How Do We Use It?

1. How Do We Use It?

2. How Do We Use It?

3. Discussion guide What Can We Do With the ATCAT? Narrative Informal interview with XXX by teacher of deaf/hard of hearing 2/25/09. The teacher of deaf and hard of hearing used a rough draft of the ATCAT to focus on challenges XXXX might face while in the classroom with a hearing loss. The following summarizes that discussion. Closed captioning. Sometimes she sees closed captioning at the bottom of the screen. She thinks that might help in class, but she doesn't know how to turn it on. Lessons. XXX thinks she understands her teacher's lessons, but she sometimes keeps her questions to herself. She does raise her hand sometimes. She knows she has many people she can ask, including her teacher and other helpers who might be in class. She thinks she needs the most help in the mornings during reading. Hearing in classes. Sometimes XXX gets a little frustrated when someone says something fast or when they are not using the microphone. She is not afraid to ask a friend for help, but she has never asked a person to use the microphone.

4. What Can We Do With the ATCAT? 4. Classroom skills. XXX knows she has a patch cord for her computer, but she has never used it because they don't go to computer class very often. She does know how it should be used. She feels she has good test taking skills, but sometimes she is afraid of tests because she figures it will be hard. I am not given extra time to do work, but I think there's enough time to finish my work. I don't get a listening break, and I think that would really help me! When we have a snack, we do math and have to listen, too, so it's not a listening break. I get a break at lunch and at recess. XXX doesn't have to take any notes yet in school. 5. Seeing & Hearing in class. XXX thinks the color BLUE on the Smart Board is hard to see, because it is blurry. Sometimes class discussions are noisy and hard to follow. Most of the time I can see my peers and hear them during class. 6. Peers. My peers normally talk loud so I can hear. It would help me a lot if someone would close the door when there is hallway noise. It would also help if my peers would try to be quiet while others are talking. Normally my peers don't help me during school. XXX would like the teacher of deaf and hard of hearing to in-service her classroom on what they can do to help everyone hear well in the classroom. XXX does not want her friends to help her with her FM system, because they might not take good care of the system.

5. What Can We Do With the ATCAT? 7. My teacher. My teacher talks clearly so I can hear her. She is there for questions when I need to ask questions, and she gives me enough time to answer questions. My teacher repeats things, and that helps me a lot. I would benefit from some rephrasing when I do not understand during the school day. XXX didn't think her teacher uses visuals to explain, but I am not sure she completely understands what "using visuals" really means. Again, when asked if someone paid attention to XXX being able to see and hear the best she could, she didn't think anyone did. I think she is unaware of the efforts that are being made. Her class does not pass the mic around when others talk, and she thinks that would be great if they would. She thinks a second mic would be a great idea for passing around. 8. Preferential seating. XXX didn't know she could ask to sit in a better listening seat in the classroom. When she has an opportunity, she does try to sit near the teacher. XXX had no idea that carpeting helps her hear by making it quieter in the classroom. XXX says it is noisy in her classroom because kids like to talk. She would like it quieter in class so she can hear better. 9. Hearing aids. XXX can detect when her hearing aid battery is dead and can replace her own batteries. She cleans her own ear molds at home. She knows how to use a pick to clean out the wax. She can check her own batteries and also helps set up and charge her own FM system. XXX would like the school nurse to continue doing her hearing aid listening checks every morning.

6. Informal Interview 000 With OOO, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 3-31-09. Accommodations: I use to do sign language, but not since my CI. I remember some signs and my parents use them sometimes if I am far from them or in the swimming pool. My classmates sometimes use the buddy mic for the sound field. Communication in the Classroom: I watch the teacher, understand them, understand the instructions, and I sit where I can see. We have carpeting in our classroom, but not all the rooms we go to. I ask people to say it again if I didn’t hear. What is advocate and amplification?

7. Informal Interview 000 With OOO, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 3-31-09. Student & Interaction: What is assistive technology? I use a sound field and CI. I use teacher’s charts in the room to help me learn. I don’t get a special listening break during the day. If I get stuck I ask the teacher. Teacher’s Communication: If I can’t hear, I point to my ear so the teacher knows I don’t understand.

