Snapshot of Module From Empowering Paraeducators Google Classroom
evidence-based training for paraeducators?
tural). • Taking the majority of the turns in communication. • Focusing excessively on the technology or technique and less on the message. These responses can result in limited progress, prompt de- pendency and of course, an escalation of behavior, not to men- tion device abandonment. Do these responses look familiar? Do you see similar results? Are you convinced of the need for paraeducator training yet? We were! At my practice in Phoenix, Arizona, we use all of our training time to work with teachers. There are those that soak up the in- formation and integrate strategies throughout their day. There are others that aren’t as successful. “I don’t understand this device!”, “Too many different devices in one classroom!”, “ Not enough time in the day to train the staff.” My colleague is a sixth grade special education teacher, she said, “I feel that by sixth grade, students that need an AAC device should have one and have at least some basic skills in communication. However, that is too often not the case.” Despite this, year after year, our model stays the same- we use all of our training time to support teachers and therapists. And year after year, students arrive at sixth grade without basic com-
Disempowerment Stephanie Faso is a graduate student at San Jose State Uni- versity working on her Master’s degree in communication, spe- cializing in the cultural communication of people with signif- icant physical and speech differing abilities. Ms. Faso is also a lifelong user of AAC. Her research includes how support systems influence individuals with complex physical and communica- tive differences. In her thesis, she concludes through research, that support systems disempower individuals with complex and communicative differences by not having enough knowledge about the details of the communication devices, by being un- willing to work with the individuals to communicate using the device, and by denying the potential abilities of those using the devices. Research by Light, Collier, & Parnes, 1985: and by Blackstone, 1999, outline patterns of ineffectual responses by paraeduca- tors. Their research cites paraeducators working with students using AAC and doing the following: • Paraeducators limiting questions to yes/no response. • Providing few opportunities of communication and missing opportunities to create communication. • Using large number of prompts (verbal, physical, and ges-
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