Making Core Content Meaningful for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (SSCD)JESSICA BOWMAN

AUTISM AND SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE DISABILITIES SPECIALIST, USOE

Objectives

Identify how alternate standards (Essential Elements) prepare students with significant cognitive disabilities for college and career

Deliver specially designed instruction aligned with the UCS and Essential Elements

What is the goal of education for all students?

What is the goal of education for SSCD?

State n=1200 SLD n=771 ED n=44 ID n=81 LI n=304

1: Enrolled in higher education 0.245 0.262 0.136 0.049 0.27

2: Competitive employment 0.432 0.505 0.455 0.16 0.316

3: Enrolled in other postsecondary education or training

0.057 0.044 0.068 0.111 0.072

4: Some other employment 0.085 0.077 0.045 0.222 0.076

Not Engaged 0.182 0.113 0.295 0.457 0.266

5.0%

15.0%

25.0%

35.0%

45.0%

55.0%

Post-school Outcomes by Disability Category

11/3/2014

Who are Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities?

These students demonstrate cognitive ability and adaptive behavior which prevent completion of the Utah Core Standards without substantial adaptations, modifications, and use of assistive technology, to acquire, maintain and generalize skills across settings.

These students can be from any disability classification. Most common are:

Intellectual Disability

Autism

Multiple Disabilities

Case Studies

College Vocational Training

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnGL9ph8_CI

Rethink College

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auIYOb_rptQ

Career Aaron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6jkB_KNtks

Sarah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N4tXcut0t4

1.1b

The Least Dangerous Assumption

A teacher thinks a SSCD cannot learn to read, so they focus on functional sight words. A teacher uses a variety of methods to teach a SSCD to read. Because of a lack of adaptive skills, most instructional time is spent on functional skills

such as eating, cooking and cleaning. Instructional time is spent learning the core content with natural opportunities to teach

functional skills. The SSCD doesn’t enjoy the same activities as his/peer peers, so interaction with typical

peers happens with a peer tutor. Interaction with typical peers is planned ahead of time and happens throughout the

school day. Postsecondary options would include a group home, day habilitation program or

sheltered work environment with other adults with disabilities. Postsecondary options include a variety of options, including postsecondary education

and independent living.

1.3

Preparing SSCD for College and Career

Academics – prior knowledge

Independence

Problem solving

Note taking

Computer skills

Preparing Students for College and Career

“Would skills like reading for enjoyment and information, understanding of mathematical tools, basic understanding of scientific principles, understanding of

history and current events, and orientation to and appreciation of the arts contribute to a satisfying adult

life in supported or independent settings? Do these skills enhance participation in the community, in

recreation and leisure, or in work?” (Quenemoen et al, 2010)

Planning for Instruction in the Essential Elements

IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM SETTING

Instructional Alignment

Content Standards

Instruction Assessment

Drive both instruction

and assessment

Informed by assessment results Follows instruction

Understanding the Essential Elements

Claims

Conceptual Areas

Essential

Elements

Understanding the Essential Elements

Understanding the Essential Elements

Identify the Most Salient Content for the Student to Learn

Grade-LevelStandards

 

DLM EssentialElement

 

Node Linkage Progression 

ELA.RL.3.3 Describecharacters in a story(e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. 

ELA.EE.RL.3.3Identify the feelings of characters in a story.  

Successor Node:• Can identify how a character's actions make them feel OR can identify how the character's desires or feelings lead to an action. Target Node:• Can identify the feelings of specific characters in narratives. Proximal Precursor:• Student can identify the feelings of characters when explicitly stated in familiar stories. Distal Precursor:• Student can identify words in a familiar text that are associated with feelings. Initial Precursor:• The student is able to use or identify feeling words related to self, such as happy, sad, tired, worried, or angry. 

