Updated 07/30/2020

Can students with IEPs and Section 504 Plans participate in the Panther Virtual Academy (PVA)?

• Yes.  Intervention Specialist supports and other IEP services, such as speech or occupational therapy will be provided to participating students.  However, services will look differently in this virtual learning model than they will for students who will be attending a WLS school building.

Will students on IEPs be able to complete the material independently?

• This will depend on each student’s skill level, persistence, and home support.  Parents and guardians need to factor in their student’s needs and characteristics when making this decision.  PVA is not a good option for all students.  Although there will be IEP services, most of the student work and learning through this model will occur independently.

How will intervention specialist support services look in this model?

• Intervention specialist services will be provided in two primary ways.

  • First, as students are working on a lesson, they can email the intervention specialist directly from the lesson with questions.  Teachers will be monitoring the responses daily.  Depending on when the student is sending the email and the current workload of the intervention specialist, there may be a delay between when the question is submitted and when a response is provided.  Teacher responses may include a written explanation, attached examples or models, or even video and internet links to address student questions.

  • Secondly, the intervention specialist will be holding regular zoom office hours providing the opportunity for direct support and answers to questions.

How will speech therapy and occupational therapy be provided for students attending PVA who have those services on an IEP?

• Speech and OT services will be provided through scheduled zoom (telehealth) sessions with a WLS speech therapist or occupational therapist.

What accommodations will be available for students on IEPs and Section 504 Plans?

• This virtual learning model provides several accommodations and supports for students to be able to access the lessons and material.

  • Time: tests and assignments are not timed.  Typically, a student will be able to finish a lesson in about 50 minutes per course.  But, the student can spend as long as needed to complete each lesson.  Tests are not timed.

  • Text-to-speech: Students can select texts to be read aloud by the computer.  The rate of speech can be adjusted to best meet each student's needs.

  • Multiple Choice Answer Responses: The number of multiple choice answer options can be adjusted to meet IEP and 504 accommodation needs.

  • Dictionary: Students can select words and the dictionary feature will define the word to enhance student reading comprehension and understanding.

  • Translation: for students learning English, any text can be selected and translated into the student’s language of choice.

  • Feedback: Teachers will be monitoring student work and provide feedback to students on a regular basis.  Teachers will also be available to respond to email questions from students who need assistance or have questions about a lesson.

My child has aide support on his IEP.  Will aide support be provided in this model, and if so, how will that look?

• IEP teams will convene to determine whether or not aide support will be needed in this setting for those students whose IEP currently includes aide support.  In any case, aide support will only be provided virtually.

Will IEPs or Section 504 Plans need to be re-written or amended?

• In most cases, yes.  The IEP or 504 Plan will be amended or re-written to accurately describe the supports and services needed by the student in this learning setting.

My student is on a modified curriculum and has multiple disabilities.  Is NOVA a good choice for her?

• Although decisions need to be made case-by-case, Nova is probably not going to be the best fit for your child’s learning needs.