This 4-week template outlines learning objectives, assignments or assessments, formative feedback, learning activities, and lecture topics with readings and other resources for ED 259. ED 259 is an introductory class that provides an overview of the aspects of disabilities including legal, social, and educational issues in the provision of education and related services from early intervention through transition to adulthood.

The purpose of the National AEM Center’s Quality Indicators with Critical Components for K-12 is to assist state and local education agencies with planning, implementing, and evaluating systems for providing accessible materials and technologies for all students who need them. States and local school districts will find the Quality Indicators useful for implementing statutory requirements that mandate equitable access to learning opportunities for students with disabilities, including equal access to printed materials, digital materials, and technologies.

Discover accessible learning across the lifespan in these short and informative videos designed to start conversations about the importance of accessibility and accessible materials in your context.

Introduction to Accessibility

In this first video in our series, you’ll build an understanding of what accessibility means. People who need accessible materials and technologies describe how access creates inclusion where they live, learn, and work. Ultimately, accessibility is achieved when we remove barriers — or better yet, design environments that are inclusive for everyone from the beginning.

Turn learning barriers into learning opportunities by exploring the world of accessibility and Universal Design for Learning.

Each episode of The Accessible Learning Experience features interviews with national, state, and local leaders whose work focuses on turning learning barriers into learning opportunities. These leaders share their top tips and strategies for implementing accessibility best practices in a variety of settings. They also shine a spotlight on the partnerships and collaboration that are needed to create robust systems for the timely provision and use of accessible educational materials and technologies in support of inclusive teaching and learning practices. Episodes are released monthly and you can listen on the web through Anchor or through the podcast app of your choice.

Acquiring the accessible formats a learner needs is part of a multi-step decision-making process. By prioritizing accessibility, access barriers for learners with disabilities will be minimized when materials are acquired. In cases where inaccessible materials have been selected, alternative forms - accessible formats - of those materials will have to be acquired for learners who need them. Examples of accessible formats include audio, braille, large print, tactile graphics, and digital text conforming with accessibility standards.

Accessible formats of materials can be acquired from:

