Special Needs I Update
Jennifer Egas' Blog Posts 1, 2 & 3
Special Needs 1-Applying Strategies and Best Practices
As stated in the course, accommodations change "how" a course is taught, not "what" is taught, so accommodations are a much easier solution than changing the curriculum itself in my opinion.
JOYCE: I have had many students like Joyce in the last four years. Joyce's anxiety and depression along with her lack of finesse with corrections do not (and will not) absolve her of her academic honesty issues related to plagiarism.
If Joyce is depressed or anxious, she might have plagiarized just to finish the assignment faster or she might have waited til the last minute to submit the assignment and needed a shortcut.
Additionally, Joyce might be so depressed that she struggles to do any work at all.
(I had a student who had taken World History 4 other times and had failed them all. All he needed was to complete this one course in order to graduate. His parents and I were in constant contact and they explained that he was inconsistently taking his medications. As long he was medicated, he was capable of completing work. But if not, then he "checked out." This young man was 20 years old and only needed 1 unit to graduate and just could not complete the course. He failed for the 5th time despite heroic efforts to "get him through" a summer course.)
(If this is Joyce's mind set, then we have a very big problem.)
I had an 8th grader a few years ago who was institutionalized repeatedly during the term that she was in my course. Her mother called me to let me know the situation over and over. If a student is suicidal and is in an institution, then there are bigger issues than failing an 8th grade. course.
These are real scenarios and they are just two of the situations I have dealt with in 4 years.
So the question is: how do I approach Joyce without completely shutting her down and still explaining the problem with plagiarism since she WILL face these issues in the future? (At the same time, I have the past knowledge and experience with similar students to help me navigate the situation with Joyce.)
1. I would call her (and her parent) to discuss the issue with her in a more personal way rather than entering a zero and leaving written feedback. (I would also download the report (or screen shot it) for documentation purposes.) A zero is a stark way of presenting feedback in my opinion. I prefer to "warn" her before entering it and "letting the chips fall."
I would explain the issue with her similarity report and then ask if she:
1. is aware that copying and pasting from the Internet is plagiarism?
2. is aware that she DID copy and paste?
3. understands what a similarity report is and how to read it?
4. is aware that plagiarism is a breach of the academic honesty policy and that assignments that are plagiarized are given a zero.
I would be interested to hear her responses. I have had students who have admitted that they knowingly plagiarized, some who were totally unaware that copying and pasting without quotes or citations is "illegal," and some who just cried and wanted to resubmit.
I would not be able to determine my next decision until I heard her responses.
I would definitely begin the call with a positive and helpful tone rather than a confrontational one to hopefully maintain a line of communication. I would warn her that I have to enter a zero for the assignment per policy.
I would approach the situation tactfully since I want to make sure she is aware of ways to avoid plagiarism in the future and I would provide her with resources to help her learn how to write AND avoid plagiarism.
I would then speak with her parent(s) to explain the conversation with Joyce and to explain why she got a zero for the assignment, preventing future misunderstandings.
If plagiarism were to become a pattern, then I would have to involve the parents and her home school (if she had one.)
KALI: Kali's lupus is definitely a factor in her academic performance because of the uncertainty of flare-ups and the chronic nature of the disease. Kali might be physically too tired/sick to complete work at home and might even be hospitalized because of her condition.
Moreover, Kali might be dealing with depression over her chronic illness. (I know that chronic illness causes depression at times since I am have Type I Diabetes and am into my 32nd year with the condition. I have experienced the depression and total lack of motivation caused by the depression firsthand. So I think I have an understanding of how a teenager with lupus might feel.)
1. I would document Kali's log in history and I would verify with the parent(s) that she was indeed too ill to work in the course. (Given the excused absences, this is a matter of procedure.) I would be in close contact with the parent(s) about her physical condition, their ideas for solutions and to find out how we could work together to help her succeed.
2. I would consult with the special needs representative (GaVS) to look for solutions to the issue--if reduced coursework might be an option or if due date extensions would suffice.
3. At that point the special needs representative might suggest a conference meeting or a group email to clarify the expectations.
4. Additionally, depending on the timing (beginning, middle, end of term,) I might suggest a session change to alleviate the stress of "piled up" work. However, a session change might be an issue since the 12 week course is MUCH more compact and stressful than the 18 week course. Those types of variables require more "If/Then" decisions.
5. Involving the special needs representative, the parent(s,) and Kali in the search for solutions is tantamount to Kali's successful completion of the course. Finally, open communication is key in these types of special situations.
HOPPER: Hopper's dysgraphia is an issue in a course laden with writing assignments. Hopper might have issues with writing by hand and then he also might have issues with even typing into a computer (expression.)
(When I first started working on a computer, I wrote my papers for grad school on paper--yes, this was the 1990s---and then I copied them into a word processing program. HOW inefficient that was! Thank goodness I learned to type directly into a computer!)
If Hopper is like I was because of dysgraphia, then he is going to be much slower in completing his work AND he might be frustrated/depressed about the situation.
Also if Hopper has issues with writing by hand, then he might also have fine motor skill challenges which will then be a challenge when he tries to type into a computer. Again, this scenario will be different for each student depending on skills and capabilities.
1. If his issues are more complex than "just" handwriting---typing into a computer could be an issue too---then I would speak with his parent(s) and the special needs representative and Hopper himself to determine what the specific challenges are---is it an expression issue?
Can he write by hand or type into a computer or are these both issues for him?
Can he write by hand and then take pictures of his writing to upload into the Dropbox?
Is it easier for him to type into a computer in a Word document?
Is it best for him to record his essay in an audio file and upload that file into the dropbox?
Is it even better for him to video himself reading or speaking his essay and then uploading his video file into the dropbox?
