UMaine-CCIDS-Literacy By Design: Creating a Universally Designed Reading Environment for Students with Significant Disabilities

Literacy By Design: Creating a Universally Designed Reading Environment for Students with Significant Disabilities

CEC 2006 Annual Convention

April 7, 2006 Salt Lake City, Utah

Lu Zeph, Ed.D. Betsy Enright, M.Ed.

Center for Community Inclusion & Disability Studies, UCEDD

Collaborators

Co-Principal Investigators,

Bridget Dalton, Ed. D, (CAST)

Lucille Zeph, Ed. D (Center for Community Inclusion & Disability Studies, The University of Maine)

Co-Project Directors

Peggy Coyne, M.Ed. (CAST)

Betsy Enright, M.Ed. (Center for Community Inclusion & Disability Studies, The University of Maine)

Project Duration: 2003-2006

Funded by: US Department of Education

Office of Special Education Programs

OSEP Project Number: H0324D020059

Project Officer: Dr. Anne Smith

Purpose of Project

To investigate the effects of a universally designed approach to literacy on the reading achievement and access to the general curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Importance

This work moves us towards improving instruction, and raising expectations and accountability so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can master literacy.

Evidence Based Instruction

National Reading Panel, 2000

- Phonemic Awareness
- Phonics
- Fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension Strategy
- Teaching in context not isolation

Goal 1

Identify the barriers that interfere with access, participation, and progress in literacy instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities in each of the following areas:

1. the curriculum materials and methods,
2. teacher practice and preparation,
3. parent involvement in literacy activities.

Goal 2

Develop exemplars of the UDL-Thinking Reader technology that are specifically designed for students with cognitive disabilities by including:

1. embedded supports for literacy;
2. embedded supports for teachers in the instructional setting;
3. embedded supports for parents to engage in literacy activities with their children at home.

Goal 3

Develop effective teaching and parenting practices for a literacy program that effectively incorporates the UDL-Thinking Reader as a key component in supporting students with significant cognitive disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment.

Goal 4

Investigate the effectiveness of this overall instructional approach (incorporating the UDL-Thinking Reader Exemplars into a school literacy program) on the literacy development of students with cognitive disabilities.

Goal 5

Disseminate the research results

and the approach

Research Design

Instrumentation

Quantitative:
- Standardized instruments and recognized informal measures of language and reading skills
Qualitative:
- Observations, interviews (students & teachers), background information, work samples, etc.

Research Design

Unit of Analysis:

- Individual students, matched and assigned to one of two groups.

Research Design
Participating Students

Data Collection

Reading subtests of the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement (2001) selected subtests (pre-post, norm referenced)
Concepts About Print (pre-post, criterion referenced)
Letter identification
Word lists taken from the texts read in class
Teacher attitude survey (pre - post)
ELLCO - Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation (pre - post)

Data Collection

Field notes
Classroom observations
Student demographics & history
Students' electronic worklogs (typed text, recordings of students' voices, or both)
Student work samples
Audio recordings of repeated readings
Informal conversations and interviews with students
Teacher interviews (pre - post)
Parent interviews (pre - post)
Parent focus groups

Project Phases

Phase One: (January - September 2003)
- Student recruitment, pre assessments
- Parent and teacher interviews
- Professional development for teachers
Phase Two: (September 2003- June 2004)
- Begin intervention in classrooms
- Data collection - students and classroom
- Continued professional development
- Parent education and focus group
- Mid assessments
Phase Three: (September 2004 - December 2005)
- Continued intervention September - February
- Continued professional development
- Post assessments, post interviews
- Parent focus group
- Data analysis, interpretation, dissemination

Intervention with Students

Provided computers, software and reading materials
Provided onsite technical assistance and support
Students received 20 - 30

minutes of intervention

instruction

Intervention Let's Go Read
(River Deep, 1997)

Island Adventure
An Ocean Adventure

Intervention WiggleWorks
Scholastic (1996)

CAST's Universal Design for Learning
Picture Book

Schools - Massachusetts

School in Massachusetts with kindergarten, first and second grades.

