Anne Grui, Katie Batiste, and Maribeth Becker

Transportation Presentation
2015

Todays Objectives
Disability Awareness
Special Education Settings
Behavior Strategies
Limit Setting
Confidentiality

What is a disability
As defined by the federal government a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or
mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities.
In the educational setting a child qualifies for special education once an evaluation is completed by
the school team and they determine the student has a disability.
The team then develops an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
The IEP provides goals and objectives to support the child to make academic/social/emotional
and functional gains.
The IEP provides adaptations/accommodations to be successful in general education.
Students who have concerns with behavior may be supported through a Positive Behavior
Support Plan.
Students who have Physical Impairments may be provided a evacuation plan to assist leave a
building under emergency situations.

Special Education Qualification

In the educational setting a student qualifies for special education in one of twelve areas.
1.Developmental Delay
2.Deaf and Hard of Hearing
3.Developmental Cognitive Disabilities
4.Deaf & Visually Blind
5. Autism Spectrum Disorder
6.Physically Impaired
7.Emotionally and Behavioral Disorders
8. Severely Multiply Impaired
9.Other Health Disability
10.Specific Learning Disability
11.Speech and Language Disability
12.Traumatic Brain Injury

Developmental Delay(DD)
A child ages 3 to 7 years old may qualify for special education services in the
area of Developmental Delay. The child must have a diagnosed physical or
mental condition or disorder that has a high probability of resulting in
developmental delay; or has a delay in each of two or more of the areas of
cognitive development; physical development, including vision and hearing;
communication development; social or emotional development; and adaptive
development.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

"Deaf and hard of hearing" means a diminished

sensitivity to sound, or hearing loss, that is expressed

in terms of standard audiological measures.
Hearing loss has the potential to affect educational,
communicative, or social functioning that may result in
the need for special education instruction and related
services

Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD)

Developmental Cognitive Disability (DCD) is defined as a condition that
results in intellectual functioning significantly below average and is associated
with concurrent deficits in adaptive behavior that require special education and
related services.

Deaf & Visually Blind

"Deaf-blind" means medically verified visual loss coupled with medically
verified hearing loss that, together, interfere with acquiring information or
interacting in the environment.
Both conditions need to be present simultaneously, and the pupil must meet
the criteria for both visually impaired and deaf and hard of hearing to be eligible
for special education and services under this category

Autism Spectrum Disorders

(ASD)
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) means a range of a neurodevelopmental
disorders in which a child exhibits impaired development in social interaction
and language, and repetitive or a restricted range of activities.

Autism is often referred to as a spectrum disorder, meaning that the behavioral

symptoms and characteristics can present themselves in a wide variety of
combinations, from mild to severe.

Physically Impaired (PI)

"Physically impaired" means a medically diagnosed

chronic, physical impairment, either congenital or

acquired, that may adversely affect physical or
academic functioning and result in the need for special
education and related services.

Severely Multiple Impaired (SMI)

"Severely multiply impaired" means a pupil who has
severe learning and developmental problems resulting
from two or more disability conditions.

Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (EBD)

"Emotional or behavioral disorders" means an established pattern of one or more of the following
emotional or behavioral responses:
A. withdrawal or anxiety, depression, problems with mood, or feelings of self-worth;
B. disordered thought processes with unusual behavior patterns and atypical communication
styles; or
C. aggression, hyperactivity, or impulsivity.
The established pattern of emotional or behavioral responses must adversely affect educational or
developmental performance, including intrapersonal, academic, vocational, or social skills; be
significantly different from appropriate age, cultural, or ethnic norms; and be more than temporary,
expected responses to stressful events in the environment. The emotional or behavioral responses
must be consistently exhibited in at least three different settings, two of which must be educational
settings, and one other setting in either the home, child care, or community. The responses must not
be primarily the result of intellectual, sensory, or acute or chronic physical health conditions.

Other Health Disabilities

"Other health disability" means having limited strength, endurance, vitality, or alertness, including a
heightened or diminished alertness to environmental stimuli, with respect to the educational
environment that is due to a broad range of medically diagnosed chronic or acute health conditions
that adversely affect a pupil's educational performance.
Medications, treatments, therapies, frequent doctors appointments, and repeated hospitalizations
can impact the students ability to learn and function at school.
Even relatively mild health conditions can significantly impact academic, behavioral, social, or
emotional functioning. A student with such a condition may be considered for special education
services under the Other Health Disabilities (OHD) category. However, when the condition is
medically managed, and the student can successfully participate in school, then the student may not
need special education services under OHD.

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is a disorder in one or more of the basic
psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or
written language.
The disability may be exhibited as an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak,
read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.

Speech or Language Impairments

There are four generally recognized types of speech or language impairments:
Fluency disorder means the intrusion or repetition of sounds, syllables, and words; prolongation of
sounds; avoidance of words; silent blocks; or inappropriate inhalation, exhalation, or phonation
patterns. These patterns may also be accompanied by facial and body movements associated with
the effort to speak.
Voice disorder means the absence of voice or presence of abnormal quality, pitch, resonance,
loudness, or duration.
Articulation disorder means the absence of or incorrect production of speech sounds or
phonological processes that are developmentally appropriate (e.g. lisp, difficulty articulating certain
sounds, such as l or r).
Language disorder means a breakdown in communication as characterized by problems in
expressing needs, ideas, or information that may be accompanied by problems in understanding.

Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI)

"Traumatic brain injury" means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force,
resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that may adversely
affect a pupil's educational performance and may result in the need for special education and related
services.
The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas,
such as: cognition, speech/language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment,
problem-solving, sensory, perceptual and motor abilities, psychosocial behavior, physical functions,
and information processing.
The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or brain injuries
induced by birth trauma.

