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Early Intervention Support
Services Provided: Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 staff provides training and technical assistance for Head Starts, School Districts, Early Childhood Model Sites, Early Intervention Programs, Non-public Schools, Parents, IU and District Paraprofessionals, as well as Child Care Facilities.
Training focuses in the areas of Brain Development; Emotional Intelligence; Multiple Intelligences; Center Based Classrooms; Student As Responsible Learner (S.A.R.L.); Literacy and Language Development; Portfolios; Integration of the Arts and Science; PA Standards Project; Project Approach; Differentiated Instruction; Language Boards; Guided Reading; and KID-Watching.
CONTACT: Vacant
Reading
Intermediate Unit 8 staff provides training for regular and special education teachers on teaching reading and reading strategies to special education students. Reading Assessments and strategies instruction are also provided for special education students who need this service. Training is provided in understanding the Pennsylvania State Standards for Reading and the PASS Reading Assessment to enable teachers to better prepare their students to take the assessment. Reading Stances are explored to help teachers understand the reading approaches of their students and to match instruction to student needs. Content Area Literacy can be addressed at both the elementary and secondary levels to prepare teachers to teach expository text to students assisting the special education students in navigating content area textbooks. Learning Strategies from Kansas University can be taught to students while modeling for teachers, and to teachers in order for them to teach their students how to read and comprehend texts. Support is provided to Read To Succeed Schools in the form of staff development in reading instruction and parent trainings in reading development. Schools that participated in the Governor's Institute on Educator Partnerships in Reading will continue to be supported through consultation, staff development, classroom visitation, training in reading and writing instruction and assessment, and parent training.
CONTACT: Nichole Kopco, Educational Consultants 814-940-0223
Free Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment
Intermediate Unit 8 staff provides training and support to grade level, building and district teams in implementing inclusive practices. Trainings focus on adaptations to the general curriculum; instructional strategies to support students with disabilities in the general classroom; and accommodations for the PSSA as they relate to students with disabilities. Trainings are provided on the PASA to prepare teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators in understanding and administering the assessment. Standards Based Instruction training can be provided for general class teachers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, social workers, psychologists, parents, and agency personnel. Technical Assistance for district teams is available for progress monitoring. Trainings can also be provided as a team approach through guided practice in the planning for inclusive practices. Consultation is available to teams throughout all phases of implementation.
CONTACT: Susan Fariss, Educational Consultant 814-445-9734
Behavior Support
Intermediate Unit 8 staff provides consultation and facilitation for teams in developing school-wide and individual behavior support plans for school districts.
Trainings and Guided Practice are available to teams, special education and regular education teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, social workers, psychologists, agencies and parents. The trainings are layered in order to build capacity at the local level. Intermediate Unit 8 staff work with districts to develop a research base and approach in order to enable them to make decisions that are appropriate for them and keeping with best practice.
The first level of trainings for administrators, special and regular education staff deals with school-wide effective behavior support. This allows the district to target a particular building, look at both qualitative and quantitative data and use that information to build a support system/climate conducive for all children to learn. The next level looks at targeted interventions for at-risk behavior. At this level, the Intermediate Unit trains administrators, general and special education staff, parents, and agency personnel in prevention and intervention strategies. The last level addresses Support Plans for intensive and chronic behavior. At each level, data are collected and utilized to help make decisions on how to support students. Parents are included at each level and additional training is provided to families through collaboration with outside agencies. With each training, follow-up guided practice by educational consultants is provided.
CONTACT: Mike Burk, Educational Consultant 814-886-6257, Tina Howes, Educational Consultant (623-1390) or Colette Kaufman, Educational Consultant (262-7392)
Assistive Technology Services
Assistive Technology Services are provided to support the 35 school districts, Intermediate Unit 8 programs, and Early Intervention (Birth – 3) in the four county IU 8 area by providing the following support: Receiving referrals for students that may be in need of Assistive Technology services or devices; Assisting the referral source in creating a local team that will participate in assessing the child's needs for Assistive Technology. The Assistive Technology Consultant supports the team by recommending strategies devices/to be used on a trial basis and helps to secure devices to be used on a trial basis. The Assistive Technology Consultant provides support for the students/teachers/parents/paraprofessionals/administrators while using these devices on loan. This support includes, but is not limited to—training, troubleshooting, acquiring equipment, repairing equipment and providing resources. Assistance in IEP development and implementation of goals/objectives/specially designed instruction/support for school personnel (including administration), families, students, paraprofessionals, day care providers and therapists is also provided and/or organized by the Assistive Technology Consultant.
