www.mcie.org
Preparing for an Included Life
Functional Skills in HS
Carol Quirk, Ed.D.
Arizona TASH
June 14, 2012
Why go to school?
...to ensure that all children with disabilities have
available to them a free appropriate public
education
that emphasizes special education and related
services
designed to meet their unique needs and
prepare them for further
education, employment, and
independent living...
IDEA 2004
Being Included is…

Being THERE
 WITH same age peers
 WHERE they learn and socialize

Having a sense of BELONGING
 Membership in the school community
 Having friends

Learning
 Communication/Socialization skills
 Post-School employment skills
Young Adults with Significant Disabilities
Carter, E. W., Austin, D.,
& Trainor, A. A. (in
press). Predictors of
Prior
Work
History
postschool employment
outcomes for young adults with
severe disabilities. Journal of
Disability Policy Studies.
Student
Demographic
Factors
Current
FamilyRelated
Factors
Work
Status
SkillRelated
Factors
How Do Young Adults with
Significant Disabilities Fare?
SchoolRelated
Factors
The Early Years After
Exiting High School
Young Adults with Significant Disabilities
Prior
Work
History
PAID
Community
Based
JOBs
25-30% employed
43% employed in
jobs with other
workers how have
a disability
For 21
hours/week or
less
Average pay =
$6.15
•
•
•
•
Food
Filth
Flowers
Folding
And
SHREDDING!
Predictors of Employment
 Goal of attending a two or four year college
 11% of students with ID had this goal
 58% students with other disabilities had this goal
 Goal of paid community-based employment
 33% of students with ID had the goal of sheltered
employment
 8% of students with other disabilities had goal of sheltered
employment
 Grigal, Hart, & Migliore, 2011
Employment Outcomes
for Youth with ID and/or ASD
100%
90%
26%
80%
70%
60%
50%
8%
71%
21%
Not working
Sheltered Job
40%
30%
20%
45%
10%
0%
Intervention
11%
7%
11%
Unpaid Community Job
Paid COMMUNITY Job
Comparison
Carter, E. W., Trainor, A. A., Ditchman, N., Swedeen, B., & Owens, L. (2009). Evaluation of a multicomponent intervention package to increase summer work experiences for transition-age youth with
severe disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 34, 1-12.
Employment Outcomes
for Youth with Disabilities
When youth spend two years in a postsecondary college experience
 26% more likely to leave Vocational Rehabilitation
with paid employment
 73% higher weekly income
Data Set: RSA 911
Migliore, A., Butterworth, J., & Hart, D. 2009. Postsecondary Education and Employment
Outcomes for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities. Fast Facts Series, No. 1. Boston, MA: Institute
for Community Inclusion
The Think College Standards for Inclusive Higher Education
www.thinkcollege.net
© Think College 2012
OLD Definition of Functional Skills
1979 “Functional Skills refer to the variety of skills that
are frequently demanded in natural domestic,
vocational, and community environments.”
Brown, Branston, Hamre-Nietupski, Pumpian, Certo, & Gruenewald. (1979). A strategy for developing chronological age
appropriate and functional curricular content for severely handicapped adolescents and adults. The Journal of special
Education 13(1).
1989: “Functional/critical skills… include
skills/activities that are required or expected of nonhandicapped peers. These skills are essential to the
student’s performance and participation in a variety
of community environments.
Falvey, M. (1989). Community-based curriculum: instructional strategies for students with severe handicaps. Baltimore:
Brooks.
New Definition of Functional Skills
1998: “…skills such as communication, cooperation,
problem solving, self-initiation, responsibility …have
been shown to be more related to job stability than
the ability to perform specific vocational tasks.”
“… the academic and social benefits of inclusion rely
on students being full-time members of general
education classes and their school communities.”
Jorgensen, C.M (1998). Restructuring high schools for ALL learners: Taking inclusion to the next level. Baltimore: Brooks.
Life Skills




Collaboration
Computer use
Problem solving
Communication
Functional College/Career Readiness Skills





