Teaming and Communication - VCU Autism Center



Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center for Excellence (VCU-ACE)

Autism Spectrum Disorders for Paraprofessionals

Module 2

Slide 1: The Educational Team and the Individualized Education Plan

Dawn Hendricks, Ph.D.

Director of Training

Slide 2: Introduction

• Special education services are services that provide individualized instruction designed to meet the needs of the specific student.

• Students with ASD have complex needs; therefore, educational teams are a critical part of the student’s education.

In this presentation we will address:

• What is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?

• Who are the team members of the educational team?

• What are the roles of members of the educational team?

• What it the role of the paraprofessional on the educational team?

• What is effective teaming?

• How do educational teams ensure effective communication and consistency?

Many students with ASD will require special education services. Simply put, special education services are services that provide individualized instruction designed to meet the needs of the specific student. Special education is not a place, but instead, it is a service. The services received will vary tremendously from student to student. This type of customized instruction will require the student to have an educational plan that is developed specifically for that student. The plan takes the student’s strengths and needs into account and outlines goals and objectives he needs to learn.

In education, one single person does not determine and implement an education plan for a student with ASD. Instead, these educational plans are designed by educational teams. Teams can develop a stronger plan because different members will have different kinds of information to provide. Students with ASD have complex needs, therefore, educational teams are a critical part of the student’s education. As a paraprofessional, you are a part of the educational team for one or more students.

In this presentation we will address the following topics:

• What is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?

• Who are the team members of the educational team?

• What are the roles of members of the educational team?

• What it the role of the paraprofessional on the educational team?

• What is effective teaming?

• How do educational teams ensure effective communication and consistency?

Slide 3: What is an Individualized Education Plan?

• Every student receiving special education must have an Individualized Education Plan or what is called an IEP.

• An IEP is a document that describes the educational program designed for a student.

• A student with ASD often has many needs that will be addressed in the IEP and include academic needs, behavioral needs, communication needs, daily living skill needs, and social needs.

Many students with ASD will have unique learning needs and will require special education services. These students receive an individualized education that is tailored specifically for them! Every student receiving special education must have an Individualized Education Plan or what is called an IEP. For these students, they have already been tested and observed and a team has determined they have a disability and require special services.

An IEP is a document that describes the educational program that has been designed for a student. It is designed to outline what it is the student needs to learn. An IEP is a complex document but, it is important because it is the student’s guiding document. It describes the goals the student will work on, and describes the plan for how the student will be supported and what services are needed in order to make progress. It is the plan that all team members must follow.

A student with ASD often has many needs that will be addressed in the IEP. These can include academic needs, behavioral needs, communication needs, daily living skill needs, and social needs, among others.

Slide 4: What are the parts of an IEP?

• Every student who receives special education services will have an IEP.

• This law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004).

• Every IEP must contain certain information.

As mentioned, every student who receives special education services will have an IEP. This is mandated by federal law. This law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004).

Every IEP must contain certain information. In the upcoming slides we will discuss the different parts of the IEP you need to know about.

Slide 5: Present level of performance

• Present level of performance: A thorough description of the student’s strengths and needs. It includes information regarding how a student is performing across all areas of development.

Emily is completely verbal and can be very expressive. In conversation, Emily will use delayed echolalia referencing movies and TV shows she has watched. She also engages in echolalia when she is working independently. During class, Emily’s echolalia can be distracting and she frequently receives reminders to be quiet or lower her voice…

Present level of performance is a description of the student’s strengths and needs. It includes information regarding how a student is performing across all areas of development. For example, it will include information about the student’s performance in math, reading, communication, social skills, daily living skills (these include feeding self, grooming, dressing) motor skills, and behavior.

Let’s look at a little piece from an IEP, and the present level of performance. Emily is completely verbal and can be very expressive. In conversation, Emily will use delayed echolalia referencing movies and TV shows she has watched. She also engages in echolalia when she is working independently. During class, Emily’s echolalia can be distracting and she frequently receives reminders to be quiet or lower her voice…

Slide 6: Goals and objectives

• Goals and objectives: The skills the student will work on in all areas of development.