Trainings are available and developed according to the needs of the students. Examples of trainings currently being offered: Visual Strategies, Low Tech Communication Strategies and Specific Device Trainings. A company representative offers the specific device trainings with the Assistive Technology Consultant providing assistance. The Assistive Technology Consultant arranges the trainings. Trainings occupy one full day. Trainings are typically offered at one of the IU offices and are opened to teams. The team may include: parent/student (as appropriate), teachers, speech therapists, paraprofessionals and administrators. Trainings are also offered on-site for specific teams. These trainings may be a full day, a half-day or a few hours, depending on the needs of the specific Team. On-site trainings are offered at the request of the specific team. These trainings are provided by the Assistive Technology Consultant and, when appropriate, a company representative. On-site trainings may also be conducted in the student's home, when appropriate.
CONTACT: Carol Hoover, Educational Consultant 814-940-0223 ext. 347
Interagency Coordination and Transition
Intermediate Unit 8 staff recognizes that students with disabilities have unique needs and require programs that emphasize special education and related services designed to prepare them for employment and independent living. Technical assistance and support can be provided to local school districts and IU programs: 1) to help students and their families look at future plans beyond school involving work, post secondary education and training and living arrangements. 2) to make connections and link students to appropriate agencies. 3) to make educational experiences directly related to reaching the desired outcomes of students and their families, and 4) to optimize success once students exit school.
These services include but are not limited to assessment, technical assistance to IEP teams regarding transition services, suggestions for vocational training, and the development of job placements and monitoring of worksites. Transition team members complete follow-up studies for assigned school districts to assist them in local Transition Councils and serve as a liaison between school districts and agencies.
In response to requests, Intermediate Unit 8 staff develops and provides training and technical assistance to Alternative Education Programs, Partial Hospitalization Programs, and families with students in these programs on transition to adulthood for adolescents with disabilities. This includes in-servicing and technical assistance to assist families and staff in planning for students who are transitioning from these programs to the home school district. The Intermediate Unit 8 continues to provide technical assistance and support as needed to districts seeking to apply for grants and implement transition programs.
Intermediate Unit 8 staff provides technical assistance and training resources to assist school districts in effectively overseeing the provision of FAPE and monitoring the progress of students with supportive services from outside agencies. This assistance and support is viewed as on-going, not as a series of one-time events. The IU helps facilitate coordination and collaboration through participation in local Transition Councils.
As an outcome of joint meetings held with school districts, local providers, parents, agencies, and the Intermediate Unit 8, written material was developed for educators about mental health/behavioral programs, services and issues.
CONTACTS: Megan Glessner, Educational Consultant 814-445-9734 & Roxanne Oswald, Educational Consultant 814-695-5643
Low Incidence
Intermediate Unit 8 staff provides consultation and technical assistance to schools, agencies, and parents as well as provides and organizes training opportunities related to low-incidence students in collaboration with staff from PaTTAN. Trainings may include but are not necessarily limited to the areas of Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury, Hearing, Deaf Blind, Visual Impairments, and Incarcerated Youth.
CONTACTS: Dr. Terri Prout, Supervisor 814-940-0223 ext. 348, Carol Hoover, Educational Consultant 814-940-0223 ext. 347 or Megan Glessner, Traumatic Brain Injury 814-445-9734
Special Education Leadership
IU administrative staff provide leadership in the provision of FAPE in accordance with IDEA and PA Regulations as well as in more specific areas such as IEP development, procedural safeguards, and confidentiality. Training, consultation, and technical assistance can be provided for parents, agencies, and professionals as well as nonprofessional district and IU staff. Consultation and technical assistance is available via the telephone and/or on-site visits. Trainings can be scheduled throughout the year and will also be available upon request.
For districts scheduled for compliance monitoring, consultation, technical assistance, and training will be available prior to as well as following the monitoring. Compliance related training may be provided by IU staff or by PaTTAN and IU Staff.
CONTACT: Dr. Thomas Kippeny, Assistant Director of Educational Programs & Services 814-940-0223 ext. 335
Family Training
IU 8 provides training for parents of children with disabilities. Parents are invited to participate in the annual IU 8 Department of Educational Programs and Services August Special Education Institute. Parent training is also provided to any school as requested. Trainings include a variety of areas such as: developmental theory on reading in children; instructional strategies for parents; interactive activities for families to increase the students reading ability; reading strategies for parents; educational needs that parents can meet to increase their child's success in school; understanding IDEA and PA special education regulations; and understanding and managing your child's behavior. In addition, the IU 8 Autistic Assessment Team supports families of children with Autism and those suspected of a disorder in the Autism Spectrum.
CONTACT: Megan Glessner, Educational Consultant 814-445-9734
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