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Distance Learning for Students Receiving Special Education Services

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Distance Learning for Students Receiving Special Education Services

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Resources on this page are provided by educators and families from around the world. We are collaborating to support the needs of students with significant disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These materials are open source and may be adapted to fit your child or student's need. They may not be used for purchase.

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Resources on this page are provided by educators and families from around the world. We are collaborating to support the needs of students with significant disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These materials are open source and may be adapted to fit your child or student's need. They may not be used for purchase.

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Writing for Students with Significant Disabilities

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Writing for Students with Significant Disabilities

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What does writing for students with significant cognitive disabilities look like? How can we engage them in the process of writing?

It is important not to mistake tasks that develop matching, memorizing, copying or fine motor skills with the learning process of writing. Students with disabilities need to experience the same processes as those without when developing writing. They need to scribble and explore and progress from being emergent to conventional writers.

Writing also supports the development of reading skills. Above is a diagram of the "Whole to Part Literacy Framework" which outlines the need to develop skills in word identification, language comprehension and print processing in order to achieve the goal of silent reading with comprehension. Guided reading, writing and developing communication system skills all fall under the "language comprehension" umbrella. The writing tasks that we do with the students that I work with cross between developing communication skills, communication system skills and engaging in and learning the writing process.

Below is an outline of some of the things are now embedded in to writing programs for students, some things that we are developing as part of their writing programs and a couple of things that I am looking to add to writing programs this fall. Some of these things are done in general education classes drawing on content from those subjects, some fit right in to the literacy structures that exist in classrooms as all students have choice in their writing and some are done in a one-on-one or small group direct instruction setting. Many have only been added in the past two years after I had attended workshops and courses by Linda Burkhart, Karen Erickson, David Koppenhaver and Caroline Musselwhite. Before that the "writing" we were doing was the practice on matching, memorizing, copying and fine motor skills I referenced a the beginning of this post.

Alternate Pencils

Many students with complex needs either cannot or have significant difficulty using a pencil. Alternate pencils offer the opportunity for students to do letter-by-letter generative writing.

One no-tech Alternate Pencil is an eye gaze board (example above). To use this system, the student first gazes to one of the five clusters of letters. Once the student has picked the cluster they want, they then do a second gaze to one of the five areas and use the color coding system to say which color of letter they would like to write from the initial cluster. That process generates one letter that the person working with the student would write down.

For example, a student might gaze to the cluster of letters in the top right hand corner. This means he/she wants to write the letter P, Q, R, S or T. The student then gazes to the top left hand corner which means that he/she is choosing the yellow letter from the first cluster of letters indicated. The letter the partner writes down is "Q".

Another no-tech option is a flip chart. An example of this is included above. The top of the chart contains clusters of letters. This process requires that the student that is doing the writing has a definitive yes and no response. This could be using switches or any body action. We try to encourage head movement sideways for no and up or down for yes as that is generally universally understood but if that is not possible then we find whatever is going to work. In the letter-by-letter approach we would ask a continuous string of questions starting with "A?". If the answer is no, we ask the next letter. If the answer is yes, we write it down. Once we write a letter down we continue by asking that letter again and keep moving through. The process can also be done in clusters - asking the student if he/she wants one of the letters on the first page and if he/she says yes then go through the letters one at a time. This is partner-assisted step scanning process is one that is familiar to our students that we use this method of writing with as we use it for choice making and when communicating with P.O.D.D. books (have written about these before but will be adding a new post about these again soon).

A couple of less complex alternate pencils that can be used with student who have more functional use of their hands but still struggle with the fine motor aspect of printing include options like letter stamps, magnetic letters, letter cards, letter stickers, keyboards...etc. There are several options for keyboards for those with fine motor challenges. The example above is the "Big Keys" keyboard. IntelliKeys is another option that offers a lot of versatility including making tactile representations.

The point of using alternate pencils is to allow student access to a way to generate letter-by-letter writing right from the "scribbling stage" of writing. A student does not have to be able to generate what we call "real words" to use an alternate keyboard just as a student doesn't need be able to write whole words before they start using a pencil. In fact, a child will use a pencil for a long time before they generate conventional words. Alternate pencils create the same opportunities for exploration or students who cannot hold a pencil. When we use alternate pencils, we always work with the student to pick something that we are going to write about through some of the approaches outlined below (Weekend Words, Experience Books, Photo or Picture Captions, Remnant Books) or we pick a topic with the student related to something that he/she is reading or studying. Once we have a topic, we start writing and let them generate whatever series of letters they are going to generate. We do not direct or interfere and when the student is done we "read" what they have written about (make the letter sounds) and then talk about their topic with them.

Writing is one part of a student's comprehensive literacy program. At the same time as a student is working on writing, they are also spending time doing word work and self-selected and guided reading. As they develop skills in these areas, they will move towards more conventional writing in a similar process as a scribbling child moves towards it. By allowing "scribbling" we are setting a student up for autonomous, generative writing rather than just copying.

The Center for Literacy and Disabilities Studies offers further information and resources on Alternative Pencils.

Using Remnant Books for Writing Topics

A remnant book is very similar to a scrapbook. The book contains tactile items, short explanations and/or pictures that represent experiences, activities, places, people, etc. that make up a student's narrative. Remnants might include things like souvenir that were bought, an item from nature, a receipt from going somewhere, packaging from a toy. The remnant is placed in the book along with a picture (if possible) and a short explanation on a sticky note. The short explanation is just so the communication partner would have something to talk about. It is not meant to be "perfect writing".

A remnant book is meant to be used to facilitate and encourage social interactions and conversations. The items in the book give a focus for the conversation and allows for the same type of "what I did last night" or "remember when" conversations that other students have regularly.

Using remnant books requires commitment from home and school as the idea is to ensure that a student's stories are recorded so that they can be talked about at different times. Ultimately a remnant book should travel between home and school and be added to anytime there is a story worth sharing. Although it is nice to have a an actual physical article, it is not necessary every time.

The remnant book can be used either as a way to facilitate conversations or as a resource to pick topics to write about. When using it for writing, the student would choose a story that he/she wants to write about and then alternate pencils would be used to create a picture of writing related to that object. The advantage of having the topic is that when the student is done writing we are able to have a conversation about what they wrote the same way as we would have conversations with other emergent writers who came to us with a picture they drew and emergent writing (scribbling) under the picture and wanted to tell us what they "wrote". In this way, students come to understand the process of writing in the context that makes sense because there is a purpose of writing - to tell a story.

We watch closely for signs of connection during this process. If we see word approximations or even single letters related to the topic emerge, we talk about these with the student. At the same time, we do not interfere too much as we do not want to disrupt he process of writing. We do also at times demonstrate using the alternate pencil for our own writing - so we pick a topic and go through the process as a demonstration so that the student can see what we are doing in generating words.

