresso no currículo geral de educação, e que, da maneira mais adequada possível, tais crianças sejam instruídas nas mesmas salas de aula que seus colegas normais. A lei presume que criancas portadoras de necessidades especiais podem aprender nas mesmas salas de aula, junto com seus colegas normais. O Plano de Educação Individualizado (IEP: Individualized Education Plan) precisa incluir uma explicação sobre a extensão, se existir, de como uma criança não será educada com seus colegas normais. Geralmente, independentemente do cenário educacional, tanto o currículo da criança quanto as metas e objetivos do IEP são baseados no currículo e normas gerais de ensino. Pesquisas mostram que salas de aula comuns podem usar métodos de instrução que possibilitem a alunos com todos os tipos de habilidades a participarem e obterem sucesso no currículo geral.

Como os pais podem defender a reestruturação do currículo e métodos de instrução para seus filhos?
1. Informe-se sobre o currículo geral e padrões para os seus filhos; obtenha cópias do currículo geral e métodos específicos para o ano escolar de seu filho ou filha. Comece com o currículo geral oferecido a todos os estudantes como a base para escrever as metas e objetivos do IEP.

2. Peça à escola para organizar uma avaliação completa  que determine os pontos fortes e fracos do estilo de aprendizagem de seu filho, incluindo uma descrição dos tipos de artividades e estilos de ensino que poderão promover mais sucesso. Peça a um professor qualificado para que faça uma avaliação específica sobre o nível de leitura.

3. Peça ao time do IEP para exigir que as condições de aprendizado, como por exemplo a participação em grupos de cooperação de ensino, sejam incorporadas dentro das metas a curto prazo, assim como sejam especificadas as referências que possam medir o progresso.

4. Escolha professores cujos estilos de ensino sejam os mais adequados para as necessidades de seu filho. Você deve entrevistar ou observar professores para indentificar aquele que pareça ser o melhor e deve também pedir a ajuda de uma adminstrador para que coloque o seu filho ou filha na sala de aula de um professor ou professora cujo estilo combine com o dele ou dela. Lembre-se que um professor de educação regular, sob certas circunstâncias, tem que ser membro do “Team.”

5. Certifique-se de que o time do IEP vai incluir, no IEP, as modificações e suportes que sua criança necessita para participar integralmente e obter progresso dentro do currículo geral, como exige o IDEA.  Exemplos de modificações são: personalização da maneira como estudantes mostram o que sabem ( por exemplo, múltipla escolha, em vez de respostas em  redação); oferecimento de tecnologia de apoio, tal como um sistema conhecido como “augmentative communication system;” individualização da quantidade de tarefas exigidas; ou ainda, o pedido de um relatório ou trabalho escolar no lugar de uma apresentação oral.  O IEP deve também espeficar os suportes e serviços  que os profissionais de ensino vão precisar para ensinar à sua criança de maneira eficaz, e o ambiente de ensino de que a sua criança precisa para progredir no currículo geral.

6. Certifique-se de que o IEP de sua criança  vai especificar que ela vai participar de avaliações ou testes estaduais ou locais e que faça uma lista geral com as mudanças necessárias, conforme é exigido pelo IDEA.
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Building a Future Requires Vision, Planning

What are my dreams and visions for the future? What about middle and high school? What will I be doing after high school? What do I want to be doing and where will I live as an adult?

Finding possible answers to these questions and choosing among them are important endeavors for all students. For students with disabilities, envisioning possible futures and choosing among them require complex considerations and careful planning. Plans and choices made during the school years are critical to a student’s later success in life. Yet, all too often, what is learned in high school does not support students’ visions for their future. 

Terri McLaughlin, Federation Transition Specialist, encourages parents to work with schools to develop meaningful transition plans for their youth with disabilities. She compares developing a good transition plan to creating a structure or building a home:  “You begin each process by dreaming. With the help of a good architect, a blueprint is developed, showing how the structure will reflect the lifestyle of the inhabitants. Next, you need a builder to ensure that each piece of the building process happens in the right order and on schedule. Individual effort and expertise and the careful collaboration of many committed people result in a structure that truly reflects the owner’s vision.”

