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UTILIZING MULTIMEDIA TOOLS TO INCREASE YOUTH VOICE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION PLANNING MEETINGS

Presenter(s)
Mary L. Kelly
Indiana University School of Education
201 N. Rose, 3258
Bloomington, IN 47405
(812) 856-8163
(812) 856-8116
Email: malkelly@indiana.edu

Karen Thomas
Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC)
721 W. 6th
Bloomington, IN 47401
(812) 339-1396
Email: kthomas@mccsc.edu

James R. Skouge, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor, Special Education
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Department of Special Education, Wist 116
1776 University Ave
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 956-2361
(808) 956-4345
Email: jskouge@hawaii.edu

More than one-third of all students with disabilities drop out before finishing high school (22nd Annual Report to Congress, 2000). The number of people with disabilities enrolled in higher education is less than half of what could be predicted from the general population, and employment outcomes are far worse (Stodden & Dowrick, 1999). A growing body of research indicates that despite the ability of persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities to make effective decisions, they typically have not been allowed the opportunity to make decisions about their lives, were given a limited array of choices, or failed to achieve preferred outcomes on choices they did make (Jaskulski, Metzler, & Zierman, 1990; Sand and Kozleski, 1994; Stancliff & Wehmeyer, 1995, Wehmeyer & Metzler, 1995). As a response to the increased understanding between the relationship of self-determination and outcomes for adults with disabilities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 1997 incorporated the requirement that students over the age of 14 participate in their Individualized Education Program (IEP)/Transition conferences and that this planning takes into account students' interests and preferences (OSEP, 1999). Despite IDEA requirements, many students with disabilities are not actively involved in their own IEP/Transition conferences (deFur, 2000, Hapner & Breck, 2002, Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1998). It is often difficult for students to fully participate. Conferences are composed of a variety of adults (caregivers, teachers, community professionals, and school administrators) that are seen as the decision-makers in a young person's life (Siegel, 2002). Although students are supposed to have a 'voice' in this decision-making, the 'rules of engagement' do not typically allow for a student to participate fully.
Many argue that the IEP/Transition process should be student-led (McGahee, Mason, Wallace, & Jones, 2001), with the goals, dreams, and interests of the student shaping the type of plans that are created. Instead, the ideal of multidisciplinary communication and sharing during a planning meeting is often replaced by a unilateral series of questions being directed repeatedly at the student. Take for example, an IEP/transition meeting for Ronny, a 16-year-old Portuguese-Hawaiian student with both mild mental retardation and emotional behavioral disorders (Kelly, 1997). During the planning stage, team members continually asked Ronny for feedback, 'What do you want?' 'Is that good?' 'How about this?' Ronny answered every question with quiet, monosyllabic remarks such as 'Yes', 'No', or 'I don't know', or with a shrug or slight movement below the visor of a baseball hat pulled down over his eyes. Decisions were made based on a limited interpretation of a slight nod or shrug. Furthermore, it is likely that Ronny's perspective was not fully represented at that meeting. It is essential that student preferences and interests help shape a plan in order for it to be appropriate, and ultimately successful (Wehmeyer et al, 1998). An emerging body of research is investigating ways in which multimedia technologies can be used by people with disabilities to create positive self images and increase self-determination in people who have been marginalized because of disability, ethnicity, and culture (Ben, Weidle, Tallman, & Dowrick, 1996, Kelly & Skouge, 1997-1998, Dowrick & Skouge, 2001). The findings have led to the concept of 'Creating Futures' (Dowrick, Skouge, & Galbavy, 1999, Skouge & Kelly, 1998). Creating Futures is a process whereby young adults with disabilities develop self-authored multimedia presentations designed to enhance self-determination (Dowrick & Skouge, 2001). One way that video and multimedia has been used to assist people in exploring their strengths, skills, and potential, has been through carefully edited videos to create positive self images and support the development of a variety of skills, especially in sports (Bradley, 1993; Hosford & Johnson, 1983; Starek & McCaullagh, 1999). In this application, referred to as self-modeling, video clips are carefully edited together to highlight the athletes performing at peak levels or even at skill levels higher than achieved. Studies have consistently demonstrated that athletes viewing videos of their best work and potential work did significantly better than their peers who did not receive this type of skills-focused, positive self-review. Bandura (1997) asserts that constructed environments allow people to become self-determined beyond apparent limitations.