Goal 1: Emily will take two turns in a conversation with a classmate and will make a relevant comment about the topic.

Goals and objectives are the skills the student will work on in all areas of development. Goals and objectives may be written in just a few areas. For example a student with Asperger’s syndrome may only have goals in social and communication skills. For other students with more complex needs, goals and objectives may be written for all areas including math, reading, communication, social skills, daily living skills (these include feeding self, grooming, dressing) motor skills, and behavior.

Let’s look at an example for a goal for Emily. Goal 1: Emily will take two turns in a conversation with a classmate and will make a relevant comment about the topic.

Slide 7: How progress will be measured

• How progress will be measured: A description of how the team will measure progress on the goals and objectives and how the team will know when they are mastered by the student.

Measure: Emily will take two turns in a conversation with a classmate and will make a relevant comment about the topic on 4 out of 5 opportunities observed.

The IEP must also include information about How progress will be measured. This is a description of how the team will measure progress on the goals and objectives and how the team will know when they are mastered by the student. For example with Emily on one of her goals a measurement is Emily will take two turns in a conversation with a classmate and will make a relevant comment about the topic on 4 out of 5 opportunities observed.

Slide 8: Modifications and accommodations

• Modifications: A description of the ways in which the general education curriculum will be modified to meet the needs of the student.

• Accommodations: A list of supports the student needs to learn the goals and objectives that are outlined.

o Modifications and Accommodations:

• Extra time to complete assignments

• Use of a visual schedule

• Fewer questions on the test

• Communication system

Modifications: These are a description of the ways in which the general education curriculum will be altered or changed to meet the needs of the student. Many students with ASD will not be able to learn the general education curriculum, therefore, changes will need to be made. For example, a high school student may benefit from receiving fewer questions on a test or perhaps another student will only be responsible for learning 3 facts from the science lesson instead of all of the information the rest of the class learns.

Accommodations are a list of supports the student needs to learn the goals and objectives that are outlined. In order to learn the goals, often, special items or activities are needed for the student. For example, one student may require a calculator to perform math in 6th grade. Another student may benefit from using pictures to communicate his wants and needs.

Look at the slide, you can see some modifications and accommodations. This student receives extra time to complete assignments, fewer questions on the test, use of a visual schedule, and communication system.

Slide 9: Services

• Special education services: The type, level, and amount of services the student will be provided by special education staff.

• The location where special education services are provided: Description of where the student will be when getting services.

Note: The following is a table displaying an example of services, frequency, and location of educational services for a student.

|Service(s) |Frequency |Location |

|Special Education |5 days per week for 2 hours a day |Special Education Classroom |

|Speech Language |3 times a week for 30 minutes |Special Education Classroom |

|General education |5 days per week for 4 hours |General Education Classroom |

Special education and related services: This includes the type, level, and amount of services the student will be provided by special education staff. All students have different needs, therefore, some students may only need minimal support by a special education teacher, while others will need support by a teacher, an occupational therapist, and a speech language pathologist.

The IEP will also describe the location of special education services. Some students will receive all of their services in the general education environment. For instance, a student may have a special education teacher or paraprofessional go to the general education classroom at different times during the day. Another student may be in a special education classroom all day long, while others spend time with a speech language pathologist or other service providers in their room. The number of locations and the length of time spent in these locations will vary tremendously from student to student.

When considering services, the team will consider the extent of participation with students without disabilities to ensure they are thinking about the student spending time with general education peers.

Let’s look at some services for a student. (This is displayed as a table on the slide). This particular student receives special education 5 days per week for two hours a day. This is conducted in a the special education classroom. The student also receives services by a speech language pathologist three times a week for thirty minutes, again this is the special education classroom. The student also is in general education five days per week for four hours in the general education classroom. This ensures the student is spending time with general education peers.

Slide 10: Participation in statewide tests

• Participation in statewide tests: A list of the required tests the student will take and any modifications he may receive to perform at his best.