Intervention :

1 Suburban School with 3 students and 1 Urban school w/3 student

Control :

1 Suburban School w/6 students and 1 Urban school with 1 student

Schools - Maine

Intervention:

1 School in rural Central Maine

2 kindergarten classrooms and 1 first grade classroom

5 target students and 5 typical peers

Control:

2 schools in rural central and coastal Maine

2 first grade classrooms

2 second grade classrooms

5 target students and 4 typical peers

Maine Classrooms

Maine Classroom Environment

- Immersion in print and high quality literacy experiences
- Diversity of learning opportunities and materials
- Multiple variations of targeted literacy activities and materials
- Curriculum and materials reflect five key components of balanced literacy
- Technology was used as a component of holistic literacy program

Maine Classroom Environment

- Immersion in print and high quality literacy experiences
- Diversity of learning opportunities and materials
- Multiple variations of targeted literacy activities and materials
- Curriculum and materials reflect five key components of balanced literacy
- Technology was used as a component of holistic literacy program

What We Learned
Students Case Studies

History

Demographic information
- Chronological Age: 5years 9mths
- Grade placement 03-04:K
Disability
- Multiple Disability Down Syndrome
- Congenital heart defect
- Mild hearing loss in each ear
Verbal - with speech and language delays
Educational history: Beginning K 2003-2004
- Early intervention, therapeutic and general preschools settings; developmental therapy service at some, some PT in preschool

Literacy Learning - Pre Assessment

Some letters (missing many lowercase)
Text directionality not established
One to one word matching not established
Limited book handling skills
Sight words not identified

Social Learning

Social learning…
- Increased expectations (Teacher and Peer)
- Increased turn taking skills
- Cueing from other students
- Increased focus to tasks
- Increased time on task
- Development of leadership skills
- Seeing himself as part of the learning community

Literacy Learning

Dramatically increased engagement/enjoyment of books
Became an emergent reader
Reading simple books
Spelling & writing at 1st grade level
Solid sight vocabulary
Correct book handling skills
Journal writing w/ support & initial self editing
Computer skills
- - Turn on, launch, and execute literacy software independently

Literacy Learning

Continued..

Choosing big book reading during free time
Talking about stories with parents at home
Writing about experiences
Authoring his own books
Reading aloud from his journal
Sharing his journal and stories at circle time

What We Learned

Experienced most growth with LBD approach and literacy rich environment
Pairing with typical peers provided opportunities
Became a peer leader in use of literacy software
Giving him more opportunities sooner and having even higher expectations
Consistent rise sub test raw scores with exception of sound awareness

Parents View
Changes in their child's literacy

Oh! He has flourished so much lately. Whenever we get in the car he has to read a book. He always has to have a pointer too. "Mom , do you have a pencil? And he'll point to the words over the river and through the woods. And he'll say who the book is by….sounding out the words.
He'll say , "Mom I want to go p-l-a-y or you know…its time for b-e-d! He spells everything to us. Its amazing to have him spelling out the words with things he wants to do.
When I was on the phone the other day, he said, "Mom can I "t-o-c" talk? That just killed me! "I want to t-o-c." I love that!

History

Demographic information
- Chronological Age: 5 years 4 months
- DOB: 2/15/98
Grade placement 03-04: K
Disability
- Down Syndrome
- Some visual impairment (wears glasses)
Verbal with speech and language delays

Literacy Learning - Pre Assessment

- No letter recognition
- No text directionality
- No word for word matching
- Very limited book handling skills
- No measured sight words

Social Learning - Year 1

- Expectations increased (Teacher and Peers)
- Developed friendships and increased peer interactions
- Increased attention and focus on learning tasks
- Became a part of the learning community

Literacy Learning

Observed Literacy Behaviors

- Computer skills
  - Turn on, launch, and execute literacy software with minimal support.
- Word for word matching
- Text directionality
- Book handling skills
- Choice of Big Book reading during free time
- Engaging with books
- Year 1 growth
  - Concepts about Print, Letter ID
  - Vocabulary, paragraph comprehension