Note: We also add to the remnant books ourselves when an activity happens at school that would be something that can be a story to share at another time. This opens up opportunities for "how was your day at school" conversations at home.

Picture of Photo Captions

Pictures and photographs can be used a topics for writing in the same way as the pages and topics from a student's remnant book can be used. Photographs have the added motivational factor of being personalized. Pictures can be tied to any topic or just pictures of things that a student likes or enjoys. For a student who is included, topics the pictures or photos could be linked to vocabulary of the topic that is being studied in that class. Again, students are allowed to generate their own writing using their alternate pencil and what they write is added as a caption. If these are topic books for curriculum areas, we do also put the typed word in and sometimes include a PEC representation, a written definition and/or put the pictures in a talking photo album (like the one pictured at the right) and record the word or the definition of the word. For personal choice topics that are more related to a student just writing a story of their choosing, we do not add in all of these things and let the final piece of writing stand as the student's writing.

We can also do this activity online by using Quizlet and making cards with images on and then having the student use an alternative pencil to caption those images.

Weekend Words

This one that we have not yet tried. I was introduced to it through the Literacy for All Community of Practice that we have been involved in for the past two years. The idea is for parents to send a list of 5-10 Weekend Words to school each Monday morning. The words are meant to represent the student's weekend activities, interactions, feelings...etc. When it is time to write, the words are used just like the Remnant Book items or the Photos and Picture Captions outlined above.

On a side note, there is an excellent opportunity for communication here too as the words could start a conversation using the students communication system and there may perhaps be a need for messages to go back and forth to get more clarity. We use step-by-step communicators with some of the students I work with for messages to go back and forth between home and school. We are currently working on ensuring that the messages that go home on these are more student-driven and this might be a good step in to that as in the conversation to figure out the weekend words we might discover together some more questions that we need to ask and then can work to figure out the details of those questions and record it so that the conversation can continue at home.

Writing Book for Tar Heel Reader

Tar Heel Reader is a "collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics. Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces, including touch screens, IntelliKeys with custom overlays and 1 to 3 switches." Students may also write and publish their own books using picture from the huge collection at Flickr or pictures they upload. The books can be on any topic and are very easy to write.

When writing books for Tar Heel Reader we move away from using Alternative Pencils and use the student's communication system instead. This means we are generating either sentences word by word or the student is giving general ideas and we are putting them in to words or sentences. This is because whatever books we finish should go up in the public library although you do have the option to just permanently leave them in draft form.

Because books are so easy to produce on Tar Heel Reader it is a great place to make accessible reading-level appropriate books for students on any topic of their choice so books can be made related to curriculum content of general education classes. It is often hard to find the time to do this but if it is being done as a writing activity, the book then is stored publicly for any future students taking that same class to access as they need it.

Make Your Own Class Newspaper with news-2-you

We have been using news-2-you for three years now. I've posted about it several times on this blog before. This past year they added a new feature that allows you to interactively create your own symbol supported class newspaper that mirrors the format of the current events paper that you get each week if you subscribe. It uses a series of interactive screens with questions about what will go in to the news story. The process involves a lot of communicating, choice making, and thinking as to construct the news story you need to be able to come up with the details of the event you are writing about. Once you are finished answering the questions on the interactive pages, it prints off in newspaper format.

This is a great process as you can embed listening comprehension in to the process. We have started with the city newspaper, found a story that is interesting, read the story and then answered the questions, picking out the key details of the story, using the students communication system through the whole process.

Writing Cards Using P.O.D.D. Books (Could use any communication system or partner assisted scanning process)

Authentic writing tasks are always a hit... particularly if you send something out and something comes back! This is something we did very extensively three years ago when we were in a fully self-contained setting. Parents sent in a list of important dates throughout the year and we would spend time every couple of weeks making and writing cards and then mailing them out. It was embedded in to a personal calendar learning process. At that point we did not yet have P.O.D.D. communication books. Our communication approaches were much more restrictive and so we relied on students agreeing or disagreeing with what we believed should be on the cards.

The P.O.D.D. book offers a lot more extensive vocabulary and allows the student to be a lot more autonomous in generating the message. Again, because this is a card that will be sent to someone, we do, for the most part fill in the blanks between the words the student picks using his/her P.O.D.D. book. We also have moved towards buying a pack of multi-purpose cards and using them rather than making the cards so that we are focusing on the writing and communication processes rather than the arts and crafts component. This becomes one of several options that the student has to choose from when it comes time to work on writing.

Mad Libs - Using P.O.D.D. Books (Could use any communication system or partner assisted scanning process)

This one is probably more a communication activity than a writing activity as there are a lot of opportunities to move through the P.O.D.D. book to choose different words that fall in to categories. I'm not sure how much explaining Mad Libs need but the basic idea is that you start with a page where you generate words that fall in to different categories - noun, name of a person, description word, action, adjective...etc. and then once the list of words is generated, it gets transferred to the Mad Lib story (an example to the left) and then you can read the story with the words that were put in to it.

In the reading process there are again opportunities to work on both comprehension and communication and the Mad Lib itself could become a remnant for a students Remnant Book if it is particularly funny.

My Story Maker and Read-Write-Think

My Story Maker is an interactive story making website from Carnegie Library. Students are able to make many choices. A note that the visuals for the choices are relatively small and the choices could not be hooked up to a scanning system so choices have to be done through partner assisted scanning if a student cannot access the mouse of a computer.

The student has any number of choices during the process of writing the story. Each time a choice is made, both the element in the picture an a line of text explaining what is happening are added to the story. A student can create a whole story without ever writing anything but they can also go in and edit or add to any of the text that comes up when elements are added.

When the story is done, it can be read online or it can be printed off and made in to a personal little book. This is an activity that works well with a whole class as it is pretty naturally scaffolded and works great for student who are not sure what to write about. Younger kids really liked the way the books came out looking like real stories and every student comes out with a similar looking books that can be shared. For students working on partner assisted scanning there are countless opportunities for that throughout the creation of the story.

If using this for story writing, it is worth thinking about adding in a "planning" stage that is not so visually stimulating before writing the story. There are a lot of great interactive planning tools to do this on the Read-Write-Think Website. This website has many other ideas for writing and communication. For example: Bio-cubes, Essay Map, or Trading Card Creator.

First Author Writing Software

This is a new product and I have just started exploring the trial version that I got. It looks promising particularly as a way to have student doing work on content-specific curriculum with minimal time needed for set up. Because the video does such a great job of explaining it, I'm just going to include an outline form the website and the video...

From the Don Johnson Website: "First Author is a software tools that supports beginning writes, especially those with special needs, across all phases of the writing process. as a computer-based writing environment it operates in parallel with exemplary models of writing instruction. First Author provides the writer with essential accommodations such as picture prompts, word banks, on-screen keyboard, auditory feedback and other tools to ensure a successful writing experience. It is accessible to all students, including those with severe speech and physical impairments."

Exploring the website I also found a document on First Author Writing Measures that hold a lot of potential as a writing assessment tool for this population of students.

A version of this article was originally published on the blog: Eliminating the Box.

Monica Braat is an Inclusive Learning Consultant. Passionate about Awareness of Privilege, Inclusion, Equity, Literacy & Communication Rights, Neurology, Shanker Self-Reg and UDL. You can follow her on Twitter or on her blog.

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Writing for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

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What does writing for students with significant cognitive disabilities look like? How can we engage them in the process of writing? It is important not to mistake tasks that develop matching, memorizing, copying or fine motor skills with the learning process of writing.

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National Center on Intensive Intervention

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National Center on Intensive Intervention

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Course content resources include: Explicit instruction; Developing and enhancing courses with video examples and application activities in Reading, Mathematics, Behavior Support for Intensive Intervention; customizing instruction from Data Based Individualization (DBI) professional learning; and online modules to support instruction

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National Center on Intensive Intervention

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Learn how intensive intervention, through the data-based individualization (DBI) process, helps students with severe and persistent learning or behavioral needs.

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Course Enhancement Modules (CEM)  include usable resources for faculty and professional development providers to include in effective opportunities for teachers and leaders to learn about and use evidence-based practices. Each CEM is designed to be used in whole or in part to support teacher and leader learning at the pre-service and in-service levels.

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Through this Course Enhancement Module (CEM), participants will learn about school leadership that supports the learning of students with disabilities within effective inclusive schools so that they have opportunities to achieve positive life outcomes. The CEM addresses varied dimensions of school and collaborative leadership necessary to foster collective responsibility for students with disabilities, including partnerships with parents and families.

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Use this site to access the video glossary resource from Autism Speaks

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Resource developed by the Imperial County SELPA AT Cohort based on locally available resources/supports available for students. This accessibility resource graphic follows the "all", "some", "few" format that aligns with UDA (Universal Tool, Designated Support, Accommodation) format of CAASPP accessibility graphic. This is not an exhaustive list.

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Supporting Individuals with Autism Through Uncertain Times Full Packet

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Supporting Individuals with Autism Through Uncertain Times Full Packet

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Resource developed through UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute Autism Team

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Supporting Indivudauls with Autism Uncertain Times Packet

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California Autism Professional Training And Information Network’s (CAPTAIN) curated list of free printable visual supports for practitioners’ and parents alike.

Free Printable Visual Supports Folder. No Need to Sign In

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Improving Outcomes for English Learners with Disabilities Website

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Improving Outcomes for English Learners with Disabilities Website

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https://www.icoe.org/selpa/el-swd

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What is autism spectrum disorder?
What are some common signs of ASD?
What disorders are related to ASD?
How is ASD diagnosed?
What causes ASD?
What role do genes play?
Do symptoms of autism change over time?
How is autism treated?
What research is being done?
Where can I get more information?

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What is autism spectrum disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by repetitive and characteristic patterns of behavior and difficulties with social communication and interaction. The symptoms are present from early childhood and affect daily functioning.

The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability in functioning that can occur in people with ASD. Some children and adults with ASD are fully able to perform all activities of daily living while others require substantial support to perform basic activities. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, published in 2013) includes Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) as part of ASD rather than as separate disorders. A diagnosis of ASD includes an assessment of intellectual disability and language impairment.

ASD occurs in every racial and ethnic group, and across all socioeconomic levels. However, boys are significantly more likely to develop ASD than girls. The latest analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 68 children has ASD.

What are some common signs of ASD?

Even as infants, children with ASD may seem different, especially when compared to other children their own age. They may become overly focused on certain objects, rarely make eye contact, and fail to engage in typical babbling with their parents. In other cases, children may develop normally until the second or even third year of life, but then start to withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement.

The severity of ASD can vary greatly and is based on the degree to which social communication, insistence of sameness of activities and surroundings, and repetitive patterns of behavior affect the daily functioning of the individual.

Social impairment and communication difficulties
Many people with ASD find social interactions difficult. The mutual give-and-take nature of typical communication and interaction is often particularly challenging. Children with ASD may fail to respond to their names, avoid eye contact with other people, and only interact with others to achieve specific goals. Often children with ASD do not understand how to play or engage with other children and may prefer to be alone. People with ASD may find it difficult to understand other people's feelings or talk about their own feelings.

People with ASD may have very different verbal abilities ranging from no speech at all to speech that is fluent, but awkward and inappropriate. Some children with ASD may have delayed speech and language skills, may repeat phrases, and give unrelated answers to questions. In addition, people with ASD can have a hard time using and understanding non-verbal cues such as gestures, body language, or tone of voice. For example, young children with ASD might not understand what it means to wave goodbye. People with ASD may also speak in flat, robot-like or a sing-song voice about a narrow range of favorite topics, with little regard for the interests of the person to whom they are speaking.

Repetitive and characteristic behaviors
Many children with ASD engage in repetitive movements or unusual behaviors such as flapping their arms, rocking from side to side, or twirling. They may become preoccupied with parts of objects like the wheels on a toy truck. Children may also become obsessively interested in a particular topic such as airplanes or memorizing train schedules. Many people with ASD seem to thrive so much on routine that changes to the daily patterns of life - like an unexpected stop on the way home from school - can be very challenging. Some children may even get angry or have emotional outbursts, especially when placed in a new or overly stimulating environment.

What disorders are related to ASD?

Certain known genetic disorders are associated with an increased risk for autism, including Fragile X syndrome (which causes intellectual disability) and tuberous sclerosis (which causes benign tumors to grow in the brain and other vital organs) - each of which results from a mutation in a single, but different, gene. Recently, researchers have discovered other genetic mutations in children diagnosed with autism, including some that have not yet been designated as named syndromes. While each of these disorders is rare, in aggregate, they may account for 20 percent or more of all autism cases.

People with ASD also have a higher than average risk of having epilepsy. Children whose language skills regress early in life - before age 3 - appear to have a risk of developing epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. About 20 to 30 percent of children with ASD develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood. Additionally, people with both ASD and intellectual disability have the greatest risk of developing seizure disorder.

How is ASD diagnosed?

ASD symptoms can vary greatly from person to person depending on the severity of the disorder. Symptoms may even go unrecognized for young children who have mild ASD or less debilitating handicaps.

Autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed by clinicians based on symptoms, signs, and testing according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V, a guide created by the American Psychiatric Association used to diagnose mental disorders. Children should be screened for developmental delays during periodic checkups and specifically for autism at 18- and 24-month well-child visits.

Very early indicators that require evaluation by an expert include:

no babbling or pointing by age 1

no single words by age 16 months or two-word phrases by age 2

no response to name

loss of language or social skills previously acquired

poor eye contact

excessive lining up of toys or objects

no smiling or social responsiveness

Later indicators include:

impaired ability to make friends with peers

impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

absence or impairment of imaginative and social play

repetitive or unusual use of language

abnormally intense or focused interest

preoccupation with certain objects or subjects

inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals

If screening instruments indicate the possibility of ASD, a more comprehensive evaluation is usually indicated. A comprehensive evaluation requires a multidisciplinary team, including a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and other professionals who diagnose and treat children with ASD. The team members will conduct a thorough neurological assessment and in-depth cognitive and language testing. Because hearing problems can cause behaviors that could be mistaken for ASD, children with delayed speech development should also have their hearing tested.

What causes ASD?

Scientists believe that both genetics and environment likely play a role in ASD. There is great concern that rates of autism have been increasing in recent decades without full explanation as to why. Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with the disorder. Imaging studies of people with ASD have found differences in the development of several regions of the brain. Studies suggest that ASD could be a result of disruptions in normal brain growth very early in development. These disruptions may be the result of defects in genes that control brain development and regulate how brain cells communicate with each other. Autism is more common in children born prematurely. Environmental factors may also play a role in gene function and development, but no specific environmental causes have yet been identified. The theory that parental practices are responsible for ASD has long been disproved. Multiple studies have shown that vaccination to prevent childhood infectious diseases does not increase the risk of autism in the population.

What role do genes play?

Twin and family studies strongly suggest that some people have a genetic predisposition to autism. Identical twin studies show that if one twin is affected, then the other will be affected between 36 to 95 percent of the time. There are a number of studies in progress to determine the specific genetic factors associated with the development of ASD. In families with one child with ASD, the risk of having a second child with the disorder also increases. Many of the genes found to be associated with autism are involved in the function of the chemical connections between brain neurons (synapses). Researchers are looking for clues about which genes contribute to increased susceptibility. In some cases, parents and other relatives of a child with ASD show mild impairments in social communication skills or engage in repetitive behaviors. Evidence also suggests that emotional disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia occur more frequently than average in the families of people with ASD.

In addition to genetic variations that are inherited and are present in nearly all of a person's cells, recent research has also shown that de novo, or spontaneous, gene mutations can influence the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder. De novo mutations are changes in sequences of deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA, the hereditary material in humans, which can occur spontaneously in a parent's sperm or egg cell or during fertilization. The mutation then occurs in each cell as the fertilized egg divides. These mutations may affect single genes or they may be changes called copy number variations, in which stretches of DNA containing multiple genes are deleted or duplicated. Recent studies have shown that people with ASD tend to have more copy number de novo gene mutations than those without the disorder, suggesting that for some the risk of developing ASD is not the result of mutations in individual genes but rather spontaneous coding mutations across many genes. De novo mutations may explain genetic disorders in which an affected child has the mutation in each cell but the parents do not and there is no family pattern to the disorder. Autism risk also increases in children born to older parents. There is still much research to be done to determine the potential role of environmental factors on spontaneous mutations and how that influences ASD risk.

Do symptoms of autism change over time?

For many children, symptoms improve with age and behavioral treatment. During adolescence, some children with ASD may become depressed or experience behavioral problems, and their treatment may need some modification as they transition to adulthood. People with ASD usually continue to need services and supports as they get older, but depending on severity of the disorder, people with ASD may be able to work successfully and live independently or within a supportive environment.

How is autism treated?

There is no cure for ASD. Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can substantially improve those symptoms. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that meet the specific needs of the individual. Most health care professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.

Educational/behavioral interventions: Early behavioral/educational interventions have been very successful in many children with ASD. In these interventions therapists use highly structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills, such as applied behavioral analysis, which encourages positive behaviors and discourages negative ones. In addition, family counseling for the parents and siblings of children with ASD often helps families cope with the particular challenges of living with a child with ASD.

Medications: While medication can't cure ASD or even treat its main symptoms, there are some that can help with related symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Antipsychotic medications are used to treat severe behavioral problems. Seizures can be treated with one or more anticonvulsant drugs. Medication used to treat people with attention deficit disorder can be used effectively to help decrease impulsivity and hyperactivity in people with ASD. Parents, caregivers, and people with autism should use caution before adopting any unproven treatments.

What research is being done?

The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke () is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. The NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health (), the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world. NINDS and several other NIH Institutes and Centers support research on autism spectrum disorder.

Nearly 20 years ago the formed the Autism Coordinating Committee (NIH/ACC) to enhance the quality, pace, and coordination of efforts at the NIH to find a cure for autism. The NIH/ACC has been instrumental in promoting research to understand and advance ASD. The NIH/ACC also participates in the broader Federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), composed of representatives from various U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies, the Department of Education, and other governmental organizations, as well as public members, including individuals with ASD and representatives of patient advocacy organizations. One responsibility of the IACC is to develop a strategic plan for ASD research, which guides research programs supported by and other participating organizations.

and several other institutes support autism research through the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE), a trans-NIH initiative that supports large-scale multidisciplinary studies on ASD, with the goal of determining the causes of autism and finding new treatments. currently supports an ACE network focused on ASD and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). ASD occurs in approximately half of TSC patients. In particular, the ACE investigators are studying whether certain brain imaging and activity measures in infants diagnosed with TSC can predict the development of ASD. Such biomarkers could aid in understanding how and why ASD occurs in some children but not others, and help to identify patients who might benefit from early intervention. Other ACE centers and networks are investigating early brain development and functioning; genetic and non-genetic risk factors, including neurological, physical, behavioral, and environmental factors present in the prenatal period and early infancy; and potential therapies.

funds additional research aimed at better understanding the factors that lead to ASD, including other studies on genetic disorders associated with ASD, such as TSC, Fragile X Syndrome, Phelan-McDermid syndrome (which features such autism-like symptoms as intellectual disability, developmental delays, and problems with developing functional language), and Rett syndrome (a disorder that almost exclusively affects girls and is characterized by slowing development, intellectual disability, and loss of functional use of the hands). Many of these studies use animal models to determine how specific known mutations affect cellular and developmental processes in the brain, yielding insights relevant to understanding ASD due to other causes and discovering new targets for treatments.

researchers are studying aspects of brain function and development that are altered in people with ASD. For example, NINDS-funded researchers are investigating the formation and function of neuronal synapses, the sites of communication between neurons, which may not properly operate in ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders. Other studies use brain imaging in people with and without ASD to identify differences in brain connectivity and activity patterns associated with features of ASD. Researchers hope that understanding these alterations can help identify new opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Additional NINDS researchers are studying the relationship between epilepsy and autism.

Through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences () Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), and other Institutes and Centers support a research consortium focused on three rare genetic syndromes associated with ASD and intellectual disability, including TSC and syndromes involving mutations in the genes SHANK3 (Phelan-McDermid syndrome) and PTEN. The goals of the consortium are to understand shared mechanisms across these syndromes, which may suggest common approaches to their treatment.

supports autism spectrum disorder research through clinical trials at medical centers across the United States to better our knowledge about ASD treatment and care. Information about participating in clinical studies can be found at the " Clinical Trials and You" website at www.nih.gov/health/clinicaltrials. Additional studies can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov. People should talk to their doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

More information about research on ASD supported by and other Institutes and Centers can be found using NIH RePORTER ( projectreporter.nih.gov), a searchable database of current and past research projects supported by and other federal agencies. RePORTER also includes links to publications and resources from these projects.

Where can I get more information?

For more information on neurological disorders or research programs funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, contact the Institute's Brain Resources and Information Network () at:

Information also is available from the following organizations:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30333
inquiry@cdc.gov
Tel: 800-311-3435; 404-639-3311; 404-639-3543

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institutes of Health, DHHS
31 Center Drive, Rm. 2A32 MSC 2425
Bethesda, MD 20892-2425
Tel: 301-496-5133
Fax: 301-496-7101

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institutes of Health, DHHS
31 Center Drive, MSC 2320
Bethesda, MD 20892-2320
nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov
Tel: 301-496-7243; 800-241-1044; 800-241-1055 (TTY)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institutes of Health, DHHS
111 T.W. Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
webcenter@niehs.nih.gov
Tel: 919-541-3345

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institutes of Health, DHHS
6001 Executive Blvd. Rm. 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
nimhinfo@nih.gov
Tel: 301-443-4513; 866-415-8051; 301-443-8431 (TTY)
Fax: 301-443-4279

Association for Science in Autism Treatment
P.O. Box 1447
Hoboken, NJ 07030
info@asatonline.org

Autism National Committee (AUTCOM)
P.O. Box 429
Forest Knolls, CA 94933

Autism Network International (ANI)
P.O. Box 35448
Syracuse, NY 13235-5448
jisincla@syr.edu

Autism Research Institute (ARI)
4182 Adams Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116
Tel: 619-281-7165; 866-366-3361
Fax: 619-563-6840

Autism Science Foundation
28 West 39th Street
Suite 502
New York, NY 10018
contactus@autismsciencefoundation.org
Tel: 212-391-3913
Fax: 212-228-3557

Autism Society of America
4340 East-West Highway
Suite 350
Bethesda, MD 20814
Tel: 301-657-0881; 800-3AUTISM (328-8476)
Fax: 301-657-0869

Autism Speaks, Inc.
1 East 33rd Street
4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
contactus@autismspeaks.org
Tel: 212-252-8584; 888-288-4762
Fax: 212-252-8676

MAAP Services for Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and PDD
P.O. Box 524
Crown Point, IN 46308
info@aspergersyndrome.org
Tel: 219-662-1311
Fax: 219-662-1315

"Autism Spectrum Disorder Fact Sheet", , Publication date September 2015.

Publication No. 15-1877

Back to Autism Spectrum Disorder Information Page
See a list of all NINDS disorders Publicaciones en Español
Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892

health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient's medical history.

All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the or the is appreciated.

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What is autism spectrum disorder? What are some common signs of ASD? What disorders are related to ASD? How is ASD diagnosed? What causes ASD? What role do genes play? Do symptoms of autism change over time? How is autism treated? What research is being done?

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SupportEd has developed some free tools to help educators and administrators better serve English learners.

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SupportEd has developed some free tools to help educators and administrators better serve English learners.

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Access a webinar recording and free resources aligned to Tonya’s bestselling book EL Excellence Every Day.

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Helping Every Teacher Empower ELs | Tonya Ward Singer

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Dynamic professional learning to advance language, literacy and collaboration in K-12 schools.

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Long Tern English Learners (LTELs) A large number of English Learner students amassing in California secondary schools who despite many years in our schools and despite being close to the age at which they should graduate, are still not English proficient and have incurred major academic deficient – Long Term English Learners (LTELs). Californians Together’s LTEL research and policy work has created an urgency for the state and nation to focus on this group of English Learners.

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LONG TERM ENGLISH LEARNERS Fulfilling the Unkept Promise of Educational Opportunity A large number of English Learner students amassing in California secondary schools who despite many years in our...

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FREE Online Courses
Teachers can develop their learning expertise anytime, anywhere with our online modules, created to help introduce educators to a few key aspects of our learning framework.  These modules are based on groundbreaking research from neuroscience and other disciplines on how children learn and vary in their learning.

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Now, teachers can develop their learning expertise anytime, anywhere with our online modules, created to help introduce educators to a few key aspects of our learning framework. These modules are based on groundbreaking research from neuroscience and other disciplines on how children learn and vary in their learning.

Our online modules are designed to help teachers build or refresh their understanding of three important elements of learning: language, memory, and attention.

These self-paced 2-3 hour modules incorporate audio, video, text, diagrams, and animation. They'll allow you to:

Refresh and deepen your knowledge around language, memory, and attention, helping you describe the components of these learning constructs, identify specific student strengths and weaknesses in these areas, and select specific strategies accordingly.

Apply new knowledge and assess your own understanding through numerous interactive exercises, including case studies.

Access research-based strategies, tools, and assessment tactics that you can use to evaluate your students who struggle with language, memory, and attention, allowing you to make data-driven decisions.

Use tools, techniques, and tips immediately.

NOTE: All Kinds of Minds will provide a certificate of completion only to those participants that submit at least three(3) reflection questions along with answers for each module completed to info@allkindsofminds.org. Certificates will be processed within two weeks of submission.

> Access the Language module - In this module, you'll probe receptive and expressive language. In-depth sections drill into sentence comprehension, semantic use, verbal elaboration, word retrieval, and much more.

> Access the Attention module - In this module, you'll explore mental energy controls (functions regulating cognitive energy flow), processing controls (functions regulating the processing of incoming information), and production controls (functions regulating academic output and behavioral control).

> Access the Memory module - In this module, you'll examine short-term memory, active working memory (mentally suspending bits of information while using or manipulating them), and long-term memory (storage and retrieval of information, experiences, or skills).

We recommend the following system requirements to take our online modules:

A broadband (cable or DSL) connection is highly recommended.

Internet Explorer V6.1 or higher. If you have another browser or a lower version of IE, some of the features may not function as designed.

Speakers or a sound card are required as the modules contain audio and, in some cases, video are used throughout the course.

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Now, teachers can develop their learning expertise anytime, anywhere with our online modules, created to help introduce educators to a few key aspects of our learning framework. These modules are based on groundbreaking research from neuroscience and other disciplines on how children learn and vary in their learning.

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Promoting Executive Function Life Skills is the basis of our work.

Mind in the Making (MITM), a program of the Bezos Family Foundation, is an unprecedented effort to share the science of children’s learning with the general public, families and professionals who work with children and families.

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Our programs for Families, Educators, and Young Adults focus on empowering people who learn and think differently and those who support them, offering customized, accessible resources and a compassionate community. Our Workplace Initiative helps organizations across industries create inclusive workplaces, by developing and implementing best-in-class disability inclusion programs so they can hire, advance, and retain people with disabilities.

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Copyright © 2014-2022 Understood for All Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) private operating foundation (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

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Copyright © 2014-2022 Understood for All Inc. Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) private operating foundation (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice.

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What is 5 Moore Minutes?
Along with the videos, resources connected to each episode will support school and district staff to inquire into inclusive concepts and ideas through discussion questions and follow up activities. For those that want to go deeper, supporting  scripts, research & resources will also be linked.

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Inclusive Education: It's not more work, it's different work!

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SIP hosted Dr. Katie Novak Webinar Series: UDL - A Call to Action for Administrators and Teachers (Four Part Series)

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At SIP, we believe that forming a strong network of support for such pioneers is essential. Our project strongly endorses positive working relationships between districts and educators who are interested in inclusion through participation in a myriad of in-person and virtual events. SIP is extremely thankful to all the people who inspire, support and collaborate with us in our work to promote inclusion!

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Supporting Inclusive Practices provides statewide technical assistance to educational communities in pursuit of inclusive & equitable systems.

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Online Courses
Based on decades of research on how language is learned and extensive experience in working with educators to help language learners succeed, CAL is pleased to offer the following self-paced courses designed to enhance educator knowledge.

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Based on decades of research on how language is learned and extensive experience in working with educators to help language learners succeed, CAL is pleased to offer the following self-paced courses designed to enhance educator knowledge.

The cost is affordable and each course can be done at your own pace. At the end of each course, participants will receive a CAL Certificate of Completion that can often be used to obtain continuing educational credits from your school or district.

CAL Online Courses
CAL also offers tiered pricing to schools and districts who wish to have groups of teachers participate in our online courses.

CAL-Santillana USA Online Courses
CAL and Santillana USA are pleased to partner on a wide range of activities designed to promote dual language education across the U.S. Our new self-paced online course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to dual language education.

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Based on decades of research on how language is learned and extensive experience in working with educators to help language learners succeed, CAL is pleased to offer the following self-paced courses designed to enhance educator knowledge. The cost is affordable and each course can be done at your own pace.

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The Common Core: Supporting Students with Disabilities—What Educators Need to Do

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Supporting Students with Disabilities - Common Core Resources for Special Education (CA Dept of Education)

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Information as it originally appeared in The Special EDge newsletter, Volume 27, Number 2; Winter–Spring 2014.

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Glossary for Special Education related terminology

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The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 iris@vanderbilt.edu. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E170001. The contents of this Website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.

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Universal design for learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.

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Universal design for learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.

UDL at a Glance

See how the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.

Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice

Anne Meyer and David Rose, who first laid out the principles of UDL in the 1990s, provide an ambitious, engaging discussion of new research and best practices. This book gives the UDL field an essential and authoritative learning resource for the coming years.

Read the book

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Universal design for learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. UDL at a Glance See how the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.

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Modules, Case Studies, Activities, and More

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The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Sarah Allen.

Copyright 2024 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved.

* For refund and privacy policy information visit our Help & Support page.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.

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From San Diego County Office of Education

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Instructional Resources by Content Area

SDCOE content coordinators have developed a list of resources specific to subject matter to support distance learning. Please click the link below to view resources that have been curated for each discipline.

Explore distance learning video Library

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COVID-19 > Educators > Instructional Resources By Content Area

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SDCOE content coordinators have developed a list of resources specific to subject matter to support distance learning. Please click the link below to view resources that have been curated for each discipline. Explore distance learning video Library

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Implementation Support for the ELA/ELD Framework. .

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Implementation Support for the ELA/ELD Framework. .

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A Collection of Resources That Support the Implementation of the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework

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Implementation Support for the ELA/ELD Framework - ELA/ELD Framework (CA Dept of Education)

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A Collection of Resources That Support the Implementation of the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework.

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5 Myths About English Language Learners (ELLs) and Special Education

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5 Myths About English Language Learners (ELLs) and Special Education

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By Lydia Breiseth, Colorín Colorado

When English language learners (ELLs) experience challenges in school, it can be hard to figure out why. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about services and supports for students who are learning English. Knowing the facts behind these myths can help you not only debunk them, but also make changes that can result in better outcomes for your students.

Myth #1: The ability to speak English (or not) is a measure of intelligence.

Fact: It can be easy to focus on what students can't do instead of what they can do. But consider this: English language learners are not only on the path to learning English, they're also on their way to becoming multilingual. It's not as unusual as you may think. Research shows that 20 percent of school-age children in the United States are bilingual.

ELLs bring unique skills, gifts, and talents to the classroom. They often have rich background experiences, different perspectives, and the ability to navigate between multiple languages and cultures. They may also have sophisticated social-emotional skills (such as being tuned in to body language and tone of voice).

Myth #2: Students who rarely speak have a speech delay or auditory processing disorder.

The length of the silent period when learning a new language depends on several factors. The richness of the student's language instruction and interaction in the classroom both matter. Students' confidence and whether they're being encouraged to take risks are key, too.

Even students who understand much of what they hear may still speak in short phrases or remain silent if they are not specifically engaged or don't feel welcome to participate in the classroom.

Learn more about the stages of language acquisition and ways to support oral language development.

Look for ways to increase students' speaking time in class. Expert Claudia Rinaldi, PhD, suggests timing the amount of "teacher talk time" vs. "student talk time." She also suggests setting a goal for increasing the student talk time each week. For example, provide more "turn and talk" opportunities so students can interact with peers.

Give your English language learners questions they can answer ahead of time, and tell them they can try to answer during the classroom instruction. Also allow for ample time between when you ask questions and when you call on students.