Participation in statewide tests: This includes a list of the required tests the student will take and any modifications he may receive to perform at his best. The tests required will vary from grade to grade. Additionally, given the different learning needs of students, some may not take all tests while others may require special supports to take the test. For example, a student may benefit from having the test items read to him.

Slide 11: What are other parts of an IEP?

• Transition plan: A description of the way the IEP will help prepare the student for the transition to adult life once he or she graduates.

• Behavior Intervention Plan: A plan which describes the strategies and supports that are to be implemented for any student who demonstrates interfering behavior.

There are other parts of the IEP which are optional and are included based on certain criteria.

The Transition plan is a description of the way the IEP will help prepare the student for the transition to adult life once he or she graduates. A transition plan is for students 16 years of age or older and provides a description of those areas the student and family would like to target to prepare him or her for higher education or for a career and to work towards living in the community. Students ages 16 and older may be spending time outside of the school and in the community to help prepare them for adulthood.

Behavior Intervention Plan: This is a plan which describes the strategies and supports that are to be implemented for any student who demonstrates interfering behavior. A plan is legally required for any student who has behavior that interferes with his or her own learning, interferes with the learning of other students, or behavior that is dangerous and poses a safety issue.

Slide 12: What does the paraprofessional need to know about the IEP?

• It is very helpful for the paraprofessional to have key parts of the IEP always accessible.

• Goals and objectives

• Modifications and Accommodations

• How progress will be measured

• Behavior Intervention Plan

Paraprofessionals have the legal right to access the IEPs of students with whom they work. In order to support your students, you will want to be familiar with the IEP of any student you work with. Take the time to find your students’ IEPs and read them carefully. You will want to talk to your supervising teacher regarding where they are stored and how you can gain access to them.

Additionally, it is very helpful for the paraprofessional to have key parts of the IEP always accessible.

• Goals and objectives: These should be listed and in a location you can access at any time since your primary role will be teaching them to the student! The goals and objectives are often listed on data sheets you use to collect data. They can also be listed in a chart and put on a clip board for easy access.

• Modifications and Accommodations: You will need to be aware of any modifications or accommodations the student may need to learn the goals and objectives or to take tests.

• How progress will be measured: Your supervisory teacher is to collect data on the goals and objectives and will work with you so you know how to collect data so progress can be measured.

• Behavior Intervention Plan: For any students with a Behavior Intervention Plan, it is critical that you as a paraprofessional are aware of the plan and know how to implement it.

Discuss with your supervisory teacher how you can access this information easily and how it can be stored securely.

Slide 13: Apply it!

• Find your participant handbook and go to the question entitled: Educational Team IEP/Parts of the IEP.

• Find the present level of performance.

• Find the annual goals and objectives.

• Find the services.

• Find the section on accommodations.

• Find the Behavior Intervention Plan.

• Now read the rest of the Individualized Education Plan.(Causton-Theoharis (2009), p. 34)

Now it’s your turn. In your documents find the Apply it! document titled: Educational Team & IEP. Now find the question titled: Parts of the IEP.

Find the IEP of a student with ASD with whom you work. If you do not have one, ask your supervisory teacher for one. Take a look at the table you see in the Participant Handbook. Look through each part of the IEP and answer the corresponding questions. Let’s take a look at some of these questions you’ll be asked. First you’re going to be asked, “Find the present level of performance. “

You’ll be asked to, “ Find the annual goals and objectives. “

Next you’ll be asked to, “Find the services.”

Next you’ll be asked to, “Find the section on accommodations.”

Next you’ll be asked to, “Find the Behavior Intervention Plan”, if the student has one. You’ll ask yourself multiple questions including do you understand the plan, the strategies and techniques and what to do in all situations even when the problem behavior occurs.

Now read the rest of the individualized education plan. Do you have any questions about this student, his or her needs, or his or her support?

