All resources in Oregon Accessible Educational Materials

Advocating for my AEM Workbook

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Advocating For My Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) is a workbook designed for students to use as they begin to learn to advocate for the accommodations and accessibility features they need in their educational programs. It applies common self-advocacy principles to the needs of students who use AEM in their daily educational programs. Students and their support teams will find this guide useful when an assessment has been completed to establish the need for accessible educational materials, technology, and assistive technology. In creating this workbook, the authors have assumed that the student is already using their AEM in functional ways in their educational environments. Because students can start building self-advocacy skills as soon as they begin to use AEM, individual sections of the workbook may be useful as soon as students begin to learn to use AEM.

Material Type: Student Guide

Author: OTAP-RSOI Programs

National Center on Educational Outcomes: Accessibility & Accommodations

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Accessibility & Accommodations Assessments should be designed to ensure that all test takers have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on what the assessment is measuring. Critical to realizing this is providing accessibility features so that assessments are fair, valid, and reliable. “Accessibility” is a general term currently used for three levels of supports. Universal features, which might include use of a highlighter for example, are available to all test takers. Designated features, which might include text-to-speech, are available to all students for whom an adult or team of adults has indicated a need for them. Accommodations are provided only to students with disabilities and English learners for content assessments (general and alternate), and only for English learners with disabilities for English language proficiency (ELP) assessments. Accessibility policies are state-determined, and often vary by content area. Universal features, designated features, and accommodations may be embedded in technology-based assessments or may be provided by a human. The terminology used for the levels, and the specific features included in each level, may differ by state and by assessment.

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: National Center on Educational Outcomes

Determining the Need for AEM

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Who Needs AEM? If a student is... unable to read or use grade level materials at a sufficient rate and with adequate comprehension to complete academic tasks with success relative to same-age peers or cannot do this independently or across environments or tasks, then the student may need AEM. For example, students with visual impairments may not be able to see a textbook, students with physical disabilities may not be able to turn a page, and students with learning disabilities whose decoding abilities are significantly below grade level may require support - all these students may require AEM. Contact the AT & AEM Center to discuss your student's need

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: Assistive Technology and Accessible Educational Materials Center

Webinar: Consideration & Documentation of AEM in the IEP

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AEM for Inclusion Session #4, originally recorded 1.16.24Gayl Bowser, M.Ed | Independent Consultant | Assistive Technology CollaborationsSession Description: There are four main activities involved in IEP team consideration of a student's need for AEM. 1.)Determine the student’s need for AEM; 2.)Select the Accessible format(s) the student needs; 3.)Plan to acquire the Materials; 4.) Determine services and support that the student will need. In this AEM for Inclusion webinar, we will use the Oregon Standard IEP form to identify the ways that team decisions can be recorded in meaningful ways so that everyone on a student's educational team understands the plan for AEM.

Material Type: Lecture

Authors: Chandra Pinnock, Gayl Bowser

Coordinating Early Childhood Systems

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Coordinating Early Childhood Systems Adults and a young child collaborating in an early learning classroom While early childhood providers and families prioritize activities that optimize interactivity with peers and the natural environment, print and digital materials and technologies are commonly present in early learning settings, including the home and community. If and when they are determined to be appropriate, interactive materials and technologies need to be accessible if children with disabilities are to benefit from inclusive settings. Examples of accessible materials and technologies in early learning settings can include: Tactile books that include a combination of print and braille Video that includes captioning of sounds and audio description of visual elements Mobile apps that are compatible with a child’s assistive technology (AT) Ensuring that children with disabilities in early childhood programs can participate in all range of activities in early childhood programs is effectively achieved through a coordinated approach requiring collaboration between a number of agencies, federal, state, and local service providers, and families and caregivers.

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: National Center on Accessible Educational Materials

Access & Accommodations for Students Experiencing Deaf or Hard on Hearing

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Accommodations are provided by a school, employer, or other institution to ensure deaf people are able to fully access all the experiences and activities offered. There are many different types of accommodations, ranging from interpreters to extra time for testing. In order to ensure equitable opportunities and effective communication for all students, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act mandate that reasonable accommodations be provided when requested.

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: National Deaf Center

Webinar: AEM and Universal Tools for Transition

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Sarah Statham, MEd Transition Network Facilitator (TNF) Multnomah, Washington, Columbia & Clatsop counties | Lon Thornberg, MEd Transition Network Facilitator (TNF) Eastern Oregon with InterMountain ESD |The Transition IEP contains post-secondary goals in education, training, employment, and independent living. This session will share universal tech tools for transition that support and accommodate transition age students on the journey to reaching their post-secondary goals. This session will also highlight collaborative and coordinated relationships between students, educators, specialist’s and outside agencies that can be enhanced by the understanding of student’s use and past history with AEM & AT. Use of tools and AEM strategies to access transition activities and resources will be shared.

