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Website Reviews

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Website review #1-5

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This article is aimed at helping teachers of students with autism better teach and understand the child in order to create a more inclusive classroom. The article strives to do this through research results of adaptation and modification strategies of students with autism in the classroom.

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*Teacher attitudes are congruent with the effectiveness of inclusive education

*A lack of professional development on autism understanding is identified as a barrier for inclusive education

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The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is designed to accommodate learner variability and reduce learning barriers, making courses more accessible and inclusive. According to UDL, educators should consider using multiple means to address three main factors: 1) learners' interests and motivation (the Why), 2) teaching and delivery methods (the What), and 3) ways of knowledge demonstration (the How). That is, faculties need to ensure students know why they are learning what they're learning, provide students with accessible materials, and present multiple means of assessment.

Launched in 2020, the UDL Guidelines have been a dynamic tool to empower inclusive education. On July 30th, 2024, CAST updated and introduced the UDL Guidelines 3.0 as a response to the need to address "critical barriers rooted in biases and systems of exclusion". With the introduction of the UDL 3.0 in July 2024, we asked Lillian Nave, Faculty Development Specialist and host of the Think UDL podcast to reflect on this update. As Lillian remarked, these updates are "a welcome widening of what we're really looking at in the learning environment. It is a great addition to know that all learners are variable and we should really pay attention to them".

Here are the key changes within the framework, according to Lillian:

Multiple means of engagement: This pillar now focuses on welcoming different interests and identities by nurturing joy and play and addressing biases, as well as threats, and distractions

Multiple means of representation: A shift towards the cultural aspect of the learners' background, which is key to broaden our understanding of what is happening with multiple learners.

Multiple means of actions and expression: The emphasis on where we are as teachers and where our students are as learners to identify the goals and ways that students can reach these.

In short,

"It is the recognition of a whole human, not just a brain. The emotional part of learning is now more in focus, along with who the learner is and what they bring to the learning environment."
You can listen to Lillian's sharing about UDL 3.0 below.
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So how can faculties leverage the UDL guidelines to create an inclusive, equitable online learning environment that supports and values every learner? Below you can find a comprehensive list of inclusive strategies to optimize, and implement the UDL framework into learning activities, assessment and feedback.

Learning activities

Multiple means of engagement

1. Create and distribute surveys to generate insightful students' information (background, needs, strengths, weaknesses) that can help personalize the curriculum.

2. Organize an introduction session to make sure students are presented with detailed explanations of the courses, as well as multiple choices in terms of content, learning tools, rewards and recognition, assessments, task requirements, and more.

3. Vary activities and student materials so that they are personalized to different learners' needs such as distance, adult, or carer learners, culturally and socially relevant, appropriate to different ages and abilities, relevant to different racial, cultural, ethnic, and gender groups

4. Design learning activities that invite active engagement and responses right from beginning (e.g. flipped classroom, team-based learning). Example: Flipped classroom learning journey, Team-based learning journey

1. Create activities or learning spaces where learners are motivated through connections to their identities, sense of self, and communities.

2. Incorporate storytelling activities

3. Incorporate deadline reminders and extensions (calendars, schedules, visible timers, notifications, etc.) to help students' keep track of their learning.

1. Offer students with different options to complete assignments: oral presentation, research paper, group projects, or making a podcast, etc.

2. Create authentic learning activities that require students to engage with real world situations: finding solutions to a real problem; interviewing experts in the field; or creating a research poster to present in a simulative online conference.

1. Involve students in developing course objectives, activities, and assessments

2. Create course surveys to invite students' reflection and evaluation of course content and activities

3. Provide constructive, timely prompts to support and guide students throughout the learning process. Read more: Prompt-based open discussion

1. Make use of authentic learning strategies (problem-based learning, team-based learning, etc.) where students need to use knowledge and skills to solve novel and relevant problems, or make sense of complex ideas in creative ways.

2. Curate different ways in which students can interact with the study materials, by using social annotation, online discussion forums, or interactive quizzes. These methods can be supported by plenty of pedagogical technology. Example: Pre-class preparation on a document; Pre-class preparation on a video; Pre-class preparation on an audio

1. Provide information, and knowledge in multiple modalities, such as written documents, audio and video; and in formats accessible to all learners (e.g., adding subtitles, including alternative texts to images, increasing text size or brightness).

