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Functional Behavioral Assessments - Foundation for Effective Interventions
featuring Dr. Carl Liaupsin. (Conducted June 7, 2006)

1. What are Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) and Function-Based Intervention Plans (FBIP)?

2. What are the legal requirements for FBAs and FBIPs?

3. What are quality indicators of FBAs and FBIPs?

4. What strategies can advocates use to obtain quality FBAs and FBIPs for clients?

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Jun06FBA/


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Negotiating Assistive Technology Supports and Services
featuring Dr. Dave Edyburn (Conducted June 28, 2006)

This event will offer an overview of assistive technology, how to measure the effects of assistive technology and interpret claims of technology enhanced performance for students with disabilities. Strategies for advocates will be discussed.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Apr06AT/


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IQ Testing: Not Just about the Numbers (2 parts)
featuring Dr. Melissa Farrall (Conducted August 23, 2006)

IQ testing is frequently used to determine eligibility for special education and programming that a child receives. This workshop will focus on different measures of IQ, a comparison of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third and Fourth Editions, and on issues related to interpretation. It will also focus on the role of IQ testing as considered in IDEA 2004.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Aug06IQTesting/


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Understanding the Woodcock-Johnson III (2 parts)
featuring Dr. Nancy Mather (Conducted September 6 and 13, 2006)

An overview of the Woodcock-Johnson III, the most widely used achievement test for school age children with disabilities, including the tests of achivement and tests of cognitive abilities. How these tests are used to diagnosis learning difficulities and learning disabilities as well as how to use the test results to determine instructional needs will be discussed.

New approaches to the identification of specific learning disabilities will be explored and misuses of test results will be explained. Supplemental materials will be made available to participants to further aid in their use of the knowledge learned during the presentations.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Sep06WJIII/


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Specific Learning Disabilities Under Federal Special Education Regulations
featuring Scott F. Johnson, Esq. (Conducted September 28, 2006)

Nationwide, approximately 43 percent of students who receive special education services are identified as having a specific learning disability. The new federal special education regulations that go into effect October 13, 2006 include important changes to the way students with learning disabilities are identified as eligible to receive special education services under IDEA 2004. This 90 minute Webinar event will explain these changes and provide information about related topics like responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) and state education standards. The event will also provide tips and advocacy strategies.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Sep06SLDRegs/


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Response-to-Intervention: What Special Education Advocates Need to Know
featuring Dr. Daryl Mellard (Conducted October 19, 2006)

With the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA and the extensive revisions to the federal regulations effective October 13, 2006, school districts now have greater latitude in their approaches to determining students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Over the past five years, the NRCLD (www.nrcld.org) has conducted research and evaluations about the scientific basis and practical implications of RTI. Information from a RTI model can be included and in many respects should be included in the determination of SLD. One of the great advantages of a rigorous RTI implementation to SLD determination is that classroom instruction or inappropriate curriculum can be ruled out as an explanation of the student’s learning and achievement difficulties. RTI also has implications of school’s efforts at meeting the adequate yearly progress (AYP) requirements mandated in No Child Left Behind and in ensuring that struggling students receive timely, scientifically based interventions in their deficit areas.

This event will address the following topics:

1. Legal framework in IDEA for RTI
2. Three distinctive RTI models
3. Components of RTI
4. Resource materials through National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD)
5. Challenges for states and local districts with implementation.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Oct06RTI/


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Understanding Reading Instruction and Remediation (2 parts)
featuring Sally Grimes, Ed.M.(Conducted November 13 and 15, 2006)

IDEA 2004 mandates that students must be provided with reading instruction that includes the five essential components (or sub-skills) before being identified as disabled and in need of special education. Understanding these sub-skills is now a critical part of special education advocacy.

In the first session of this two-part workshop, each of the five components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in conjunction with writing and oral language development) will be described in the context of a graphic that depicts the reading process. This provides critical information about a child’s reading profile by linking it with five components of reading that must be addressed within the instructional program. This information, along with data and observation, clarifies how the child’s reading instruction should be designed in terms of discovering which of the five sub-skills, or components of reading, might be emphasized temporarily more than another, “tilting the balance” in a “balanced reading program,” both through special ed and general ed classes.

