In this Supplemental Module, you will:
Identify guiding principles to determining supports and accommodations for continuous learning.
Gain an understanding of a problem-solving process to help identify and remove barriers.
Build a toolkit of supports and accommodations to provide to learners who might require them.
View the video to help walk through this domain.
Supports and accommodations...
do not change or reduce the online learning expectations.
facilitate instruction by reducing barriers to online learning.
are a data-based decision; student input is a critical piece of data.
should be willingly utilized by the learner (Shyyan et al., 2016)
This problem-solving process was developed based on two decision-making frameworks and adapted from the Determining Supports for Learning and Performance for All Learners Manual from the Iowa Department of Education (2019).
PLC Questions
SETT Framework
Introduction:
"The purpose of this manual is to help educators understand the importance of providing supports for learning and performance for Iowa’s students in preschool through grade 12. Educational reforms at both the national and state level strengthen the need to consider accessibility supports to address the broad continuum of needs of all learners.
Supports and accommodations are part of the multi-tiered system of supports implemented in Iowa schools to help learners achieve educational standards and expectations. This manual describes a problem solving process that can be used by educators, parents, and learners to determine which supports or accommodations are needed. Suggestions for preparing the learner to use the supports and accommodations independently, along with implications for postsecondary education and careers, are included along with strategies for implementing and monitoring the impact of supports and accommodations within the classroom. Four categories of supports and accommodations are described along with numerous examples to assist decision-making teams. Appendices include two charts that provide an “at a glance” view of learner needs matched to supports and accommodations and a crosswalk of accessibility frameworks in statewide assessments."
Iowa Department of Education, 2019What tasks does the learner need to be able to participate in synchronous learning opportunities?
In asynchronous learning opportunities?
What are areas of concern in brick and mortar learning?
Which tasks are difficult for the learner to perform independently?
Potential Areas of Need
Academic
Social Emotional Behavioral Health
Executive Function and Organization
Physical and Sensory
Technology Skills
As we identify barriers for individual learners, consider if it might be a barrier for other learners, too. If so, think about layering the accommodation or support into your lesson design as a scaffold for ANY learner.
How does the learner currently perform this task?
Does the learner use supports or accommodations?
Does the learner have difficulty using particular supports or accommodations?
How do factors in the setting and environment, curriculum, or instruction act as supports or barriers for the learner?
Pg 30 Determining Supports for Learning and Performance for ALL Learners, IDOE, 2019
Consider having all of your learners complete a Learner Profile. Learner profiles help establish a common understanding between the learner and teacher. They can be a foundation of discussions throughout the academic year, especially when having potentially difficult discussions.
Does the learner need different supports or accommodations?
How do you decide what to try?
What should go into an action plan?
Was the tool available?
Did the learner use it?
Did learner performance on the task improve?
Did the support or accommodation work the way it should?
Does the learner need something else?
Use your digital to-do list as the implementation plan and set a weekly or biweekly reminder to ask yourself these questions. Or, set a regular calendar invite to chat with the learner via phone call or Zoom to discuss these few questions and identify next steps and log it in their Learner Profile or Implementation Plan.
Think of a student! Walk through this problem-solving process
How does this process help you consider individual learners?
How does this process help you consider the design of your learning opportunities?Problem-Solving for Learner Success - Documentation Log
Document this process on the Problem-Solving for Learner Success Documentation Log