cultural competent self- determination: promoting all students involvement in the iep transition...
TRANSCRIPT
Cultural Competent Self-Determination: Promoting ALL Students’ Involvement in the
IEP Transition Process
2008 New Mexico Summer Institute
Juan Portley
University of Oklahoma
Traditional View
• Self-determination experiences in school comprise largely of solitary opportunities.• IEP meetings/Planning process
• Student-led IEPs• Teach several lessons on how to lead IEPs
• Does this model fit everyone?
• How do you change it to fit your students?
Purpose for Student Involvement?
• Students exercising their rights for self-determination as young adults.
• Critical Questions:• How does your school reflect or provide
opportunities for self-determination?
Critical Questions to Consider
• Do conventional self-determination components fit for students and families from diverse backgrounds?
• What are the differences you see in your school?
• How do you assess these differences?
• What factors are considered in making this delineation?
Planning Components
• Where we are now and where we need to go?• Assessments, Assessments, and
Assessments…
• Not one time shots
• On-going and across many settings• Vocational Interest• Self-Determination• Adaptive Behavior
How Does Traditional Fit in Your School?
• IDEA states schools must prepare students for postsecondary setting?
• How is this achieved in your school?
• How is difference viewed?
• Does that view of difference change your practices from students and families of different backgrounds?
School or Program Vision?
• Does your vision drive your practice?
• What priority does student participation receive in your school?
• What expectations does your school or staff have for students with disabilities from different backgrounds?
Multicultural Consideration
• Home/Community Setting
• Socio-economic Status
• Ethnicity
• Language
• Social Structure
Home or Community
• Family considerations• Postsecondary expectations• Modes of communication• Family structure• Family resources• Language differences
• How does your staff address these with regards to self-determination or IEP participation?
Ethnicity
• How might this effect expectations of the family and/or school staff?
• How does your staff find out these expectations
• How does this change the IEP process?
• Do students have to lead the IEP to attain meaningful involvement?
Traditional Modes of Communication
• Calls, letters sent home, parent night, and emails
• More Effective ways to communicate:• Community Involvement• Familiarize yourself with family away from
school• Engage in community activities• Informal talks away from the classroom
Understand Community History
• Assess for educational history
• Many minority families have unique histories with the educational process.
• Gain an understanding for their social perspective on how education is viewed.
• The drive for research based answers has replaced creative thinking to resolve complex issues.
Difficult Discussions
• What works is not always decided upon consensus.
• Does your staff hold discussions regarding perceptions, methods, and interpretations of the impact of culture on student learning?
• Understanding students’ culture exists as the most important prerequisite for choosing effective instruction.
• Where is the time for planning?
Parental Expectations
• Minority parents want their children to be successful and attain self-sufficiency(Geenen et al., 2002).
• Desire more active role in the decision making process(Blue-Banning et al., 2002).
Teacher Expectations
• Graduate high school
• Be a productive member of society
• Want them to attend college, but hold little hope of them finishing.
• “Leave the Rez”
Portley (in process)
Family Findings
• Desire a sense of normalcy
• Need for personnel who listen
• Parents wanted respect
• Opportunity to build trust
• Felt blamed
• Empathize with individual circumstances
Defur et al. (2002)
Five Sub-themes: What Makes a Difference
• Communication: Listen/Learn
• Collaboration: Invite open environment
• Connection: Equity
• Caring: Empathy
• Celebration: Expression/Expectations
Defur et al. (2002)
Student Centered Planning
• Communicate with all parties
• Assessments (self-awareness)
• Exposure and experience
• Goal-setting (gain all party inputs)
• Carry out the plan• Resource management• Collaborate
Program Structure
• Scheduling changes to fit family needs, interpreters, transportation, informal trainings
• Build in a way to determine what self-determination and future goalsexistfor your community because it’s about their definition of value, not the school’s.
Current Tools
• Student-Directed Transition Planning• http://education.ou.edu/zarrow
• AIR Self-determination assessment
• ARC Assessment
• Casey Life-skills • www.caseylifeskills.org