McLaughlin concludes, “Transition planning is a collaborative process that is ongoing, student-driven, and outcome-based. Like a home, the outcome of a good transition plan is also a dwelling place, one made up of a collection of life experiences that reflect a person’s hopes and dreams and that empowers the person to live them.”

Legal Requirements for Transition
As long as a student is eligible for special education services, federal and state laws require that transition needs and services be addressed in the student’s IEP. At age 14 years or younger, IEPs must contain a “statement of the transition service needs of the student.” Parents and students can use this requirement as an opportunity to begin developing a transition plan with school personnel. In fact, from age 14 on, the IEP meeting is often referred to as an IEP/ITP (for Individual Transition Plan) meeting. This IEP statement should begin with a vision of the future the student desires. The service needs identified should focus on the student’s course(s) of study and be integrated into
the IEP.

At age 16, or younger if appropriate, the school should begin to include transition services in a wide range of areas. “Transition services” means a coordinated set of activities designed to promote movement from school to such post-school activities as, for example, college, employment, vocational training, and independent living. Transition services the school should provide may include, but are not limited to: instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school living objectives, and when appropriate, the acquisition of daily-living skills and vocational assessment.

The statements of transition needs and services, which are the basis of a transition plan, identify what students need to experience, learn, and know to be prepared for a meaningful and rewarding adult life. For the eight years from ages 14 to 22, the statements of transition needs and services are a formal, required part of the IEP. As one grows and develops, so does one's vision for the future. As priorities, preferences, and dreams emerge and evolve, IEP/ITPs should be updated annually to reflect new priorities among the many components of an effective transition plan.

The Federation for Children with Special Needs, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Education, is presenting transition workshops during the 1999-2000 school year in a community near you.  These comprehensive workshops will guide parents and professionals as they develop IEPs with transition services for students with disabilities.

For more information, contact Terri McLaughlin at the Federation’s Boston office; 617-236-7210 or 800-331-0688, ext.185.

SSI Rule Changes at 18
Another important consideration in transition is the student’s
status concerning Supplemental Security Income (SSI). When a student turns 18, the following changes to eligibility rules apply:

For new applicants:

• Once students turn 18, their financial eligibility is no longer based on family resources, but is based solely on the student’s income, resources, and living situation (even if the student continues to live at home).

For students who have been eligible for SSI and must go through redetermination:

• There must be a severe impairment that limits the ability to do basic work activity.
• The individual must be currently disabled (determined by whether they are working and earning over $700 a month). 

For more information, check out ruralinstitute.umt.edu/rises or call Maria Christina Vlassidis, Institute for Community Inclusion, at 617-355-4673.
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Health News
 from Family Voices at the Federation for Children with Special Needs

Family Voices Updates
• New Portuguese Materials
Family Voices has a brochure in Portuguese! It describes the Family Voices organization, history, principles, and goals. If you would like a copy or for more information, contact Sandy Blanes at 617-236-7210 ext. 144 or sblanes@fcsn.org.  Don't forget, other publications in Portuguese are available at the Federation. 

• Bright Futures Family-to-Family Raising Healthy Children
Raising healthy children is important, rewarding, hard work.  Families have told us that what is sometimes missing is information about the variety of ways to reach health goals, with options that are doable and that reflect their circumstances and their cultural and personal preferences.   We are coordinating parent discussion groups in Massachusetts to share and collect resources, strategies, and ideas of interest to parents on such topics as: 

• reminding children to brush their teeth,
• getting your child to wear a bike helmet, and
• other areas related to health, social skills, family relationships, and community. 

If your parent or family group is interested in participating in a group discussion or would like more information, contact Kathy Cruz at 617-236-7210 ext. 112 or kcruz@fcsn.org. 

• Kids as Self-Advocates (KASA)
KASA is a new Family Voices project that encourages youth with special health care needs to become leaders and advocates for themselves and others with disabilities or chronic conditions. For more information, contact Julie Keys in the Family Voices Chicago office at 312-222-2980 or e-mail at FamilyVoices_Jkeys@msn.com.

