All Courses, Mini-Trainings and Technical Assistance

This course addresses the unique learners in your classroom; the student who is two grade levels behind in reading, students who are English language learners, students with disabilities who experience challenges with reading and writing, and students who are at grade level but struggle with focus.  
 

This course will enable you to infuse a few technology tools into your classroom to provide students with options for accessing content. In this course, you will learn about Accessible Educational Material (AEM) and technology tools that are hidden in plain sight in your schools.  Examples of teacher accounts of using tools like read-aloud, closed captioning, and translation to increase student engagement are included.
 

Provides an overview of accommodations for students with disabilities including instructional accommodations, testing accommodations, and documentation of accommodations on the individualized education program.

This course provides an overview of assistive technology (AT) as is relates to the majority of students with high-incident disabilities in public education. It explores the consideration process, implementation, and evaluation of AT, and a readily available, free AT resource, Bookshare.

This course aims to familiarize educators and parents with assistive technology devices and services and provide a foundational understanding of what it means to consider and assess assistive technology (AT) with students to remove learning barriers. 

Examines the three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and discusses how to apply these principles to the four curricular components—goals, instructional materials, instructional methods, and assessments.

The content for this course uses materials from the IRIS Center to take participants through autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from a variety of perspectives. Participants will understand the characteristics of individuals with ASD, become familiar with evidence based practices and instructional strategies to support students with ASD, and learn practical ways to build productive and collaborative relationships with families.

The content for this course was originally part of the Special Education Consistency Index (SECI) training that was required to be able to use the SECI platform. The SECI platform was discontinued, however, the content from what was Module Two continues to be requested for staff training. The focus of the original course content was the Evaluation Review Tool and IEP Review Tool. This revised course will use the original documents and videos for these tools and take this learning further into application. 

An overview of progress monitoring—how it can affect the outcomes of students, how to implement curriculum-based measurement, and how to use progress monitoring data to make instructional decisions. All basic academic areas are addressed with a special emphasis on reading.

This course provides an overview of data-based individualization and provides information about adaptations for intensifying and individualizing instruction as well as information on making data-based instructional decisions. Specifically, discusses collecting and analyzing progress monitoring and diagnostic assessment data.

Discusses the importance of differentiating three aspects of instruction: content, process, and product. It explores the student traits—readiness level, interest, and learning profile—that influence learning.

An introduction to evidence-based practices including identifying and selecting a practice or program, implementing a practice with fidelity, and evaluating learner outcomes and fidelity.

Learn about Executive Function (EF)—more commonly known by the term study skills—which refers to the mental processes that control and coordinate activities related to learning. It's an underlying skill set that many students struggle with and is often an area of deficit for students with high incidence disabilities such as learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Gain strategies to embed targeted EF skills instruction within content-specific instruction to help students who struggle with EF increase academic success.

Explicit instruction was recently identified as a high-leverage practice in education, and there is a strong evidence base for its use. This course provides learners with an opportunity to extend their understanding beyond the "what" of explicit instruction to the "how-to'" through in-depth exposure to the explicit instruction model and supporting practices required for effective implementation.

Explore in depth the twenty-two High Leverage Practices (HLPs) that all special educators should be able to demonstrate. The HLPs are organized around four aspects of practice—collaboration, assessment, social/emotional/behavioral, and instruction. The selected practices are used frequently in classrooms and have been shown to improve student outcomes if successfully implemented. Based on materials developed by the Council for Exceptional Children and the CEEDAR Center.

Takes you through the OSPI Inclusionary Practices (IP) Handbook, Section 1: An Instructional Guide for Inclusive Educators, developed by the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession (CSTP) on behalf of OSPI. As you navigate through the IP Handbook, you will dig deeper into the concepts presented via readings, videos, and activities that were selected and designed by educators from across Washington State.

Takes you through the OSPI Inclusionary Practices (IP) Handbook, Section 2: Inclusive Learning Environments, developed by the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession (CSTP) on behalf of OSPI. As you navigate through the IP Handbook, you will dig deeper into the concepts presented via readings, videos, and activities that were selected and designed by educators from across Washington State.

Explore concepts and considerations that promote access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities. As educators and educator-leaders, it is our role to develop and implement plans and strategies that provide students with disabilities the greatest access to general education opportunities.

This course highlights tips for modifying lessons and ways to make lessons accessible for students with visual impairments and underscores the importance of the general education teacher's collaboration with professionals and other individuals knowledgeable about the needs of students with visual disabilities.

This course describes the benefits of including students with significant cognitive disabilities in general education classrooms. It also offers information on how teachers can plan for and teach these students in inclusive classrooms.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports are comprised of five essential elements. Participants will register for one element at a time and navigate through via readings, videos, and assignments that were selected and designed by educators from across Washington State. The elements are designed to be taken in any order and were developed by the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession in collaboration with OSPI.

• Continuum of Supports (Free, 0 clock hours; 20 clock hours, $80)
• Data-Based Decision Making (Free, 0 clock hours; 20 clock hours, $80)
• Evidence-Based Practices (Free, 0 clock hours; 20 clock hours, $80)
• Team-Driven Shared Leadership (Free, 0 clock hours; 20 clock hours, $80)
• Family, Student, and Community Engagement (Free, 0 clock hours, $80)

This course utilizes content from various sources and organizations dedicated to promoting and teaching self-advocacy skills to people with disabilities.

Introduction to working with students who have a combined vision and hearing loss including identification, challenges, and strategies.

Comprehensive literacy instruction for all students requires the use of tools and strategies that make the instruction accessible. This course will address how strategic tools or strategies can make literacy instruction accessible to students with complex communication needs and physical disabilities. Best practices and research-based strategies for literacy instruction will be included throughout the course. Educators and parents will be equipped with foundational tools and universal strategies to improve literacy instruction for students with complex communication needs and physical disabilities which will be applied throughout this course.

In addition to procedural compliance requirements, this course addresses the paramount importance of reducing exclusionary practices to address disproportionate representation of sub-group populations and actions educators can take to accomplish this goal.  The significance of effective family engagement practices as they relate to student discipline and behavior is also addressed.

Highlights the importance of establishing a comprehensive classroom behavior management system and provides practical strategies for helping students become independent learners and addressing noncompliant and disruptive behaviors.

Explores the basic principles of behavior and the importance of discovering the reasons that students engage in problem behavior. The steps to conducting a functional behavioral assessment and developing a behavior plan are described.

Takes you through the concept of restorative practices and classroom implementation with specific emphasis on strategies that can be implemented in the classroom and school setting.

Explores sources and types of trauma, the body's response to trauma, and what can be done to combat the impact of trauma on self and others. Relevant and timely given the current pandemic and its lasting impact. 

Learn about effective assessment practices and how to make data-based decisions to inform interventions and goal development.

Learn ways to support student learning and development through quality adult-child and child-child interactions.

Provides information on how to set-up effective inclusive early childhood classroom environments. It discusses the interrelated physical, social, and temporal components of those environments, as well as adaptations to help teachers meet the needs of children with disabilities. Also includes information on early childhood behavior management with an emphasis on creating developmentally appropriate expectations and designing proactive systems for teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors.

Learn the components of a student’s natural and inclusive environment and why attending to the environment is crucial for students with disabilities.

Learn about effective family-professional partnership practices and why strong and trusting family-professional partnerships are crucial for students with disabilities.

Learn about effective instructional practices that are intentional and systematic to inform what to teach, when to teach, how to evaluate the effects of teaching, and how to support and evaluate the quality of instructional practices implemented by others.

Learn the components of teaming and collaboration and why teaming and collaboration between practitioners and families is crucial for children with disabilities.

This course will help you support the transitions of students with disabilities and their families between and among services, supports, and programs.

This course takes you through Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Plans, High School & Beyond Plans, and Graduation Pathways and shows the interconnection between all. Participants will learn basic components of each and how a student’s academic journey can be customized to meet their unique needs and desired outcomes. 

Provides an overview of several agencies that work with students with disabilities as they transition from school to work. Gain a basic understanding of the resources and supports available to all students, including those for whom competitive employment may not be an option.

Explores assessments, resources, and lesson plans in the areas of emotional intelligence, self-determination, self-advocacy, independent living, and supports for employment to ensure that students with disabilities receive the services and supports necessary to pursue their post-school expectations.

The overall goal of this course is to develop an understanding of instructional and assessment practices that will lead to meaningful job shadow experiences that align with a student's post-secondary goals.  Research tells us that providing job shadow experiences that align with a student's expressed interests increases the likelihood of gainful employment after exiting the K-12 system. The course starts with the introduction module then moves into and explores the concepts of work-based learning, collaboration, and the job shadow experience.

This course provides an overview of inclusionary practices and the importance of collaboration between special education and career technical education. Participants will learn strategies to increase access to CTE courses for students with disabilities while working through the complex change of building CTE and SE partnerships. 