2. Create and distribute supporting materials (e.g., glossaries, illustrations), background information, and multiple types of examples to facilitate knowledge transfer, and reduce learning barriers

3. Include transcripts to videos, either directly or via pdf

4. Involve students in developing course resources

5. Supply assignment instructions with multimedia resources so that students can better understand the requirements and contexts of the tasks.

6. Follow accessibility standards (NIMAS, DAISY, etc.) when creating digital text

7. Incorporate a range of authors with various identities, including (but not limited to) gender, race, different abilities, nationality, and socio-economic background in the study materials.

Offer students with different options to showcase their performance such as: oral presentation, research paper, group projects, making a podcast, etc. Example: Collaborative thesis writing; Authentic group project
Use case: The teaching team at Leiden University implemented the portfolio approach to help students take ownership and gain more insights into their personal growth. This portfolio will be a collection of all students' work and their received feedback which they can reflect on and create a showcase of to later share with future employers. Read more on how the Leiden team designed and facilitated the portfolio project
Use multiple pedagogical tools (e.g. interactive discussion platforms, peer review, ) to allow learners to showcase their performance at their best.
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1. Provide clear explanations to learners on the importance of feedback on their learning.

2. Organize a session to clarify the rationale behind an assessment and answer students's questions

1. Incorporate different communication methods for meaningful interactions (e.g. online discussion boards, email, and video conferencing options).

2. Give students autonomy to plan, set goals, and be intentional about the way they approach a task

3. Provide model examples (templates, well-performed assignments) that learners can refer to for content organization and assignment

4. Use study portfolio to allow students to showcase their work and progress in a holistic and diverse manner

Present students with multiple ways to present their final product. These can be a research paper, group presentation, or self-produced podcast.
Use case: Christina Wesolek - lecturer at University of Delaware, implemented problem-based learning with the aid of technology in her physics course. In this course, students worked together in groups of 4-6 for semester projects, and in groups of 2-3 for lab work. They then completed self and peer evaluations. These anonymous peer evaluations were a space to give feedback on all group dynamics related to PBL, semester projects, lab work, and any other group topics.
Issue peer or group assessment to initiate interactions, and encourage students to learn from each other. Example: Group evaluation activity; Collaborative learning journey
Use case: In an online marketing course of 400 students, instructors at Boston University issued a Peer Review assignment after each live session, which was called 'FeedbackFruits Executive Memo submission'. For this, students wrote an executive memo, then provided feedback on each other's work based on a 3-criteria rubric.
Provide personalized, timely feedback with the help of AI technology. Example: AI-assisted writing assignment

1. Break down the assessments into manageable steps so that students can receive feedback and reflect on their progress.

2. Create plenty of opportunities for frequent and timely feedback by incorporating feedback moments throughout the course with detailed feedback rubrics to guide students. This article provides a clear guide on how to design effective feedback rubric.

1. Use different methods to deliver self, peer, and group feedback (video reviews, multimedia annotations, essay, etc.)

2. Combine both formative and summative assessment to both measure student progress and final achievement. Explore more strategies to balance these two assessment practices in this article.

3. Offer students multiple ways to provide feedback, not just limit to text-based comments. Many tools allow for creating visual or audio feedback (screen-capture, or audio/video recording of comments), which have been well-received by students.

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Use AI to provide personalized, timely support for students.

Multiple means of representation

Example: Authentic group project learning journey

Multiple means of action and expression

Multiple means of engagement

Multiple means of representation

Multiple means of action and expressions

Using FeedbackFruits solutions to support inclusive teaching

Understanding the challenges and opportunities of inclusive education, the FeedbackFruits team design our solutions to support educators to actively engage every student, while accommodating diverse learning needs, providing personalized feedback and instructions, as well as providing equal opportunities for every learner to thrive and drive society forward.

Provide integrated and innovative learning materials and activities for students

Seamless API and LTI integration into different LMSs (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and D2L Brightspace) allows instructors to choose among several teaching tools that cater to different pedagogical approaches, from flipped classroom, self/ peer/ group assessment, online discussion, to group project.

