Ms. K Thomson

MARIA TERESA MIDDLE SCHOOL

“INVALID HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS:

A MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEM FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES”

You have been hired as a consultant by the Advocates for Children of New York, because you know first hand what it means to be a student in a public school. You will be studying the problem of awarding different diplomas to students with disabilities. Students are receiving “modified” diplomas that will not help them forward their education. Colleges and vocational institutions do not accept these diplomas. Moreover, employers view these diplomas as “unqualified”. This is a travesty of education and inclusion. Hundreds of thousands are left out of the American Dream. Their lives are relegated to low paying jobs and a meager existence. Studies have shown that these hard working individuals are no better than off those who have dropped out.

You now can help. You have an opportunity to make a change. In this web quest you will investigate this dire social problem and search for public policy solutions

: Using the PPA students will analyze the current diploma policies in the United States for students with disabilities. Students will examine the effects of these policies on students in New York City. Groups will use the Public Policy Analyst to find public policy solutions.

Each group will create a POWER POINT of a minimum of SIX slides. More slides can be constructed so do not be restricted by the minimum.

Each Power Point must include

1: A minimum of 6 slides

2: One PPA step per slide

3: Graphics & test for each slide

ORAL REPORT

1: Each group will present an oral report

2: The presentation will extend for 15 minutes

3: The presentation must include use of the power point

Students will be divided into three groups. Each group will have the responsibility to complete the task products. To complete the task, students will utilize the

SIX STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST. The worksheets for each step are linked below and students must access these links and complete the sheets using the Internet researches linked in the “resource” section of the web quest.

The Six Steps of the Public Policy Analyst

Step 1: Define the problem:

Step 2: Gather the Evidence:

Step 3: Identify the causes

Step 4: Examine the Existing Policy

Step 5: Develop Policy Solutions

Step 6: Select the Best Solution:

GROUP ORGANIZATION

1: RESEARCHER-This student will access the resource sites, take notes and complete the PPA worksheets. These worksheets will then be given to the Power point creator. All group members may take part in research but the researcher will coordinate completion of the worksheets

2: POWER POINT CONSTRUCTION-This student will complete the power point slides using the data from the PPA worksheets

3: ORAL PRESENTER & ORGANIZER-This student will coordinate the oral presentation, create a script and construct props along with acquiring detailed knowledge of the power point slides. This student may delegate responsibilities to other group members for completion of the 15 minute presentation.

GENERAL WEB SITES

WWW.GOOGLE.COM

WWW.YAHOO.COM

WWW.ALTAVISTA.COM

SPECIFIC WEB SITES

New York Daily News Article (use for step 1 &2)

Failing in New York (use for step # 1 & 3)

Individuals with Disabilities (use for step #4)

Wrightslaw (use for step #4)

Evaluation:

Oral Presentation Rubric : panel discussion

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CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNACCEPTABLE
Preparedness	Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed.	Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals.	The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking.	Student does not seem at all prepared to present.
Comprehension	Student is able to accurately answer almost all questions posed by classmates about the topic.	Student is able to accurately answer most questions posed by classmates about the topic.	Student is able to accurately answer a few questions posed by classmates about the topic.	Student is unable to accurately answer questions posed by classmates about the topic.
Listens to Other Presentations	Listens intently. Does not make distracting noises or movements.	Listens intently but has one distracting noise or movement.	Sometimes does not appear to be listening but is not distracting.	Sometimes does not appear to be listening and has distracting noises or movements.
Stays on Topic	Stays on topic all (100%) of the time.	Stays on topic most (99-90%) of the time.	Stays on topic some (89%-75%) of the time.	It was hard to tell what the topic was.

Power point Appearance and Content : PPA

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Teacher Name: Ms. K. Thomson

CATEGORY	4 Excellent	3 Very Good	2 Satisfactory	1 Unacceptable
Originality	Presentation shows considerable originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in a unique and interesting way.	Presentation shows some originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in an interesting way.	Presentation shows an attempt at originality and inventiveness on 1-2 cards.	Presentation is a rehash of other people's ideas and/or graphics and shows very little attempt at original thought.
Content - Accuracy	All content throughout the presentation is accurate. There are no factual errors.	Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of information that might be inaccurate.	The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information is clearly flawed or inaccurate.	Content is typically confusing or contains more than one factual error.
Sequencing of Information	Information is organized in a clear, logical way. It is easy to anticipate the type of material that might be on the next card.	Most information is organized in a clear, logical way. One card or item of information seems out of place.	Some information is logically sequenced. An occasional card or item of information seems out of place.	There is no clear plan for the organization of information.
Effectiveness	Project includes all material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the topic. It is a highly effective study guide.	Project includes most material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the material but is lacking one or two key elements. It is an adequate study guide.	Project is missing more than two key elements. It would make an incomplete study guide.	Project is lacking several key elements and has inaccuracies that make it a poor study guide.

CONCLUSION

From this web quest, you should have learned the extent of the social problem regarding education for the disabled. Many thousands are relegated to substandard living due to lack of educational facilities for the disabled. Their diplomas neither have to relevance to the real world nor allow them to improve their lives. You also have experienced the value of the “public policy analyst” in our democratic society. It is this person, who identifies social problems and search for solutions.

Thanks for your participation. Let’s hope you and your group members have made a difference.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

English Language Arts

Standard 1:   Language for Information and Understanding

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standard 2:   Language for Literary Response and Expression

Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

Standard 4:   Language for Social Interaction

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.

Social Studies

Standard 4:   Economics

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.

Standard 5:   Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation