| With the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-17), the mission of alternative programs has expanded from the education of youth who have dropped out, or who were at risk for dropping out, to students with disabilities whose behavior warrants special attention outside the general education setting. These programs now provide alternative programming, including flexible curricula that can address the unique social, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and vocational needs of the individual student. In contrast to the traditional alternative settings where students were "sent away," many communities are offering alternative programs within the public school setting.
While there are numerous models for serving students with disabilities in alternative programs, there are seven essential elements of effective programs (Quinn & Rutherford, 1998; Rutherford, Nelson, & Wolford, 1985: (1) functional assessments; (2) functional curriculum; (3) effective and efficient instructional techniques; (4) programming for effective and efficient transitions; (5) comprehensive systems; (6) appropriate staff, resources, and procedural protections for students with disabilities (Rutherford & Howell, 1997); and (7) educational climates that are supportive of the student's social/emotional needs (Quinn, Osher, Hoffman, & Hanley, 1998).
Functional Assessment
Assessment of student needs for the development of educational and treatment plans is essential to successful alternative programs. Functional assessment procedures identify student strengths and skill deficits that interfere with educational achievement and social/emotional adjustment. This form of assessment is based on identifying students' needs in relationship to the curriculum and to their individualized education program (IEP), rather than on global achievement and/or ability measures.
Functional assessment is also a continuous process, not static, and results can be used to make systematic adjustments in the student's educational program (Howell, Fox, & Morehead, 1993). Assessment procedures should include curriculum-based evaluation and measurement procedures to monitor overall student performance and improvement. To accomplish this assessment, the academic and social skills curricula for the student must be clarified and implemented.
Functional Curriculum
A functional educational curriculum allows the program to meet a student's individual academic, vocational, social, and behavioral needs. Such a curriculum focuses on the student's general curriculum and IEP. In addition to academic skills, this curriculum can include developing functional job-related skills, daily-living skills, and social skills. While most alternative education programs do not have comprehensive vocational programs on site, the development of basic work skills tied to job-related social- and life-skills training is often an important component of a student's IEP. Effective alternative programs sometimes provide the opportunity for part-time employment and access to vocational training in the community.
In addition, the student's IEP team should review and revise the IEP to include goals that directly relate to the behaviors that warranted the placement in the alternative setting. These goals should be based on a functional behavioral assessment and should lead to a positive behavior intervention plan.
Effective and Efficient Instruction
Functional instruction uses positive and direct student-centered instructional strategies, which are aligned with functional assessment measures and the curriculum. In this situation, instruction specifically addresses the short-term objectives in the student's IEP that are based on the results of the functional assessment, as well as the standards specified in the general education curriculum. Student progress toward mastery of these objectives and standards is monitored using ongoing data collection procedures.
Effective and efficient instruction can also involve the use of behavior strategies for meaningful intervention in alternative classrooms. Behavioral interventions include a variety of procedures to teach acceptable replacement behaviors, enhance and support appropriate behaviors, and reduce inappropriate behaviors.
Transition
The transition of students and their educational records into and out of alternative settings is important. Staff in the public and alternative settings can make a major contribution to the transition process by providing comprehensive information concerning the strengths and needs of their students and assuring that there is follow-up and continued support for students in the new settings. It also is important to include the results of any functional behavioral assessment and the positive behavioral intervention and support plan that addresses the specific behaviors that warranted the placement in the alternative setting.
The public school, the alternative setting, and other community-based o ... |
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