Check It Out: Renew Your Literacy Instruction with

Check It Out: Renew Your Literacy Instruction with Adapted Books By Jamie Olson , Hannah Moffitt

literacy

Check It Out: Renew Your Literacy Instruction with Adapted Books

What is an adapted book? The idea of adapting books is not a new concept. For years, people with visual impairments have had access to books in braille or large print formats. Books on tape have frequently been used with individuals who require auditory supports while reading. But what about our students with more complex needs? What sort of adaptations might we offer them beyond adjusting the text? An adapted book is one that is made accessible to a read- er by reducing or eliminating obstacles that may inhibit their ability to access a book in a traditional print format. Adapted books include modifications that address a variety of print dis- abilities and barriers, including, but not limited to:

Everyone has the right to access print in order to learn, share experiences and improve overall quality of life. When we read, we gain a sense of independence, allowing us to actively par- ticipate in daily routines and activities within our communi- ties. Literature is deeply woven into our society, and positive reading and learning experiences occur when readily available tools and supports are used to create meaningful and engag- ing learning opportunities. However, educators are often faced with time constraints and limited resources while trying to ad- dress the diverse needs present in today’s classroom. How do we ensure that we are providing proper access to print in a way that meets the unique learning styles and needs of all learners?

Hannah J. Moffitt, M.Ed. Hannah has a Master’s Degree in Special Education K-12 from James Madison University and has 12 years of experience in the education field. She previously taught special educa - tion for five years in Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia. She has worked in both team-taught and self- contained settings across a variety of grade levels. Hannah also spent five years on the Assistive Technology Team in Loudoun, providing consultative and evaluation services, professional development, and training and support for students and families. She is currently in her second year as an Assistive Technology Specialist for Weld County School District 6. Hannah is passionate about AAC, core vocabulary, and the link between language/communication and literacy skills. Additionally, she works hard to promote the theory and practice behind Universal Design for Learning within her school district in order to make learning engaging and accessible for all. While Hannah spends a great deal of time exploring high-tech tools, she also enjoys opportunities to be creative with low-tech/no-tech supports as well. She is currently in her second year as an Assistive Technology Specialist for Weld County School District 6 in Greeley, Colorado. Jamie D. Olson, OTR/L Originally from South Dakota, Jamie attended the University of Sioux Falls as an undergraduate for exercise science and psychology. She relocated to the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she attended Concordia University Wisconsin and earned her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. She moved to Colorado seven years ago to practice as a school-based occupational therapist. Jamie is passionate about working with students with disabilities and maximizing their independence, and assis - tive technology provides a natural solution. Certified in Assistive Technology, she has been an AT Specialist and Occupational Therapist in Weld County School District 6 for six years.

BACK TO CONTENTS

• Physical disabilities • Visual impairments • Cognitive disabilities • Communication and language needs • English Language Learners. Adapted books may come in a variety of formats, including paper-based or electronic versions. Adapting a book typically means adjusting someone else’s work. Photocopying or altering a printed material may initially feel strange or almost unethical. However, the Chafee Amend- ment (Sec. 121 of the Copyright Act) provides that “it is not an infringement of copyright for an authorized entity to repro- duce or to distribute copies or phonorecords of a previously published, nondramatic literary work if such copies or phono- records are reproduced or distributed in specialized formats exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities.” In order to remain in compliance with copyright law, you must own a copy of the book in order to make adaptations. Universal Design for Learning All students come to school with their own unique set of experiences, strengths, needs and preferences or interests. In

the special education world, modifying and adapting materi- als to meet this diverse set of learning styles and needs typi- cally becomes second nature. More often than not, what we do for our students with significant learning needs is consid- ered best practice for all students. Special education is becom- ing less specialized in the sense that only a small number of students are able to access certain instructional strategies and supports. Instead, identifying and analyzing potential barriers present in our curriculum, along with considering individual learner strengths and needs, allows educators to be proactive by planning ahead for potential accommodations and modifi- cations that any student in general education or special educa- tion may require in order to fully participate in the classroom environment. Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which was first intro- duced in the 1990s by Anne Meyer and David Rose, is “a frame- work to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn,” (CAST, 2018). This framework influences the development of learning goals, instructional methods and materials and assess- ments that can be adjusted to equalize learning opportunities for all students. UDL aims to make rigorous curriculum acces-