Look at data from the student's most recent English language proficiency exams. Things to look for include: How do speaking and listening compare to reading and writing? Do the scores match what you've noticed in class?

Partner with your school's ESL teacher to learn strategies to increase student talk time, and to get support in interpreting student data.

Myth #3: Students who don't understand spoken directions have a learning disability.

Fact: In many situations, students are actually succeeding, even though it doesn't look like success to their teacher. Consider this scenario:

A kindergarten teacher is concerned that despite her engaging, rich use of literacy and language in the classroom, she has an English language learner who continues to struggle to tell the difference between initial consonant sounds.

The teacher asks a bilingual colleague to observe a lesson. When she asks students for words that begin with the /t/ sound, the native English-speaking students give examples like "tooth," "treat," and "tower."

The student she's concerned about raises his hand and says confidently, "Maestra." The teacher gently tells him that this word begins with the /m/ sound. He looks down at the carpet, confused.

After class, the bilingual colleague explains to the kindergarten teacher that " maestra" is the Spanish word for "teacher."

This scenario is a clear example in which a student is succeeding, even though it doesn't look like success to the teacher. At first, it looked as though the student was struggling with phonemic awareness, which can be a sign of a learning disability.

With the support of her colleague, the teacher was able to recognize that the student understood what was being asked of him, but didn't know enough English yet to say all the words he understood.

Invite a bilingual colleague to observe your class or to review some student work.

Learn more about making your teaching more student-friendly and easier to understand. ELL-friendly strategies can help, including things like using visuals, graphic organizers, and concrete, everyday objects.

Use visuals to support written instructions or have students repeat the instructions to each other.

Myth #4: ELLs will get the kinds of support they need in special education classes.

However, some schools may provide special education services to these students with the assumption that it will provide at least some help. This is often because special education services are designed to meet an individual student's needs and provide supports that may not be available in the general education classroom. It can also happen because there are certain strategies that support both students who need specially designed instruction and English language learners.

ELLs have specific language, literacy, and academic needs. They need exposure to a rich language environment and scaffolded support that matches their level of language proficiency. Like all students, they also need access to the same rigorous curriculum as their peers. (Ideally, they will also have some level of academic support in their native language in order to tap into existing content knowledge and prior experiences.)

This is not to say that when an English language learner experiences academic challenges, it is always only a question of language. But special education placement without careful consideration is not likely to help.

Researchers note that more traditional interventions that help students with language-based learning disabilities often do not help students acquire proficiency in a second language. In fact, it can sometimes present additional challenges by limiting access to core curriculum and focusing on discrete skills taught out of context. This constricts language usage and can make it more difficult for ELLs to understand and retain information.

Learn more about the differences between the goals of special education services and ESL services to better understand what each is addressing and the support they are providing students.

Keep in mind that sometimes this kind of policy reflects a bigger, systemic issue at the school or district level. Nevertheless, small steps on behalf of individual students can add up to systemic change over time because you can use these small successes to advocate for bigger changes.

Know the services your school provides for ESL students. Talk with an ESL teacher about how the programming works and whether the response to intervention (RTI)/ multi-tier system of supports (MTSS) takes the needs of these learners into account.

Start to identify some small areas you might like to focus on together in collaboration with the ESL teacher in order to improve outcomes for ELLs. You can also identify some bigger aspirational goals to work on over time.

Myth #5: Schools should wait a certain amount of time before assessing an ELL for special education services.

Fact: Providing special education services to English language learners when they don't need them focuses on overidentification. But the challenge of underidentification is also widespread. That's when schools don't identify students as needing special education services when they do need them.

One of the most common reasons for underidentification is the use of subjective policies that determine when to test an ELL student for special education services. Many of these policies are put in place to avoid overidentification. But one expert notes that this can result in overcorrection, leading to students not getting the help they need in a timely manner.

For example, some schools decide to wait anywhere from one to seven years before assessing an English language learner for special education. That's because students generally take five to seven years to acquire an academic language.

Those policies don't consider the needs of students who may be struggling all of that time. Researchers point out that students have a better opportunity to be successful in school when they're identified sooner rather than later, and supported in culturally and linguistically responsive ways.

Ask yourself if the policies and practices at your school serve the needs of the students in front of you. If you see some areas that might need to be revisited, talk with the ESL teacher, special education staff, and other colleagues. Making even small changes can build momentum for bigger change down the road.

Continue to closely monitor progress and determine the most appropriate course of action for students about whom you or a parent has ongoing concerns.

Advocate on behalf of the students about whom you have concerns by speaking with your school's teacher assistance team or by making a referral for special education evaluation.

Learn about the students' native language and educational background. And ask parents if their child is showing similar challenges in the native language. Share that information with the ESL teacher, and work closely together to corroborate that this is what is happening at school as well.

Becoming better informed about the needs of your English language learners is a great first step to helping them succeed. It also can help you begin to identify what's working (or not) in your setting. Don't be afraid to ask questions, try new things, develop new collaborative relationships, and share what works with your colleagues.

As you learn about your students' family background, learn more about the educational system they come from and cultural interactions as well. It allows you to interact with families in ways that respect their culture and cultural perspectives on education and learning challenges. You might just find the opportunity you've been looking for to make a difference for your students.

Hamayan, E., Marler, B., Sanchez-Lopez, C., and Damico, J. (2007). Some myths regarding ELLs and special education. In Special education considerations for English language learners: Delivering a continuum of services (pp. 7-8). Philadelphia, PA: Caslon Publishing. ©Caslon Publishing. Printed with permission on Colorín Colorado, all rights reserved.

About the Author

About the Author

Lydia Breiseth, Colorín Colorado&nbsp

is the director of Colorín Colorado, the leading website for educators and families of English language learners.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Claudia Rinaldi, PhD&nbsp

is the chair of the education department and associate professor of education at Lasell College.

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5 Myths About English Language Learners (ELLs) and Special Education

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By Lydia Breiseth, Colorín Colorado When English language learners (ELLs) experience challenges in school, it can be hard to figure out why. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about services and supports for students who are learning English.

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AFIRM Modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring an EBP with learners with ASD from birth to 22 years of age. Supplemental materials and handouts are available for download.

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AFIRM Modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring an evidence-based practice (EBP) with learners on the spectrum from birth to 22 years of age. Supplemental materials and handouts are available for download.

Download an overview of the Components of AFIRM to learn about modules, resources, and professional development options.

Visit the Learn with AFIRM section to find out more.

To learn more about the updated EBPs, check out the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice website.

Introduction to Autism

Selecting an Evidence-Based Practice

AFIRM for Paraprofessionals: Simulated E-Learning

These simulated learning modules include brief overviews, video examples, and activity-based scenarios to learn foundational EBPs.