Once you have answered these questions, I would like for you to take the time to meet you’re your supervisory teacher. Discuss any areas in the IEP where you have questions and need further insight. If you were unable to find any of the sections listed in the table, ask the supervisory teacher to help you. If you were unable to answer any of the questions listed, be sure to discuss them with the teacher. This is a valuable opportunity to learn more about each student you support and ensure you know what you are to teach, where you are to teach, and how you are to teach.

Slide 14: Why is there a team?

• A team of people come together to develop the IEP and make decisions about the student’s education.

• Teams are an essential part of the educational process for students with ASD.

• It is necessary that everyone involved in providing services and supports work together.

A team of people come together to develop the IEP and make decisions about the student’s education. Teams are an essential part of the educational process for all students, but this is especially true for students with ASD. You should remember that the core deficits of communication, social and restricted and repetitive stereotypical behaviors affect a student with ASD both inside and outside the classroom. Therefore, it is necessary that everyone involved in providing services and supports work together to wrap around the student and implement the educational plan more successfully.

Slide 15: Who are the team members?

• Special Education Teacher

• General Education Teacher

• Paraprofessionals

• Related Services Providers

• Administrators

• Families

• The Student, to the greatest extent possible

• Resource Teachers

• School Counselor

• School Psychologist

• Others

The education of a student with ASD is a joint effort among many service providers and the teams can be quite large. This group of people will typically include the special education teacher, the general education teacher, an administrator, the family of the student with ASD, the student if appropriate, and may include related services personnel, which often include a speech language therapist, occupational therapist and/or physical therapist. This team may also include others who are invited to join the team. For example, resource teachers such as Physical Education, Music, and Art teachers may be invited. The school counselor and school psychologist may also be invited. Others may be included as well depending upon the student and his or her needs.

Who is on the team can change depending on the student’s individual needs. As a paraprofessional, you will have a valuable role as a team member. You may or may not be asked to join the IEP team in participating in the meetings where this document is created. However, as a paraprofessional, you should definitely have an important role regarding providing critical information about the student’s strengths and needs. This information can be used to develop the IEP.

Slide 16: Roles of team members

• Special education teachers ensure that the IEP is implemented.

• General education teachers assist in the development and implementation of the IEP.

• Administrators include people who are a part of your school including the principal or assistant principal. They also include people who work in many schools.

Each person on the team has an important and unique role to play in supporting students with ASD. The special education teacher often has the biggest role in the student’s educational plan. The special education teacher ensures that the IEP is implemented which includes providing special education services, developing and implementing tests, introducing skills, making instructional materials, meeting with parents, and providing clear directions and constructive feedback to paraprofessionals, among many other activities.

General education teachers will also have a role for many students with ASD and it will vary from student to student. For students who are in the general education environment for any part of the day, general education teachers provide instruction, especially instruction related to the general curriculum, identifies and implements accommodations and modifications, and provides feedback about student performance.

Administrators help to develop the IEP and include people who are a part of your school including the principal or assistant principal. They also include people who work in many schools, such as an autism specialist or instructional specialist. The titles and availability of these people may vary depending upon your school division but basically they are people who are charged with supervising and supporting the program for students with ASD. They can help obtain materials, supports and arrange for resources the student may need.

Slide 17: Roles of team members

• Related service providers may provide services and supports for students with ASD, depending upon their individual needs.

• Related service providers can include speech language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists

• Families of the student with ASD must be included as members to the IEP team.

• The student is the most important person of the educational team!

Related service providers may provide services and supports for students with ASD, depending upon their individual needs. Related service providers can include speech language pathologists (these are educators who work on communication, language development and social skills), occupational therapists (team members who work on life skills and will often work on skills related to eating, dressing, and fine motor such as writing), and physical therapists (these are team members who work on gross motor such as running and jumping). Depending on the student’s needs, there may be others as well. The related service providers offer insight into the goals the student needs to work on as well as the necessary accommodations and modifications for the student.

Next we have families of the student with ASD must be included as members to the IEP team and are one of the most important members. Families know their child best and bring a unique perspective of the student with ASD, can provide information used to identify goals, assist in the development of the IEP, and provide feedback about the student at home as well as how the plan is working.

