Session Descriptions

Presented by Dr. Cheryl Jorgensen 

When students with complex support needs are included in general education classes, their teams must proactively plan for their active participation. This session will describe and provide examples of a collaborative team planning process that answers the following questions: What are the student's priority learning objectives in this unit or week's worth of instruction? What supports will the student need for full participation and learning? How will student learning be assessed? Who on the team is responsible for finding and/or creating supports. The presentation will provide examples of three

students' participation plans - elementary, middle, and high school - and workshop participants will have a chance to practice the planning process. Examples of supports will include adapted materials, schema for solving math problems, assistive technology for reading and writing, and sensory supports.

Presented by Dr. Cheryl Jorgensen

When students with complex support needs are included in general education classes, the roles of their IEP team members must change. This presentation will describe new roles and responsibilities of special educators, general educations, related service providers, and paraprofessionals. With respect to special education teachers, the role of Inclusion Facilitator will be described in depth. Many examples will be provided of how SLPs, OTs, and

PTs can push-in their services into general education instructional routines as well as in other natural environments and activities throughout the school. The role of the general education teacher shifts from being the host for students visiting their classroom to the person who creates a welcoming classroom through her attitude and use of the principles of Universal Design for Learning in her instruction and assessment. The paraprofessional's role shifts from being a constant 1:1 instructor to supporting the student to be an active participant in instruction led by the general education teacher. Models of co-teaching between the general and special education teacher will also be described.

Presented by Dr. Karen Anderson

As a low incidence disability, only 1 out of every 100 children with IEPs are eligible for special education services due primarily to hearing loss. The educational performance, academic achievement, social interaction, and participation of students with hearing loss is often mistaken for other, more common disability areas. Thus, it is often necessary for family members or specialists working with this population to advocate for appropriate evaluation and intervention services. This presentation will provide an overview of the framework of laws that apply to the education and inclusion of students with hearing loss. Special considerations needed by the IEP team will be provided along with strategies for successful collaboration to develop an appropriate educational plan of services, accommodations, and supports to facilitate effective student achievement.

Presented by Dr. Karen Anderson 

Only 1 out of every 100 students with IEPs has been qualified for special education primarily due to hearing loss. The impacts of hearing loss are far-reaching and often look much the same as behaviors of children with learning disabilities, speech/language disorders, or even social issues, yet the primary cause for all of these issues is decreased access to communication and not disordered learning. This session will present issues related to communication access needs for students with hearing loss, how participation in the classroom is often affected, and the need to develop student self-advocacy skills. Means to estimate the level of communication access will be described as well as the components contributing to self-advocacy skills and how they can be developed.

Presented by Dr. Karen Anderson 

The impact of hearing loss on student behavior is often similar to students with learning disabilities, speech/language disorders, or social issues, but the educational performance differences are due to reduced access to communication and not a learning disorder. Hearing devices do not restore normal hearing, yet these students are often assumed to perceive more of communication in the classroom than they actually can, which often ends in frustration for the student and the teacher. Teachers and others who work with these students often require an inservice prior to working with this population.This presentation will provide information and strategies for how to get across the various impacts of hearing loss in meaningful, effective, and memorable ways. Individuals with limited exposure to the needs of students with hearing loss will develop a basic understanding of the impacts of hearing loss and need for appropriate accommodations, supports, and specialized services.

Presented by Dr. Karen Anderson 

IDEA requires that evaluations include materials tailored to assess specific areas of educational need. This presentation will describe the array of educational performance areas vulnerable to delay secondary to the communication access deficits experienced by students with hearing loss. This general presentation will provide important considerations when assessing the population of students who are deaf or hard of hearing and suggest some specific evaluation instruments or procedures.

Presented by Brittany Powers, MPH & Cindy Brown, M.Ed 

This session will review Delaware initiatives and inform participants on how to access supports and resources for families of young children in their communities. The combination of developmental monitoring, using tools like Learn the Signs. Act Early. checklists, and developmental screening, using a formal tool like the ASQ, lead to earlier identification and enrollment in appropriate services for young children. Participants will have an understanding of how to integrate developmental surveillance and support families in their existing programs.