ISA Online Programs |

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ISA Online Programs |











ISA Online Programs

Online Programs The Center for Integrated Self-Advocacy

Next Session Starts: SEPTEMBER

Being able to self-advocate is ESSENTIAL for individuals with disabilities in order to have a voice in their own support plans (IEPs or adult services plans) at school, at home, at work and in the community. ONLINE COURSES make professional development for teachers and therapists accessible, so that agencies and families may build capacity in this core aspect of service provision. After completing the 12-week Proseries, participants can extend training to a follow-up six-week certification in ISA. The certification is a train-the-trainer program that helps schools and agencies build capacity. Both courses address support to ALL disability populations, and provide curricula for addressing National Common Core Teaching Standards, self-advocacy skills assessment, transition planning, IEP, and Adult Services goal development. Have questions? Email admissions@houltoninstitute.com or call 1855HOULTON to learn about enrollment. We work with school districts too!


How Does The Course Benefit You?REGISTER TODAY!

Click on the link below that best describes you:

ISA 12 Week Proseries Program

The 12 Week Proseries provides the skills, training and tools to professionals, volunteers or family members who wish to support individuals with disabilities in advocating for themselves in school, agency, residential, employment, university or other community settings.

ABOUT THE COURSE & CURRICULUM

  • Learn how to successfully implement the Integrated Self-Advocacy ISA Curriculum
  • Learn how to integrate self-advocacy goals and specialized instruction into the Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Adult Services Plan
  • Learn how to support emerging self-advocates with enhanced communication and visual supports, using the ISA tools and lesson plans
  • Learn how to implement the ISA Sensory Scan™ and ISA Social Scan™ to support people with disabilities in identifying their environmental and social needs and accommodations and in advocating for them
  • Learn how to support people with disabilities in attending, or even leading, their own IEP or Adult Services meetings

While self-paced, the courses are taught by expert professors (including Dr. Valerie Paradiz, developer of the ISA curriculum) to answer your questions and to guide learning. Students are provided teaching assistants, technical and customer support. Click here to learn more about the program’s renowned faculty. In order to register for this program click the Register today button above.

Click here for ISA Course Breakdown

Click here to learn more about the Certificate Programs

ISA 18 Week Certificate Program APPLY TODAY!

Certification as an ISA Instructor makes known to the public those professionals who have completed all seminar and practicum requirements, followed by a rigorous certification exam. It also makes known those who are authorized to provide training, using the ISA certification marks and ISA assessments, to others who support individuals with disabilities in the ISA Instructor’s same place of employment (school, agency, residential, employment, university or community settings). Finally, certification demonstrates that the certificant has agreed to adhere to important principles of person-centeredness and self-determination and to do so with standards of practice that preserve and support the dignity and ever-growing autonomy of the people with disabilities they support.

ABOUT THE COURSE & CURRICULUM

The certification builds upon the ISA 12 week Proseries as a train-the-trainer program that helps schools and agencies build capacity. The certification course addresses support to ALL disability populations and provides curricula for addressing National Common Core Teaching Standards, self-advocacy skills assessment, transition planning, IEP, and Adult Services goal development.

  • Become a licensed trainer in an innovative support model to ALL disability populations
  • Learn to implement the ISA Self-Advocacy Indicators and Skills Assessment Survey to measure skill levels in five self-advocacy skill arenas
  • Learn to develop individualized self-advocacy programs using results from the ISA Assessment
  • Receive intensive instruction in the ISA Sensory Scan™ and ISA Social Scan™ model, including implementation of the Sensory and Social scan assessments, development of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) and Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) using the ISA Sensory and Social Scans as Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA)
  • Learn how to implement capacity building initiatives within your organization, including practice in training target populations within the work environment
  • Learn how to develop an individualized Self-Advocacy Portfolio with an individual with a disability, including Portfolio development for IEP planning, transition planning, and Adult Services planning

All ISA certified Instructors must demonstrate knowledge and expertise through a final exam. The exam is open book, featuring a variety of multiple choice, true-false, and rigorous short and long essay questions that assess understanding of the key concepts, philosophies, and practices of ISA and its foundation in person-centered support and self-determination. The exam is timed and takes up to two (2) hours to complete.