Parents View
Changes in their child's literacy

Parents

Changes in their Children's Literacy

I see a very advanced behavior from last year. I see her choosing books. I see her….she has a large array of books, but then she'll only want to read a certain book, and you'll give her a big selection, and she'll still wants to read the same group of books, and usually they're 'sing songy' books that she can sing to you or read to you.
She wants to read.
Oh, yeah. I'm thrilled with how she thinks of herself. She now thinks of herself as a reader. Before she'd go through books, but she wouldn't read them. Now she has to read me the book before I can read it to her. She goes to every single page. She goes right to the right spot where you begin to read. She goes right to the bottom. She checks the end of each page. She loves to sit there with the book that was made for her.

History

Demographic Information
- Chronological Age: 8 years 1 month
- DOB: 06/23/95
- Grade Placement 03-04: Gr. 1
Disability
- Diagnosis of nonspecific seizure disorder
- Overall delayed development, speech, cognitive, motor and sensory
Non- verbal - used vocalizations and gestures
- Uses signing and exchanges Mayer Johnson pictures and pointing to communicate requests

Literacy Learning - Pre Assessment

- No measured letter identification
- No measured book handling skills
- No measured sight words
- No measured word for word matching
- No systematic use of computer

Literacy Learning

Formal assessments yielded little data
Marked increase in engagement and interest in books
Observable book handling skills
- - Page turning (Computer and print)
  - Orientation
  - Page order
- Letter recognition
  - D and "not D"
  - M and "not M"
- Letter sound recognition:
  - Can identify which sound is the target sound from distracter sounds.
- Word name and picture matching:
  - Can identify target word and icon from spoken word name.

Literacy Learning

Demonstrated comprehension- making correct choices, laughing at appropriate times, responding to book directions, turning page after text had been read, responding to questions by pointing to pictures in story.
Book reading as a chosen activity:
- - Spontaneously chose print and digital books when given the opportunity to (Clifford books, Andy Ant, Hannah Likes Hats)
  - Increased focus/ attention span
Developed computer skills:
- - Navigated menus, turned pages, selected activities and exited program independently and with verbal prompting.

What We Learned

- Access to the technology based literacy instruction became the basis for engagement in learning
- Proper positioning and appropriate assistive technology was critical to her ability to engage in learning
- Additional instructional accommodations increased success
- Importance of continued problem solving to ensure educational access regardless of the complexity of the student
- Assume competence

Parents
Changes in their Children's Literacy

These are the books she's been reading, programmed into the springboard (communication device)….. She picks this book, 'Hello Clifford'. She presses the button. It says, 'Hello Clifford." She opens it up, presses the button, and it says, 'Hello Clifford'. She knows to turn the page. She looks at the picture. She presses the button, 'I am Clifford.' She waits for it, turns the page until the end of the book, presses the end and then wants to read it again.
But I don't think she would have done it last year. I mean it was just this year because of the reading program. I had her participate in it like the other kids, and that really prompted us to read. We've always read to her, but this really prompted us to read more to her and sit and have her attend to just reading a picture book, we're reading 'Julie Jones' and there's very few pictures, and she's fine with that. I don't even think the last time I read to her, she didn't care to look at the pictures. She was just happy having us there reading to her.

Parents
Changes in their Children's Literacy

She definitely holds books. She loves books, and has recently started to use her voice output device to read us short little phonic books.
Strengths in reading….she has a love for it. There really isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't pick up a book. She has books in her room in the morning. You can hear her in there flipping pages.
We read chapter books to her now and then She attends to that. She has books in several locations in the house, and she often is looking at a book.
You know. It's real interesting. She likes to do it, and she'll study pictures, you know, she'll look at a book. She doesn't just turn pages and just, she might turn a page and she'll look at it. You can tell she's absorbing some sort of information. What it is…you don't know.