2. If none of those accommodations work for him, then I would consider a different type of assignment that covered the same standards...a PowerPoint presentation for example. For a PowerPoint presentation, less text is required, but he might add images to the presentation to add interest.
3. If none of those options provided a solution, I would consider a coursework reduction with the advice of the special needs coordinator.
4. To help Hopper improve his grade, I would suggest extra learning opportunities (offered to all students of course) that satisfied the same content standards yet provide him with different formats to allow him to prove his learning but not so much in a written form.
5. Finally, I would make certain that all stakeholders are aware of the solutions we found and to ask for input as well as questions that anyone might still have.
Special Needs 1-Accommodations in an Online Environment
I assured her that we would work together to help the student complete the course successfully. She was committed to the idea that he would do most of the work/communication himself because she wanted him to be self-sufficient/independent. (I agreed that he should be as "in charge" as possible.)
This young man was hospitalized after he had his chemo treatments and then was extremely lethargic afterwards for days at a time.
We began the term with due date extensions and reduced coursework. (The extensions were essential since it was a summer course and we had assignments due every day.)
Three Beneficial Aspects of the Online Environment:
1. Extensions: One of the best parts of the online environment is the extensions that we were able to implement for this student. Additionally, in a normal semester, the ability to switch sessions is a benefit too if the student should experience multiple hospitalizations.
2. Independent Work/Flexibility: Students don't have to be in a classroom at a specified time in an online course. So if the student feels up to working at 11 p.m. after sleeping all day, then he has that option. Additionally, he can work in the hospital if he feels up to it. He can work from any location if he has a computer and an Internet connection.
3. Remote Work/Lack of Exposure to Illness/Germs: For a student on chemotherapy drugs, his immune system is compromised. He does not need to be exposed to germs/illnesses any more than absolutely necessary. (I have had multiple students in this situation. They have had to stay out of public schools until their conditions improved because of germs.) He was able to continue his schooling thanks to online courses. This benefit is not a part of the LMS, but it IS a consideration that many parents have to think of when deciding how to educate their ill children.
Special Needs 1-Developing an Individual Plan
*goals
*services
*a student's strengths
* a student's needs
*the student's present level of performance
*accommodations/modifications.
An IEP is a legal document that MUST be implemented by the educators who teach the student regardless of the format---a face-to-face classroom or an online class.
The IEP provides for specialized instruction for the student with special needs whether the services are provided 1-to-1, outside the classroom, and the accommodations that change the way content is taught or modifications that change what is taught based on the student's particular situation. The IEP might specify where a student is seated in a room, how information is presented and services provided like occupational therapy, physical therapy or counseling services, etc.
The professionals on the student's team (who have input into the IEP) are the parents, the general education teacher, an administrator, a special education teacher and a school psychologist.
Factors to consider when developing an individual plan are:
*the law
*the nature of the student's prognosis
*the environment (face-to-face or online or a combination of both)
*data relating to the student's progress
*appropriate supports
Accommodations might be extra time on quizzes or extensions for assignment due dates.
Modifications change what the student learns. A student might read the same information but at a lower reading level than fellow students for example.
An IEP in an online environment:
*must be updated at least once a year (more often if the student's situation changes)
*might provide extensions on due dates
*might provide extended time on quizzes & tests
*outlines the expectations of student, parents, teachers
*considers communication expectations and formats (Will we communicate with parents weekly, bi-weekly, as needed? How? Email? Phone?)
Computer Accessibility Functions: Additionally in an online environment, educators can use computer accessibility features like special software, assistive technologies and accessibility features of computer operating systems to help students access the content in ways that help them learn.
Available Data: LMSs provide a wealth of data related to student achievement. In that respect online teachers have an advantage when attempting to pinpoint areas of weakness and strength for all students.
Differentiated Instructional Tools: Online teachers can also access different types of instructional tools that lend themselves to students with specific learning challenges. Teachers should be aware of the features in the LMS that can be manipulated for the student's benefit as well as being aware of creative ways to teach a topic for a student with special issues.
504 Plans:
The 504 Plan is a legal document and is a part of the Rehabilitation Act (as opposed to the IEP which is a legal document that is defined by the IDEA and identifies 13 specific diseases/conditions.) The 504 has to do with a student's civil right to a public education and the services provided by public schools.
The 504 is an "assurance" for students that don't require special instruction but still need equal access to an education despite their disability.
Like an IEP, 504s are updated annually by law.
Plan A or Plan B?:
After reviewing the two plans, I much prefer Plan B for the following reasons:
a. Specifics: Plan B provides a LOT of specific details that give a teacher valuable details about Sally's strengths and challenges. These details will help a teacher more effectively help her succeed. Maybe the details will help the teacher be more creative in his/her strategies for helping Sally. The details will also help the teacher prevent issues related to Sally's hesitancy to communicate with the teacher. Details about Sally's vision problems will also help the teacher be more cognizant/proactive/aware and will help Sally achieve.
The specific information related to Sally's past behaviors (hesitant to contact teachers, works hard, strong in math, etc.) will be helpful for a teacher to know---every bit of information a teacher has about a student and his/her behavior, strengths/weaknesses, etc. will save the teacher time and will help the teacher to prevent some issues early.
b. Specific Accommodations: The specifics related to extended time on quizzes, due date extensions and the teacher's option to make decisions in specific situations (alternate assignments/alternate due dates as needed) will be helpful for the teacher to know.
c. Sally's Responsibilities: I also like the responsibilities that Sally has as related to her own learning. Usually the obligations relate to the teacher and the parent only. This plan shifts some of the responsibility to the student and that is a good lesson to learn.
Given the student's special needs, it will be helpful for a teacher to have information since the teacher can't physically see the student's behaviors and can't see that she uses two pairs of strong glasses, etc.
These are the reasons I prefer Plan B hands down.