Continuity of Learning During COVID-19 Resource Database

The current pandemic has resulted in the need for educators and service providers to find ways to deliver services remotely; yet students and communities have unequal access to internet and technology resources. This resource helps practitioners make decisions about the most appropriate method for distant delivery and has organized resources and indicated the level of technology necessary to use them when providing instruction and services for transition-age students with disabilities.

To support educators, as well as state and district leaders, in answering critical data questions, these centers shared how the four essential elements of data literacy can guide teams in using data, both virtually and in-person, to make accurate and feasible decisions in times of unknown. Additionally, SEAs were given tools to help support their LEAs to work together to meet student’s diverse needs during this webinar.

The Unified Young readers Club is a great inclusive activity for a younger audience and accompanies Special Olympics Young Athletes play with books and study guides that support teachers as they address such topics as inclusion, awareness, friendship, bullying, and acceptance to audiences of both students with and without intellectual disabilities. Each book has a theme that relates to multiple state academic standards, and aligns with the precepts of positive school climate initiatives.

To successfully launch the 2020-2021 school year for students with disabilities, state education agencies (SEAs) have an essential leadership role to play in supporting local school systems to plan for multiple scenarios, including services delivered in-person, through distance learning, and via blended approaches.

This lesson, featuring Karen McWilliams, a 504 Coordinator and Dyslexia Teacher in Rochelle ISD in Texas, supports educators in using technology to teach foundational reading skills to students in elementary grades using a variety of facilitated activities to support phonemic awareness, phoneme–grapheme correspondence, irregular and high-frequency words, writing, and connected text. The collection, adapted from content developed by the University of Florida Literacy Institute, includes a tip sheet, a video examples, and slides illustrating the lesson.

This Voices From the Field piece includes a discussion with Amy Campbell who has been working with students who experience moderate to profound impact from expressive and receptive communication barriers as well as other disabilities or conditions (e.g., Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism) as a special education teacher for the past 12 years in the Camas School District in southwest Washington state. In the piece she highlights how she has adapted her instruction to support students during Spring 2020.

NCSI presented a multi-part webinar series sharing best practices for state special education leaders to make the best use of available resources during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. NCSI and invited experts shared information to help state leadership teams make informed decisions amid current circumstances, ensuring leaders are poised to continue high-quality educational programming for students and families.

To successfully launch the 2020-2021 school year for students with disabilities, state education agencies (SEAs) have an essential leadership role to play in supporting local school systems to plan for multiple scenarios, including services delivered in-person, through distance learning, and via blended approaches.

This resource focuses on the accessibility supports already available on the devices many families may already have in their homes to support continuity of learning with accessible educational materials.

This lesson, featuring Karen McWilliams, a 504 Coordinator and Dyslexia Teacher in Rochelle ISD in Texas, supports educators in using technology to teach foundational reading skills to students in elementary grades using a variety of facilitated activities to support phonemic awareness, phoneme–grapheme correspondence, irregular and high-frequency words, writing, and connected text. The collection, adapted from content developed by the University of Florida Literacy Institute, includes a tip sheet, a video examples, and slides illustrating the lesson.

This guide is designed primarily for use by district teams seeking to reduce racial and ethnic disproportionality in school discipline, regardless of whether they are implementing SWPBIS. It provides examples of content that could be included in board policies or district administrative rules and regulations. School teams may also use this guide in developing school- specific policies and procedures. This guide is not intended to replace legal counsel for policies required by local, state, and federal legislation.

Grade level standards-based curriculum can be taught through authentic learning activities at home. This resource shows teachers and parents how to collaborate to support a child’s progress on his or her individualized goals at home.

This resource discusses how schools can plan for transitioning students with significant cognitive disabilities back into their schools after distance learning. The resource focuses on relationships, communication, and data.

How do we provide instruction at school, at home during distance learning and, if needed, pivot between the two environments for students with significant cognitive disabilities? The TIES Center's 5C Process and Learning Matrices focuses on meaningful learning for students in inclusive environments and helps to make transitioning between instruction at school and at home during distance learning straightforward and easier for both schools and families.

We have talked with many administrators, advocates and teachers and a pressing concern is “How do you collect data for students with significant cognitive disabilities when you are not in the same room?” This resource offers some suggestions.