Communication competence (need access to AAC!)
Academic content (especially literacy)
Social skills
Work behavior
Knowledge of how to access supports
Criteria
1.
Age-Appropriate
2. Required now to participate in school/work
3. Required as an adult for employment or home
4. Improves communication/social interactions
5. Promotes self-determination
Instead of:
Consider:
Science lab
Follow a picture
recipe
Given
written
directions
with picture
cues,
complete a
task of up to
5 steps
Social studies
project
Classroom
job
Book report
Instead of:
Read 20
community
safety words
Consider:
Recognize
and respond
to key
printed
words in
context
Curriculum
vocabulary
words
Key words in
math problems
Signs and labels
in the building
It’s not just about participation, it’s about OUTCOMES
Inclusion
Jobs
High Expectations
Case Study-Keith
• Strengths





decodes up to 2nd grade
computes single digits
transitions to class independently
Follows 1-2 step directions
motivated to work
Case Study-Keith
• Interests





The WEATHER
COOKING
BASEBALL
GIRLS
COMPUTER
• Preferences
 Predictability of routine
and staff
 Female teachers
 Peer supports
 Social praise and ‘high
fives’
 Working on some tasks
independently
Case Study-Keith
• Needs Support with:








Reading
Word problems
Math (e.g., budgeting, money)
Organization skills (often loses things)
Initiating conversation
Answering questions
Making decisions
Initiating an activity if not directed
English /
Language Arts
(A/B)
Algebra
(A/B)
Earth
Science
(A)
American
Gov.
(B)
Health /
P.E.
Elective
(A)
Applied
Nutrition
Elective (B)
S will recognize CVC words and decode them
appropriately.
S will be able to identify word families (e.g.,
ou, oi, oy, ie, ea) and decode the words
appropriately.
Reading Comprehension
When given text or portion of the text, S will
read to gain information as evidenced by
identifying the main idea and supporting
details.
After reading a short story, S will correctly
answer comprehension questions about the
story.
Using internet and print material, S will
research and discuss at least one career of
interest.
Expressive Language
X
X
X
X
X
X
Given a question, provide response within 20
seconds (with 100% accuracy with no more
than 1 verbal prompt)
When faced with an unfamiliar person or
situation (substitute teacher, change in
X
X
X
X
X
X
IEP Matrix of Objectives
Decoding / Phonics
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
IEP Matrix of Objectives
English /
Language
Arts
(A/B)
Algebra
(A/B)
Earth
Science
(A)
American
Government
(B)
Health /
P.E.
Elective (A)
Applied
Nutrition
Elective (B)
X
X
Math Calculation
When given a verbal and visual cue for the total
amount for a purchase (e.g., lunch, drink, snack,
or an item from the school store), S will use the
‘next dollar-up’ strategy to make purchases.
When given an item in need of measurement
(e.g., during earth science lab, algebra, margins
for written products in English), S will measure
accurately in millimeters, centimeters, and inches.
Given a set of addition and subtraction problems,
with decimals to the hundredths place, S will
correctly perform the calculations
X
X
X
X
X
Written Language Expression
When given a short sentence from dictations, S
will write what he has heard and apply
appropriate spelling and capitalization rules
X
X
X
X
When given a topic or a writing prompt, S will
write 4-5 related sentences and utilize
appropriate spelling, capitalization, and
punctuation rules
When given a registration form (e.g. for a club or
a sport), S will be able to write his personal
information with 100% accuracy for 4 out of 5
trials
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Planning Supports: Information About the Class
When:
What students are expected to do:
The teacher is lecturing
Sit quietly in seat
Take notes
Answer questions
Students are working in cooperative
groups
Perform assigned role
Take turns
Listen
Respect opinions of others
Students are doing individual seat work
Work in assigned area
Complete activity
Ask for help if needed