National News
• Family Survey
State reports on data from the Family Survey, “Your Voice Counts! The Health Care Experiences of Children with Special Health Care Needs,” are almost ready to be distributed.  Each of the 20 states participating in the survey will receive a report summarizing family responses to survey questions as well as charts summarizing the responses from the national data. Massachusetts is one of these 20 states.  Reports are now at the printer. Check the Family Voices website, www.familyvoices.org, or call Family Voices at the Federation’s Boston office for information on how to order a report.

• SSI for Children
The Government Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report, “SSI Children: Multiple Factors Affect Families’ Costs for Disability-Related Services” (GAO/HEHS-99, June 28).  The report shows that SSI cash benefits are used for more than disability-related costs, as permitted by law, and that SSI eligibility does not “entitle” the child to services through programs other than Medicaid.  To order a copy of this report, call GAO at 202-512-7000 or access it online at www.gao.gov/monthly.list/june99/jun9919.htm

• Patient Travel 
Call the National Patient Air Transport Helpline (NPATH) at 800-296-1217 for information about coordination of transportation or free transportation to research studies and treatment sites.  NPATH coordinates the Air Care System, a national network of charitable air transportation resources, combining the resources of the corporate aviation sector, commercial airline sector, and private aviation sector.  The mission of this alliance is to ensure that no financially needy patient is denied access to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and on-going care. The helpline provides access to information about all kinds of transportation assistance from individual flights to large-scale programs. 

Family Voices is a national grassroots organization of families and friends speaking on behalf of children with special health care needs. The Federation is one of the founding members of Family Voices and conducts Family Voices projects from the Federation office in Boston.
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The series focuses on organizational skills, becoming your child’s best advocate and supporter, and building community supports. Parents’ strengths and successes are emphasized, and parents will receive written materials full of practical strategies they can use to continue strengthening their skills. 

Workshops are free, and parents are asked to commit to attending all three workshops. A certificate of completion will be awarded at the end of the third workshop.  The first series will be held on Oct. 27, Nov. 10, and Nov. 17, 1999, 7 to 9 p.m., at Department of Mental Retardation, 1221 Main St., So. Weymouth, MA  02190. 

For more information, call Kathy Lewis, Family TIES Coordinator, at 781-828-7190.
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Thank you to stars and volunteers
Federation “STARS”  Dorothea Wolfgram, Rebecca Jerone, May O’Connell, Rhea Tavares, Chrissy Contos, Christina Robison, Sara Popper, Marybeth Susarchick, Suzana Goncalves, Ann Tom.

The Federation would like to thank the volunteers and student interns who have given so generously of their time and talents this spring and summer. Volunteers and interns have contributed to fulfilling the Federation’s mission. Some recent activities and projects that benefited from assistance of our volunteers were: preparing and completing two grant applications, translating materials into other languages, assisting the receptionist with answering the busy switchboard, adding information to the Federation’s intake system, assisting with telephone surveys, participating at meetings as a parent representative, creating and updating all of the agency forms, photocopying and faxing information, and compiling data summary of conference evaluations.

For information about volunteering at the Federation, please contact Pat Blake at 617-236-7210, ext. 132 or e-mail: pblake@fcsn.org.
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Attention Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Leaders
Attention Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Leaders Changes around special education issues often occur with very little notice.  To continue to keep you and your members well-informed, the Federation is updating its information on PAC chairpersons.  Please call Jodi at 800-331-0688 and give her your name, address, phone number, school district, and e-mail or fax numbers. Together we can make a difference!
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Parents Respond to Autism Surveys
Massachusetts parents of children with autism, PDD, or Asperger syndrome, age birth to 22 years, are urged to respond to the survey being circulated by the Federation’s Autism project, according to project coordinator Martha Ziegler.  She added, “If you have received a copy of the survey, please fill it out and send it back to the Federation.  If you have not yet received a copy, please call or email us and we will get it out to you.” 

Surveys have been coming in at a steady pace. In order to avoid any violation of confidentiality with mailing lists, the Autism project sent sealed surveys to 275 local special education administrators and asked them to send them to parents in their district.

Entry of data from the surveys will begin in October.  Findings from the surveys, one for parents and one for special education administrators, will be used to compile a plan for improving services for children with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
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