Material Type: Lecture

Authors: Chandra Pinnock, Debra Fitzgibbons, OTAP-RSOI Programs

Webinar: AEM Inclusive School Libraries: Connecting Assistive Tech & Library Staff to Strengthen School Library Policies & Practice

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Material access is a topic that both school library staff and assistive technologists are deeply connected with and passionate about. However, there are often times in which professionals in these fields are disconnected. In this session, Kasey Fernandez, MEd shares policy and practice changes the Tigard-Tualatin School District has made as a result of collaboration between the assistive technology and school library leads.

Material Type: Primary Source

Authors: Chandra Pinnock, Debra Fitzgibbons, Kasey Fernandez, OTAP-RSOI Programs

The Right of Students with Disabilities Who Need Accessible Educational Materials to Receive These Materials in a Timely Manner

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The purpose of this brief is to help families and educators understand the right of students with disabilities who need accessible educational materials to receive these materials in a timely manner. This right is based on provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as in the disability civil rights statutes Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: National Center on Accessible Educational Materials

ESSA Consolidated Plans

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On March 13, 2017, the Department released a revised template for the consolidated State plan under section 8302 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The purpose of the consolidated State plan is to provide parents with quality, transparent information about how the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, will be implemented in their State. Even though a State Educational Agency (SEA) submits only the required information in its consolidated State plan, an SEA must still meet all ESEA requirements for each included program. For any program not included in a consolidated State plan, the SEA must submit individual program State plans that meet the statutory and regulatory requirements of each respective program.

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: U.S. Department of Education

State Performance Plans/Annual Performance Reports (SPP/APR)

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires each state to develop a state performance plan/annual performance report (SPP/APR) that evaluates the state’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of the IDEA and describes how the state will improve its implementation. The SPP/APRs include indicators that measure child and family outcomes and other indicators that measure compliance with the requirements of the IDEA. A state is required to submit a state performance plan (SPP) at least every six years. Each year, states must report against the targets in its SPP in an annual performance report (APR).

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: U.S. Department of Education

How to Safely Evacuate a Special Needs Bus

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This is a unique subject area in which there can be numerous variables. The Emergency School Bus Evacuation for Special Needs Students Reference Guide and Test, instructional plan gives an introduction and preparation guidelines. It prepares the learner in procedural steps, lists several scenarios and has an evaluation with an answer key.

Material Type: Textbook

Author: Author Unknown

Protecting Students With Disabilities

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This document is a revised version of a document originally developed by the Chicago Office of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to clarify the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 504) in the area of public elementary and secondary education. The primary purpose of these revisions is to incorporate information about the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (Amendments Act), effective January 1, 2009, which amended the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and included a conforming amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that affects the meaning of disability in Section 504. The Amendments Act broadens the interpretation of disability. The Amendments Act does not require ED to amend its Section 504 regulations. ED’s Section 504 regulations as currently written are valid and OCR is enforcing them consistent with the Amendments Act. In addition, OCR is currently evaluating the impact of the Amendments Act on OCR’s enforcement responsibilities under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA, including whether any changes in regulations, guidance, or other publications are appropriate. The revisions to this Frequently Asked Questions document do not address the effects, if any, on Section 504 and Title II of the amendments to the regulations implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that were published in the Federal Register at 73 Fed. Reg. 73006 (December 1, 2008).

Material Type: Primary Source

Author: U.S. Department of Education

Webinar: 5030 Implementation: CSCP Support in a MTSS (Tier 1)

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All comprehensive school counseling programs include Tier 1 supports - provided within the larger context of a schoolwide MTSS - to promote students' academic, social/emotional, and college/career development. Join us to explore what Tier 1 truly means for CSCPs and learn how to assess your site’s school counseling Tier 1 implementation.Learning Objectives:(1) Explore ways to thoughtfully consider how to deliver Tier 1 school counseling supports that ensure ALL students gain the attitudes, knowledge, and skills they need to be successful(2) Learn strategies to assess our current level of implementation and make plans for strengthening the Tier 1 school counseling program, in partnership with administrators.

Material Type: Interactive, Module

Authors: Carrie Penkman, Kim Reykdal, Whitney Triplett