Click here for ISA Course Breakdown

Click here to learn more about the Certificate Programs

A Breakdown of the ISA Courses

EDU 1501: Integrated Self-Advocacy I

The first course offers learners an introduction to the basic components of the Integrated Self-Advocacy ISA® program. The course will first focus on the three steps of self-advocacy, including the important consideration of self-disclosure of disability/conditions. In the second and third modules, several topics will be discussed such as the 3 indicators of self-advocacy skill development, the 5 arenas of self-advocacy, universal design for learning, advocacy scripts, and the disability community and the various perspectives and stakeholder groups within this community. In the subsequent two modules, focus will be devoted to developing and using the ISA Sensory Scan™, the ISA Social Scan™to support individuals in scanning environments for sensory/social needs or accommodations, followed by development of advocacy plans to address these needs and accommodations. The course ends with an analysis on how to support individuals in identifying and cultivating their strengths and interests, as well as tap into their abilities as a method of self-advocacy. Throughout the course, additional information on supplemental materials (ISA textbooks and student workbooks) for instructional use in classroom, agency, organizational, or home settings will be provided.

EDU 1502: Integrated Self-Advocacy II

This course begins by offering insights into the significance of role models in supporting positive self-identification and self- awareness as a person with a disability. The course moves on to introduce learners to the importance of supporting individuals with disabilities in developing media literacy. In the third and fourth modules, tools and strategies for supporting school-aged individuals with disabilities in understanding the IEP process as well as adults with disabilities in understanding the Adult Services Plan, will be explored. The next module introduces learners to the basic tenets of the Americans with Disabilities Act and provides strategies for supporting individuals with disabilities in understanding their important rights. In the concluding module, learners will examine the ISA Portfolio and how to support individuals in developing their personal portfolios of individualized self-advocacy strategies and resources. Also, information on ISA resources (publications, workbooks, etc.) that can utilized to support individuals with disabilities in developing self-advocacy skills will be provided all through the course.

EDU 1503 Integrated Self-Advocacy Certificate

The ISA Certificate course equips learners with the tools to become ISA trainers in their own place of employment. The course starts by offering an overview of ISA certification requirements and how they can be fulfilled by completion of all activities and assignments (with passing scores) covered in the online certification course. Following this, learners are provided with a thorough introduction to the ISA Indicators and Skills Assessment Survey, which offers qualitative and quantitative data that in turn is utilized to develop individualized self-advocacy learning programs. The second and third modules expand upon the basic tools and strategies of the ISA Sensory Scan™ and the ISA Social Scan™ by examining additional sensory pre-teaching tools and assessments that cover Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), as well as development of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) and Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) using Sensory and Social Scan data. As the ISA Certification course begins to wrap up, learners will take a closer look at key aspects and activities of becoming ISA Certified Trainers and will be asked to consider important points of providing training to others in their organizations, including shaping training to reach a target audience, creating an organizational ISA Strategic Plan, tapping into ISA tools for training others and implementing the ISA curriculum, and reviewing the ISA Professional Ethics and the Licensing Rules and Limitations for certified trainers.



Benefits For Educators…

  • Support students with disabilities K-21 with evidence-based curricula and assessments
  • Teach self-advocacy ability with materials designed for a broad range of cognitive processing and learning styles
  • Assess students’ functional skill level, progress and outcomes in five self-advocacy skill areas, including:
    • Environmental/sensory
    • Social
    • Disclosure
    • Strengths and interests
    • Civil rights and entitlements
  • Develop IEP goals for self-advocacy ability, including an individualized learning plan using the ISA curriculum
  • Support students with IEPs and 504 plans
  • Implement tools that are data driven to assist students with disabilities in developing advocacy plans to address accommodations and self-regulation more independently
  • Assist students in learning how to use the ISA Sensory and Social Scans™, so that they may learn about their sensory and social needs and preferences, and advocate for them
  • Support students in developing individualized Self-Advocacy Portfolios that can be shared across settings
  • Use the ISA curriculum and assessments to develop a person-centered transition plan and self-advocacy portfolio
  • Address challenging behavior by teaching self-advocacy as a replacement behavior
  • Teach to national common core standards while supporting self-advocacy learning    (back to top)

REGISTER TODAY!

Benefits For Agency, Voc. Rehab and Direct Support Workers…

  • Support transition aged students and adults with disabilities with evidence-based tools that are relevant to residential, employment, and community settings
  • Support self-advocacy ability with materials designed for a broad range of cognitive processing and learning styles
  • Assess individuals’ functional skill level, progress and outcomes in five self-advocacy skill areas, including:
    • Environmental/sensory
    • Social
    • Disclosure
    • Strengths and interests
    • Civil rights and entitlements
  • Develop and measure adult services goals for self-advocacy ability
  • Implement tools that are evidence-based to assist individuals with disabilities in developing advocacy plans to address accommodations and self-regulation more independently
  • Assist individuals in learning how to use the ISA Sensory and Social Scans™, so that they may learn about their sensory and social needs and preferences, and advocate for them
  • Support individuals in developing individualized Self-Advocacy Portfolios that can be shared across settings
  • Use the ISA curriculum and assessments to ensure a person-centered approach based upon principles of self-determination in adult support settings    (back to top)

REGISTER TODAY!

