"Lost in Transition"

Developing online multimedia portfolios to support students in transition.

Feb 21st, 2013

Toby RickardSeth Pfaefflin

About This Project:• The Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum

Disorders funded a grant to develop and implement electronic transition portfolios.

• This project is just getting started as a pilot program with 40 students in the Eugene School District.

• Data and results will be reported in June 2013, with full implementation guides and video training provided.

• Thank you’s go out to Brian Naghaski and Mary Jo Erickson, the OCASD Transition Subcommittee, Santa Fe, and all our Eugene Implementation Teams.

The Target Population:

• Students moving from high school to post-graduate services.

• Students moving from school district services into service agency supports.

• We are also using this for 5th to 6th grade transitions, and 8th to 9th grade.

What is an online multimedia portfolio?

• A content management system for student created artifacts that represent their skills and work abilities.

• A resume for the 21st century. Can include video of them on the job, work evaluations, rating scales, etc.

• A roadmap for where the student wants to go in the future. Includes tools to support this like person centered plans and goal setting.

An example portfolio:

Why do online portfolios?

• Unemployment rates for people with autism are at 93%. Tools like this can help address communication and social barriers.

• Lack of student involvement in IEP's. Many students do not know what is in their IEP, or how it really relates to them.

• Lack of self advocacy at college. Only 40% of students with disabilities ask for accommodations they are entitled to.

Why do online portfolios?

• Portability: helps solve the tendency of paper to get buried in files and not make transition jumps with the student.

• Involvement: The student becomes a more active partner in managing a personal archive, understanding their IEP, and infusing their interests into their portfolio.

• More accurate understanding: New service providers can get a comprehensive picture of the student’s skills and abilities.

A Higher Ed portfolio:

A Cognitively Accessible Portfolio:

A Middle School ePortfolio:

Interagency Collaboration

Communication with team members The content management feature allows for easy posting of messages

between team members. Documents, pictures and video can be posted and shared. It can serve as a timeline of the student’s achievements and ongoing

supports.

Community linkages for families Helps families understand and navigate the myriad of services. Addresses the high staff turnover rates. It reflects the student and family values, hopes, and dreams.

Synergy of combined efforts Don’t have to reinvent the wheel or start over again in isolation.

The Importance of Interest Based Programming:

• There is an abundance of autism research on infusing a student’s special interests into their service programming.

• Students are more engaged and participate more when the content is relevant and meaningful to them.

• Best job or career success often comes when special interests are considered.

Choice and Voice

• When a student has writing barriers, this format of using picture and video can help give them a voice.

• With unique student learning styles, the portfolio can be a cognitive touchstone.

An example portfolio:

Universal design

Accessibility:•Icons can be used to increase visual navigation.

•Readily incorporates the use of pictures and video.

•Easy interface for adding new content.

•Easy to customize or simplify depending on individual user needs.

Helps Address:

• Accommodations and Modifications

• Tools for self-advocacy

• Generalization issues

• Executive functioning barriers

UD is designing systems to be accessible to all users.

http://www.cast.org/udl/

It’s a Process, not a Product.

• We will provide the templates to start you on the process.

• It is meant to be done with students, individualizing and customizing for each student’s particular goals and needs.

• It’s an active, living collection. Like a fire, you must keep feeding it to keep it going.

Self management• Self-determination:

o As part of the process in developing their own portfolio, students choose what content to include, and what their personal roadmap will look like.

• Student directed planning: o Students learn skills to develop their own long term

goals and break them down in smaller steps. All plans are made around the student’s own vision for their future.

Employment examples:

Visual résumé:

Andrew working at the shelter.

General Overview of the Process

1. Download the .xml template file onto your computer.

2. Start a Wordpress account for yourself. (Free).

3. Under the Wordpress dashboard, go to the Tools Section and import the .xml template.

4. Start customizing the template with the student or client. (We will be posting an implementation guide to address this.)

Importing a template:

Once we provide the .xml file, you simply go into the tools menu and

import it, making sure to check the box to also import the attachments.

Is there an app for that?

Limitations

• Who takes the lead and helps the student get started.

• Technology proficiency.

• Initial time investment.

• Content management systems, like Wordpress, are not universally designed.

• Disclosure of disability and privacy concerns.

Questions&

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