the problem-solving model of transition services tom laign transition services coordinator socorro...

THE PROBLEM-SOLVING MODEL OF TRANSITION SERVICES

Tom LaignTransition Services CoordinatorSocorro ISD

Shared Responsibility Between the School and Family

Two Predictable Results

Transition Services helps students problem solve the challenges of growing up and becoming an adult.

Teaching problem-solving is something that is done everyday in education.

We Solve Problems

o Matho Scienceo Readingo Englisho Social Studies

Examples from Education

o 1 + 1= __o 1 + __ = 2o 1 + x = 2

Examples from EducationMath

o Ask a Questiono Do Background Researcho Construct a Hypothesiso Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experimento Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusiono Communicate Your Results

Examples from EducationScience

o Surveyo Questiono Reado Reciteo Review

Examples from EducationReading

o Identify your topico Find background informationo Use catalogs to find books and mediao Use indexes to find periodical articleso Find additional internet resourceso Evaluate what you findo Cite what you find using a standard format

Examples from EducationEnglish

o Understand that people are differento Discover different placeso See how people live in different placeso Observe the culture and practices of

different placeso Connect what we do to these different

places

Examples from Education Social Studies

What is the connection to these processes within education?

What is the connection to these processes within education?They are all problem-solving models

What problem does Transition Services solve?

What problem does Transition Services solve?Transition Services gets the student from where they are now to where they want to be.

What problems do we solve?Move to life beyond high school including

o Post-Secondary Educationo Vocational Educationo Integrated Employmento Continuing and Adult Educationo Adult Serviceso Independent Livingo Community Participation

What problems do we solve?Movement to life beyond high school in these areas:

Post-Secondary Education Vocational Education Integrated Employment Continuing and Adult Education Adult Services Independent Living Community Participation

What problems might be encountered by a person with a disability in Post-Secondary Education?

o Learning barriers that require classroom accommodations, such as note-taking assistance

o Learning materials presented in formats not accessible by the student, such as printed text for a student who is blind, or oral lectures without the assistance of a sign-language interpreter for a person who is deaf

o Testing barriers that require accommodations, such as extended-time

o Physical barriers that require accommodations, such as moving a class to a different lecture hall so that a student can navigate a wheelchair to the lecture hall, or a desk/table that is at the height needed for the wheelchair

o Unstructured facilities and time such as the Student Union and time between classes may be a problem for students with autism or a mental illness

o Lack of accessible transportation

o Attitudinal barriers such as lowered expectations

What problems might be encountered by a person with a disability in Post-Secondary Education?

o Learning barriers that require classroom accommodations, such as note-taking assistance

o Learning materials presented in formats not accessible by the student, such as printed text for a student who is blind, or oral lectures without the assistance of a sign-language interpreter for a person who is deaf

o Testing barriers that require accommodations, such as extended-time

o Physical barriers that require accommodations, such as moving a class to a different lecture hall so that a student can navigate a wheelchair to the lecture hall, or a desk/table that is at the height needed for the wheelchair

o Unstructured facilities and time such as the Student Union and time between classes may be a problem for students with autism or a mental illness

o Lack of accessible transportation

o Attitudinal barriers such as lowered expectations

Common problems encountered by people with a disabilities in life

o Accommodations

o Accessibility

o Physical barriers

o Unstructured facilities and time

o Accessible transportation

o Attitudinal barriers

Within subject matter, we teach students to solve problems. How do we teach students to solve problems they will face as they transition from high school to adult living?

Within subject matter, we teach students to solve problems. How do we teach students to solve problems they will face as they transition from high school to adult living?

Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy

Future results are determined by

Future results are determined byactions taken now.

Areas to Focus

o Behavioro Dress and Groomingo Choice-Makingo Natural Consequenceso Stamina and Enduranceo Post-Secondary Goals

Behavior

Most individuals with and without disabilities lose employment, status, and societal connections due to behaviors that are offensive to others. o Any behavior that is not acceptable in settings

such as post-secondary education, employment, and community settings require use of strategies to minimize and eliminate these behaviors

o The biggest mistake staff make is to equate behaviors such as biting, hitting, spitting, and sexual acting out as a function of the disability.

o All behaviors serve a purpose. What need is being served? (Think basic rather than complex.)

Dress and Grooming

o Needed for employmento Consistent with what other workers

are wearingo Meet minimum legal standard

Choice-making

Choice-making can be used to teach self-determination and self-advocacy Provide limited and acceptable choices

from which to choose Insist that a choice is made to access an

option Only use choice-making when selection

of any choice is acceptable Have a fall-back plan when there is non-

compliance to a request to make a choice

Natural Consequences

Some of our older students have discovered that if you miss a city bus, you have to wait for the next one, and sometimes that means a long wait

Stamina and Endurance

o Most paid-employment is done in periods of 2 hours or 4 hours between breaks and many jobs require frequent or long-term standingo Manage student weighto Exercise by practice walking, such as to

nearest city bus stop, and encourage parents to do the same

Post-Secondary Goals

The foundation can be laid for future transition planning prior to age 13.o Allow students to dreamo Focus dreams in reality without negating the dreamo Visit area colleges/universitieso Visit offices at colleges that provide

accommodations for students with disabilitieso Visit employers of interest to studentso Visit employers who are likely to hireo Visit your center for independent livingo Practice riding city bus

Tom LaignTransition Services CoordinatorSpecial Education DepartmentSocorro Independent School District12300 EastlakeEl Paso, Texas 79928(915) 937-1888tolaign@sisd.net