TIES Center: Increasing Time, Instructional Effectiveness, Engagement, and State Support for Inclusive Practices for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Creates sustainable changes in school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. Project activities support increased student engagement and improved learning outcomes for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
The primary outcome of the TIES Center, which is a National Technical Assistance Center on Inclusive Practices and Policies, is to improve the quality of instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive environments through the use of existing curriculum and instructional materials. The center also provides models and coaching to both general education and special education teachers to create more inclusive opportunities. In addition, the TIES Center support changes to inclusive practices and policies within partner state and local education agencies.
The TIES Center has identified five goals to support its outcomes:
Develop professional learning communities in partner state and local education agencies.
Develop coaching models for implementation of resources, inclusive practices and communicative competence.
Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing resources.
Support parents to become partners in the practice of inclusion for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Support systems change within the leadership of state and local education agencies for implementation of inclusive practices.
This video describes practical ways to support students with significant cognitive disabilities as they grow in their writing skills. It also describes the types of supports a parent can ask for …
This report presents the findings from a literature review that examined how systems change efforts can guide initiatives to increase and sustain the placement of students with the most significant…
This TIP will outline considerations for choosing appropriate accessible grade-level texts for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive classrooms
This video describes ways parents of students with disabilities can help their child with the foundations of reading while at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on foundations …
The purpose of this literature review is to extend previous literature reviews to bring the review of literature up-to-date on pedagogical practices for students with the most significant disabilit…
This report presents findings from a literature review that was conducted to identify evidenced-based approaches to supporting the development of communicative competence for K-8 students in …
This report presents the findings of a literature review to summarize the current literature of School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a multi-tiered framework that …
An issue in the Impact series that examines K-8 inclusive education. Historically, students with the most significant cognitive disabilities were often taught only functional skills in our K-12 …
Paraprofessionals should be available to students with significant cognitive disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Depending on each student’s needs, paraprofessionals may provide supports, …
During COVID, how can teams prioritize the least restrictive environment and inclusive education? How do we assure that we are teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities in the …
Students with significant cognitive disabilities who are also English Learners or emergent multilingual language users present unique opportunities for inclusive education teams. This TIP provides …
"What does it look like?" has always been one of the biggest questions about including students with significant cognitive disabilities. This post is one example of how a middle school in Carroll …
For students who are non-speaking and communicate using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), it is important to support their communication needs during grade level transitions to …
The purpose of this Brief is to provide suggestions for ways in which the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) can include students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
This video describes ways parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities can help their child expand reading skills while at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on …
This brief addresses the question of what access to and progress in the general education curriculum means for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. It provides examples of …
This Parent Brief focuses on developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that support inclusive education for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
This Brief describes how families and other members of Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams can help students get the supports they need to build their communicative competence in inclusive…
This Parent Brief describes how participation in the alternate assessment does not automatically mean that a student is in a different instructional setting from his or her same-age peers without …
This video describes ways that parents with students with disabilities can help support their child’s communication development at home, and provides sources for more information.
This video helps support parents of students with disabilities in establishing routines at home, in order to promote better behaviors and communications. It also provides other sources for more …
Educators can use these “Inclusive Big Ideas” to plan grade-level standards-based lessons for all students, including those with significant cognitive disabilities. Working with their colleagues, …
This video describes ways parents of students with disabilities can help their child with the foundations of math while at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on foundations of …
Controversy often surrounds the inclusion of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in the general education classroom and curriculum. This is the case even though the Individual…
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based approach used to promote inclusive environments and prevent and decrease challenging behavior for all students. However, …
A tip sheet outlining how to employ collaborative teams to support students with significant communication needs in inclusive classrooms. Collaborative teams will require additional planning for general and special education teachers as well as related service providers.
This report has highlighted an important and persistent challenge: Many students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in the U.S. still attend separate schools. However, the huge …
This TIP provides background on the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices for students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Key sectionsaddress…
The purpose of this report is to examine the trends across the country over the past decade related to the placement of students with extensive support needs (ESN) in separate schools.Published: 8/1/2022
Students with Cerebral/Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI) may have difficulty processing the images their eyes see, which can affect many areas of basic visual functions. This TIP focuses on students…
A tip sheet showing how inclusion, friendship, and communication ensure valued social roles and life-long learning. Peer-mediated supports combined with training are essential for supporting …
This parent brief was developed to help parents determine whether their child with significant cognitive disabilities is provided meaningful access to the general education curriculum. It addresses…
This video provides parents and siblings of students with disabilities with tips on how they can support the development of communication skills of their child (or sibling) at home, and provides …
This video describes ways parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities can help expand their child’s math skills at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on math at …
This TIP describes how educational team members can develop and use student profiles, communication plans, and daily plans to guide the successful involvement of students with significant communica…
In this DL post, the specific collaborative activities to support continued use of assistive and educational technology during distance learning are explored. Lessons for teachers and leaders from …
Educators, students, and families have found many compelling reasons to support inclusive education for students with and without disabilities. This Brief, translated into Spanish, delineates ten …
Educators, students, and families have found many compelling reasons to support inclusive education for students with and without disabilities. This Brief delineates ten reasons that supporting...
The purpose of this report is to analyze how states interpret special education regulations associated with the Individuals with Disabilities (IDEA) regulations, specifically around least restricti…
Grades are assigned and report cards given in inclusive classrooms. It is important that thought has been given to how work from students with significant cognitive disabilities will be graded and …
This video describes easy ways for parents to check on their child's progress in academics and behavior while learning at home. It also suggests ways to talk to the school about a child's progress …
This video provides parents of students with disabilities, specifically those with the most significant cognitive disabilities, with tips on how to support their child’s standards-based instruction…
Published: November 2020
Topics
Education practices (K12 and transition)
Dropout prevention and student engagement
Family engagement
Inclusive education
Educational accountability and assessment
Evaluation of education programs
Instruction
Intellectual/Cognitive Disability
Students with Disabilities
Specific life stage
Children
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