Accessibility for People with Sight Loss and Dyslexia

this one>>>

FREE Apps for Your Accessible Instructional Materials Initiative

Three Levels of Magnification and Speech for People with Visual Impairments

Simple Talking Technology for Sight Loss

Call: +1 866 797 5921

www.YourDolphin.com

US-Half-Page-Ad.indd 4

25/01/2019 11:08:50

BACK TO CONTENTS

sible and understandable by all students. UDL is organized into three main principles and their re- spective brain networks: engagement, representation and ac- tion and expression. Multiple means of engagement includes the affective net- works, or the “why” of learning. When learners are unable to at- tend to information and are not engaged in the content, this information is inaccessible. To foster learners who are purpose- ful and motivated, educators must tap into students’ individual interests, while offering appropriate challenges and increasing motivation and attention. Additionally, strategies such as self- assessment and reflection that support self-regulation skills increase a student’s ability to sustain continued effort and per- sistence with task completion. Multiple means of representation includes the recognition networks, or the “what” of learning. To create learners who are resourceful and knowledgeable, educators should provide students with options for acquiring information through dif- ferent modalities. A “one size fits all” model of instruction cre- ates inequalities across learners. Therefore, providing a variety of representations not only increases accessibility, but also enhances comprehension of material. Options might include presenting information through a variety of media (e.g. video, photographs/diagrams, text, demonstrations, etc.) that targets specific learning styles and needs. Multiple means of action and expression includes the stra- tegic networks, or the “how” of learning. It’s important to en- sure that educational materials are physically accessible for all students so that all learners can fully interact with the cur- riculum. Educators may provide options for the ways in which students demonstrate what they know in order to encourage learners who are strategic and goal-oriented. For example, stu- dents could be given opportunities for increased autonomy to express their understanding of the curriculum content in a way that targets their personal learning preferences, such as com- posing a song, filming a movie, writing an essay or building a structure. Accessible Educational Materials Working in conjunction with the principles of UDL, it’s im- perative that educators are providing students with accessible educational materials (AEM). In the past, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has specifically focused on accessible instructional materials (AIM) that were in print for- mat. It outlined the provision of the four specialized formats (braille, large print, audio and digital text) for students with print disabilities in K-12 education, as well as the implementa- tion of the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Stan- dard (NIMAS). AEM takes the NIMAS/AIM definition a step further, outlining these as “print- and technology-based edu- cational materials, including printed and electronic textbooks

Image 1: Page fluffers created with clothespins.

and related core materials that are designed or enhanced in a way that makes them usable across the widest range of learner variability, regardless of format (e.g. print, digital, graphic, au- dio, video)” (National Center on Accessible Educational Materi- als, 2016). This definition is not limited to only K-12 education, and has been expanded to include post-secondary education and workforce deployment. When educators have a better understanding of the tools and materials available to support the growing variety of learn- ing styles and needs, differentiation occurs more freely. AEM opens the idea of accessibility beyond the printed textbook to provide options for adapting educational materials, both print- ed and digital, as well as educational technologies, so that they are usable by people with and without disabilities. Providing all students with a variety of universally designed options that include AEM encourages the likelihood of classroom participa- tion, independence, and progress in the curriculum. Adapted books = Access for All The development of adapted books incorporates the use of a variety of tools and supports that targets a diverse set of learning needs. It’s important for books to be easily accessible by all in order to promote student engagement and participa- tion. Adaptations for increased accessibility include: • Increasing the ease of physical access and manipulation • Providing visual supports for language and cognition • Modifying page layouts to decrease visual stimuli • Adjusting or simplifying the language to accommodate for cognitive and communication/language needs • Addressing different learning styles and preferences. Books in a traditional paper-based format alone can create significant barriers for students with physical disabilities. Ad- aptations such as page fluffers (Image 1) and slant boards or easels can be temporarily or permanently fixed to traditional

BACK TO CONTENTS

Image 2: Font and image adaptations for Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell.

books, making them easier for readers to manipulate indepen- dently. Books in a digital format can be made to read aloud automatically using text-to-speech software. A reader can ad- vance through the pages of a digital book with a switch and switch interface on the computer. For our students who have visual processing or acuity needs, modifications to the visual appearance of the book may be necessary. Adjusting the font size, color/contrast and spacing may help a reader visually track text more easily. Reducing or eliminating the background of more complex images may help some individuals visually attend to a book and process the im- ages presented to them (Image 2). Tactile supports, such as the addition of textured details on pictures, provides the necessary sensory input for an individual who is blind to interact with and comprehend the information presented. Many students with disabilities struggle to comprehend grade level text and vocabulary. Providing text-to-speech sup- ports within digital formats allows students to participate in reading activities more independently. Additionally, for stu- dents who require both auditory and visual supports, many text-to-speech technologies provide these accommodations simultaneously with dual highlighting features. Simplifying the language of the text either in length or vocabulary usage helps to reduce the cognitive load placed on struggling stu- dents or English Language Learners, making novel concepts easier to understand. For students who may struggle with un- derstanding abstract representations or concepts, changing the visuals to real photographs or actual objects may increase motivation and engagement with the text. For students who have complex communication needs or for students who are English Language Learners, adding visual supports provides additional meaning to unfamiliar vocabulary or concepts. For augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users, these visuals can be tied directly to their language systems, supporting both receptive and expressive language goals (Image 3). With each of our book adaptations, we include