In addition, our solutions support the distribution and delivery of multimedia study materials, from documents, presentation, to audio, and videos. Instructors can choose from adding questions, discussion points, annotations, to creating discussion forums surrounding the materials. In short, FeedbackFruits presents endless ways to curate learning materials and activities in the most creative manner.

Support the creative use of multimedia throughout the course to facilitate student-centered learning

With FeedbackFruits, instructors have plenty of options to creatively use multimedia to create engaging learning experiences.

‍ Interactive Study Materials solutions utilize social annotations to turn static, passive pre-class content study into engaging activities. Learners gain deeper understanding via in-line questions, while engaging in meaningful discussions.

Within FeedbackFruits, instructors can also enable comments in the form of audio or video, diversifying how instructors and students interact with each other during the feedback activity.

Enable students' responses in multiple formats

Within FeedbackFruits, students can generate responses or provide input using different modalities (written text, video and audio recording, image attachment, etc.)

Provide relevant support and services for both students and teaching staff

24/5 support chat is directly linked within FeedbackFruits activities, instructors and students can connect with our colleagues for assistance within less than 1 minute.

In addition, pop-ups appearing as the activity opens for the first time, show quick guides for completing the assignments.

We also provide instructors and students with immediate access to a rich knowledge base, including help documents, videos, use cases, and training. Users can always refer to these resources for clarification when using the tools.

Personalize the learning experience

Grounded in pedagogy, FeedbackFruits solutions can be used to support the facilitation of different pedagogical approaches (flipped classroom, TBL, etc.)

‍ Our template libraries offer plenty of shareable and customizable templates that can be scaled and adapted to the course context and objectives.

Acai - our AI solutions tool generates instant, formative feedback on students' academic writing, and real-time suggestions to help learners deliver better feedback, saving faculties plenty of time while providing personalized coaching for individual students.

Currently available in Group Member Evaluation, the Detect outliers feature helps identify students in group projects whose contribution or review scores vary significantly from their peers', based on how students gave and received feedback. With such timely insights, teachers can take quick actions and make suitable adjustments to improve the learning experience.

Facilitate multi-level interactions and engagement opportunities

With FeedbackFruits, instructors can create learning activities that generate deep interactions, and connections among the learners.

Interactive Study Materials allow instructors to stimulate direct, open discussions with students within the learning materials. Connection points can be generated by questions or discussion threads to the content, or replying immediately under students' comments

The Assignment and Skill Review tools help generate open, direct conversations within students' deliverables, in which faculties and students can exchange feedback.

Faculties can organize online discussions where students are encouraged to exchange their thoughts about each other's work or a topic. This can significantly promote a sense of community in online learning.

Create holistic rubrics to assess students effectively

All our assessment tools come with the Feedback Criteria setup, which enables teachers to design feedback rubrics with detailed criteria, explanations of criteria, rating scales, and descriptions of rating scales to guide students throughout the feedback process. This ensures that students are always aware of the grading criteria and have access to the rubric directly within the assignment. These rubrics can also be exported and shared between faculty, and there are even template rubrics to make use of.

FeedbackFruits also offers the option to customize the grading criteria and weighting, with instructors specifying the points received for completing each activity step, such as leaving a minimum number of review comments, or engaging in a certain number of discussions. With this grade weighting per step transparent for students, increased motivation and higher participation is often seen as a result.

Design authentic assessment that mimic real-life situations to promote skills development

One critical element of inclusive teaching is to provide authentic assessment practices that replicate real life problems. Whether you ask students to prepare a research paper, come up with a business proposal, do a case study, record a podcast or present a topic in the classroom, FeedbackFruits has a solution to assess them based on your learning objectives.

Support multiple types of assessment formats (formative, summative, research projects, objective tests, etc.)

With FeedbackFruits, teachers can integrate both summative and formative assessment throughout the course.

For formative assessment, instructors can create low stake quizzes after each lesson to check students' understanding using the Quiz tool; or integrate a feedback activity in the middle of the course.

For summative assessment, instructors can turn traditional pen and paper exams into more authentic assignments with Assignment Review, Skill Review, or Discussion on Work.

Design and facilitate constructive, instant, and personalized feedback at multiple levels

FeedbackFruits assessment tools enable the design, and facilitation of an effective peer/ group feedback activity.

In a large student cohort, it is more challenging to provide detailed, real-time, and actionable feedback on each student's assignment. The Automated Feedback tool generates instant feedback on students' lower-order writing skills such as grammar and style, which frees up time for instructors to focus on argumentation or reasoning. ​​With these timely feedback, students can iterate on an improved final submission, as well as increasing their autonomy and self-guidance throughout the learning experience.

Instructors can choose to enable the self-assessment module within either Peer Review or Group Member Evaluation to ensure that students continuously reflect on not only their performance but also their progress throughout the semester.

Another option is to create a separate self assessment activity, in which students critically evaluate their own work based on the criteria & rubrics set by the instructor. Thus, instructors can motivate students to have the ownership of their own learning effectively.

Conclusion

Hope that this list will help you in planning your next courses, activities, or assessments. Which inclusive teaching strategy from this list was new to you? Did we miss anything? Let us know by sending us an email to nhi@feedbackfruits.com.

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50 strategies for inclusive teaching: A complete list

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A comprehensive list of inclusive teaching strategies based on the UDL framework

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This article puts together a comprehensive list of ways to better understand exceptional children and the best ways for them to learn based on the Universal Design Learning framework. This website aims to aid current and prospective teachers in having a more unified and cohesive classroom.

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*Multiple means of engagement offer up multiple different identities and interests in the children

*Multiple means of representation is vital for the understanding of each child with their teacher and fellow classmates

*To offer multiple means of expression allows the child to grow their own academic and personal identity

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Inclusive classroom spaces teach our students about the fundamental importance of inclusion and equality. They ensure our classrooms are accessible to all and enable every student to feel a sense of belonging.

We need to think about inclusion in every aspect of a classroom layout. As set out in the UN Declaration of Rights for People with Disabilities, all students with disabilities have the right to full participation in the daily life of a classroom.

Below are some important considerations for a teacher designing a space for students with physical disabilities.

1. Minimize Distances Traveled

Students with physical disabilities may find it difficult to travel between spaces in the classroom. To minimize travel distances for students with disabilities, ensure there is ample open space between workstations that allows ease of access to all areas of the classroom.

A horseshoe-shaped workstation, for example, might be insufficient for students with physical disabilities, as it requires taking long detours around the classroom.

2. Make the Whole Classroom Accessible

Mobility does not simply involve access between the student's desk and the door to the classroom.

Seating a student with a disability by the door or placing them at a separate desk may appear convenient and easy. However, it physically separates students from their peers and learning materials.

Similarly, giving a student with a disability a dedicated and separated space in the room also sends a damaging message to the student that they are an inconvenience.

Therefore, ensure students with disabilities are able to move around the whole classroom so that they can participate in all workstation and group-work activities. In particular, aim to ensure all pathways, desks, and computer workstations are accessible for students with physical disabilities.

Another common issue is clutter on the floor preventing students with walking aids or wheelchairs from moving around freely. Ensure all students are keeping their bags, pencil cases, and other belongings neatly stored at all times.

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3. Make All Materials Accessible

It is not always possible to place all materials at accessible heights and locations. However, I focus on placing the most commonly utilized classroom materials in the most accessible spaces. Whenever possible, I aim to make all regularly utilized materials accessible for students with physical disabilities.

While reach may be the primary concern when thinking about accessibility, it is not the only one. I have had several students with limited fine motor skills, for example. A solution here is to place all commonly used materials in drawers with large, easy-to-grasp handles.

4. Think About Lesson Transitions

Lesson transitions are often a pivotal moment in which a student's physical disability must be treated with sensitivity. Teachers may need to be proactive in giving subtle signals to a student with a physical disability to begin preparing for a lesson transition earlier than their peers.

Students with inhibited eyesight, for example, may require additional time to pack their belongings. Students who need walking aids may require additional time to set them up. By providing early warnings to these students, teachers can prevent instances where the student is singled out as 'running late.'

5. Make Accommodations for Guests With Physical Disabilities

Often, teachers only consider the needs of students in their class. A teacher may only actively think about accessibility when they learn they will have a child with a disability in their class for the year.

However, many important classroom guests may also have physical mobility requirements. Parents with disabilities have as much right as any other parent to access the classroom. Teachers in the school with physical disabilities may also need to access your classroom from time to time.

Being prepared for these possibilities before the guest arrives makes the guest feel more welcome within the space. It also prevents situations in which people with physical disabilities are made to feel like an inconvenience.

Final Thoughts

While sometimes our ideal classroom space is not possible due to financial and architectural limitations, there are always small steps that teachers can take to make their space more inclusive. Bigger picture issues-such as getting larger and more modern classrooms-may require further advocacy and lobbying.

Inclusive classroom design shows our students with disabilities that they are valued and normalizes inclusive attitudes for all our students to emulate. Small acts by the classroom teacher to make the classroom a more inclusive space such as rearranging desks, being sensitive to transition requirements and removing clutter can go a long way toward creating a sense of belonging and inclusion in every classroom.
Do you have any tips on setting up inclusive classroom spaces? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, 50 tips and tricks for making your teaching more inclusive.

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How to Create Inclusive Classroom Spaces for Students With Physical Disabilities

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How can teachers create more inclusive classroom spaces for students with physical disabilities? Use these guiding principles to start.

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This article teaches the reader that inclusive classrooms are vital in learning about the fundamental importance of inclusion and equality. The article is also geared towards teachers and helps them learn how to be more inclusive with children with physical disabilities in the classroom.

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*Minimizing the distance traveled in the classroom is vital for providing ease and inclusion for children with physical disabilities

*The entirety of the classroom needs to be accessible to the students to allow for engagement and active learning. The child is not to only have access to the door and desk in the classroom, a limited space, but rather they need to be able to have accommodations that allow them space to all parts of the room like the other students.

*The start to creating a more physically inclusive classroom begins with rearranging desks, being sensitive to transition requirements, and removing clutter, which is a small, but simple step towards creating an inclusive learning environment

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Students with visual impairments include those with low vision and those who are blind. Students who are blind may use Braille to read. Students with low vision tend to read print, may use optical devices, or may also read Braille like their peers who are blind. Both students who are blind and have low vision may require specialized equipment and materials. The extent of a student's visual impairment depends on the eye condition. Vision also may fluctuate or may be influenced by factors such as inappropriate lighting, light glare, or fatigue. Hence, there is no "typical" vision-impaired student. The major challenge facing students who are visually impaired in the science educational environment is the overwhelming mass of visual material to which they are continually exposed, such as textbooks, class outlines, class schedules, chalkboards, writing, models, images and other graphic materials, etc. In addition, the increase in the use of films, videos, computers, and television programs adds to the volume of visual material to which they have only limited access. To assist in teaching a student with a visual impairment, unique and individual strategies based on that student's particular visual impairment and his/her communication media is required. (e.g., Braille, speed listening, etc.).

Geerat Vermeij is a Dutch paleontologist and one of the world's foremost authorities on mollusk evolution. He has been blind since the age of three.

Students with any type of vision impairment will have a method of accessing the learning material. It may be a laptop with zoom text, an enlarger that sits on the desk, a program such as join.me which allows them to see what is on the teacher's laptop on their laptop, enlarged text, or something else that makes the material accessible to them. If you have a student with an impairment severe enough to need this type of assistance, the case manager should be in touch with you before school starts to let you know what will be needed in the classroom. Tactile models are often very useful. You can run a thin bead of glue over all drawings so the student can also feel what they are seeing. If there is a narrow field of vision this allows the student to know that the diagram continues outside of their field of vision. You should be aware that many students with visual impairment get eye fatigue and find it much harder to read material by the end of the day. This may influence the order of the classes if that is a change that can be made. Also remember that this student will very often be unaware of visual cues that you are using and probably use routinely without being aware of it.

1. Speak to the class upon entering and leaving the room or site.

2. Call the student with a visual impairment by name if you want his/her attention.

3. Work with a student's intervention specialist for specific educational needs such as change in lighting, classroom seating, and print medium (also known as a teacher of students with visual impairments).