Finally, the student with ASD is the most important person of the education team. It is their life that is being discussed; therefore, it is important to include them to the maximum extent possible. This can include asking them about their interests and strengths or may include something more detailed such as having them attend the IEP meeting and lead discussions.

Slide 18: Roles of team members – Paraprofessional

• Paraprofessionals are also invaluable members of the educational team.

• You are to provide information to the team when:

• Performs really well or masters a skill

• Has difficulty with instruction

• Has challenges with interacting with peers

• Demonstrates some sort of interfering or problem behavior

• There are any concerns the team should be aware of

The paraprofessional is an invaluable member of the educational team. The paraprofessional will spend a significant amount of time interacting with the student throughout the school day and will see the student in a variety of environments. For example, the paraprofessional may be the only team member who sees the student in the general education class, cafeteria, hall, and playground. The paraprofessional often has good information about the student. For instance, the paraprofessional will know if the student is struggling in English class as he or she may likely be the person supporting the student as they work on their assignments. This information may assist the team with the development of goals as well as in determining placement options and modifications or accommodations needed in different school environments.

As mentioned earlier, the paraprofessional may or may not be invited to the actual IEP meeting, but this doesn’t make your role any less important. You are to provide information to the team regarding how the student is performing. You are to provide information to the team when:

• the student performs really well or masters a skill

• the student has difficulty with instruction

• the student has challenges with interacting with peers

• the student demonstrates some sort of interfering or problem behavior

• there are any concerns the team should be aware.

For example, it may be helpful to tell the team when a student you support suddenly refuses to go into the cafeteria for lunch or that a student can button the large button but not the smaller buttons on his coat.

Slide 19: Roles of team members – Paraprofessional

• Teaching the student

• Collecting data

• Helping the student to practice a skill

• Implementing supports needed to address interfering behaviors

• Making supplies

• Consistently following directions given by your supervising teacher and accepting feedback

As a team member, in addition to communicating with the other team members, your roles will include the following:

• teaching the student,

• collecting data,

• helping the student to practice a skill,

• implementing supports needed to address interfering behaviors (this is called a Behavior Intervention Plan),

• making supplies, and

• consistently following directions given by your supervising teacher and accepting and responding to supervisor feedback.

Slide 20: The paraprofessional’s most critical responsibility

• You are responsible for the safety, well-being and the education of students with intense needs.

• It is important to remember that one of your most important responsibilities is to communicate with your supervisory teacher

• It is your role to relay your thoughts and feelings to your supervisory teacher so that you are the most effective team member you can be!

Supporting and teaching students with ASD is not an easy job. You are responsible for the safety, well-being and the education of students with very intense needs. You should take pride in having the skills and demeanor to provide this valuable role to so many students! As part of your team role, it is important to remember that one of your most important responsibilities is to communicate with your supervisory teacher. Let him or her know how you are feeling. If you find something frustrating, communicate it! If you find an area where you believe that you need more support or training, communicate it! If you find that the student is developing a problem behavior that needs addressed, communicate it! If you find you are losing your calm and would benefit from a break, communicate it! It is your role to relay these thoughts and feelings to your supervisory teacher so that you are the most effective team member you can be!

Slide 21: Teaming

• In order for the team to effectively function, the individuals that make up the team must work together collaboratively.

• Each team member cannot work in isolation of the others; instead they must work together communicating with each other constantly about the student.

• Collaborative teams are more effective in implementing the IEP and providing necessary services.

Now that you are familiar with the people who make up an educational team for a student with ASD, we must consider how these individuals can work together to implement and monitor the educational plan. In order for the team to effectively function, the individuals that make up the team must work together collaboratively. This means that each team member cannot work in isolation of the others; instead they must work together communicating with each other constantly about the student. This type of collaborative teamwork takes effort among all members. Collaborative teams are more effective in implementing the IEP and providing necessary services to the student with ASD than individuals working separately.

