[Pibe-division] writing smart goals for blind/vi studentw with addditional disabilities

[Shaheen, Natalie]

Sara:
I was a special ed. Teacher before I became a teacher of the blind. Once I was teaching blind kids I often had the opportunity to teach kids who also had other disabilities-including autism--since I had a background in Sp. Ed. My goals for my students with additional disabilities usually included: a given, a very specific skill, an accuracy level, and a prompt level.

Here are a few example goals and benchmarks.
A math goal about identifying shapes
Goal: Given a field of three objects, student will independently identify the square with 75% accuracy on four consecutive data days.
Benchmark 1: Given a field of three objects and a tactual/match cue, student will identify the square with 75% accuracy on four consecutive data days.
Benchmark 2: Given a field of three objects and a fading tactual/match cue, student will identify the square with 75% accuracy on four consecutive data days.
Benchmark 3: Given a field of three objects and one verbal cue, student will identify the square with 75% accuracy.

A goal about very introductory Braille writing
Goal: Given a loaded Braille writer with margins set to 15 cells, student will independently scribble returning the carriage and pushing the enter key at the end of each line with 75% accuracy on four consecutive data days.
Benchmark 1: Given a loaded Braille writer with margins set to 15 cells and two physical prompts, student will scribble returning the carriage and pushing the enter key at the end of each line with 75% accuracy on four consecutive data days.
Benchmark 2: Given a loaded Braille writer with margins set to 15 cells and one physical prompt, student will scribble returning the carriage and pushing the enter key at the end of each line with 75% accuracy on four consecutive data days.
Benchmark 3: Given a loaded Braille writer with margins set to 15 cells and one verbal prompt, student will scribble returning the carriage and pushing the enter key at the end of each line with 75% accuracy on four consecutive data days.

That is the general format I used for writing goals when I was working with kids who had additional disabilities. The prompt level and accuracy level changed depending on the kid and his needs. You can get very specific with prompt level talking about direct or indirect physical and verbal prompts too. Also, some goals don't require a given statement. Accuracy levels could also be stated in minutes, number of occurrences, or anything else you can measure. The four consecutive data days was a way to show that the child had truly mastered the goal/benchmark and not just had a "good day." Needless to say I did a lot of data collection in the classroom.

It will take some getting used to; but once you are accustomed to writing SMART goals they will pop out of your head without you even thinking about it.
I hope this helps.
Natalie

Natalie L. Shaheen, MEd
Education Program Specialist
Jernigan Institute
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 E. Wells Street
at Jernigan Place.
Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone: (410) 659-9314 x2293
Email: nshaheen at nfb.org<blocked::mailto:nshaheen at nfb.org>
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Visit: www.nfb.org<http://www.nfb.org>
"If they do not learn the way you teach, teach the way they learn" --Anonymous

________________________________
From: pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sara Rooz
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 2:22 PM
To: pibe-division at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Pibe-division] writing smart goals for blind/vi studentw with addditional disabilities

New York state and city have implimented that teachers to write smart goals on IEPs. I currently work witth students who have additional disabilities including blindness or being visually impaired. smart goals refers to the following acronyms s specific n measurable a attainable r relebant t timebound. I work as an independent related service provider providing vision education services art a non-public school. My sttudents are extremely low functioning. I have copies of the goals I wrote last year but I am unsure how to rewrite sogoals using this format. In addition, the school would like staff to write benchmarks according to quarterly incrinents. For instance, by June 2011, the students wil be able to.
the skills I am teaching include fixating on an item, tracking an item, locating items with either or both hands and some indepndent living skills to one student.One student is autistic in addition to being visually impaired. I am working teaching using the picture exchange system which constructed byy myself and hos paraprofessional. Many of my students need hhand-over-hand assistance to perform tasks. If anyone has ideas how to write a smaple goal and benchmarks it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Sara Rooz
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