STEPS Program

S.T.E.P.S Courses

• 7980120 Career Experiences

• 7961020 Communication Skills for Functional Living

• 7961050 Community and Social Skills for Functional Living

• 7961040 Leisure and Recreation Skills for Functional Living

• 7961030 Personal and Home Skills for Functional Living

• 7963010 Preparation for Post School Adult Living

• 7963104 Self Determination

• 7980150 Supported Competitive Employment

Students

Co-Teaching Model (Exclusive STEPS Program)

Classroom Model

Instruction Curriculum

Unique Learning System is a standards-based Curriculum program designed specifically for students with significant cognitive disabilities. It includes instructional content, lessons and material that enable students to be actively engaged in post-secondary Transition curriculum. The Transition band includes differentiated tasks that provide guidance on how to include ALL students in the same activity with different levels of expectations. Instructional activities are taught multiple times throughout the month allowing students multiple opportunities to practice skills and learn information. Unique provides a comprehensive way to collect student data n various skills and abilities. Transition Planning enable other students to create their own futures Plan. Source: http//unique.n2.com/aboyt.aspx

Go Leaps is a research-based, practical program that improves behavior, grades, and attendance in K-12 education and juvenile justice environments. Leaps was developed after over 10 years of research and clinical practice, and is being used by hundreds of schools in more than 40 school districts.
With a comprehensive library of lessons and powerful, interactive assessments tools, Leaps provides educators and interventionists with customized, actionable plans to improve social and emotional skills for any youth.
Source: https://www.goleaps.com

Assessments

Brigance Transition Skills Activities
The new BRIGANCE® Transition Skills Activities helps educators deliver data-driven instruction to build students’ skills in key transition areas. Each lesson includes a variety of activities and modifications to support a broad range of student abilities and interests. The Transition Skills Activities is directly aligned to assessments in the Transition Skills Inventory (TSI) and covers the following skill areas:
– Post-Secondary Education/Training
– Employment
– Independent Living
– Community Participation
The accompanying Student Book includes written activities that provide opportunities for students to apply what they have learned.
Source: http://www.curriculumassociates.com

Targeted Life Skills Inventory: A Curriculum and Assessment Profile

This curriculum aligns each domain’s goals and objectives to both the Sunshine State Standards and Sunshine State Standards for Special Diploma. These can be found immediately following each domain title page and domain table of contents page, and just before the domain’s curriculum sequence (goal, objective, and skill sequence).

This product contains two instruments:
• A LIFE Assessment Profile (LAP)
• A Targeted LIFE Skills Curriculum that is correlated to the LIFE Assessment Profile
You have the option of using these two instruments as masters for printing as many copies as needed for use with the students served on a single campus.
The curriculum is divided into:
• Assessment Profile
• Life Skills Curriculum
• Community Domain
• Domestic Domain
• Recreation/Leisure Domain
• Vocational Domain
• Functional Academics
Source: www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/ese

Community Based Instruction

Community-Based Instruction (CBI) is an effective instructional method for teaching, in real-life settings and under the supervision of educators, the skills that students will need for functional daily living as productive adults. CBI has been documented as an evidence-based practice by the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center. In the short term, CBI helps students develop age-appropriate skills for functioning outside the school environment. Ultimately, CBI prepares students for successful transition to adulthood after graduation, helps students to live independently, and enhances their quality of life. CBI programs are hands-on and are implemented during trips to community locations. “Locations such as ‘community’ or ‘campus’ are appropriate for services such as community-based instruction or orientation and mobility training” (FLDOE BEESS, 2004, pp. 2-3). A critical component of CBI is the involvement of parents and other members of the community such as businesses, teachers, and local establishments. CBI is individualized to meet the particular needs of a student and to teach skills which relate to specific IEP goals or objectives. The Phoenix Day school for the Deaf (n.d.) has identified four CBI domains:
• Domestic – self-care and grooming, wellness, nutrition, cooking, laundry, housekeeping
• Vocational – career exploration, employability skills, instructions, rules, schedules
• Community – transportation, libraries, shopping, post office, restaurants
• Recreation and Leisure – crafts, games, parks, YMCA, bowling, golfing, movies, amusement parks

