Special Education Services Plan
...adapted for home use during the Covid 19 pandemic

Remote learning is most schools' answer to the Covid-19 pandemic, but remote learning by itself doesn't work well for children with developmental disabilities or autism.  The greater the disability, the less its effectiveness.  Unlike their gen-ed peers, these students need direct in-person instruction and direct supervision even when they use computer-based applications.  

I am a Special Education Teacher with over 20 years experience.  During that time my focus has been on individualizing each student's educational program and optimizing the time spent teaching.  Fortunately, the same methods I have developed to maximize the effectiveness of the classroom can also be applied at home.
Features
My system provides:

• Easily-understood versions of the student’s IEP goals
• Instructional folders for each objective containing:
  • Current, teachable objectives leading to the accomplishment of the goals
  • Specific teaching methods
  • Customized record-keeping that meets IEP requirements
• Instructional resource optimization
  • Goals and activities tuned to your availability
  • A daily implementation schedule
• Instructional support
  • Teaching/guidance notes based on progress notes
  • Online, phone and Zoom support

Once the system is up and running, I will keep the instructional folders up-to-date based on reported progress and your observations, questions and concerns. I will review your child's progress, update the folders and provide you with the guidance  you need to succeed.  Since the system is based on IEP goals and reporting requirements it provides for a seamless transition back to the classroom program when the pandemic is over.
Limitations
Implementation requires the direct engagement of at least one instructor.

Online programs such as MobyMax , Alec, IXL Math, etc.,  require in-person oversight.  On their own, students will often switch to more preferred online activities within the assigned application or go to another application entirely. There are on-line games and entertainment that may engage our students for an extended period of time, but few, if any of these are truly educational and even fewer can be tied to specific IEP goals.

Simply put, there is no substitute for instructors, and the main limitation -- whether in the classroom or at home -- is their availability. In the implementation section below we will determine their availability -- who, when and how much time they can spend teaching -- and choose our goals, schedule the instruction, and set our expectations accordingly. Once the program is up and running it can be adjusted easily and quickly in response to changes.
  
Implementation
Phase 1 -- Initial Planning
I will:

• Describe the program

We will:

• Discuss the student’s circumstances:
  • Disability and level
  • Caregivers
  • Siblings
  • Other support
• Talk about your needs/goals for this student.
• Have a Zoom meeting with student

You will:

• Provide a copy of student’s IEP, a digital copy or provide online access.  

Phase 2 -- Program Design
We will:

• Review and discuss the IEP
• Specify, discuss and prioritize a set of 3-5 goals for the student
• Outline the structure of the student’s overall day
• Discuss the times of day and days per week you can provide direct instruction

I will:

• Translate the IEP goals into understandable language
• Prepare or obtain current assessments specific to the IEP goals (your child's teacher may have assessment results)
• Send you the goals and a summary of the student's current status

Phase 3 -- Implementation Planning
I will:

• Review with you how the program works and answer any questions. 

We will:

• Talk some more about the program, your concerns, and how to make it work for you
• Discuss how to conduct the assessments and how to score the results

You will :

• Conduct assessments
• Report assessment results to me

I will:

• Prepare teaching materials
• Prepare record-keeping materials
• Send instructional packets and how-to instructions
• Provide an instructional overview
• Begin a phased introduction of teaching activities

Implementation:
You will:
      Implement the program.
I will:

• Receive and review goal tracking data
• Revise teaching methods and materials
• Share ideas and communicate with you about your child's progress

Conclusion:
I have implemented this system in four classrooms in three local school districts: Mukilteo, Marysville and Oak Harbor.  From those sites I have saved IEP goals, assessment, scheduling, record-keeping, communications and other related materials that can be quickly and efficiently adapted to address your own child's Special Education needs.