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    Irena Offline OP
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    Hi All, Good news - I am making decent progress with school and getting DS' Assistive Technology in the IEP. I need your help and feedback again! This is what the school put in the draft IEP regarding AT:

    Quote
    DS, with direct instruction, will become proficient in supported use of assistive technology (e.g speech-to-text, keyboarding), with the long-term goal of independent use of AT for writing and worksheets."

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    Given a math assignment, DS will use appropriate math software to independently solve 3/5 problems as measured by his work completion.

    Baseline: Not yet attempted
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    Teachers, support staff, and student will be trained by technology department on software to help DS access his math curriculum.

    I do not think it is specific enough. What do y'all think? Any proposed ways to make it more specific? Also, I want to actually name the program, Efofex. Not that that should be the only software, but I want it specified that we are at least going to use/try that software specifically. The school usually insists they can not do that but the "Assistive Technology Guide for IEP Teams" put out by our state department of education bureau of special education says it "is also acceptable to name a device in the IEP, when the IEP team determines that it is necessary."

    Last edited by Irena; 06/09/16 09:45 AM.
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    Irena, when we were pursuing AT through our elementary school, the AT department had a very specific set of instructional and achievement goals for each piece of software, but the details were in a plan that the AT specialist put together, not the IEP; the IEP only listed that AT for specific tasks would be evaluated. One thing that was key (and may be different than your school district's approach) was that nothing was accepted up front as being an assured yes, we'll add this in as an accommodation, everything had to be evaluated over a period of 6-8 weeks minimum with benchmarks set for assessing whether or not the software was actually helping and necessary.

    Re naming the software in the IEP, this also wasn't done (same as with equipment), specifically to avoid being limited by the software brand or keyboard platform. JMO, but I think it would be premature to specifically mention Efofex as an accommodation in the IEP before you've evaluated whether or not it's what your ds needs - a bit of a catch 22.

    Hope that makes sense!

    polarbear

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    Irena Offline OP
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    Thanks Polar! Apparently, our District AT does not have that set of instructions as no one has mentioned it yet! The AT has to be addressed in the IEP, though - otherwise nothing will happen. Lesson learned.

    Well, I have been working on some revisions that address naming some of the software/apps specifically without limiting DS to something that does not work.

    This is what I have:

    DS, with direct instruction and support, will become proficient in supported use of assistive technology (e.g speech-to-text, keyboarding, appropriate software and iPad applications such as snaptype), with the long-term goal of independent use of AT for writing and worksheets.
    (short term goal that measures speech-to-text speed and accuracy?)
    (goals to measure proficiency progress with software and apps, i.e., speed of setting up worksheets. There should be a way for us (the IEP team) to look at the goal and tell immediately whether he is objectively meeting or not meeting the goal, and whether he is making adequate progress toward unmet goals.)

    Given a math assignment, DS will use appropriate math typing software, such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications, to independently solve at least 3/5 problems as measured by his work completion.
    (goals to measure proficiency progress with Efofex , i.e., speed of setting up problems of average complexity for his math class. There should be a way for us (the IEP team) to look at the goal and tell immediately with no disagreement whether he is objectively meeting or not meeting the goal, and whether he is making adequate progress toward unmet goals.)
    Baseline: Not yet attempted

    A District Assistive Technology Consultant who is knowledgeable and experienced in using math typing software such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications will train teachers, support staff, and student in using math typing software such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications to assist Ben in accessing his math curriculum.
    (When will the training happen? How many hours per week?)

    Thoughts? Feedback? Suggestions?
    Thanks!

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    Irena Offline OP
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    Thanks so much Spaghetti!

    Originally Posted by spaghetti
    Originally Posted by Irena
    DS, with direct instruction and support, will become proficient in supported use of assistive technology (e.g speech-to-text, keyboarding, appropriate software and iPad applications such as snaptype), with the long-term goal of independent use of AT for writing and worksheets.
    (short term goal that measures speech-to-text speed and accuracy?)
    (goals to measure proficiency progress with software and apps, i.e., speed of setting up worksheets. There should be a way for us (the IEP team) to look at the goal and tell immediately whether he is objectively meeting or not meeting the goal, and whether he is making adequate progress toward unmet goals.)

    That's an odd way to write an IEP objective. The direct instruction and support should be on the supplemental services page. The objective should only have what your DS will accomplish. But I see they aren't doing it that way. For what your DS will accomplish, what do you expect by the end of this year? From the objective as written, I see they will play around toward a long term goal, but what are the steps? What will he accomplish in the next year? Such as DS will use at least one alternative to handwriting to complete at least one out of 5 written assignments. (I think I'd make it more like 5/5 written assignments because he should be able to produce all his work with some sort of AT from the get go. They need to find a way right away for him to express himself). (Because the objective is the work and not the AT method, they are obligated to find one that allows the objective to be met). (If you are aiming toward specific AT, like moving from voice to typing, then that would be the objective).

