Justice Project

IRIS Module Resources

Welcome to the JUSTICE Project IRIS Module wiki. The IRIS modules below are color-coded by topic and new modules are indicated with an *. For each module you will find a link to the IRIS website and to the corresponding assessment. Please download the assessment, which will then open in a Word document. You will complete the assessment by typing your responses in that document. Upon completing the module, be sure to email the assessment and any corresponding materials to the JUSTICE Project Graduate Assistant (canisiusjustice@gmail.com). We will confirm receipt of your submission and contact you regarding payment and certificate for your participation.

How to Submit a JUSTICE IRIS Module

Navigating an IRIS Module

How to Use the IRIS Resource Locator

If faculty have never completed an IRIS module before, we require that you complete the following two modules:

Accommodations: Instructional and Testing Supports for Students with Disabilities: This Module provides an overview of accommodations for students with disabilities.

--Assessment: Accommodations Instructional and Testing Supports for Students with Disabilities.docx

Universal Design for Learning: Creating a Learning Environment that Challenges and Engages All Students: This module examines the three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and discusses how to apply these principles to the four curricular components (i.e., goals, instructional materials, instructional methods, and assessments).

--Assessment: Universal Design for Learning Creating a Learning Environment that Challenges and Engages All Students Assessment.docx

New Modules Available

Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview for Educators (Part Two) This Module, second in a two-part series, highlights strategies that have been shown to be effective in teaching appropriate behaviors and skills and decreasing inappropriate behaviors with children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It next explores several strategies that are particularly effective with young children, elementary and middle school students, and high school students.

--Assessment: Autism Spectrum Disorder Part 2 .docx

Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview for Educators (Part One) This module provides information on the early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as an overview of the difference between a medical diagnosis and an educational determination of ASD.

-- Assessment: Autism Spectrum Disorder.docx

Dual Language Learners with Disabilities: Supporting Young Children in the Classroom This module highlights the importance of maintaining children and families’ home language at the same time they are learning a new or second language, discusses considerations for screening and assessing these children, and identifies strategies for supporting them in inclusive preschool classrooms.

-- Assessment: Dual Language Learners with Disabilities- Supporting Young Children in the Classroom.docx

Early Childhood Behavior Management: Developing and Teaching Rules: This module includes information on how to create developmentally appropriate behavior rules for early childhood classrooms so that they link to a given school's behavior expectations. The importance of communication with families about rules and expected behaviors is also stressed.

-- Assessment: Early Childhood Behavior Management Assessment.docx

Early Childhood Environments: Designing Effective Classrooms: This module offers information on how to set up effective inclusive early childhood classroom environments for young children. It also provides details about the interrelated physical, social, and temporal components of those environment, as well as adaptations to help teachers meet the needs of children with disabilities.

-- Assessment: Early Childhood Environments Assessment.docx

Intensive Intervention (Part 1): Using Data-Based Individualization to Intensify Instruction: This module, first in a series of two, overviews data-based individualization and provides information about adaptations for intensifying and individualizing instruction. Developed in collaboration with the National Center on Intensive Intervention at American Institutes for Research and the CEEDAR Center, this resource is designed for individuals who will be implementing intensive interventions (e.g., special education teachers, reading specialists, interventionists).

-- Assessment: Intensive Intervention (Part 1) Assessment.docx

Intensive Intervention (Part 2): Collecting and Analyzing Data for Data-Based Individualization: This module, the second in a series on intensive intervention, offers information on making data-based instructional decisions. Specifically, the resource discusses collecting and analyzing progress monitoring and diagnostic assessment data. Developed in collaboration with the National Center on Intensive Intervention at American Institutes for Research and the CEEDAR Center, this resource is designed for individuals who will be implementing intensive interventions (e.g., special education teachers, reading specialists, interventionists).

--Assessment: Intensive Intervention (Part 2) Assessment.docx

Secondary Transition: Interagency Collaboration: This Module defines and discusses the purpose of interagency collaboration and addresses the importance of partnering with agencies to improve outcomes for students with disabilities who are transitioning from high school.

--Assessment: Secondary Transition:Interagency Collaboration .docx

Accommodations

Accessing the General Education Curriculum: Inclusion Considerations for Students with Disabilities:This module highlights classroom considerations that promote access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities.

