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Professional Learning Opportunities 

WEA's Inclusionary Practices Technical Assistance Network (IPTN) combines the Inclusionary Practices Project and Special Education Program to provide professional learning online via Zoom.


Register for each course using the link listed next to the course title. (REGISTER HERE)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom registration link.

Courses are available to all. Courses are free.

After completing a course, it will take up to 10 business days to receive your evaluation email. Once you submit your evaluation, it may take up to 3 business days to receive the email containing the link to download your clock hour form. Evaluation emails and clock hour form emails come from tbradley@washingtonea.org via Cvent. Check your junk and spam folders if you do not see our emails in your inbox.

If, after 10 business days, you have not received the evaluation email or clock hour form and you have checked all of your email accounts and spam/junk folders, please complete the following form for assistance: https://forms.washingtonea.org/Forms/pdtrainingrecord.

For general questions or registration assistance, email Thera Bradley.

Contact Phyllis Campano, Special Populations/Programs Coordinator, for questions regarding Special Education or the Inclusionary Practices Project.

Registration Information

Registration is a two-step process

1.  Register for each course using the REGISTER HERE link next to the course title (Registration - via Cvent).

2.  You will receive the link(s) to access the training and materials (if applicable) in the confirmation and/or reminder emails. You will be directed to a Zoom registration page when you click the Zoom link in these emails. Again, please check your spam/junk/promotions folders if you do not see these emails in your inbox.

Registration information and Zoom links will be sent again in an event reminder email as the course date approaches. Save this information.


COURSES CURRENTLY OFFERED in 2024


Environmental Design, Schedules, and Routine in Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms (Equity)  --  TWO OFFERINGS

January 9th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM    REGISTER HERE

March 18th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM   REGISTER HERE

This course teaches strategies that are highly conducive to children’s learning and development in inclusive Early Childhood settings. The first part of this course provides strategies for designing an effective, high-quality environment. The second part teaches evidence-based strategies for developing and implementing effective schedules and routines. This course meets cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion clock hours requirements. 

Participants should be able to

  • Identify at least two elements of Environmental Design for the Early Childhood setting.
  • Identify at least three elements of an effective Early Childhood Schedule.
  • Identify at least three elements of effective Early Childhood Routines.
  • Identify at least 5 ways in which this presentation aligns with the definitions of cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Foundations of Functional Behavior Assessment    REGISTER HERE

Monday, January 15, and Wednesday, January 16th, 2024, from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Participants will be introduced to the foundational principles of how to conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA). This course emphasizes the use of a team-based approach for the development of FBAs. Participants will be taught key vocabulary essential for understanding the FBA process, understanding state and federal laws that regulate FBAs, learn how to collect and analyze data, identify the importance of the function behind the behavior, and learn how to leverage where students are successful to build an effective plan. Participants will have a deeper understanding of the specific components of a functional behavioral assessment and how to create a strengths-based plan with a student's team that leads to positive, lasting results.


Programming for Specially Designed Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms (Equity)     REGISTER HERE

Tuesday, January 16, and Thursday, January 18, 2024, 4:30 pm -7:30 pm

Participants will learn the history of special education as it relates to specially designed instruction for students with disabilities. Attendees will learn what specially designed instruction is, and how our current IEP process supports collaborative opportunities for implementing SDI. Participants will have the opportunity to work with curriculum materials to outline SDI opportunities in an inclusive classroom. This course is intended for special education teachers, general education teachers, administrators, and paraeducators working with students with disabilities attending general education inclusive classrooms.


Special Education Law  --  TWO offerings         

Monday, January 22nd, and Tuesday January 23rd  from 4:30 to 7:30 PM   REGISTER HERE

Monday February 5th, and Tuesday February 6th, 2024 from 4:30 to 7:30 PM   REGISTER HERE

Understanding the Federal and State laws for providing special education programs in our public schools is imperative to ensure the compliant delivery of services to qualified students. This course provides an overview of the rules and regulations required for providing special education services. Based on WAC 392-172A and specific court cases, instruction provides participants with the tools needed to provide compliant services. 