a standard, low-tech communication board that includes core vocabulary that can be used with any book or reading activ- ity. Providing access to these high frequency words across a variety of contexts supports development of sight word vo- cabulary and word meaning. Additionally, students with com- plex communication needs have a way to interact with the text without requiring access to unique or specialized vocabulary that is specific to the activity. Moving Forward: Adapted Literacy Kits In working with teachers and therapists across our district, we frequently found ourselves repeatedly making the same recommendations for adapting materials. While everyone ap- peared receptive to our suggestions, we found that no matter what grade level or population they were working with, teach- ers were facing the same issues of not enough time or resources to implement the tools and strategies we suggested. To better support our staff and students, and to take the idea of adapted books even further, we began creating adapted literacy kits. Given the problems we were encountering, we had several goals in mind, specifically: • Provide a rigorous curriculum supported by accessible edu- cation materials for all students • Provide a variety of tools and strategies to promote mastery of individual IEP goals • Increase classroom engagement and participation, particu- larly for our students with disabilities in the general educa- tion setting • Build capacity and create a collaborative environment be- tween professionals. An adapted literacy kit is simply a unit in a bag! In our kits, you will typically find several books (original copies and adapt- ed versions), communication supports that include access to core vocabulary, story props and a variety of learning activities (e.g. file folder games, fine motor tasks, writing prompts, etc.) (Image 4). The books we select are often popular children’s ti-

BACK TO CONTENTS

Image 3: AAC icon sequences added to Jump, Frog, Jump! by Robert Kalan. Visuals created using the PASS software from Prentke-Romich Company.

tles. We tend to shy away from text that is too long or too com- plicated, and we like to include books that have repeated lines or phrases throughout the story. Repeated lines of text work well with single hit communication devices so that all students can “read” the book aloud. We frequently refer back to the com- mon core standards when creating our kits so that all students have access to grade level material that is accommodated in a way that meets their learning styles and needs. The learning materials for our literacy kits are often low cost or free. Just like our teachers, we also struggle with limited re-

sources when trying to meet everyone’s needs. We have be- come “junk collectors” in the sense that we are pros at reusing common household materials and recyclables. Additionally, we are frequent Dollar Store shoppers! We also spend many hours scouring various education blogs, websites and Pinterest to find freebies offered by other educators and parents. Every- thing we gather is assembled to create supplemental activities and supports for our literacy kits. By incorporating extension activities with the books, the adapted literacy kits encourage development of core academics, language and literacy skills, social skills and fine or gross motor skills. Adapted literacy kits can be used by general education teachers, special education teachers, parents and therapists and accessed by children with emerging literacy or language skills, typically developing children, and children with disabili- ties. The adapted books can be used by themselves, or with assistive technology ranging from low-tech/no-tech tools to specialized software and hardware, high-tech AAC, braille and more. Our adapted books and literacy kits are used to help bridge the gap between student performance and grade level expectations. Check it out at the Lending Library In order to share our adapted literacy kits with our staff and students more efficiently, we created a district-wide lending library where teachers and therapists can borrow the instruc- tional materials. This provided a needed solution for the issues of limited time and resources while ensuring that all students

Image 4: Example of an adapted literacy kit.

BACK TO CONTENTS

have access to meaningful and engaging learning experi- ences. Staff completes a Google Form with their name, loca- tion and the items they would like to check out. Inventory is updated as items are loaned and returned so that users can see what is available in real-time. Items are on loan for a two- week period and are delivered by our assistive technology team or through our interoffice mail system. At the end of the two weeks, we collect the items and swap them out for something new if requested. During our first year of operation, we expanded our lend- ing library to include life skills curricula, adapted toys and professional titles. Now that we have a strong foundation of children’s literature (19 titles and counting!), we are looking to add more books for our secondary population, specifically chapter books and non-fiction works. We are also exploring shoebox work tasks and other activities that might target pre-vocational and daily living skills. Additionally, we would like to supplement our existing kits with more digital mate- rials and activities, further increasing the accessibility factor for our students with more complex needs. While our lending library serves to ensure that students have access to appropri- ate learning materials, our ultimate hope is that our adapted

literacy kits generate new ideas and encourage teachers and therapists to collaborate, problem solve and think outside the box.

References About Universal Design for Learning. (2018, August 31). Retrieved September 5, 2018, from http://www.cast.org/our- work/about-udl.html#.XA7Cx2hKjcs What Are AEM & Accessible Technologies? (2016, Decem- ber 15). Retrieved December 3, 2018, from http://aem.cast. org/about/what-are-aem-accessible-technologies.html#.XB- PLZGhKjcs

BACK TO CONTENTS

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

www.closingthegap.com

Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator