High-Leverage Practices for Students with Disabilities | |
HLP5: Interpret and Communicate Data | |
Happy April! The theme for this month is based on the fifth high-leverage practice from High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) in Special Education: Interpret and communicate assessment information with stakeholders to collaboratively design and implement educational programs. Keep reading for resources and more! | | | |
Data Counts: Collaborating and Communicating for Student Success | |
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Interpreting data to stakeholders is no small feat. Taking that data and collaboratively designing educational goals and interventions with those stakeholders can seem daunting. Malloy, Lee, and Cawthon (2016) touch on the importance of collaborating with a common goal in mind in an article for Odyssey titled “Evaluative Thinking: Using Results-Oriented Reasoning to Strengthen Collaboration,”:
Collaboration is more likely to be fruitful when team members are able to exercise evaluative thinking systematically about the change they want to achieve and properly ground efforts in evidence… As teams begin to think analytically through their purpose and arrive at common goals, they generate momentum, enthusiasm, and greater commitment to work. Moreover, when teams have a plan that is rooted in evidence and includes indicators to monitor progress, they can begin the meaningful work that is required for change.
John Hattie (2018) further drives home the point that collaboration with a common goal is critical with his Barometer of Influence showing “Collective Teacher Efficacy” as the number one, most positive action that impacts student outcomes with an effect size of 1.57.
How do you collaborate with stakeholders to successfully implement an individual education plan (IEP) for students who are deaf/hard of hearing (DHH)?
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Build trust. Assuming positive intent and ensuring the “trust battery” is full (Fried & Hansson, 2018), as discussed in previous HLP videos, helps difficult conversations run more smoothly.
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Communicate. Communication with all members is crucial. Communication between members should occur regularly. Communication with all stakeholders, especially families, should occur before a meeting.
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Share goals. The speech-language pathologist (SLP) and teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing (ToDHH) may have similar goals for communication and language development. Goals should be shared by all members of the IEP team, which in turn makes for a more productive, cohesive, and efficient strategy.
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Remember the common goal. The ultimate goal is a successful outcome for the student. When the focus is on the student, all team members can work collaboratively together.
Established teams may find collaboration a natural byproduct of close working conditions with common goals. This may be significantly different when a program, school, or district is experiencing high levels of staff turnover. Further, working collaboratively can be difficult when the IEP team members change from year to year, even as a result of student matriculation. Reestablishing “trust batteries” and collective efficacy can be exhausting, but knowing that the common goal is to achieve positive outcomes for the student can create a sense of purpose that helps the team see the IEP through to fruition.
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National Deaf History Month | |
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The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) recently announced that the dates for National Deaf History Month will be April 1-30 (NAD, 2022).
Deaf history has become a cornerstone in Deaf Culture* among the Deaf Community* for many years. It’s celebrated, reflected upon, and has empowered many individuals to advocate and stand up for equal access. Members of the Deaf Community are proud of their heritage, their language, and their culture. During Deaf events, historical figures that have been influential to the community are often the center of discussions. Gallaudet University, which holds a prominent position among the community as one of the only universities to offer all instructional coursework in American Sign Language, has developed a historical timeline reflecting on historical figures and events that have shaped the Deaf Community into what it is today. Gallaudet has also produced a documentary called Through Deaf Eyes that captures the progression of the Deaf Community throughout history. The documentary can be borrowed from the Media and Materials Loan Library at no cost for Florida stakeholders.
*Using capitalization for “Deaf,” “Deaf Culture,” and “Deaf Community” is common for individuals who are deaf and culturally identify with the Deaf Community.
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Visual Phonics Professional Development | RMTC-D/HH is excited to offer See the Sound Visual Phonics in two different virtual formats to meet the diverse needs of stakeholders. You choose the format that works best for you. |
When?
Option 1. This asynchronous online training with Krista Phelps will be offered with a rolling start date between February 1, 2022- April 4, 2022. Participants must complete the six-week training by May 13, 2022, or earlier. Participants must enter progress monitoring data for at least two students in the FDLRS Impact Database in order to receive a certificate of completion.
| Option 2. This 2-day real-time online training with Sherry Conrad will be held on April 26, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET AND on April 27, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. Participants must attend both days. Participants must enter progress monitoring data for at least two students in the FDLRS Impact Database in order to receive a certificate of completion. | | |
RMTC-D/HH is excited to offer Thinking on THIRDSdays, a professional learning community (PLC) for all educators providing instruction and support to Florida students who are D/HH. Led by RMTC-D/HH staff, this opportunity allows district personnel the opportunity to pose and respond to peer inquiries about the education, planning, programming, and needs of students who are D/HH. RMTC-DHH is delighted to welcome Dr. Jennifer Johnson of the Child Safety Collaborative to join in the conversations in April and May! |
When?