Levels of Service
Resource -vs- Center-based
Setting I, II, III and IV.
Why are students referred to Intermediate
District 287?
How is it determined who receives special
education transportation?

SEVEN STRATEGIES THAT WILL HELP

YOU PREVENT DIFFICULT BEHAVIORS
1.Get

to know your students

2.Be a positive role model
3.Respect students personal space
4.Be aware of body language
5.Establish rules
6.Set limits when rules are broken
7.Remain calm

1. GET TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS

Learn your students names
Smile and greet them
Get to know them and let them
know you are interested in them

2. BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL

Be friendly and polite
Say please and thank you
Show your riders the behavior that you would like to see
from them
Compliment them when they are behaving well

3. RESPECT STUDENTS PERSONAL

SPACE
Space is already limited on the bus. Be sure you do not
crowd them any more than necessary.
When approaching a student, remain at least one leglength away.

4. BE AWARE OF BODY
LANGUAGE
Body Language includes posture, movement, gestures,
and facial expressions.
Try to identify if a student is feeling anxious or upset.
Check your own body language.
Avoid doing things that might appear threatening to the
student, such as scowling, putting your hands on your
hips, shaking your finger in the students face. Others:?

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Proxemics
Kinesics

PROXEMICS
Personal space - the area around you where you feel
comfortable; your comfort zone - typically 1.5 to 3 feet
What are some factors that affect personal space?

KINESICS
Body language, body posture and motion
Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions,
gestures, posture, and movements
What are some nonverbal signs of anxiety you have
observed with your students or any anxious individual?

Communication Triangle

Paraverbal Communication
The vocal part of speech, excluding the actual words one
uses. How we say what we say.
Remember: Only 10 to 15% of our communication is
verbal, the rest of our message is sent through these
nonverbal and paraverbal channels.

COMPONENTS OF PARA-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Tone
Volume
Cadence

5. ESTABLISH EXPECTATIONS
Keep our rules/expectations short and simple
4 to 5 are usually enough. If you have too many, students
wont remember them.

Bus Expectations

6. SET LIMITS WHEN

EXPECTATIONS ARE BROKEN
When a student breaks an expectation, tell the student
what rule has been broken and why that rule has been
broken. Then set limits.
Setting limits means that you provide the student with
choices and consequences of the choices. Stress the
choice you prefer the student make.

LIMIT SETTING
When you set limits, you are offering a person choices, as
well as stating the consequences of those choices. You
are providing a structure for their decision making.
State the positive choice and consequence first.
Starting with the negative consequence may be perceived
as a challenge or an ultimatum, and the individual may
not even hear the positive choice.

EFFECTIVE LIMITS ARE:

Simple and clear
Reasonable
Enforceable

REMEMBER
Setting a limit is not the same as issuing an ultimatum
The purpose of limits is to teach, not to punish
Setting limits is more about listening than talking

CPI 5 STEP APPROACH TO SETTING

LIMITS
1.Explain

which behavior is inappropriate

2.Explain why the behavior is inappropriate
3.Give

reasonable choices with consequences

4.Allow
5.Be

time

prepared to enforce your consequences

Myths
I make individuals
choose
appropriate
behavior
By setting limits, I
put myself in the
position as the
enforcer of
punishment.

Realities
No one can make
anyone do anything
By setting limits,
you are offering
choices. The
individual ultimately
chooses the
positive or negative
consequences.

With a partner...
Part 1:
Discuss a common
problem that you have
on the bus.

Part 2:
How would you set
limits in that situation?

Myths
I am responsible for
a persons behavior.
If I dont gain
compliance I have
failed.

Realities
You are responsible for the
execution of the structure
which provides
consequences for the
individuals choice as to how
he/she behaves.
If an individual chooses not to
comply, by enforcing your
consequences you have
provided structure for future
learning to occur.

Verbal Intervention
Do

Do Not

Remain calm

Over react

Isolate the
situation

Get in a power
struggle

Enforce Limits

Make false
promises

Listen

Fake attention

Be aware of
non-verbal

Be threatening

Be consistent

Tell them how

they feel

Be flexible

Do Not
Use too many words.

7. REMAIN CALM
Even when students are belligerent or insulting, dont allow
them to push your buttons.
If you lose control, you will probably make the situation
worse.

RATIONAL DETACHMENT
The ability to stay in control of ones own behavior and not take acting out
behavior personally.
You cant control a students behavior, but you can control your response to
that behavior.
A professional attitude minimizes the chance of overreacting or acting
inappropriately.
Understand the behavior, dont excuse it.

DE-PERSONALIZE ~ THINK Q-TIP

Quit
Taking
It
Personally

Confidentiality
Staff come in contact with a wide variety of information about students - test
scores, behavior, attendance, family issues

We are required by law to keep this

information confidential

~ Federal Law: PL90-247: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) ~

Confidentiality
Continued
Intent is to protect privacy of parents and students.

Rights are automatically granted to parents.

Rights include:
Parents have the right to inspect and review school records.
Parents have an opportunity for a hearing to challenge records.

Confidentiality:What does this mean for you?

Information about a student is confidential and should only be shared with
teachers and staff who work directly with the student and who have an
educational right to know.
All information regarding specific students and programs should remain
confidential.
Information about students and programs should not be shared in lunchrooms,
staff rooms or out in the community.
Questions about school policies should be discussed through proper schooldesignated channels, generally beginning with the building administrator.

Confidentiality: What does this mean for

you?
Staff need to support the Individual Educational Plan
(IEP) & Positive Behavior Support Plan (PBSP).
Questions should be directed to the specific supervisor
or teacher.
Concerns around safety should be addressed with the
supervisor.

Thank you for allthat you do! You are appreciated!