The second session will provide guidance in choosing specific materials, programs, and resources in each of the five components of reading for a given type of student. It will begin to address some criteria for choosing one over another, for example, looking at some of the most commonly used core, supplemental and intervention programs. Finally, it will outline other sources of information helpful to parents and advocates in securing appropriate reading instruction for students.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Nov06Reading/


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The Power of Section 504
featuring Claudia Lowe, J.D., SENC (Conducted December 13, 2006)

Eligibility and appropriate placement, special services and special education, transition, FAPE and LRE, behavior plans and manifestation determinations. Section 504 is not just a prescription for accommodations and modifications but protection for the civil and constitutional rights of students with disabilities. Section 504 also applies to those students served by an IEP.

School attorneys and their supporters are actively engaged in teaching administrators, teachers, and principals about limiting the access to Section 504 rights by students with disabilities and their parents. It has become a subjective selection process, whereby inexperienced and unknowledgeable individuals are making decisions about the civil rights of students with disabilities. Severe curtailment of these rights leaves students with an inability to access the curriculum and to receive educational benefit, in other words a potential denial of FAPE.

Those who advocate for students with disabilities, the students themselves, as well as counselors, teachers and parents, need to understand this powerful legislation, especially since it follows students into postsecondary education and employment. And with the reauthorization of IDEA and the focus on limiting access/eligibility to Section 504 we will see many of our students left floundering in the educational system. Students poorly equipped with self-advocacy skills, understanding how they learn, understanding how to leverage their strengths, and acquiring and maintaining employment.

Participants will get a strong overview of Section 504, its meaning, and its application. Learn the several key strategies for 504 plans and IEPs. Participants will understand how to use Section 504 language to preserve the civil and constitutional protections afforded to students with disabilities that impact learning and other major life activities in their K-12 education.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Dec06504/


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Realistic Ways to Build Collaboration in IEP Meetings
featuring Kathy Wian, MPA (Conducted February 21, 2007)

IEP meetings can be complicated and overwhelming under the best circumstances. When parents and schools disagree, communication breaks down, distrust seeps in and the “team” becomes warring adversaries. Is this working in the best interest of the student? Negotiation is often a give and take process resulting in winners and losers. Collaborative negotiation is positive, forward thinking, respectful and allows the needs of all parties to be incorporated into the solution. This session will cover a four-step collaborative problem solving process and touch on effective communication skills that support all team members to do their best work together.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Feb07IEPCollab/


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Equitable, Effective and Meaningful Grading Practices for Students with Disabilities
featuring Dennis D. Munk, Ed.D. (Conducted March 21, 2007)

Evaluating and grading student performance is a complex and controversial practice for all students, but is especially so for students receiving special education services. This presentation will describe common issues and concerns regarding grading students with exceptionalities, including increased risk of low or failing grades, and the indiscriminate use of special grading procedures that may not be useful. Strategies for assessing the accuracy, fairness, and usefulness of grades and grading systems will be described, as will a process for making appropriate grading adaptations.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Mar07Grading/


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Behavior Intervention Planning: Beyond Legal Mandates
featuring Sharon Lohrmann, Ph.D. (Conducted April 18, 2007)

Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) are terms frequently used in the education community. But what do these terms really mean? How does one determine if the FBA and BIP are of high quality? The purpose of this webinar is to provide participants with the indicators that can be used to determine if an FBA and BIP are technically sound and socially meaningful. The presenter will go through the FBA and BIP process showing what should happen at each step and the questions to ask to ensure the process results in high quality intervention supports.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/Apr07BIP/


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Transition Planning Under IDEA 2004
featuring Ed O’Leary, Ph.D. (Conducted May 9, 2007)

Preparing for and making the move from school to adult life is challenging for both youth and families. The purpose of this webinar is to provide participants with information on the changes in IDEA 2004 for meeting the transition needs of students and families. Included with be an explanation and examples of a simple IEP process that is outcome oriented and will lead toward improved transition planning and post school results. Additionally, he will cover the roles of the student, parent, school and adult agencies in the transition planning process and the work he has been doing with states and districts through the Transition Outcomes Project.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/May07TransPlanning/


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Transition Assessments for Students with Disabilities
featuring Larry Kortering, Ph.D. (Conducted May 23, 2007)

This Webinar will explore the new IDEA 2004 requirement for age appropriate transition assessments for youth with disabilities as part of transition planning. The session includes an overview of Indicator 13, followed by an examination of transition assessment in our schools including its strengths and limitations, practical issues, and an overview of sample tools. Participants also will be able to review a Transition Assessment Guide for practitioners and access additional transition assessment services for their students or children.

Go to: http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/May07TransAssess/


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