Researchers and practitioners have begun to use similar self-modeling strategies in empowering people with disabilities (Dowrick & Skouge, 2001; Dowrick, Skouge, & Galbavy, 1999; Skouge & Kelly, 1997-1998). Using multimedia tools with youth builds on the premise that youth can become empowered through constructing virtual environments where they can create images of the own future, define their strengths, needs, hopes and dreams, and share them with others. It is intended as a springboard for increasing active participation of youth in the IEP, Transition, and/or Wraparound planning process.
Dowrick and Skouge (2001) report a number of case studies of using video to empower students with disabilities. The authors described the work of Skouge and Kelly (1998) with Carlo, a 14-year-old Filipino-Hawaiian student with serious emotional disturbances who utilized multimedia technology to participation in his wraparound planning meeting. More recently, the session presenters have worked with more than 35 youngsters to develop presentations that were used by youth to facilitate IEP, Transition, or Wraparound planning meetings (Held, Thoma, & Thomas, 2004; Kelly, 2004; Kelly & Thomas, 2003; Skouge, Kelly, & Thomas, 2003; Skouge, Kelly, O'Brien, & Thomas, 2003). An example is one young man, Sean. He is a creative 12-year-old who has been diagnosed with significant mental health disorders and has spent many years in and out of juvenile justice and mental health facilities. He was excited at the opportunity to express himself and worked for months on his PowerPoint presentation. He drew pictures and tore out pictures from his magazines with science fiction graphics and quotations. One graphic used as the front page was filled with monsters and the saying 'In a world of villains, a goddess reborn, struggles to fulfill a prophecy' which he used to describe the bullies who hurt him and his desire to change and achieve his goals. Sean also photographed family members, pets, and his trailer home and asked others to take pictures of him doing activities like karate, mowing the lawn, and hanging out with his relatives. Fishing was something he and his dad used to like to do, so one day he and his dad made time to go fishing and we brought a video camera with to share the adventure. He thought carefully about each picture he added to his presentation and narrated a short story about each. Sometimes he selected a cut of music, like 'I am' by Eminem, that he felt expressed his sentiments more clearly.
Sean then added the finishing touches to his presentation and shared it at a pivotal IEP meeting about a transition to a new school. In his old school he had been in a segregated, self-contained classroom for the last two years, but was now ready to be in a more inclusive environment at the new school. This change was supported by his parents, case manager, social worker, and probation officer, but the school didn't understand his goals and hopes for a 'fresh start'. After Sean shared his presentation, there was barely a dry eye in the meeting. The vice principal, responsible for making the final decision on this issue, looked him in the eye and said he would make sure Sean was fully included in school the following year. Sean smiled and his parents hugged him. There are many stories and experiences similar to Sean's in terms of youth finding a way to have more of a voice in their planning meetings, and team members finding that they are better able to understand the youth and his/her hopes and dreams after viewing their presentations. Youth participants included a wide range of youngsters with varying disabilities and support needs, including youth with autism; Down Syndrome; ADHD, communication, cognitive, and learning disabilities; as well as youth with emotional behavioral disorders.
Session presenters have been working with youth to develop presentations for planning meetings for a number of years. More recently, presenters have begun investigating the impact of self-authored multimedia presentations on the self-determination skills and participation of young adults with disabilities in their IEP, Transition, and Wraparound planning conferences, in part with a U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) grant. Session presenters look forward to sharing preliminary findings and a number of examples of presentations developed by youth multimedia authors.

References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.

Ben, K., Weidel, J., Tallman, B.I., & Dowrick, P.W. (1996). Increasing skills necessary for self-determination through video based personal futures planning: Final report to the US Office of Special Education Programs. Anchorage, AK: Center for Human Development, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Bradley, R. D. (1993). The use of goal setting and positive self-modeling to enhance self-efficacy and performance for the basketball free-throw shot (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Maryland College Park, 1993). Dissertation Abstracts International, 54(05), 1723.

DeFur, S. (2000). Designing individualized education program (IEP) transition plans. Retrieved September 2, 2002 from http://web2.epnet.com/delivery.asp?tb=1&ug =dbs+1%2C7+fic+1+ln+en-us+sid+7D2711E.html. (ERIC Digest #E598)

Dorwrick, P.W. (1999). A review of self-modeling and related interventions. Applied and Preventative Psychology, 8, 23-39.

Dowrick, P.W. & Skouge, J. (2001). Creating futures: Potential of video empowerment in postsecondary education. Disability Quarterly Studies, 21(1). Retrieved September 15, 2002, from .

Dowrick, P.W., Skouge, J., & Galbavy, R. (1999). Creating futures: Video empowerment in under-resourced communities. Paper presented at biennial conference of Society for Community Research and Action, New Haven, CT.

Hapner, A. & Breck, I. (2002). The students' voices. Remedial & Special Education, 23, 122-127.

Held, M. S., Thoma, C.A., & Thomas, K. (2004) "The John Jones Show": How one teacher facilitated self-determined transition planning for a young man with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 19 (3), 177-188.

Hosford, R.E. & Johnson, M.E. (1983). Comparison of self-observation, self- modeling and practice without video feedback for improving counselor interviewing behavior. Counselor Education and Supervision, 23, 62-70.

Individuals with Disabilities 1400(26). Education Act Amendments of 1997, 20 U.S.C.

Jaskulski, T., Metzler, C., & Sierman, S. A. (1990). Forging a new era: The 1990 report on people with developmental disabilities. Washington, DC: National Association of Developmental Disabilities Councils.

Kelly, M. L. (2004). It's a rap: Utilizing multimedia tools to increase youth voice in the special education planning process. Poster presentation at US Dept of Education OSEP Leadership and Research Project Directors' Conference

Kelly, M.L. (1997). Our voices: Utilizing video tools for youth empowerment. Poster presentation at University of Hawaii School of Public Health Alumni Association Poster Session: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Kelly, M.L. & Skouge, J. (1997-1998). Through the viewfinder - from Makua to Waipahu. Waianae, HI: 'Olelo Community Television. [TV series].

Kelly, M. L. & Thomas, K. (2003). Using Multimedia Tools to Increase Student Voice. Presentation at Indiana Statewide Transition Conference: Today's Student and Tomorrow's Adult.

McGahee, M., Mason, C., Wallace, T., & Jones, B. (2001). Student-led IEPs: A guide for student involvement. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Siegel, L.M. (2002). The complete IEP Guide: How to advocate for your special education child, 2nd ed. Berkeley, CA: Nolo.

Skouge, J. (2002). Pacific RTEC 'Pacific Voices' technology supports for Pacific Island teachers: Foundation monograph and module one Literacy and Language Arts. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Center on Disability Studies.

Skouge, J.R., Kelly, M.L., O'Brien, R., Thomas, K. (2003) Creating Futures: Video empowerment for self-determination. Presentation at CSUN conference.

Skouge, J, & Kelly, M.L. (1998) Video 'Raps': Voices of Children and Youth. Paper presentation at Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities: Linking Local Solutions with the Global Village.

Skouge, J., Kelly, M., & Thomas, K (2003). Creating Futures: Video empowerment in under-resourced communities. Paper presentation at American Education Research Association (AERA).

Stancliffe, R., Wehmeyer, M.L. (1995). Variability in the availability of choice to adults with mental retardation. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 5, 319-328.

Starek, J. & McCaullagh, P. (1999). The effect of self-modeling on the performance of beginning swimmers. The Sport Psychologist, 13, 269-287.

Stodden, R. A., & Dowrick, P. W. (1999). Postsecondary education and employment of adults with disabilities. Manuscript submitted for publication.

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. (1999). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments of 1997: Curriculum. Washington, DC: National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY).

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (2002). Twenty-second annual report to congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, 2000. [Data file]. Available from Office of Special Education Programs website, http://www.ideadata.org.

Wehmeyer, M.L. (1996). Self-determination as an educational outcome. In D.J.Sands & M.L. Wehmeyer (Eds.). Self determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp17-37). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Wehmeyer, M.L., Agran, M., & Hughes, C. (1998). Teaching self-determination to students with disabilities: Basic skills for successful transition. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co..

Wehmeyer, M.L., & Metzler, C. A. (Wehmeyer, M. L., & Metzler, C. (1995). How self-determined are people with mental retardation? The national consumer survey. Mental Retardation, 33, 111-119.

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