Reinforcement: Introduction & Practice

Prompting: Introduction & Practice

Supporting Peer Interactions: Introduction & Practice

Time Delay: Introduction & Practice

Visual Cues: Introduction & Practice

AFIRM for Toddlers

AFIRM for Toddlers are a set a of modules developed in collaboration with the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center for early interventionists working with toddlers, families, and early care providers.

AFIRM for Toddlers Introduction

Behavior Supports for Toddlers

Naturalistic Interventions in the Child Care Setting

Parent-Implemented Interventions in the Home Setting

Reinforcement

Prompting

Visual Supports

Available Evidence-Based Practice Modules

The National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP) identified 28 EBPs based upon a systematic review. The EBP modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process for planning for, using, and monitoring an EBP with learners with autism from birth to 22 years of age.

Augmentative & Alternative Communication

Antecedent-Based Interventions

Ayres Sensory Integration®

Behavioral Momentum Intervention

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention

Direct Instruction

Differential Reinforcement

Discrete Trial Training

Exercise

Extinction

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Functional Communication Training

Modeling

Music-Mediated Intervention

Naturalistic Intervention

Peer-Mediated Instruction & Intervention

Parent-Implemented Intervention

Prompting

Reinforcement

Response Interruption/ Redirection

Self-Management

Social Narratives

Social Skills Training

Task Analysis

Technology-Aided Instruction & Intervention

Time Delay

Video Modeling

Visual Supports

Available Supplemental Modules

Several EBPs identified in the previous review (Wong et al., 2014) were recategorized or reclassified in the most recent review by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence & Practice (see Steinbrenner et al., 2020, p. 30 for details). The four modules below will remain available for AFIRM users as supplemental materials:

Picture Exchange Communication System

Pivotal Response Training

Scripting

Structured Play Groups

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AFIRM Modules AFIRM Modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring an evidence-based practice (EBP) with learners on the spectrum from birth to 22 years of age. Supplemental materials and handouts are available for download.

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Understanding Language: Language, Literacy and Learning in the Content Areas

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Understanding Language: Language, Literacy and Learning in the Content Areas

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CURRICULUM RESOURCES

Our team is currently developing sets of teaching resources that exemplify high-quality instruction for ELLs across three content areas.

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Our team is currently developing sets of teaching resources that exemplify high-quality instruction for ELLs across three content areas. The resources will correspond to the widely-adopted Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics and to the Next Generation Science Standards.

Our latest creation is the Principles for the Design of Mathematics Curricula: Promoting Language and Content Development, a joint endeavor by Understanding Language and Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE) at Stanford University. This framework provides guidance to mathematics teachers for recognizing and supporting students' language development processes in the context of mathematical sense making. While the framework can and should be used to support all students learning mathematics, it is particularly well-suited to meet the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse students who are simultaneously learning mathematics while acquiring English.

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Understanding Language is devoted to improving education for English Language Learners in light of the new Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. Based on the latest research, we provide resources to help teachers, administrators, and policy makers recognize the language demands in mathematics, science, and English language arts.

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The Multilingual Education and Global Achievement Department (MEGA) of the San Diego County Office of Education has created this website as a resource to further assist an LEA’s journey in implementing the California Department of Education’s English Learner Roadmap.

The California English Learner Roadmap: Strengthening Comprehensive Educational Policies, Programs, and Practices for English Learners (CA EL Roadmap) articulates a common vision and mission for educating English learners and supports LEAs as they implement the State Board policy.

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CALIFORNIA ENGLISH LEARNER ROADMAP RESOURCE GUIDE
Improving Outcomes in Complex Systems
Under the guidance of the CA Dept. Ed EL Roadmap, this digital resource guide shapes your journey to improve achievement and equity for English Learners. Select a principle as a starting point to your improvement journey.

Discover the Roadmap Principles

The Multilingual Education and Global Achievement Department (MEGA) and Innovation Division of the San Diego County Office of Education has created this website as a resource to further assist an LEA's journey in implementing the California Department of Education's English Learner Roadmap.

The California English Learner Roadmap: Strengthening Comprehensive Educational Policies, Programs, and Practices for English Learners (CA EL Roadmap) articulates a common vision and mission for educating English learners and supports LEAs as they implement the State Board policy.

Assets-Oriented and Needs Responsive Schools

Pre-schools and schools are responsive to different EL strengths, needs, and identities and support the socio-emotional health and development of English learners.

Learn More

Intellectual Quality of Instruction and Meaningful Access

English learners engage in standards-based, high quality learning experiences that foster high levels of English proficiency.

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System Conditions that Support Effectiveness

The school system has knowledgeable and responsive leaders and educators who utilize valid assessment to inform instruction and continuous improvement.

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Alignment and Articulation Within and Across Systems

English learners experience a coherent and aligned set of practices and pathways to ensure successful participation in a global, diverse, multilingual, twenty-first century world.

Learn More

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EL Roadmap - San Diego County Office of Education

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home - SDCOE serves our county’s most vulnerable students and supports school leaders, teachers, and students across the county.

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Featuring bilingual speech-language pathologist Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan. This webcast discusses effective assessment and instruction strategies for English language learners with learning disabilities, as well as ways to help encourage the active involvement of parents of ELLs with LD in their children's schools.

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English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities

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Colorín Colorado is a national multimedia project that offers a wealth of bilingual, research-based information, activities, and advice for educators and families of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín Colorado is an educational service of WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in the nation's capital, and receives major funding from the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association.

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Professional learning modules for all things related to special education and the students we serve.

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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The Imperial County SELPA Content Lead Grant 'Improving Outcomes for English Learners with Disabilities' assists the CDE with dissemination, professional development and technical assistance associated with the CA Practitioners' Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities. The Imperial County SELPA strives to build capacity of SELPAs statewide by connecting and facilitating systems improvement work related to best practices in the implementation and provision of services to English learners with disabilities.

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The Imperial County SELPA Content Lead Grant 'Improving Outcomes for English Learners with Disabilities ' assists the CDE with dissemination, professional development and technical assistance associated with the CA Practitioners' Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities.

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Access existing professional development modules with supporting resources.

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Please complete the Registration Form ** Once the registration form is completed a Certificate of Completion for this PD event will be emailed to you. For questions, please feel free to contact us at: improvingoutcomes_el_swd@icoe.org

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The B.E.L.I.E.F. modules support district and site administrators with implementation of both integrated and designated ELD. The modules include current ELD research; opportunities to deepen understanding of integrated and designated ELD; activities to analyze, reflect upon, and refine programs for English learners; and follow-up activities to use with staff to support implementation.