Provides an overview of the many transition services available to support a student’s transition from high school to postsecondary education and training, including non-traditional college options. Gain an understanding of how IEP teams can plan coordinated services that will help students with disabilities make progress toward their postsecondary transition goals.

Designed to inform educators about best practices in involving students in their individualized education programs (IEP), giving them leadership opportunities, and ultimately encouraging them to become the drivers of their IEPs.

Provides an overview of important issues involving students with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds and the challenges facing CLD students, their families and the caregivers who support them. Explore cultural competency, transition, language access laws, adult service eligibility, agency collaboration, and person-centered planning. Gain an understanding of CLD issues, best practices, and the resources and supports available.

Designed to inform educators and families about best practices in developing transition plans within the individualized education program (IEP).

This course explores the broad concepts of mindset-equity and inclusion, implicit bias, and repairing harm and how these concepts shape our experiences.

Takes you through the concept of restorative practices and classroom implementation with specific emphasis on strategies that can be implemented in the classroom and school setting.

This course provides many aspects about relationships between educator-and-student, educator-and-educator, and most importantly, self. By specifically examining different personality types and tools to assist with navigating relationships, participants will explore how to define and develop healthy boundaries. While the content brings in classroom and student connections, the focus is to allow participants time to explore these self-care concepts and to think about how you might use them in everyday settings.

Explores sources and types of trauma, the body’s response to trauma, and what can be done to combat the impact of trauma on self and others. Relevant and timely given the current pandemic and its lasting impact. 

Focus on the importance of family engagement and attitudes toward disability and how to better understand and engage with families of students with disabilities. The content for this course is based on online training modules developed by the IRIS Center.

This course covers the process of developing high-quality individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities including the requirements for IEPs as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with implications of the Supreme Court's ruling in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. Additionally, specific content offers guidance to building administrators to support and facilitate the development and implementation of high-quality IEPs.

An overview of the special education process by which students are identified as having a disability and in need of special education and related services and, therefore, an individualized education program.

This mini-training provides an overview of the special education process that governs students transferring between school districts in Washington and into Washington from other states and countries. This mini-training will help participants:

• Understand legal and procedural requirements for students eligible for special education services transferring into a district from within the state of Washington.
• Understand legal and procedural requirements for students eligible for special education services transferring into a district from outside the state of Washington.
• Understand definitions of critical concepts (in consultation with parents, comparable services, etc.) relevant to the transfer process.
• Understand concurrent regulations and requirements for particular populations (military, McKinney-Vento, etc.) as it relates to the transfer process.

An overview of how to respond to requests for paraeducator support, how to define paraeducator support in the special education process, and the balance between student independence and provision of paraeducator support.

An overview of the procedures and regulations related to discipline for students eligible for special education services.

An overview of the purpose, regulatory requirements, and timeliness of Prior Written Notice.

An overview of the purpose, regulatory requirements, and timeliness of progress reporting.

Provides an overview of the special education process by which students are identified as having a disability and in need of special education and related services and, therefore, an individualized education program (IEP). The process is broken into components including identification, evaluation, and eligibility.

An overview of the service matrix component of the IEP and the connection between the service matrix, service delivery, and least restrictive environment.

This mini-training builds on eLearning for Educators Mini-Training Module: Service Delivery in the Special Education Process and provides an overview of further elements of the IEP. In this training, participants will: 

• Understand the role of the evaluation team and IEP team in determining the need for services.
• Understand the distinction between Specially Designed Instruction (SDI), Related Services and Supplementary Aids and Services (SAS).
• Understand the distinction between accommodations and modifications.
• Understand special factors that the IEP team should consider in the development of the IEP.
   

This course is intended to provide general education teachers functional information about the background and requirement s of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to meaningfully participate as a member of IEP teams. The relationship between special education and MTSS as well as Universal Design for Learning principles are included to support general education staff in making wellinformed decisions about whether a referral for a special education evaluation is appropriate and necessary.

As you navigate through Child Outcome Summary (COS) Reporting in Early Learning, you will dig deeper into the purpose of COS including accuracy and fidelity of COS reporting. As you explore the material, you will be given videos, reflective questions, optional activities/practice quizzes, and two required assessments to help you have a thorough understanding of the content.

This self-paced training takes three to six hours to complete. This training is designed to provide you with a complete understanding of LRE Coding in Pre-K IEPs. It was developed by ESD 121 and ESD 189 on behalf of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). As you navigate through LRE coding in Pre-K IEPs you will dig deeper into identifying the accurate LRE coding based on setting, duration and location of services. As you explore the material, you will be given reading, reflective questions, videos and assignments to help you have a thorough understanding of the content.