    Well, maybe they are just being vague and not putting it in the correct spot on purpose. I just realized it is in a section entitled "parental concerns" which is a subsection of "present levels of academic achievement and functional performance." So, perhaps that is their way of appeasing me but not making it a "goal" per se. I do not see a section labeled supplemental services but there is a section entitled "MEASURABLE ANNUAL GOALS" where each of his gifted classes goals are laid out and his Occupational Therapy Goals are laid out neatly and clearly. I suppose that is where these AT goals need to go?

    Last edited by Irena; 06/09/16 04:04 PM.
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    Irena Offline OP
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    Oh I found the "supplementary services page" and, yes, that is where they are proposing to put "A District Assistive Technology Consultant who is knowledgeable and experienced in using math typing software such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications will train teachers, support staff, and student in using math typing software such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications to assist DS in accessing his math curriculum."

    They put the math assignment blurb/objective in the section entitled "MEASURABLE ANNUAL GOALS" where each of his gifted classes goals are laid out and his Occupational Therapy Goals are laid out. I like your idea of changing it to something including "DS will use appropriate math typing software (such as Efofex) to complete 100 percent of his written math by 4th quarter (or IEP anniversary date)"


    Last edited by Irena; 06/09/16 06:57 PM.
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    Irena Offline OP
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    Also, with regard to this issue:

    Originally Posted by spaghetti
    Originally Posted by Irena
    A District Assistive Technology Consultant who is knowledgeable and experienced in using math typing software such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications will train teachers, support staff, and student in using math typing software such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications to assist Ben in accessing his math curriculum.
    (When will the training happen? How many hours per week?)


    Again, this would go under supplemental services, not as an objective.

    But IEP objectives say what HE will accomplish, not what staff will do. School needs the freedom and responsibility to change up how they do things so that those objectives are achieved.

    See, I need something in the iep about what the staff will do to accomplish these goals. Otherwise, as past experience has shown me, the staff, the teachers, the district will all do nothing! My aim is that someone from the District Assistive Tech Department train him (DS) and his teachers and his para on how to use the various devices and software because, in the past, no one can bother to help him work/learn the software and he is left to figure it out on his own, which he can't do at the same time as getting his work done and it's a disaster. Since, that sort of thing is in the "AT guidelines for IEP Teams" put out by the my state's department of education, i.e., instruction and support on using the software and devices from the district I know it can happen. I just need to force it to happen by putting in the IEP otherwise I promise nothing at all will get accomplished.

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    Irena Offline OP
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    Originally Posted by spaghetti
    What is written in parental input is simply to show they listened to the parent. It has no impact on the IEP. Often a parent that won't let go of an idea will be told that it will be noted and then move on. So, all that shows is listening and recording. It means squat. Ask that those issues be addressed in the IEP objectives.

    Yup, you hit the nail on the head. I have been asking for this for two years now... And this is what they have been giving me - a blurb in the parental concerns section to pacify me. I kept thinking "why isn't anything happening with this?"

    Last edited by Irena; 06/09/16 05:56 PM.
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    Irena Offline OP
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    Originally Posted by spaghetti
    Right. What staff will do is in supplemental services which is just as binding as the IEP objectives. The one you quoted sounds pretty good. But, you might even have section in there for frequency of the supplemental service and can insist it be monthly, or weekly, or front loaded for the introduction of new software. And ask how you will know it's done since there won't be data collected on it. If they don't have a way, then ask that it be captured in the IEP objectives.

    If they are making your son figure it out, and it isn't working, he isn't going to meet the objective. Which is why you need that data to be recorded for each objective. And if he isn't making good progress, then you call an IEP meeting.

    What is written in parental input is simply to show they listened to the parent. It has no impact on the IEP. Often a parent that won't let go of an idea will be told that it will be noted and then move on. So, all that shows is listening and recording. It means squat. Ask that those issues be addressed in the IEP objectives.

    They may push back a little, but you are a member of the team and they will put it in there because it makes sense to be in there. Just keep asking, "how will you address this in his objectives?" If it's about progress HE will make, it can be an objective. Unless they don't intend to do it. Then they will try to put it some place else.

    Your advice has been invaluable. I can not thank you enough. Know that there is special place in heaven (if you believe in that) or good Karma or just know that you put a kid who can't write on the right path to being independent! Thank you!

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    Irena Offline OP
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    Hello all, school and I are still haggling over the frequency of the training on EfoFex. Wondering if any of you have any advice or suggestions. Right now we have "A District Assistive Technology Consultant, who is knowledgeable in using math typing software such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications, will train teachers, support staff and student in using math typing software, such as Efofex and other appropriate software applications, in order to assist Ben in accessing his math curriculum." I had to fight to get this wording but I got it. Now the sticking point is frequency. They suggest "within the first two weeks of school; ongoing." Is that specific enough?

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    How about expanding that frequency box to "Training for teachers and support staff in first two weeks of school; ongoing support as required throughout year including monthly check-ins with teacher." (Is the district person going to train your DS, or just train the teachers and staff so they can teach DS? If it's the former, then the box should say "training for teachers, support staff, and student" instead of "training for teachers and support staff.")

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