-- Assessment: Accessing the General Education Curriculum Inclusion Considerations for Students With Disabilities Assessment.docx

Accommodations to the Physical Environment: Setting up a Classroom for Students with Visual Disabilities:The resources in this module offer helpful tips on setting up the physical aspects of your classroom and will introduce types of equipment used by students with visual disabilities.

--Assessment: Accommodations to the Physical Environment Setting up a Classroom for Students With Visual Disabilities Assessment.docx

Accountability: High-Stakes Testing for Students with Disabilities: This module presents information on legal requirements and accommodations for testing students with disabilities, in addition to highlighting considerations for interpreting performance data for this population.

--Assessment: Accountability High-stakes Testing for Students with Disabilities Assessment.docx

Assistive Technology: An Overview: This module offers an overview of assistive technology (AT) and explores ways to expand students' access to it in the classroom.

--Assessment: Assistive Technology An Overview Assessment.docx

Bookshare: Providing Accessible Materials for Students with Print Disabilities: This module presents an overview of Bookshare, a project supported by the U.S. Department of Education and OSEP, which provides books in digitized formats to individuals who have print disabilities. On hand is information about how such students can access textbooks, other instructional materials, and text-reader software at no cost, as well as how teachers can use this information in their daily instructional planning.

--Assessment: Bookshare Providing Accessible Materials for Students with Print Disabilities Assessment.docx

Instructional Accommodations: Making the Learning Environment Accessible to Students with Visual Disabilities: This module highlights tips for modifying lessons and ways to make lessons accessible for students with disabilities.

--Assessment: Instructional Accommodations Making the Learning Environment Accessible to Students with Visual Disabilities.docx

Related Services: Common Supports for Students with Disabilities: This module offers a description of related services and an overview of the benefits they provide to students with disabilities in the general education classroom. It highlights five commonly used related services (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology Services, Social Work Services, and Psychological Services) and briefly highlights many of the other related services as identified through IDEA '04.

--Assessment: Related Services Common Supports for Students with Disabilities Assessment.docx

* Secondary Transition:Helping Students with Disabilities Plan for Post-High School Settings: This module focuses on the transition process from high school to post-secondary settings. Among other topics, it discusses IEP planning, engaging students in the process so as to become better advocates for their own needs, and the importance of outside agencies such as vocational rehabilitation.

--Assessment: Secondary Transition Helping Students with Disabilities Plan for Post-High School Settings Assessment.docx

Serving Students with Visual Impairments: The Importance of Collaboration: This module underscores the importance of the general education teacher's collaborating with professionals and other individuals knowledgeable about the needs of students with visual disabilities.

--Assessment: Serving Students with Visual Impairments The Importance of Collaboration Assessment.docx

What do you See? Perceptions of Disability: This module encourages students to explore their own attitudes and beliefs about people with disabilities. It highlights the abilities of students with disabilities.

--Assessment: What Do You See Perceptions of Disability Assessment.docx

Assessing Achievement and Skill Development

Classroom Assessment (Part 1): An Introduction to Monitoring Academic Achievement in the Classroom: This module discusses how progress monitoring can affect the academic outcomes of students, and it demonstrates how to implement curriculum-based measurement with a classroom of students.

--Assessment: Classroom Assessment (Part 1) An Introduction to Monitoring Academic Achievement in the Classroom Assessment.docx

Classroom Assessment (Part 2): Evaluating Reading Progress: This Module explores in detail the assessment procedures integral to RTI. It also outlines how to use progress monitoring data to determine if a student is meeting the established performance criteria or if more intensive intervention is needed.

--Assessment: Classroom Assessment (Part 2) Evaluating Reading Progress Assessment.docx

Effective School Practices: Promoting Collaboration and Monitoring Students' Academic Achievement:This module focuses on the entire school population and highlights partnerships between general education and special education faculty that result in the creation of a 'collective responsibility' and shared high expectations for all students.

--Assessment: Effective School Practices Promoting Collaboration and Monitoring Students' Academic Achievement Assessment.docx

Fidelity of Implementation: Selecting and Implementing Evidence-Based Practices and Programs: This module discusses the importance of selecting evidence-based practices and programs. It also examines actions that school personnel can take to increase the likelihood that the practice or program is implemented as it was designed.

--Assessment: Fidelity of Implementation Selecting and Implementing Evidence-Based Practices and Programs Assessment.docx

Providing Instructional Supports: Facilitating Mastery of New Skills: This module explores the importance of scaffolding and modeling for students as they learn new skills and strategies.

--Assessment: Providing Instructional Supports Facilitating Mastery of New Skills Assessment.docx

* Study Skills Strategies (Part 1): Foundations for Effectively Teaching Study Skills: This module examines the importance of effective study skills strategies and includes information on why some students struggle with those skills and why it's critical for teachers to explicitly teach such strategies.

--Assessment: Study Skills Strategies (Part 1) Foundations for Effectively Teaching Study Skills.docx

* Study Skills Strategies (Part 2): Strategies that Improve Students' Academic Performance: This companion to the Study Skills (Part 1) module reiterates the importance of teachers providing explicit instruction on the use of study skills strategies and overviews a number of effective strategies: graphic organizers, note-taking, mnemonics, organizing materials, time management, comprehension strategies, and self-regulation strategies.

--Assessment: Study Skills Strategies (Part 2) Strategies that Improve Students' Academic Performance.docx

SOS: Helping Students Become Independent Learners: This module describes how teachers can help students stay on task by learning to regulate their behavior. The four strategies discussed are self-monitoring, self-instruction, goal-setting, and self-reinforcement.

--Assessment: SOS Helping Students Become Independent Learners Assessment.docx

SRSD: Using Learning Strategies to Enhance Student Learning: This module features the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model, which outlines the six steps required to effectively implement any instructional strategy and emphasizes the time and effort required to do so.

--Assessment: SRSD Using Learning Strategies to Enhance Student Learning Assessment.docx

Classroom Management

Addressing Disruptive and Noncompliant Behaviors (Part 1): Understanding the Acting-Out Cycle: The first in a two-part series, this module discusses problem behavior in terms of the stages of the acting-out cycle and suggests ways to respond to students in the cycle's different phases.

--Assessment: Addressing Disruptive and Noncompliant Behaviors (Part 1) Understanding the Acting-Out Cycle Assessment.docx

Addressing Disruptive and Noncompliant Behaviors (Part 2): Behavioral Interventions: The second in a two-part series, this module describes interventions that can increase initial compliance to teacher requests as well as interventions that can be implemented to decrease disruptive and noncompliant behaviors.

--Assessment: Addressing Disruptive and Noncompliant Behaviors (Part 2) Behavioral Interventions Assessment.docx

Classroom Managment (Part 1): Learning the Components of a Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan: This module—a revision of Who's In Charge? Developing a Comprehensive Behavior Management System—highlights the importance of establishing a comprehensive classroom behavior management system composed of a statement of purpose, rules, procedures, consequences, and an action plan. It also provides information about how culture, classroom factors, and teacher actions can influence student behavior.

--Assessment: Classroom Management Part 1 Assessment.docx

Classroom Management (Part 2): Developing Your Own Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan: This module—a revision of You're in Charge! Developing Your Own Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan—reviews the major components of classroom management (including rules, procedures, and consequences) and guides users through the steps of creating their own comprehensive behavior plan. The module is a companion to Classroom Management (Part 1): Learning the Components of a Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan.

--Assessment: Classroom Management Part 2 Assessment.docx

Functional Behavioral Assessment: Identifying the Reasons for Problem Behavior and Developing a Behavior Plan: This module explores the basic principles of behavior and the importance of discovering the reasons that students engage in problem behavior. The steps to conducting a functional behavioral assessment and developing a behavior plan are described.

--Assessment: Functional Behavioral Assessment Identifying the Reasons for Problem Behavior and Developing a Behavior Plan Assessment.docx

The Pre-Referral Process: Procedures for Supporting Students with Academic and Behavioral Concerns: This module highlights the benefits of the pre-referral process—a preventative approach that can eliminate inappropriate referrals to special education—and outlines the six stages most commonly involved in its implementation.

--Assessment: The Pre-Referral Process Procedures for Supporting Students with Academic and Behavioral Concerns Assessment.docx

Curriculum and Standards

Content Standards: Connecting Standards-Based Curriculum to Instructional Planning: Teachers are required to implement the adopted content standards and to make the connection between standards-based curriculum and the planning and designing of lessons to ensure that students meet expected content standards. This module serves as a basic guide for the process.

