THREE TOOLS FOR EARLY PLANNING FOR INDEPENDENCE WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS

By Karen Kaplan

EVERY STUDENT RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL HAS AN IEP (INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM), AND WHEN THEY TURN 16, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST FACILITATE AN ITP (INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN) THAT PREPARES THE STUDENT TO LIVE, WORK, AND RECREATE OR EVEN ATTEND A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.

It is never too early to think of the techniques, strategies, and activities that can be implemented to help your child or student reach independence. I have seen many families reluctant to nurture independence, and then when their child is 18, 19, or 20 with only one or two years left in the public school system, they become panicked.

There are tools families and schools can use to help see the student’s interests and abilities as well as hopes, dreams, and challenges in order to develop a plan for adult life. These tools are student-focused. They take time. They take research efforts. They take collaboration. They take creativity. They will hopefully wake everyone up to see what skills and resources

truly need to be put in place to support a successful adult life. These tools can be used by the IEP, Individualized Transition Plan (ITP), and Individualized Program Plan (IPP) teams.

The Circle of Friends The Circle of Friends tool can help parents and teachers identify students who need help in building a circle of support. Friends who may listen, give advice, or provide support when needed are those in this group.

The tool asks that we draw four concentric circles and label them one, two, three, and four.

The first circle represents a Circle of Intimacy. These are people we cannot live without. The second circle is a list of good friends and called the Circle of Friendship. These are those who may not have made the first circle.

The third circle is the Circle of Participation. This is a list of people, organizations, and networks we are involved with (dance clubs, choir, sport teams, technology clubs, etc.). Finally, the fourth circle is the Circle of Exchange. This is a list of people who provide services to us (medical professionals, hairdressers, teachers, mechanics, etc.).

People can be in more than one circle. Teachers might do this exercise in the classroom with all students to help them understand how it might feel not to have friends (lonely, confused, rejected, isolated, frustrated, unwanted, depressed), and then they might discuss what students might do because they feel this way (stay in bed, take drugs, isolate, try to make friends).

Sometimes other students may then want to help students at risk develop friendships and connections. They become buddies and share how they are making connections, hoping it may help others.

When families of children with special needs do this type of work, they begin to see the need to help develop lists at each circle so their child may have connections established by the time they reach adulthood.

For example, if a student had no friends, parents and teachers might then identify groups or organizations they could join according to their interests (art, horseback riding, boy scouts, camp, or computers), thus helping them make connections in the Circle of Participation. Teachers might also identify classes within school the student could join that develop their interests, thus enhancing group participation. At young ages, teachers can create group projects around lessons to encourage group participation. Some schools develop lunch buddies or work buddies.

PATH PATH, the second tool, was developed by Jack Pearpoint, John O’Brien, and Marsha Forest in 1991. Facilitators are trained at the Marsha Forest Center for Inclusion, Family, Community in Toronto.

The steps of PATH are:

1. Create a clear picture or vision of where the student wishes to be 2. Identify goals to focus on the next year to keep grounded 3. Identify the people to enroll in the journey 4. Recognize ways to build strengths 5. Chart action steps to achieve the goals

PATH asks that a circle of support be created. This is a group of people who agree to meet on a regular basis to help the person with a disability accomplish certain personal visions or goals. They help them overcome obstacles or open doors to new opportunities.

Parents can invite a variety of people to the PATH meeting. Family members, school staff, church members, or neighbors have been asked. The meeting can take three to five hours.

Meetings include the person with the disability. There may be the need to do some advance planning with the student, helping them express their own ideas for the future and how

to agree or disagree with what other members are offering. There are generally six-plus people to encourage varied experiences and perspectives.

Sometimes the family puts limitations on the possibilities of the person with challenges. They also may not be aware of many services and options. Assembling a team of varied perspectives can expand their beliefs, attitude, knowledge, and resources. One or two facilitators can be a good idea. One person may draw people out to offer ideas while the other is recording information.

PATH is a place for brainstorming and sharing creative ideas. It is a safe, respectful, non-judgmental tool. The meeting may focus on the history of the person, their strengths, interests, dreams, fears, and needs to begin with. Then participants may begin to identify resources, strategies, supports, and finally, the development of action plans to reach goals set by the team.