Participants will:

  • Gain awareness of the definition of Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as it applies to students eligible for special education
  • Walk through the IEP process – from referral through IEP development and implementation
  • Gain awareness of the law as it applies to the least restrictive environment (LRE)
  • Know the importance of parent and student participation in all program decisions
  • Gain awareness of the procedural due process

De-Escalation Strategies        REGISTER HERE

January 24th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Participants learn to recognize signs of a potential behavioral crisis and remediate it before a behavioral event. In addition to exploring how their own behavior can affect the escalation cycle, participants discover and practice de-escalation techniques that recognize the importance of maintaining student dignity during behavior crises. 

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Determine individual student behavior triggers.
  • Understand and describe the escalation cycle.
  • Recognize the signs of a potential behavioral crisis and remediate them before the event.

Sensory Strategies in the Inclusive Classroom (Equity)     REGISTER HERE

February 28th and 29th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Participants will be guided through sensory processing concepts and will learn how to apply and incorporate these principles immediately into practice in the inclusive classroom. They will understand the importance of sensory support and the physiological needs of students to attain an optimal learning state. 

Participants will learn about basic neurological processes around children’s sensory processing and how to identify and apply strategies immediately to produce lasting results.

  • Participants should be able to…Identify students' sensory and physiological needs to attain an optimal learning state across all educational settings.
  • Support students and yourself to identify their sensory preferences and self-regulation patterns (empathy practice)
  • Understand basic neurological processes around children’s sensory processing.
  • Identify and apply strategies for use in a variety of inclusive settings to support students.

Effective Co-Teaching Strategies for Inclusion  REGISTER HERE

January 29th and 31st from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

This course focuses on the implementation of co-teaching as a component of high-leverage inclusionary practices. Participants will learn and develop high-quality co-teaching practices from foundational aspects through implementation, including an understanding of how the six models of co-teaching and Universal Design for Learning can benefit students and educators alike. Co-teachers are highly encouraged to attend together. 

Course Objectives:

  • Understand the necessary components of co-teaching and the interplay of co-teaching and inclusion.
  • Gain awareness of the roles and responsibilities of co-teaching partners
  • Understand the interaction of Universal design for learning and Co-Teaching
  • Explore the six models of co-teaching.

De-Escalation Strategies        REGISTER HERE

January 24th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Participants learn to recognize signs of a potential behavioral crisis and remediate it before a behavioral event. In addition to exploring how their own behavior can affect the escalation cycle, participants discover and practice de-escalation techniques that recognize the importance of maintaining student dignity during behavior crises. 

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Determine individual student behavior triggers.
  • Understand and describe the escalation cycle.
  • Recognize the signs of a potential behavioral crisis and remediate them before the event.

Empowering Educators Using Explicit Instruction in the Inclusive Classroom     REGISTER HERE

February 7th and 9th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

In this course, participants will be introduced to the 16 elements of Explicit Instruction. Participants will learn how to design different types of lessons using Explicit Instruction and different strategies for delivering instruction. Participants will be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of the elements in designing a lesson plan that maximizes student engagement and learning.

Course Objectives:

  • Participants will learn the 16 Elements of Explicit Instruction. 
  • Participants will be able to identify the components of building a lesson. 
  • Participants will identify different types of active participation.
  • Participants will build a lesson using elements of explicit instruction.

Early Childhood: Teaching Behavioral Expectations (Equity)     REGISTER HERE

February 12th and 13th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

This course shares Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) for creating, planning, writing, implementing, and teaching behavioral expectations and rules to students in inclusive early childhood settings. This course uses strategies from The Pyramid Model, a positive behavior intervention model for Early Childhood, in combination with individualized strategies, to support all students’ acquisition of behavioral expectations and rules in an inclusive early childhood classroom. 

Participants will…

  • Discuss inclusion in an Early Childhood Setting.  
  • Differentiate between expectations and rules.
  • Determine and create 3-5 classroom expectations.
  • Create a rule matrix for one or more areas of a classroom
  • Know 3+ Evidence-Based Practices for teaching expectations/rules in inclusive settings.
  • Identify Universal Design for Learning (UDL)strategies for teaching behavioral expectations and rules.