8. Informal Interview 000 With OOO, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 3-31-09. SPL’s comments: Communication: A very “gabby” student with excellent communication skills. Environmental Factors: There is carpeting in my room. My back is against the wall rather than the window. There is natural light. There is some noise when people enter the middle room or sometimes from the hall. I keep my door shut to help block out some of the noise.

9. Informal Interview 000 With OOO, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 3-31-09. Mainstream teacher’s comments: OOO could be in the top third of the class if OOO put forth the effort. Most of my answers were “yes”. I do see OOO as a student who participates well, follows the topic, and communicates well with peers and adults. This is the first year my job share partner and I have had d/hh students in our room and we would like to have them in the future.

10. Informal Interview 000 With OOO, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 3-31-09. D/HH Teacher -OOO attends to teacher. OOO had no difficulty understanding the lesson as I watched OOO independently follow the directions and complete the assignment. Student’s responses were “on target” when called upon during class discussion. Student sat near back of room and when asked if that was a “good listening seat” responded “yes”. OOO said he was seated near the sound field box and could easily see all students and the teacher. If he could not see things on the overhead he looked at peers or asked for clarification. Due to the nature of job sharing, both teachers are organized and good communicators. They repeat peers’ answers/comments. Teaching strategies are innovative. They stated they could not live without the sound field system. If there is group activity the d/hh student’s group is allowed to move to the hallway where there is less noise.

11. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Accommodations: I know I can ask for help and we close the door when hallway is noisy. The noise bothers the hearing kids too. (AAA answered “sometimes” to the other questions.) Communication in Classroom: AAA had a mixture of sometimes and yes. AAA also wanted to know what “advocate” meant. AAA said sometimes classmates are quiet. We have no carpeting in the music room, but do in our room.

12. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Student & Interaction: All but one were answered “sometimes”. AAA stated there is a slideshow on the computer that shows what we will be doing that day. (visual materials)

13. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Teacher’s Communication: The whole class understands my speech. Sometimes the teacher guesses when answering a question because they don’t know the answer. I am included in conversations during lit circles.

14. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. SPL comments: AAA can retell events with detail if it is a preferred subject. If subject is non-preferred, student demonstrates difficulty with sequencing and linguistic organization.

15. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Mainstream teacher comments: Student AAA is in lowest third of class. Student’s participation-Student AAA follows directions and is very involved in class activities by volunteering. Student sometimes asks for clarification.

16. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Student’s Social-Although student participates with peers, student sometimes has confidence in communicating socially, understands chit-chat, and has social skills equal to peers. Communication with me-Even though student has way to communicate effectively student asks for repetition when talking with me. Student sometimes understands after lesson is completed, but looks at peers for cues or asks me for clarification. I have to restate rather than repeat. Classroom environment-I use the overhead all the time. Seldom do we watch videos and we would attempt to use closed captioning.

17. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Social Awareness-Student loves to socialize with peers and is well liked by them. Student uses cues form peers during a lesson to make sure student is on right track. Communication-The student’s fm transmitter is hooked into the sound field system which we use constantly. The buddy mic is used when there is extensive talking. It is difficult to pass the mic around for random responses so I repeat them for all students to hear. Students are reminded to speak loudly for the benefit of all.

18. Informal Interview AAA With AAA, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. D/HH Teacher: I know student well enough that I can usefully tell form facial expression as to how much student understands. There is a blank look and student looks intently at teacher or peers for cues. Student needs intense reinforcement of new vocabulary and concepts. Student uses fm with CI. The transmitter is plugged into the sound field system. Teacher faces class when talking and repeats students’ comments. Student will volunteer when sure of an answer. Student commented in a noisy environment it is difficult to hear and has informed staff. Student loves to talk with peers. Teacher articulation, rate, and loudness are appropriate. Teacher does allow wait time for student responses. A variety of strategies are used to reinforce the main idea.

19. Informal Interview MMM With MMM, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Accommodations: Student did not feel the classmates try to be quiet. Student tells people to be quiet and if they are not quiet will tell the teacher. Student said that sometimes the mic is passed around. The classroom door is always closed when the hall is noisy. Communication in Classroom: Student rated “sometimes” for areas of watching the teacher, understanding people, and understanding instruction. There is carpet in the classroom, but not in the music room. Student told the sub how to wear the fm transmitter correctly.

