Webinar Series: CTE for Students with Disabilities

Secondary CTE has long been a viable pathway for developing the skills of students with disabilities (SWD) and preparing them for the future. Changes in Perkins V and an increasing emphasis on college and career readiness for all students are bringing the needs of SWD to the forefront of the CTE conversation.

In 2019, ACTE joined Penn State University’s Workforce Education program and the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) to host a five-part webinar series that took a deep dive into programs, practices and partnerships among CTE and special education practitioners that support SWD in CTE. You can view this series for free at CTE Learn. Descriptions of each event in the series are included below.

Webinar 1. CTE for Students with Disabilities: A Framework for Understanding
Session participants will:

  • Learn about the numerous pieces of legislation that impact SWD, including Perkins V.
  • Learn strategies to support students with disabilities in secondary CTE through appropriate CTE program placement.

Presenters:

  • Michael Harvey, Professor of Education, Workforce Education and Development Program, Penn State University
  • Tessie Bailey, Principal Technical Assistant Consultant, American Institutes of Research
  • Susan Therriault, College and Career Readiness and Success Center Director and American Institutes of Research
  • Catherine Imperatore, Research Manager, ACTE
  • Patrick Biggerstaff, CTE Director, Area 31 Career Programs, MSD Wayne Township Schools, Indianapolis, IN, and ACTE Administration Division Vice President

 

Webinar 2. Effective Partnerships: Communication, Collaboration and Professional Practice
Session participants will:

  • Learn strategies for building relationships between special education and CTE professionals.
  • Learn about collaboration, communication approaches and needed professional development to support CTE for SWD.

Presenters:

  • Joni Schmalzried, Chief Program Officer, Anthony Wayne Services – AWS Foundation, Fort Wayne, IN
  • Nikki Sprunger, Director of Special Education Services, Fort Wayne Community Schools, Fort Wayne, IN
  • Wendy Chalmers, Resource Specialist – Special Populations Coordinator, SUN Area Technical Institute, New Berlin, PA
  • Kristy Barnett, Disability Services Coordinator, Great Plains Technology Center, Lawton, OK

 

Webinar 3. Classroom Supports: Universal Design for Learning, Differentiated Instruction
Session participants will:

  • Learn about the CAST framework of UDL and how one school district incorporates UDL into CTE.
  • Learn the fundamentals of differentiated instruction with approaches to support effective teaching, individuate learning and maximize student engagement.

Presenters:

  • Tracey Hall, Senior Research Scientist/Instructional Designer, CAST, Wakefield, MA
  • George Van Horn, Director of Special Education, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, Columbus, IN
  • Claudia Otto, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences, Oklahoma State University
  • Mary Jo Self, Associate Professor, School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences, Oklahoma State University

 

Webinar 4. Classroom Management: Behavioral Supports, Motivation, Reflective Teaching
Session participants will:

  • Learn about the importance of reflective teaching practice to support SWD engagement and achievement.
  • Learn about behavior management and classroom climate as part of effective teaching.

Presenters:

  • Adam Bauserman, Review360 Implementation Specialist, Pearson Inc., and Senior Educational Consultant and Vice President and Coach, Epic Decisions, LLC
  • Penny Cantley, Assistant Professor, School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences, Oklahoma State University
  • Tessie Bailey, Principal Technical Assistant Consultant, American Institutes of Research
  • Jamie Lupia, Advisor/Instructor PDDC, Workforce Education and Development, Penn State University

 

Webinar 5. Toward Best Practices: Programs that Work, Models Toward Success
Session participants will:

  • Learn about effective programs and partnerships in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
  • Learn about the importance of collaborative partnerships with multiple agencies and stakeholders (i.e., CTE, special education, vocational rehabilitation, WIOA) in supporting positive post-school outcomes for SWD in CTE.
  • Learn strategies, approaches that work and practical insight from Ohio on building a “systems approach” to support SWD in secondary CTE settings.

Presenters:

  • James Kraft, Executive Director, Berks Career and Technology Center, Leesport, PA
  • Allison Fleming, Assistant Professor of Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Educational Psychology, Counselor Education, Special Education, Penn State University
  • Nancy Mulvey, Director of Students, Great Oaks Career Campuses, Cincinnati, OH
  • Amy Szymanski, Consultant, State Support Team Region 1 Office for Exceptional Children, Ohio Department of Education