Educator Services Teaching & Learning Curriculum Resources
2008 Special Education Professional Development Institutes

West Region

Managing Behavior in the Inclusive Classroom

Audience: General Educators and Special Educators working in all grades levels.

The broad goal of this institute is to enhance the competencies of the participants in: 1) being knowledgeable about the research in effective classroom and individual behavior support practices; 2) learning how to use empirical measures to assess overall classroom instructional and problem behavior; 3) learning how to conduct a brief individual functional behavior assessment; 4) using this information to design effective and efficient classroom and individual behavior support interventions to improve student on task behavior and improve the amount of effective instruction as well as reduce problematic behavior in the classroom.

Topics in Teaching Literacy to Students who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

Audience: Teachers, Administrators, Speech & Language clinicians serving Deaf Children and in Massachusetts' elementary and middle schools.

This proposed topics institute would introduce different perspectives on reading and writing processes in deaf children using a seminar approach. Topics include current curricula practices, including the Fairview Reading Program and other best practices in print literacy for deaf children. Strategies will be presented based on discussions from a variety of professionals who have developed curriculum ((Dr. Connie Schimmel: Fairview Reading Curriculum)), who have researched curriculum (Dr. Charlotte Enns) and who have implemented and analyzed curriculum (Dr. Marlon Kuntze, Mr. Todd Czubek, and Ms. Suzanne Recane) in the teaching of reading and writing to deaf children. The proposed content will provide a variety of strategies, assessment, and opinions that teachers can use to increase instructional understanding to improve their students' reading comprehension and to determine their students' strengths and needs

Reach Everyone with Accessible Print

Audience: Special Educators and Technology Specialists (K-12)

Hampshire Educational Collaborative will work with teams from participating school districts to support their use of accessible instructional materials for students with print-based disabilities. This institute will take place in a computer lab, and each team will receive a tool kit of software and hardware to take back to their districts. Using the principles of universal design and culturally responsive instruction, participants will also be able to apply their new knowledge in ways that productively impact teaching and learning for their broader school community. Upon completion of this 7-day institute, participants will receive 67.5 PDP's and have the option of receiving graduate credit, available from Lesley University. Registration priority will be given to two-person teams consisting of one special educator and one technology specialist from a public school district.

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