STEPS+ Program
Andrea Barela
Miriam Diaz, Nannette Clark

The Steps Plus Program is a Pre-Kindergarten inclusion program designed to teach and develop social skills, pragmatic language, behavior readiness and pre-kindergarten academic skills. These skills are taught through direct instruction and active learning through the use of play centers, structured small groups, large group, and participation in the kindergarten classroom for inclusion. The curriculum that we use for social skills is Incredible Years (Dinosaur School). This curriculum consists of direct instruction from the teacher with puppets, role play, and video modeling. For pre-kindergarten academics we use the Frogstreet Press and Every Day Counts calendar math. These are taught through direct instruction from the teacher and then implemented throughout our daily centers. The program is made up of both general education and special education students. The identified special education students are ARDed through our district and the general education students are tuition paid employee children. The hours for the tuition paid students are 6:45 am to 5:00 pm. The special education students come for the ARDed time. What is unique about the Steps Plus program is that it includes an in-home parent training piece where the teachers go into the student's home once a week to generalize skills that are taught in the classroom. We also go into the community to assist daycare centers in supporting our students. We have seen an incredible amount of success with both our general education and special education students as a result of this program! We plan to continue developing and growing this program in hopes of continuing to expand into the community.

Intervention and Resource
Kate Deshotel, Allison Goodrum, Summer Irby, & Dornita Hardeman
Jasmine Avila, Kenia Copeland, Loveena Job

This program works with students who are in the general education setting. The special education teachers work to create open communication and partnerships with the general education teachers to provide students with the means to be successful.

Accommodations
Changes in course content, teaching strategies, test presentation, location., timing, scheduling, student responses, or environmental structuring that do not substantially change the standard or expectation for student performance.

Modifications
Changes in course content, teaching strategies, standards, test presentation, location, timing scheduling, expectations, student responses, or environmental structuring that do substantially change the standards or level of expectation for student performance.

Co-Teaching
Two teachers sharing instruction, planning, behavioral support, and grading for all students in a classroom.

In-Class Support
The provision of special education within the general education classroom for students with moderate to severe disabilities who are included and educated in the general education classroom 100% of the school day.

Special Education Pullout
The provision of special education services connected to content curriculum outside of the general education classroom for short periods of time.