Slide 22: Team collaboration example

• Special Education Teacher - Guides and facilitates the meeting

• Parents - Tells team about medication change

• Art teacher - Shares he didn’t know putting April next to a specific student can cause behaviors

• Paraprofessional - Shares that the environment in the art room is noisy and bothers her

Let’s think about an example of working collaboratively in the educational team.

April is a student with ASD in high school who spends the majority of her day in the general education classroom. She is doing well in her classes with the exception of Art class. In Art class she has started to call out and has even begun hitting her peers. The team comes together to brainstorm why these behaviors are occurring and what interventions might work to help stop these interfering behaviors and reinforce some more appropriate behaviors.

The general education classroom teacher, the Art teacher, the special education teacher, the paraprofessional, related service providers, and the parents all have unique perspectives about the student. The special education teacher guides and facilitates the meeting. The parents lets the team know that there has been a medication change. The Art teacher says he didn’t know that putting April next to a specific student can cause these types of behaviors. The paraprofessional shares that the environment in the Art room is noisier and April is also covering her ears when the students start talking. All of these pieces of information can be helpful as the team discusses how to change the interfering behaviors.

Slide 23: What makes a team effective?

In order to be an effective team, team members:

• understand the goals of the student

• contribute to student goals

• are committed to the team

• follow the plan

There are many factors that go into making a team effective. Team members, including the paraprofessionals, need to understand the goals of the student and contribute to these goals.

Team members need to be committed to the team and follow the plan the team defines and support each other providing feedback along the way.

Slide 24: Communication

• Communication is required in order for the team to function and perform effectively.

• Special education teachers will be required to communicate with each member.

• Paraprofessionals often work with the student frequently throughout the day.

• Communicating with other team members ensures the needs of the student are being met and goals are being addressed.

There are two essential components to the effectiveness of an educational team: communication and consistency. Communication among team members is not only expected, but is required. Team members must communicate with each other, although the level of communication required between members may vary. Special education teachers will be required to communicate with each member on a regular basis to determine progress on goals and any needs that are not being met by the current IEP.

The interaction between the special education teacher, general education teacher, and paraprofessional is especially critical as these are the people who work with the student with ASD on a daily basis. The paraprofessional is often the person who works with the student most frequently throughout the day. The wealth of knowledge and information that you will possess may be largely unknown to the other team members unless you take the time to share it. Therefore it is essential that the paraprofessional effectively communicate with the special education and general education teacher on a regular basis to ensure the needs of the student are being met and that goals are being addressed.

Slide 25: Consistency

• Consistency means working together in a similar manner to accomplish the same goals and achieve the same outcomes.

• It is important for everyone on the team to focus on the same strategies and interventions.

• Consistent implementation of strategies helps students by reducing confusion and giving clear guidance.

• Paraprofessionals should implement strategies and interventions in the same way as the special education teacher.

Consistency is another essential component of an effective IEP team. Consistency means working together in a similar manner to accomplish the same goals and achieve the same outcomes. It is important for everyone on the team to focus on the same strategies and interventions. This helps to achieve desired outcomes. It also helps to reduce confusion for the student. Can you imagine what it would be like for a student if the occupational therapist taught a skill one way, the special education teacher taught it a different way, and then the paraprofessional chose a different strategy all together? It would be confusing and the student probably wouldn’t make much progress and might even demonstrate interfering behaviors!

The paraprofessional should implement a strategy or intervention in the same way as the special education teacher. This will help the student to learn faster and will increase the student’s independence.

For example, Adler is a preschool student working on greetings with his peers. The speech therapist has designed a social script for greetings that she practices with Adler during his individual speech therapy time. The speech therapist has provided the script to other members including the special education teacher and paraprofessional so that they can practice and reinforce it throughout the school day. The speech therapist showed the teacher and paraprofessional how to use the script. Before recess and before lunch, the paraprofessional has Adler practice it. When Adler enters the room, the teacher has Adler practice it. This helps Adler practice this important and difficult skill throughout the day and ensures everyone is using the same strategy.