20. Informal Interview MMM With MMM, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Student & Interaction: I wear BAHA hearing aids. I look at the schedule to know what is happening that day. I get listening breaks at recess. (At the IEP meeting when asked who she hangs out with at recess, the student said she liked to be swing or be alone because she needed a break from the classroom noise.) I ask the teacher when I am stuck. Teacher’s Communication: The teacher tells the whole class to speak louder so I don’t have to do it. I sometimes understand the teacher because I don’t always know the meaning of words she says. The teacher repeats things, but I think she does it for the whole class and not just for me. If I don’t understand I tap the top of my head.

21. Informal Interview MMM With MMM, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. Mainstream teacher comments: Student is in middle third of class for reading and lower third for math. Student’s social skills are not equal to peers and student does not participate with peers. Student understands the lesson sometimes, but it is not because she could not hear. She has difficulty understanding material and needs lots of repetition. (Classroom environment and communication in the setting are the same as student AAA.)

22. Informal Interview MMM With MMM, 5TH grader, by teacher of the d/hh 4-06-09. D/HH Teacher comments: Student usually attends to the teacher and is able to repeat what the teacher said even if not watching. She is from a single parent home and spent many hours with grandparents growing up which might be why she tends to gravitate towards adults. She is aware things do not come easily to her when studying some subjects. She participates in class discussion. She is overwhelmed when there is too much auditory or visual stimulation.

23. An Accommodation Reference Card • Find a quieter place to work away from classroom distractions. • Get copies of notes (and I add to those notes during discussions). • Ask teacher to sit up front in the classroom. • Make arrangements to leave the class when things become too overwhelming (teacher or director). • Find out where the support services help is (ask other students, teacher,. ..).

24. An Accommodation Reference Card • 6.Remember to ask for help—ask before I get frustrated. • Plan NOT to get behind in my work. Use good time management at home! Don’t procrastinate! • Highlight my notes of the most important information. • 9. Study for every test! Make sure to go through all the information. If I go through the material in advance, make sure to go over it again and again before the test, or I forget information!

25. An Accommodation Reference Card Year 2 I need a paraprofessional or tutor for support to make sure I am doing the assignment correctly. I need a note taker to take notes for me because I might miss hearing something and it’s hard to take notes and listen with a hearing loss. 3. Listening to class discussions (especially when students are participating) can be tough. Having someone take notes of those discussions, at the very least, would be invaluable.

26. An Accommodation Reference Card Year 2 Noisy classrooms are EXTREMELY difficult environments for me to listen. Can I ask for CART at college when we haven’t had that service at high school? 6. I usually need more time to complete tests.

27. An Accommodation Reference Card Year 2 I need advice from a support service person at the college. I will need to contact that person before starting classes. I usually need to find a quiet place to work away from distractions. 9. In class, the best place for me to sit is towards the front of the room (first 3 seats).

28. An Accommodation Reference Card Year 2 I might need to make arrangements to leave the class when things become too overwhelming. I need to remember to ask for help right away so I don’t become frustrated. 12. I need to remind myself to keep on track so I don’t get behind in my work.

29. An Accommodation Reference Card Year 2 I need to remind myself to use my time wisely. I need to remind myself to study for every test! I should study a little everyday, instead of just the day before. Don’t be afraid to ask someone else in the class to study with me. 16. I need to remind myself to keep up with the reading everyday so I don’t get behind. I would get the most out of class if I keep up with the assignments and readings.

30. A Card To Carry Around Student name

31. A Card To Carry Around

32. An In-service For Peers Talking through student form --what would you like included?

33. A Full-Cycle Assessment The ATCAT is a full-cycle assessment of access. We used to only worry about bottom up stuff--preferential seating, good amplification, notes, etc. Now we are adding TOP DOWN thinking (Is the student learning? Is the student understanding?).

34. Contact Us With Feedback! The ATCAT is a work in progress… Diane Joseph Sherry Landrud Jane Dorn Djoseph@isd12.org Jane.Dorn@anoka.k12.mn.us SLLandrud@District287.org