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Lately I have been working with a number of parents and schools during this busy time of year, when IEPs are needing to be revisited and plans for next year put in place for kids with disabilities (take a minute to read my posts about IEPs for some ideas of where to begin and important things to think about during this very necessary, and hopefully meaningful, process). During the conversations I have been having lately, it dawned on me that when people are planning for next year and thinking about what did or didn’t work well this year, the use of paraprofessionals to support kids with disabilities is a central issue that can make or break a student’s success. IEPs that include paraprofessionals must consider quality professional development and the time to do that development effectively for paraprofessionals. Now is the time to start thinking about how that can look, and planning when it will happen. I have a great resource to offer.

Assistive Technology (AT) is federally mandated for all students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) by requiring that IEP teams consider the student’s needs for assistive technology devices and services in order to ensure a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

works to integrate with other services that the student receives. Training and support to ensure that AT services are effectively integrated into the student’s curriculum may be provided by any member of the IEP team.

The IEP team/504 committee may choose to email the AT Trainer during the meeting to initiate collaboration.

mobile tech is the single best vehicle for addressing the confidence and practical needs of many of our kids with learning differences

I don't mean to say that the tech itself is the 'difference', what I am trying to say is that the tech -- and especially the personalized and always-on facet of mobile tech -- will provide the connection to the tools, the teachers, and the interventions that will make the difference in a way both unique and also requiring a re-thinking in terms of how we offer relevant services to students with learning differences.

we need to explain to developers what we and our students need from them

My last post introduced you to this valuable curriculum resource. As I said in that post, the timing of taking a closer look at paraprofessional staff development is purposeful at this point of the year. When reviewing IEPs and writing new ones for next year, we look forward to how students will be supported within general education successfully. Paraprofessionals are a piece of that puzzle that cannot and should not be overlooked or under-acknowledged. I do not believe everyone needs a paraprofessional to be successful in general education classrooms and settings, but when individual needs warrant it, then those paraprofessionals must be trained to do their jobs well.

video interview with Education Specialist Rebecca Byers.Video Interview: http://web.teachtown.com/article-byers-042011

“The technology enables teachers, parents and specialists to work together to provide consistent instruction. Student data reports guide us to develop more effective IEPs (Individual Education Plans). Consistent instruction and progress data are two primary benefits of computer aided instruction to help all children learn.”

TeachTown®: Basics incorporates the latest artificial intelligence and best practices in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Discrete Trial Performance to prescribe individual lessons based on learning styles and student progress.