PATH is recommended for families who want to work together and friends and colleagues who want to make a difference. Once the PATH team develops a vision with goals and action plans, the parents can use the information to work with the IEP and ITP team to build the transition plan. MAPS MAPS (Making Action Plans) is the third tool. MAPS is a planning process used by educational teams to help plan for a student’s future. It uses a Person-Centered Approach, and is based on the person’s dreams, interests, needs, and fears. The family may take the lead position at these meetings or work in collaboration with the transition team.

MAPS teams usually include the student, parents or guardians, one or more special education teachers (and perhaps the assistant), a social worker, community-based agencies, family members the parents feel should be involved, and advocates.

There is a facilitator and recorder at the meeting. The meeting should take at least one hour. The facilitator will always ask the student to respond first, then family, and then other members. All ideas are expressed in a positive manner.

Parents may help the student first talk about their life (where and when they were born, brothers, sisters, school, friends, places visited, and things enjoyed). Then the discussions are focused around the student’s dreams (jobs, living, college, school, money). There are no judgments made at this time about dreams.

The student will be asked to talk about their fears and anxieties. Parents will be asked to discuss their fears and anxieties as well. Members of this team are then asked to describe the student’s strengths, likes, dislikes, and personal qualities as well as favorite activities, friends, talents, etc.

While considering the student’s hopes and interests, the team develops a list of activities, opportunities, and supports to address those hopes and interests. Finally, members begin reviewing all the information and start prioritizing. A list of needs is created to address priorities.

Some needs might be to complete a vocational assessment, begin job exploration, increase involvement in community activities, or begin the exploration of living options or skill development in a specific area.

All ideas and thoughts are prioritized, the most critical goals identified, and action plans are written. The facilitators gather up all notes, summarize them, and share them with all members of the team. The team meets yearly to check on progress towards goals written.

I suggest parents and school teams become familiar with these tools and begin to use them early. My hope is that schools will expand the scope of education methodologies and truly develop goals that help a student live as independently as possible. Introduce self-help and hygiene tasks early. Give exceptional needs children classrooms jobs with another student in kindergarten. Teach play and talk about not repeatedly touching noses. Make sure they have their communication device with them everywhere.

Teach them to self-regulate, not just co-regulate. Follow their interests. Learn to wait for them to initiate; do not open their lunch bags for them, put away their backpacks, or tell them what they need to do before going to recess and verbalize directions all day to them. Get them into the community learning to connect early. Make sure goals and activities used are meaningful. Learn to understand the culture of the family. Don’t waste time teaching coins and dollars if the student is going to use a credit card and still doesn’t understand quantity, adding, or subtracting.

Let’s do something different now. Our students are graduating at age 22 with very limited options. Let’s use these tools prior to and during the IEP and ITP processes to expand options.

Resources

PACER CENTER: http://www.pacer.org/tatra/resources/personal.asp MPACT: Transition to Empowered Lifestyles Project Person Centered Planning: http://www.ptimpact.org

Person-Centered Planning Education Site: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/pcp/

Karen Kaplan is a native San Franciscan. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She minored in Special Education. She obtained her Speech Therapist and Special Education credentials in California. She worked as a speech therapist for both public schools and private schools before opening her own residential and education program for students with autism spectrum disorders. She worked in credential programs at Sacramento State University as well as UC Davis. She spent 20 additional years directing private schools for those with autism and similar learning challenges. She founded a small non-profit, Offerings, which travels globally helping other cultures understand those with developmental challenges. She founded and facilitated an autism lecture series and resource fair for seven years in Northern California. She still facilitates an Autism Awesomeness event yearly, showcasing the strengths and talents of those who live on the spectrum. Karen is currently consulting, helping families, schools, and centers for children, teens, and adults. She has published articles to help bring ideas and strategies to families and professionals, providing hope. Karen authored Reach Me Teach Me in the early 70s and went on to publish her second book, On the Yellow Brick Road: My Search for Home and Hope for the Child with Autism, in 2017. Her third book, Typing to Heaven and Back, is not about autism but about having important conversations with those we love. Be sure to connect with Karen—she is always ready to listen and think of the possibilities. Website: www.karenkaplanasd.com