--Assessment: Content Standards Connecting Standards-Based Curriculum to Instructional Planning Assessment.docx

CSR: A Reading Comprehension Strategy: This module outlines Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), a strategy for helping students to improve their reading comprehension skills. In CSR, students work together in small groups to apply comprehension strategies as they read text from a content area, such as social studies or science.

--Assessment: CSR A Reading Comprehension Strategy Assessment.docx

High-Quality Mathematics Instruction: What Teachers Should Know: This module describes the components of high-quality mathematics instruction: a standards-based curriculum and evidence-based strategies. It also highlights several effective practices teachers can use to teach mathematics.

--Assessment: High-Quality Mathematics Instruction What Teachers Should Know Assessment.docx

Improving Writing Performance: A Strategy for Writing Persuasive Essays: This module highlights the differences between students who write well and those who struggle. Elements of the writing process are discussed, as are the prerequisite skills students need to write good papers. The module outlines and describes the process for teaching students the POW+TREE strategy, a writing strategy to help students produce better persuasive essays.

--Assessment: Improving Writing Performance A Strategy for Writing Persuasive Essays Assessment.docx

PALS: A Reading Strategy for Grades K–1: This module outlines the benefits of implementing PALS for Grades K–1, a peer tutoring strategy in which students work in pairs to strengthen their reading skills. Also included are step-by-step instructions for each of the PALS activities as well as printable PALS materials.

--Assessment: PALS A Reading Strategy for Grades K–1 Assessment.docx

PALS: A Reading Strategy for Grades 2–6: This module outlines the benefits of implementing PALS for Grades 2–6, a peer tutoring strategy in which students work in pairs to strengthen their reading skills. Also included are step-by-step instructions for each of the three PALS activities as well as printable PALS materials.

--Assessment: PALS A Reading Strategy for Grades 2–6 Assessment.docx

PALS: A Reading Strategy for High School: This module outlines the benefits of implementing PALS for high school, a peer tutoring strategy in which students work in pairs to strengthen their reading skills. Also included are step-by-step instructions for each of the three PALS activities as well as printable PALS materials.

--Assessment: PALS A Reading Strategy for High School Assessment.docx

Secondary Reading Instruction: Teaching Vocabulary and Comprehension in the Content Areas: This module describes how teachers can incorporate vocabulary and reading comprehension skills instruction into content-area lessons and will introduce you to a variety of effective practices—including the use of graphic organizers—to help students better understand what they read.

--Assessment: Secondary Reading Instruction Assessment.docx

Response to Intervention

RTI (Part 1): An Overview: This module outlines the differences between the IQ-achievement discrepancy model and the Response-to-Intervention (RTI) approach. It also offers a brief overview of each tier in the RTI model and explains its benefits. This Module was developed in collaboration with the Tennessee State Improvement Grant and the Tennessee Department of Education.

--Assessment: RTI (Part 1) An Overview Assessment.docx

RTI (Part 2): Assessment: This module explores in detail the assessment procedures integral to RTI. It also outlines how to use progress monitoring data to determine if a student is meeting the established performance criteria or if more intensive intervention is needed. This Module was developed in collaboration with the Tennessee State Improvement Grant and the Tennessee Department of Education.

--Assessment: RTI (Part 2) Assessment.docx

RTI (Part 3): Reading Instruction: This module illustrates different research-based reading strategies that may be used with the response-to-intervention model to improve reading skills. This Module was developed in collaboration with the Tennessee State Improvement Grant and the Tennessee Department of Education.

--Assessment: RTI (Part 3) Reading Instruction Assessment.docx

RTI (Part 4): Putting It All Together Assessment: This module synthesizes the information in RTI (Parts 1, 2, and 3) to provide teachers and other school personnel with a more comprehensive illustration of how to successfully implement RTI. This module was developed in collaboration with the Tennessee State Improvement Grant and the Tennessee Department of Education.