Putting It All Together
When:
What students
are expected to
do:
What Keith will do:
Supports:
The teacher is
lecturing
Sit in seat
Listen
Take notes
Answer questions
Sit in seat
Listen
Answer one question
Pre-teaching of answer
Partner to take notes
Copy of notes / Highlighter
Peer support to prompt
answer
Students are
working in
cooperative
groups
Perform assigned
role
Take turns
Listen
Respect opinions
of others
Perform one role
(same over time)
Wait for turn until a
peer prompts him
Listen
Visual schedule of tasks
Review of cooperative group
rules prior to starting
Pre-Teaching
Peers to support
participation
Students are
doing
individual seat
work
Work in assigned
area
Complete activity
Ask for help if
needed
Work in area
Complete modified
activity
Use “help” card to
request assistance
Choice of area in which to
work
“Help” card
Keith’s Action Plan
Activity
To Do
Whole
Group/Lecture
Highlight important points
Seat back to middle (not in front)
Prepare additional activity for long lecture
Provide prompts as needed for questions
Small
Group/Indepen
dent Work
Assign role
Provide opportunities to write/copy
Encourage modeling by peers
Use books, drawing, and practice work
Academic
Content
Preview lessons and make
accommodations/modifications as needed
Lunch
Provide reminders to not continue talking
/supervision to help with pacing
Substitute
Teacher
Check on adult support when this happens;
remember to provide reminders about the change
in schedule if scheduled to be out
By
Whom?
Gen Educator,
Special
Educator, Para
Special
Educator
9th Grade Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
A Day
B-Day
A Day
B-Day
A Day
Applied
Nutrition
Health /
P.E.
Applied
Nutrition
Health / P.E.
Applied
Nutrition
Essentials
of Algebra
Algebra-
Essentials of
Algebra
Algebra
Essentials
of Algebra
Language
Arts
Reading
Intervention
Language
Arts
Reading
Intervention
Language
Arts
Earth
Science
American
Govt.
Earth
Science
American
Govt.
Earth
Science
10th Grade Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
A Day
B-Day
A Day
B-Day
A Day
Biology
World
History
Biology
World
History
Biology
Skills Class
Career
Assess & SLed IEP
Geometry
Skills Class
Career
Assess & SLed IEP
Geometry
Skills Class
Career
Assess & SLed IEP
English
Language
Arts-CT
Reading
Interventi
on
English
Language
Arts-CT
Reading
Interventio
n
English
Language
Arts-CT
Keyboarding
Intro to
Technology
Keyboarding
Intro to
Technology
Keyboarding
11th Grade Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
A Day
B-Day
A Day
B-Day
A Day
Psyhology
Reading
Intervention
Psychology
Reading
Intervention
Psychology
Applied
Nutrition II
Team
Sports
Applied
Nutrition II
Team
Sports
Applied
Nutrition II
Environ.
Science
U.S.
History
Environ.
Science
U.S.
History
Environ.
Science
Work
experience
Career
Research
and
Develop.
Work
experience
Career
Research
and
Develop.
Work
experience
12th Grade Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
A Day
B-Day
A Day
B-Day
A Day
Applied
Nutrition-III
Advanced
Technology
Applied
Nutrition-III
Advanced
Technology
Applied
Nutrition-III
English
Language
Arts-CT
Reading
Intervention
English
Language
Arts-CT
Reading
Intervention
English
Language
Arts-CT
Math
Applications
Work
experience
Math
Applications
Work
experience
Math
Applications
Art
Work
experience
Art
Work
experience
Art
Outside of class…
Extracurricular Activities
• Clubs
Participant
• Athletics
Manager
Participant
Score Keeper
Concession
Ticket Sales
Spectator
Post School Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Computer
class
Work at
campus
catering
Computer
class
Work at
campus
catering
Computer
class
One-Stop
Center
Resume
Work at
campus
catering
One-Stop
Center
Resume
Work at
campus
catering
One-Stop
center
Resume
Comm.
Based
Instruction
Work at
campus
catering
Comm.
Based
Instruction
Work at
campus
catering
Comm.
Based
Instruction
Comm.
Based
Instruction
Mobility
instruction home
Comm.
Based
Instruction
Mobility
instruction home
Comm.
Based
Instruction
THANK YOU!
www.mcie.org
Questions, Comments, Thoughts