Psychologists, MSWs, School Counselors…

  • Support people with disabilities of all ages with structured, evidence-based activities in group or individual counseling settings, including social skills and peer support groups
  • Assess individuals’ functional skill level, progress and outcomes in five self-advocacy skill areas, including:
    • Environmental/sensory
    • Social
    • Disclosure
    • Strengths and interests
    • Civil rights and entitlements
  • Develop and measure goals for self-advocacy ability
  • Assist individuals in learning how to use the ISA Sensory and Social Scans™, so that they may understand their sensory and social needs and preferences, and advocate for them
  • Address challenging behavior by teaching self-advocacy as a replacement behavior    (back to top)

REGISTER TODAY!

Occupational and Physical Therapists…

  • Support individuals with disabilities of all ages with evidence-based curricula and assessments
  • Teach self-advocacy ability with materials designed for a broad range of cognitive processing and learning styles
  • Assess individuals’ functional skill level, progress and outcomes in sensory, regulatory, and environmental self advocacy
  • Assist individuals in learning how to use the ISA Sensory and Social Scans™, so that they may understand their sensory and social needs and preferences, and advocate for them
  • Support individuals in developing individualized Self-Advocacy Portfolios that can be shared across settings
  • Address sensory and regulatory differences that result in challenging behavior, by teaching self-advocacy as a replacement behavior to assist regulation, comfort, and greater integration    (back to top)

REGISTER TODAY!

Speech Therapists…

  • Support individuals with disabilities of all ages with evidence-based curricula and assessments
  • Teach self-advocacy ability with materials designed for a broad range of cognitive processing and learning styles
  • Assess individuals’ functional skill level, progress and outcomes in social and communication self-advocacy
  • Develop and measure IEP or adult services goals for self-advocacy ability
  • Assist individuals in learning how to use the ISA Social Scans™, so that they may understand their social/communication needs and preferences, and advocate for them
  • Support students in developing individualized Self-Advocacy Portfolios that can be shared across settings
  • Address social/communication differences that result in challenging behavior by teaching self-advocacy as a replacement behavior to increase communication and promote greater integration    (back to top)

REGISTER TODAY!

University Personnel and Student Services Staff…

  • Support students with disabilities with evidence-based tools and assessment that are relevant to campus and dorm life
  • Support self-advocacy ability with materials designed for a broad range of cognitive processing and learning styles
  • Assess students’ functional skill levels in five self-advocacy skill areas to document and meet ADA requirements:
    • Environmental/sensory
    • Social
    • Disclosure
    • Strengths and interests
    • Civil rights and entitlements
  • Develop targeted accommodations with students, based upon assessment outcomes
  • Provide tools that are evidence-based to assist individuals with disabilities in developing advocacy plans, to address accommodations more independently on campus and in the dorms
  • Provide structured activities for Disability or Diversity Clubs
  • Assist students in learning how to use the ISA Sensory and Social Scans™, so that they may learn about their sensory and social needs and preferences, and advocate for them
  • Use the ISA model to develop individualized Self-Advocacy Portfolios with students
  • Use the ISA activities and assessments to ensure a person-centered approach based upon principles of self-determination    (back to top)

REGISTER TODAY!

Family Members, Mentors, and Volunteers…

  • Support family members with disabilities with evidence-based activities and assessments
  • Teach self-advocacy ability with materials designed for a broad range of cognitive processing and learning styles
  • Understand an individual’s functional skill level, progress and outcomes in five self-advocacy skill areas, including:
    • Environmental/sensory
    • Social
    • Disclosure
    • Strengths and interests
    • Civil rights and entitlements
  • Develop talking points and suggested goals for IEP or adult services meetings
  • Learn to use tools that help your child or relative with a disability in developing advocacy plans to address accommodations and self-regulation more independently
  • Assist a child or adult in learning how to use the ISA Sensory and Social Scans™, so that they may learn about their sensory, regulatory and social needs and preferences, and advocate for them
  • Create a Self-Advocacy Portfolio that can be shared across settings at school, faith-based settings, job sites, and residential settings
  • Address challenging behavior by teaching self-advocacy as a replacement behavior    (back to top)

REGISTER TODAY!

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