Slide 26: Video example of a team

On the following video, you will see an educational team in action. Around the table you will see an administrator, a parent, a teacher, a gym teacher, among others. The student they are discussing is demonstrating some problem behavior. He is making loud noises in class and being disruptive. The team is planning to teach him to raise his hand instead of making noises. In the video you will see how the team works together to come up with a plan and to outline strategies so they can be consistent.

Video transcript: Okay great, now it’s time to talk about instruction. Again I feel like we’re spending too much time on a behavior that is simple and should be expected. There’s no way he can’t know how to raise his hand and sit quietly. Even Mrs. Smith has seen it! That’s true, he does know how to do this. He just seems to choose not to do this for some reason. Well haven’t we already said that he does this to get attention. If he really wants attention, noise making certainly works at least as well hand raising. I know if I want someone’s attention, calling out or whistling is faster than raising my hand. That’s why I don’t have them raise their hands in the gym. I’d never see it and they’d never get my attention! Well if he already knows how to do this, then what will you teach? I think we need to concentrate on when and why he should use the behavior. He needs to know when he does this the right way and the wrong way. He needs to understand how this behavior will benefit him. Like I said before, I already tell my students to raise their hands during independent work times. Well I think we should all make this consistent. And let Eric know that hand raising will get our attention and noise making will not. So how should we handle it when does make noises? Okay this is great, this is exactly what we want, we’re addressing some questions. But I think we need to go back and make sure we finish the instruction part before we move on to consequences. What kinds of examples would work best for this? Seems to me the best examples would be the ones Mrs. Smith already talked about. He wants to know when speech class starts or needs help or wants to use the restroom. I agree I think the real world examples would be the most powerful examples for teaching Eric. Okay we want to be sure he knows that hand raising should occur during class instruction or independent work times. And that he should do this when he has a request, question or needs assistance from somebody.

Slide 27: Apply it!

• Think about the students with whom you work and write down their names.

• Next, write down the members of the educational team(s) for each of the students.

• Write down two ways the team collaborates well and two ways that the team could improve its collaboration

• Write down at least one way you can improve your communication with the educational team.

Find your Apply it! document titled: Responsibilities. Now, go to the question titled: Educational Teams.

Pause the presentation and take a few minutes to complete this activity.

Think about the students with whom you work and write down their names.

Next, write down the members of the educational team(s) for each of the students.

Once you have the team members listed, write down two ways the team collaborates well and two ways that the team could improve its collaboration. Really think about how the team works together both inside and outside of meetings.

Finally, think about and write down at least one way you can improve your communication with the educational team.

Once you have completed this “Apply it” activity, share your paper with your supervising teacher. Talking with your supervising teacher about how the team functions may support better collaboration which can support better outcomes for the student with ASD. You may also get a better perspective of why decisions are made in the manner they are made.

Slide 28: Summary

• The IEP is the guiding document describing the educational program that has been designed to meet a student’s unique needs.

• An educational team works together.

• Different team members have different roles in supporting students with ASD.

• Communication and consistency among team members are essential.

• It is the responsibility of all members of the team to develop and implement an educational plan.

The IEP is the guiding document describing the educational program that has been designed to meet a student’s unique needs. This document should inform the educational team about the student and the needed supports and services. The beauty of a collaborative educational team is the ability of team members to work together in a manner that enhances the education of a student with ASD. Remember all team members are important but that different team members have different roles in supporting students. Communication and consistency among team members are the essential components to an effective and efficient team. It is the responsibility of all members of the team to develop and implement an educational plan that will foster independence and create better outcomes for students with ASD.

Information for this presentation is from Virginia Commonwealth University's Autism Center for Excellence (VCU-ACE) that is funded by the Virginia State Department of Education (Grant # 881-61172-H027A100107). Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran's status, political affiliation, or disability. If special accommodations or language translation are needed contact (804) 828-1851 VOICE -- (804) 828-2494 TTY

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