--Assessment: RTI (Part 4) Putting It All Together Assessment.docx

RTI (Part 5): A Closer Look at Tier 3: This module describes which students will receive Tier 3 intervention (i.e., special education services), components of Tier 3 reading interventions, and students' response to this individualized intervention. This module also explores parent involvement and issues related to English language learners.

--Assessment: RTI (Part 5) A Closer Look at Tier 3 Assessment.docx

RTI: Considerations for School Leaders: This module provides information about ways to build support for RTI, factors that should be addressed when implementing RTI, and methods of collecting data and evaluating the effectiveness of the RTI approach.

--Assessment: RTI Considerations for School Leaders Assessment.docx

RTI: Mathematics: This module describes the RTI framework as applied to mathematics. It includes discussions of instruction, assessment, and data-based decision making at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

--Assessment: RTI Mathematics Assessment.docx

School Culture

Collaborating with Families: Designed to help teachers build positive relationships with families, this module highlights the diversity of families and addresses the factors that school personnel should understand about working with the families of children with disabilities.

--Assessment: Collaborating with Families Assessment.docx

Creating an Inclusive School Environment: A Model for School Leaders: This module offers a general overview of the concepts that principals should consider when creating inclusive schools.

--Assessment: Creating an Inclusive School Environment A Model for School Leaders Assessment.docx

Guiding the School Counselor: An Overview of Roles and Responsibilities: This module offers an overview for school counselors and includes definitions of counselors various roles and responsibilities when working with students with disabilities.

--Assessment: Guiding the School Counselor An Overview of Roles and Responsibilities Assessment.docx

School Counselors: Facilitating Transitions for Students with Disabilities from High School to Post School Settings: This module provides information for counselors and other education professionals to assist high school students with disabilities in the transition from the school environment to a post-school setting.

--Assessment: School Counselors Assessment.docx

* Teacher Induction: Providing Comprehensive Training for New Special Educators - A revision of Supporting Beginning Special Educators: Tips for Educational Leaders, this module emphasizes the importance of administrative support for beginning special education teachers. It also demonstrates how teacher support can increase the teacher s effectiveness in the classroom.

--Assessment: Teacher Induction Providing Comprehensive Training for New Special Educators.docx

* Teacher Retention: Reducing the Attrition of Special Educators- A revision of Addressing the Revolving Door: How to Retain Your Special Education Teachers, this module highlights the key elements for school administrators who seek to support special educators and increase teacher retention.

--Assessment: Teacher Retention Reducing the Attrition of Special Educators Assessment.docx

Working With Your School Nurse: What General Education Teachers Should Do to Promote Educational Success for Students With Health Needs: This module is designed for school personnel who may be collaborating with the school nurse during IEP meetings or during other occasions involving the health problems of students with disabilities

--Assessment: Working with Your School Nurse What General Education Teachers Should Do to Promote Educational Success for Students with Health Needs Assessment.docx

Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction

Classroom Diversity: An Introduction to Student Differences : This module offers a broad overview of how diversity (i.e., culture, language, exceptionality, and socioeconomic status) affects learning and how teachers can better meet the needs of all their students in their classes.

--Assessment: Classroom Diversity An Introduction to Student Differences Assessment.docx

Cultural and Linguistic Differences: What Teachers Should Know: This module examines the ways in which culture influences the daily interactions that occur across all classrooms and provides practice for enhancing culturally responsive teaching.

--Assessment: Cultural and Linguistic Differences What Teachers Should Know Assessment.docx

Differentiated Instruction: Maximizing the Learning of All Students: This module discusses the importance of differentiating three aspects of instruction: content, process (instructional methods), and product (assessment). It explores the student traits—readiness level, interest, and learning profile—that influence learning

--Assessment: Differentiated Instruction Maximizing the Learning of All Students.docx

How People Learn: Presenting the Learning Theory and Inquiry Cycle on Which the IRIS Modules Are Built: This module explores the components of the HPL framework and the STAR Legacy cycle on which the IRIS modules are designed.

--Assessment: How People Learn Presenting the Learning Theory and Inquiry Cycle on Which the IRIS Modules Are Built Assessment.docx

Teaching English Language Learners: Effective Instructional Practices: This module helps teachers understand second language acquisition, the importance of academic English, and instructional practices that will enhance learning for English Learners.

--Assessment: Teaching English Language Learners Effective Instructional Practices Assessment.docx