The next event will be April 21, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT).
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Expanded Skills Spotlight | |
America’s Founders: Friends of the Deaf | |
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Resources:
In order to keep all the resources in one place, RMTC-D/HH has created a LiveBinder that is categorized by the twenty-two “High-Leverage Practices for Students with Disabilities” from the CEEDAR Center and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). To see the resources available by each category, check out the LiveBinder!
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Resources from the RMTC-D/HH Media and Materials Loan Library:
The below resources from the Media and Materials Loan Library* have relevance to Deaf History Month or HLP5: Interpret and communicate assessment information with stakeholders to collaboratively design and implement educational programs.
*Florida stakeholders can borrow these and many other resources from RMTC-D/HH's Media and Materials Loan Library, for FREE. Each material comes with a return label, making even the shipping at no charge to the borrower.
Deaf History Month Resources:
The Hearing World Around Me (#95): Trix Bruce's stories are those of culture clash and connection, contact, and confusion, and the many ways language and identity can twist our perceptions of each other. Her energetic style, witty delivery, poetic grace, and open-hearted honesty provides a realistic perspective of life as a deaf person among the hearing.
Through Deaf Eyes (#75): This video explores almost 200 years of deaf life in America and presents a broad range of perspectives on what it means to be deaf. "Through Deaf Eyes" provides a voice telling this story about what it means to be deaf.

No Ordinary Hero - The Super Deafy Movie (#441): This movie is a family drama about diversity and inclusion. When a deaf actor who plays a superhero on television looks beyond his cape to influence a deaf boy to redefine what "being normal" means, he also finds inspiration to transform himself. Featuring a cast that includes Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, Shoshannah Stern, Ryan Lane, and John Maucere. No Ordinary Hero is a family-friendly film and a must-see for parents who desire to have their children grow up celebrating the differences that exist between us.
HLP5 Resources:
A Mother's Perspective on the IEP Process - Giving a Hand to Good Education (#242): IEP meetings can impact a child's whole educational experience. Get a glimpse into the perspective of a parent with a daughter who is D/HH.
Inclusion, IEP, and Special Needs Laws (#291): The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) provides six principles that govern the education of children with special needs. This examination of IDEA gives background information, insight, and strategies inclusive classroom teachers can use. This DVD takes a detailed look at the importance of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and how to effectively work with other members of the IEP team, including parents and caregivers of children with disabilities.
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Summer Camps with NRSC
NTID Regional STEM Center (NRSC) offers a variety of summer camps at no cost to Florida high school students who are DHH including the following: Marine Lab, STEM in Agriculture, GenCyber, and Summer Transition Program. Registration is now open!
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VR Career Camps
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Florida Department of Education offers VR Career Camps for students age 14 to 21. ​​Students not currently receiving services from VR but who are interested in participating in a VR Career Camp will need to be referred to VR for services. Anyone can refer students to VR, including parents, service providers and schools. Use this VR Office Directory to locate the VR office nearest you to express your interest in the VR Career Camp and a VR representative will assist you.
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FEDHH Conference
The Florida Educators of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (FEDHH) will be hosting the 2022 Summit on Childhood Deafness. Call for proposals is now open.
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Microsoft Reading Fluency Tool
Microsoft has launched a new tool to use within Teams called Reading Coach. Reading Coach is a reading practice tool for students that automatically generates individualized exercises based on each student's specific needs. This new offering complements Microsoft’s current portfolio of tools supporting students in developing critical literacy skills, including Reading Progress, Education Insights, Immersive Reader, and more.
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RMTC-D/HH provides Tech Notes as a free resource to teachers, professionals, and parents around the state in order to pass along potentially useful information and expand the knowledge and opportunities available to educators and families of children who are deaf/hard of hearing. This email was funded by the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Part B funds. The information included does not reflect any specific endorsement by any parties involved. | | |
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References:
Corwin Visible Learning Plus & Osiris Educational. (2019). Hattie’s barometer of influence. [Infographic]. https://visible-learning.org/2022/01/hatties-barometer-of-influence-infographic/
Hattie, J. (2018). Hattie Ranking: 252 Influences And Effect Sizes Related To Student Achievement. Visible Learning. https://visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking-influences-effect-sizes-learning-achievement/
McLeskey, J., Barringer, M-D., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Jackson, D., Kennedy, M., Lewis, T., Maheady, L., Rodriguez, J., Scheeler, M. C., Winn, J., & Ziegler, D. (2017, January). High-leverage practices in special education. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children & CEEDAR Center. https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/hlps/
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Suggested Citation:
Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf/Hard [RMTC-D/HH]. (2022, April). HLP5: Interpret and communicate data. Tech Notes. https://www.rmtcdhh.org/tech-notes-archive/
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