Beyond Intrinsic Motivation: Building Reward Systems (Equity)   REGISTER HERE

February 19th and 20th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

This course looks beyond self-motivation and the innate desire to succeed. It examines the difference between rewards and bribes while considering the need for all students to feel successful. The participants will compare adult and student perspectives to understand the underlying principles that drive motivation. Using positive behavior supports and these perspectives, the participant will obtain ideas and resources to effectively create, track, and facilitate a reward system within various academic settings, including distance learning.

Course Objectives:

  • The learner will identify different motivations and the importance of how moving beyond intrinsic motivation can be rewarding.
  • The learner will understand the components of PBIS and identify the Tier-prevention.
  • The learner will compare student/adult perspectives
  • The learner will understand the definition of a reward and the difference between a reward and a bribe
  • The learner will recognize the use of rewards
  • The learner will utilize the building components to create a mock reward system to include rewards during distance learning.

Assistive Technology in the Inclusive Classroom    REGISTER HERE

March 4th and 5th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

This course is designed to give an overview of Assistive Technology and how it can be used in the inclusive classroom and the greater community. We will cover the definition of Assistive Technology along with myths about AT. We will also give examples of accommodations and modifications related to AT in a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).

We hope that you will come away with a greater knowledge of a variety of AT and how it can positively impact building more inclusive classrooms and, ultimately, society.

Participants will be able to…

  • Define and describe Assistive Technology and how it differs from Augmentative & Alternative Communications (AAC)
  • Debunk AT myths
  • Articulate ways to collaborate with teams to use AT to create a more inclusive classroom
  • State examples of inclusive Assistive Technology curriculum ideas and strategies.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for ESA's     REGISTER HERE

March 12th and 14th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Participants will work within the MTSS framework and learn how to apply it to Educational Staff Associate roles. They will learn strategies for ESAs in each Tier and how to collaborate with teams to gather data, collect information, and support students and staff.  

Service dynamics, evaluation frameworks, and the provision of equity-based services are also explored. Dynamic conversations around intersectionality, implicit bias, principles of inclusion, and social barriers will also be supported.

Course Objectives:

  • Understand the role of ESAs within the MTSS framework. 
  • Demonstrate understanding of MTSS as a supportive approach to all learners. 
  • Demonstrate strategies for ESA collaboration with school teams, including families. 
  • Provide strategies to address diverse student needs equitably in various settings within each Tier of support.

Successful Inclusion of Students with Significant Disabilities

  REGISTER HERE

March 20th and 21st from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Participants will learn why and how to include students with significant disabilities. Participants will examine research around the benefits of including students with significant disabilities in the general education classroom and learn implementation strategies for evidence-based inclusive practices. 

Participants will be given tools and examples and are highly encouraged to bring their general curriculum or general education unit plans, school schedules, and student schedules to plan for current or future students they want to or are currently including, though bringing these items is not required.

 This course is most beneficial for special education teachers, general education teachers, administrators, ESPs (paraeducators), and ESAs (counselors, SLPs, OTs). Participants are highly encouraged to come with their Multi-Disciplinary teams, if possible.

  • Participants will demonstrate an understanding of a “significant disability,” inclusion, and the special education laws and services around inclusion. 
  • Participants will demonstrate an understanding of why inclusive practices benefit students with and without disabilities.
  • Participants will demonstrate how to implement evidence-based inclusionary practices.
  • Participants will analyze tools and resources and engage in the implementation of these into their practice.

Behavior Intervention Strategies through Inclusive Practices (Equity)   REGISTER HERE

March 25th, 26th, and 27th  from 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Participants will cultivate a growth mindset when working with students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs. They will learn about the different lenses of behavior and high-leverage practices for supporting students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs in inclusive classrooms. They will identify the root causes and different functions of behavior. 

Learning Objectives:

  • View behavior through a different lens. I.E. Implicit/Explicit bias, Ladder of Inference, ACEs, Disproportionality, and Relationships.
  • Cultivate a growth mindset to improve student academic and behavioral success.
  • Learn, apply, and increase high-leverage social and emotional practices to address all student's learning needs.
  • Develop an understanding of behavior, functions, and their importance.


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Other useful links:

IPP Asynchronous Courses

WEA Member Trainings

Special Education Support Center

Twitter: @wa_sped_center

Facebook: @SpecialEdSupportCenter