Learning Map

Foundational Map

Research

According to research, when included in a general education environment, students with significant cognitive disabilities can learn: mathematics (Browder, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Harris & Wakeman, 2008),

reading (Browder, Wakeman, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, & Algozzine, 2006), as well as

communication (Foremen, Arthur-Kelly, Pascoe, & King, 2004),

social (Carter & Hughes, 2005 and Fisher & Meyer, 2002), and

employment skills in a general education setting (Benz, Lindstrom, & Yovanoff, 2000)

Inclusive opportunities are a reliable predictor of school and post school success.

Responsibilities of the Special Educator

Set up meeting with General Education teacher(s) to begin collaboration and introduce student

(including the supports they

require to participate)

Regularly collaborate with

General Education teacher(s) in planning and implementing

specially designed instruction based in

the EEs

Work with General Education teacher(s)

to monitor and report student

progress

Responsibilities of the General Educator

Meet with special educator as needed. Be

ready with class schedule and

curriculum map. Ensure that additional supports needed by the student

are available

Invite special educator to all PLCs or other

planning sessions and take note on specially designed instruction

needed for student to progress in the grade

level EEs

Frequently monitor student progress and

collaborate with Special Education teacher to adjust supports as

needed

Main Considerations for Planning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

What is the most salient content for the student to learn? What is their assigned linkage level?

What is the target response? How do they communicate what they’ve learned? Any assistive technology

considerations?

Who will prompt the student during class activities? Special Ed or General Ed teacher?

Peer?

Paraprofessional?

Universal Design

Universal Design for LearningMultiple Means of Representation

Multiple Means of Expression

Multiple Means of Engagement

Change the way you present the materials or information

Say it: Lecture, discuss, question, read aloud, verbal descriptions

Show it: Pictures, graphics, transparency, white board, video, closed caption

Model it: Demonstrate, think aloud, act out, build/construct, manipulatives

Media: Video, audio, computer, SMART technology

Give students multiple means to express what they have learned

Low Tech Tools: Alternate pencil, picture support, graphic organizers, choice boards, stencils, scribe, eye gaze response options, pencil grips

High Tech Tools: Computer Writing Software (e.g. Co-Writer), Augmentative Communication Device (e.g. GoTalk, BigMach Switch), adapted keyboard, voice activated computer software

Use multiple means to engage students

Embed highly motivating content and student choice

Methods of reinforcement, error correction, and peer supports

Make content meaningful

Adapted from Jimenez, Courtade & Browder, 2013)

4.1

ELA Lesson Plan – Describe characters in a story 

Standards:

ELA.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

ELA.EE.RL.3.3 Identify the feelings of characters in a story.

 

Three Pillars of UDL

Multiple Means of Representation: Story will be read aloud and text with pictures will be displayed on the interactive whiteboard.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Students can communicate verbally, using a communication device, or by selecting picture or word choices. Prompts and scaffolds are provided to ensure errorless learning and high rates of success for the students.

Multiple Means of Engagement: Students can respond to prediction question and comprehension questions by selecting objects, pictures or words of related concepts in the story. The degree of difficulty of the tasks is differentiated between students. For student(s) unable to write or type their responses, an alternate pencil is provided. Vocabulary and symbols are pre-taught (text, symbols, photos, and/or objects)

General Education Lesson Adaptations for SSCD

1. Gather students. Have the 

Character Change Continuum chart available. Begin to

read Thank You, Mr. Falker aloud again. Stop at your

predetermined points to elicit student responses.

Embed visual supports on the Character Change

Continuum chart; provide picture choices for

student responses

2. At each page where you stop, ask students to help

you record where and why they think Trisha is on the

Character Change Continuum chart.

Use adapted Character Continuum chart and

give special attention to student’s engagement.

Highlight parts of the book in which he/she

seems particularly interested.

3. Read the completed Character Change Continuum with students. Ask them to think of one or two words that describe Trisha at various stages throughout the story. Examples include:• At the beginning of the story: hopeful, eager,

excited• At the middle of the story: sad, insecure, a failure,

no confidence• At the end of the story: happy, confident, proud,

intelligent

Embed visual supports as picture choices for all

feeling words identified in the left column