Accessible Media Producers (AMPs)
Publishers
Local Conversion

Adapted Physical Education Class BasketballLesson OverviewDate: January 28, 2018                                                   Grade Level: 6-8Concept: Basketball Shooting and PassingObjectives:Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the concept of shooting a basketball by standing at a certain distance from a basketball hoop and shooting a ball in the direction of the hoop up to 5 times in a row with 80% accuracy. Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the concept of passing a basketball to a partner by standing a certain distance from a partner and passing a ball in the direction of that person up to 5 times in a row with 80% accuracy. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of catching a basketball by attempting to catch a ball thrown at them at least 5 times in a row with 80% accuracy. Introduction:Ask students what their background knowledge of basketball is. What “things” do you need to play? Have you ever watched a basketball game? Two videos will be shown to the class prior to beginning the lesson. The first video is of a high school special needs basketball player who makes an incredible shot in his only game ever played. The second video is of a basketball game played entirely with students who have various disabilities. Both video links are provided and should provide motivation for the class to play basketball. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUztRvfhDT8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJFr5KVdEXA Vocabulary:Chest Pass- the basketball is passed directly from the passer 's chest to the receiver 's chest.Bounce Pass- the basketball bounces about two-thirds of the way from the passer to the receiver.Overhead Pass- the player holds the ball over their head with both hands and then tosses the ball to a teammate.Shooting form- Put the ball in your shooting hand make sure your body is square to the basket, and put your feet shoulder width apart, and also put your elbow in towards your body. Body of Lesson:After watching the introduction videos, students will come into the gym and partner up. One ball will be given to each set of partners. Students will stand 5-10 feet away from each other depending on the level of comfort felt by students to catch a ball. The instructor will demonstrate a chest pass and then have students practice this pass several times back and forth with their partner. The instructor will come around and help any students who are in need of assistance. When students are comfortable with this type of pass they may begin to back up and get farther away from their partner. These same steps will be repeated for the bounce pass and the overhead pass. Depending on student strength, they may begin these skills with a balloon or beach ball to gain confidence and correct form before moving on to the basketball.After the instructor is able to assess each student on each type of pass, the class will move on to shooting. The instructor will demonstrate the correct shooting form and then students will be allowed to go to a basket to practice this form. One student will shoot while their partner rebounds the ball for them, after ten shots the students will switch roles. Students will be instructed to start only a few feet away from the basket until they are able to make two shots in a row, afterwards they can move back another few feet until they are unable to make a shot. The instructor will walk around the gym and make any shooting corrections that are needed and assess each student on their ability to shoot a basketball at the hoop. Depending on disability, students may feel more comfortable and confident using a hula hoop for the basketball hoop and/or garbage can as a larger surface.Multiple Intelligences:Students will use the following multiple intelligences through participation in Adaptive PE:•Kinesthetic-Students who enjoy being on the go as much as possible. Learn best by doing—hands-on activities and incorporate body movement. Examples in PE class would be walking, passing and shooting the basketball.•Interpersonal-Those students who show good social skills and partake in group or team activities. Examples in PE class would be partnering up to pass the ball back and forth, participating in a mock basketball game.•Musical-Rhythmic-Students connect to an activity through familiar tunes of music. Examples in PE—having a song to keep rhythm of passing the ball back and forth.  Accommodations/Modifications: Multiple accommodations are made depending on the abilities of the students in the class. These are as follows:Deaf/Hearing Impairment 1. Brighter ball helps to make up for a player calling your name to pass you the ball. 2. Lights to signal a whistle. 3. Make hand signaled plays not verbal. 4. Give a written outline of the day’s events. Cognitive Impairments 1. Repeat instructions clearly and slowly. 2. Quick/simple instructions. 3. Use larger materials (beach balls and hula hoops) 4. Give motivation for small goals (catch a ball) then work higher (make a basket). 5. Enhance success rate by awarding points for passes and catches. 6. Many rules can be changed (allow double dribbling, no time limit in the lane, etc.). Visual Impairment 1. Orient player on the court and give an area to cover. 2. Brighter colored equipment. 3. Brighter boundary lines. 4. Beeper in the ball. 5. Lighted hoops. 6. In drills, use a ball retrieving device or set up in partners. 7. Catch the ball with arms extended to feel the ball and bring into the body. 8. Call the person’s name before passing to them. 9. Bounce passes are easier to track and slower pace. 10. Place a beeper behind the goal to help in aiming at the target. Orthopedic Impairment 1. Use the two-hand chest pass. 2. When shooting, do not go head on; easier to go slightly to the non-dominant side. 3. Adaptations to the game a. Travel if more than two pushes are taken with ball in lap. b. Can only dribble twice then must pass, shoot, or take two additional pushes. c. Remain seated at all times. d. Place all players in wheelchairs. One Arm Involvement 1. Trap the ball with the body to catch the ball. 2. Throw with one arm. 3. Overhead passes for long throws. 4. Stop dribble then place ball on the hand for a shot. One Leg Involvement 1. Bring the ball to the side of the body instead of towards the body to catch the ball. 2. Students who use crutches can use the one arm throw. 3. Students who use crutches are successful with the one arm shot. 4. One regular crutch and one Lofstrand crutch helps to free one arm quickly(Adaptation and modification information was compiled by Jenny Walter,  Adapted Physical Education student at Manchester College, Spring 2008).Assessment: Formative assessment: Observation will be used throughout the lesson to correct student form and give feedback. Students who are completing the passes and shooting correctly will be allowed to move farther distances away from their target to increase difficulty for those who are capable of performing the skills. Summative assessment: The instructor will have a checklist for each student to determine if they met the objectives for the day. The checklist is attached.  Materials: Computer, projector, internet access, several basketballs (beach balls, balloons, lighter basketballs), basketball hoops (hula hoops, garbage cans), beeper balls, beeper cones, whistles, specialized equipment lights, specialized brightly colored balls, boundaries, targets, etc. Standard(s): A physically educated individual:·       Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities.·       Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities.·       Participates regularly in physical activity.·       Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings.·       Values physical activity for health enjoyment challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.·       PE 8.1.2 Students demonstrate critical elements of specialized manipulative skills in modified team activities.·       PE 8.2.4 Students engage in a variety of physical activities that will enhance health-related fitness (inside and/or outside of school).  

This PowerPoint presentation provides a brief overview of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and focuses on the results of a case study conducted by an elementary special education teacher.

