Low Incidence Disabilities

• Significant Disabilities (LAA1)

• Autism• Deaf/Hard of Hearing• Blind/Visually Impaired

6 Big Ideas

• Local leadership• Certification• Professional Development• Literacy• Aim• IEP highlights

Cultivate Local Leadership• Who will wear this hat in your

LEA?– Assign point person(s)– Advertise– Link with LDE supervisors &

leadership work groups• Culture of continuous

improvement– establish internal leadership group– partner with regional LEAs– action plan (long and short term)

Support and retain personnel in low incidence disability areas!

Certification

• Majority Rules– ID teachers who don’t meet certification requirements

for all students in their class– Establish structure of ongoing t.a./support– Link with HR and certification counselor

• Teachers provided timely access to coursework– LALIDC (http://www.lalidc.org)– IDEA funds– Incentives

Professional Development

OPTIONS• Coursewhere• Access Guide (calendar)• Louisiana Low Incidence

Disabilities Consortium• LASARD• Study/work groups• Low Incidence Disabilities

supervisors• National/State/Local

Organizations

SUPPORT• Incentives (e.g. stipends)• Release time• Encourage partnerships

with other low incidence personnel (both internal and external)

• Facilitate participation in general education initiatives (e.g. school improvement)

Literacy

• All students must be actively included in literacy initiative– Assessments– Instruction– Materials

• Literacy tool bar on Access Guide (significant disabilities) http://sda.doe.louisiana.gov

Accessible Instructional Materials(AIM)

• Is your LEA prepared to provide AIM to students with low incidence disabilities in a timely manner?– significant cognitive impairments– physical impairments– sensory impairments

• Are procedures clear and is everyone on board?– Competent Authority– teachers– pupil appraisal– related service personnel– families– text book personnel– principals– reading coaches

Using a Talking Switch Plate to read a repetitive story line

Using a Talking Switch Plate to Read a Repetitive Story Line

Reading electronic (computer) content area book, using a switch

to turn the pages

Reading with an electronic reader.

Using Braille in the Classroom

IEP “Musts”

• AIM• Deaf/HH - Communication plan, document

interpreting as related services• Blind/VI – Special Factors, Services, and

Related Services based on and substantiated by data/assessments

• Assistive technology assessments• Health care plans

Are your systems in place to support these outcomes?

PoliciesProceduresPractices

State District

School Classroom

Who is assigned the “What about students with low incidence disabilities?” role across all of these levels?

Leading for change is not for sissies.

http://www.spike.com/video/2800082