UMS Special Education Department

We must be certain that the technology we use in our classrooms are accessible to all students including students with disabilities. I have student who is blind. I must be sure that if I require him to use a networking site or any other device, then the computer or device he is working on is text-to-speech capable. Sure, he has a 1:1 aide who is fully capable of reading things to him but there is technology that allows him to be independent.

My former instructor and colleague, Mr. Tom Petra, sent me two articles on accessibility in technology.

Department of Ed Expands on Accessibility Issues in Ed Tech, this is an article written by Dian Schaffhauser

Technology Must Be Accessible to All, Feds Reaffirm, this is an article written by Nirvi Shah

Guam Department of Education is offering a week long class to teachers, staff, and administrators who are interested in learning a bit more about technology so as to integrate the use of technology at the school. GDOE provided a few incentives to joining the class, a laptop computer and a $100 stipend.

I decided to take the course on the last week of school. There were many Wildcat teachers attending the classes with me, however, we didn’t have the same instructors. Mrs. Mila Odero, Mrs. Liana Benavente, and I were privileged to have Mr. Tom Petra and Mrs. Grace Griffin as instructors. Grace and Tom were wonderful instructors. They shared their knowledge on using spreadsheets, word documents, digital publishing, and using networking sites such as Emodo. I had a lot of fun and was happy that, even though I am a bit more advanced with the use of technology than some of the teachers in the class, I was still able to get a lot from the course.

Welcome to all the new students and teachers to Untalan Middle School.  There will be many new activities for this year and we will try our best to keep everyone updated.  Go Wildcats!

Procedural safeguards is a system put in place by the government to protect the rights of students with disabilities.

Before every Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting parents are asked if they understand their procedural safeguards or if they need some clarification.

Procedural safeguards include:

For parents

• The right for to participate in all meetings
• To examine all educational records
• To obtain an independent educational evaluation of the child
• The right to written notice when the school proposes to change or refuses to change the identification, evaluation or placement of a child.
• Have the right to appoint a surrogate parent

Wrightslaw.com has a very informative article about Procedural Safeguards & Parent Notices.

The Guam Public School System has a booklet of the Procedural Safeguards available for download or it can be requested at the school.

So, you received a notice from the Consulting Resource Teacher, CRT, saying that you have an upcoming Individualized Education Program, IEP, meeting.  What do you do?

1.  Fill out the teacher written input, TWI, form that is attached to the IEP notice.  If one was not attached go ask the CRT in the PFC office or check the main office for a copy.

2.  If you determine the child to have a unique need in behavior, reading, math, or language arts, you should write that information in your TWI.  It is good practice to bring proposed goals and objectives to the IEP meeting.  However, the IEP committee will determine whether the goals and objectives are appropriate and may edit them.  Form 22A is the goals and objectives form used by Guam Department of Education, GDOE.

3.  If your student has previous goals and objectives in his or her IEP, then you will need to fill out Form 16B.  You need to report on your student’s progress on his or her goals and objectives.  NOTE:  Progress on the student’s goals and objectives should be reported every quarter when regular progress reports are given.

I have copies of these forms on Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF.  Send me an email and I will send them to you.

NOTE:  Bring samples of your student’s work in class, homework, journals, tests, portfolios, etc.