Academic, communication, and social skills are incorporated into CBI and may include the following:
• Advocating for oneself
• Balancing a checkbook
• Doing laundry
• Using the public library
• Locating, carrying and/or purchasing items in stores
• Utilizing public transportation
• Attending community events
• Ordering food in a restaurant
• Identifying potential employer through site visits

Trips to community locations occur concurrently with classroom instruction. Students may initially learn and practice a skill in the classroom; they will eventually practice the skill by applying it in a home or community setting. For example, a student who learns math skills in the classroom may later practice those skills during a shopping expedition. Community-based instruction benefits students, parents and caregivers, educational staff, and the community. Some of the benefits, many of which were identified by the Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project (n.d.), include: Students increase appropriate behaviors for work and community settings, independence and mobility, and the ability to generalize skills and knowledge to new situations. Parents/Caregivers increase commitment, communication, cooperation, and participation in planning, programming, and skills identification. Educational staff increase creativity, commitment, communication, and motivation. Communities increase awareness of the potential of individuals with disabilities and school/private sector partnerships. Sample Locations: Laundry Mat, Department Store, Pet Store, Grocery Store, Library, Metro Rail, Metro Bus, Parks, Cultural Events, etc. Source: http://www.project10

School Based Enterprise

Our primary goal is to provide our students with the necessary skills to successfully participate in the community, increase independence, and acquire and maintain employment.

Ruth’s Grill

By creating a school-based restaurant, our students will be given the opportunities to develop various work skills. Ruth’s Grill will sell lunch to staff 3-4 times per week every other week and cater various events throughout the school year. In addition, Ruth’s Grill will provide light snacks for bus drivers and bus aides. Through active participation, the students will be able to apply instructional knowledge to real-life work situations. Their roles will include gardener, chef, hostess, cashier, bus person, dishwasher, delivery person and supervisor. First, students will plant and maintain an herb and vegetable garden. Using the vegetables and herbs from their garden they will create a variety of meals and will ultimately publish a cookbook using the meals they prepared from their garden. Students will create menu flyers and distribute to the staff. Students will then run a restaurant, serving some of the meals they created. Students will also monitor order forms, schedule work duties, check inventory of supplies, and plan delivery dates and times for the take-out orders generated. Students will be responsible for budgeting and keeping account logs. All jobs will be rotated in order to give each student the opportunity to practice new skills.

Busy Beads

By creating a school-based jewelry making business, our students will be given the opportunities to develop specific work skills. With the “Busy Beads”, students will demonstrate: sorting, counting, patterns, computer skills, fine motor skills, decorating skills, money skills, identifying cost and expenses, marketing, design, and interpersonal skills. Through active participation, the students will be able to apply instructional knowledge to real-life work situations. Their roles will include designer, sorter, stranding, sales personnel, cashier, maintenance, and supervisor. Students will monitor order forms, schedule work duties, check inventory of supplies, and plan delivery dates and times. All jobs will rotate in order to give each student the opportunity to practice new skills.

Students’ involvement in “Busy Beads” will provide them with an environment in which they can develop essential work-skills. Students will decide what type of jewelry they want to make (bracelet, necklace or anklet), choose color pattern, gather beads according to color, create a design, strand beads, attaching toggles, and place in a jewelry box. Students will price jewelry depending on the cost of beads being used. Through the “Busy Beads” students will have the opportunity to run a small business, as well as, develop a leisure and recreational activity.

Parental Component

Anticipated Steps Program Commencement

Parents will be provided with a comprehensive overview of the STEPS program during an evening spaghetti dinner. Event will be developed through the collaboration of Administration, Program Specialist, STEP Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Counselors, Transition Specialist, Supported Employment Job Coach, and Project Victory teachers.
• January 2013 Partial Implementation
• August 2013 Full Implementation

Successful Transition Education Program for Students