CA ECSE TPEs: 1.11 Facilitate​ ​the​ ​continuation of young children’s learning progress​ ​across​ ​multiple​ ​contexts​ ​&​ ​transitions including a variety of​ ​environments​, 5.6 Use​ ​ongoing​ ​assessment​ ​data​ ​from​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​sources​ ​& ​settings​ to establish​ ​meaningful,​ ​individualized​ ​learning​ ​goals​ ​& ​intervention​ ​activities, 6.2 Develop​ ​& ​implement​ ​policies, ​structures, & ​practices​ ​that​ ​promote​ ​shared decision​ ​making​ ​w/​ ​service​ ​providers​ &​ ​families, 6.4 Develop​ ​&​ ​implement​ ​effective​ ​transitional​ ​plans​ ​to​ ​support​ ​the​ ​ongoing learning​ ​& ​development​ ​of​ ​children​ ​entering​ ​different​ ​learning​ ​settings​, 6.5 Promote​ ​efficient​ ​&​ ​coordinated​ ​service​ ​delivery​ ​for​ ​children​ ​& ​families​ ​by creating & supporting​ ​the​ ​conditions​ ​for​ ​service​ ​providers​​ ​&​ ​the family​ ​to​ ​work​ ​as​ ​a​ ​team, 6.8 Facilitate​ ​effective collaborative​ ​transitions between​ ​the​ ​stages of schooling & educational settings​.

This resource is to educate others on the importance of cultural competence in special education and the lack of cultural awareness that is currently in special education classrooms. It includes history of special education and the laws surrounding it, the importance of cultural awareness and competence, what the current system is doing and why it does not work and what the future will hopefully look like for culture in special education.

This is the syllabus for the Disability Law Clinic that I'm teaching in Fall 2022 Term. The Disability Law Clinic is a one-semester, six-credit, live-client clinic. It handles a variety of civil and administrative matters for low-income clients with disabilities, including disability rights, special education, access to assitive technology, and Social Security matters.

In inclusive early childhood programs and settings, social and learning activities are designed for the participation of all children. Objects, tools, and materials that are selected for inclusive activities provide options for engaging through multiple sensory, physical, and perceptual means. The Quality Indicators for Early Childhood describe how agencies, programs, and services can work together to improve the accessibility of early learning environments for children with disabilities.

Explore this resource guide with links and handouts detailing inclusionary resources in an Early Learning setting.  

This course is designed to prepare you for a successful student teaching experience. Some of the major themes and activities are: analysis of yourself as a teacher and as a learner, subject knowledge, adolescent development, student learning styles, lesson planning, assessment strategies, classroom management techniques and differentiated instruction. The course requires significant personal involvement and time. You will observe high school classes, begin to pursue a more active role in the classroom in the latter part of the semester, do reflective writings on what you see and think (journal), design and teach a mini-lesson, design a major curriculum unit and engage in our classroom discussions and activities.

This resource provides sources to strategies and tools for fluency intervention found using OER Commons. 

This website provide a list of all the AEM State Contacts in the United States.

Framing the Future of Learning with Technology
The goal of the Center on Inclusive Technology & Education Systems (CITES) is to empower school districts to create and sustain inclusive technology systems that serve all students, including students with disabilities who require assistive technology or accessible educational materials. To do this work, we are creating and disseminating a framework of evidence-based practices to enhance the successful use of technology by all students. We provide technical assistance to districts, educators, and families to ensure that students with disabilities are able to use the technology tools they need to foster learning and life success.

These introductory plans will springboard students into the fictional text, Night of the Twister.  This modified text, and informational PowerPoint featuring four natural disasters, was inspired by a real event that happened in Nebraska in 1980.  The modified text was created using more simplistic language while keeping the main idea intact.  Students will recount events and analyze characteristics that define natural disasters, while answering the overarching unit question: How do natural disasters impact us? This set of lessons is intended to span between 5-10 instructional periods and will also set the stage for specific learning structures and routines.  Students will use response strategies to identify how nature can impact us.  Through reading and discussion, students will cite key details and make inferences based evidence that support the main idea of portions of the text read.  Included are examples of text dependent questions and sample questions to guide instruction.  Contained in this plan are day-by-day lessons.

High-Incidence Disabilities are disabilities that are more often seen in the regular education classroom. This resource is intended to be used by pre-service teacher who are learning about disabilities in the classroom and how to make accommodations for all learners. 

High-Incidence Disabilities are disabilities that are more often seen in the regular education classroom. This resource is intended to be used by pre-service teacher who are learning about disabilities in the classroom and how to make accommodations for all learners.