4. Use descriptive words such as straight, forward, left, etc. in relation to the student's body orientation. Be specific in directions and avoid the use of vague terms with unusable information, such as "over there", "here", "this", etc.

5. Describe, in detail, pertinent visual occurrences of the learning activities.

6. Describe and tactually familiarize the student to the classroom, laboratory, equipment, supplies, materials, field sites, etc.

7. Give verbal notice of room changes, special meetings, or assignments.

8. Offer to read written information for a person with a visual impairment, when appropriate.

9. Order the appropriate text books for the students in their preferred medium. Be sure to use the state NIMAS center for help in ordering textbooks.

10. Identify yourself by name, don't assume that the student who is visually impaired will recognize you by your voice even though you have met before. Be sure to identify others in the room as well.

11. If you are asked to guide a student with a visual impairment, identify yourself, offer your services and, if accepted, offer your arm to the student's hand. Tell them if they have to step up or step down, let them know if the door is to their left or right, and warn them of possible hazards.

12. Orally, let the student know if you need to move or leave or need to end a conversation.

13. If a student with a visual impairment is in class, routinely check the instructional environment to be sure it is adequate and ready for use.

14. Do not pet or touch a guide dog. Guide dogs are working animals. It can be hazardous for the visually impaired person if the dog is distracted.

15. Use an auditory or tactile signal where a visual signal is normally used.

16. It is not necessary to speak loudly to people with visual impairments.

General Strategies

The degree of impairment and the student's background and training (like the degree of proficiency in Braille) will affect the usefulness of the various strategies and suggestions. The various strategies given below are only suggestions. Work with a student's intervention specialist for specific modifications that are needed. Description will be necessary for pictures, graphics, displays, or field sites, etc.; the student's identification queries; and differentiation of items where touch will not discriminate; and in orientation and mobility aspects in unfamiliar situations.

1. Bring to the student's attention science role models with visual impairments to the student. Point out that this individual achieved by a combination of effort and by asking for help when needed.

2. A wide selection of optical devices are available that can be used by visually impaired students to assist in reading or working with objects that need to be observed.

3. A screen reader, closed-circuit television, or a similar system can be used to read a computer screens.

4. A screen magnifier may be used to enlarge print on a computer screen.

General Information Access for Persons with a Visual Impairment

1. Visual material needs to be accompanied by a verbal description. If you are demonstrating how to use a piece of equipment, be sure to describe the equipment and what you are doing to operate it. Read overheads aloud and describe the content of slides (see note below about large print). In a conference presentation setting, you will probably want to provide all descriptions yourself. If you are showing a video, describe the action. If you distribute videos as handouts, any action or an explanatory text that is crucial to understanding the presentation should be narrated.

2. If there are multiple speakers (such as a panel), have each speaker introduce himself or herself to the audience so that the speakers' voices are keyed for the audience as to their identity.

3. Handouts should be available in large print, audio, digital, and/or Braille formats. If this is not possible prior to your presentation, note the various individuals' preferred formats and then make your materials available to them within a short time after your presentation.

4. Large Print-People who have low vision may be able to see print if it is large enough. Prepare print information on white paper with sharp, black ink. Standard print is generally 10-12 point type. Large print is 16-18 point and up, generally an enlargement setting of 160-175% on a copy machine. Try darker settings on the copy machine to increase contrast without producing streaks. Many computer programs offer a variety of font types and sizes. Verdana or Arial is preferred. (On most newer versions of browsers, you can select Text Zoom from View Menu of the browser for larger view.)

Teacher Presentation

1. By verbally spelling out a new or technical word, you will be helping the student with a visual impairment, as well as other students.

2. Whiteboards can be used to enlarge pictures for students with low vision

3. All colored objects used for identification related to a lesson, experiment, or other directions should be labeled with a Braille label maker or otherwise tactually coded for most students with vision impairments.

4. Describe, in detail, visual occurrences, visual media, and directions including all pertinent aspects that involve sight.

5. Use a sighted narrator or descriptive video (preferably the latter) to describe aspects of videos or laser disks.

6. Describe, in detail, all pertinent visual occurrences or chalkboard/whiteboard writing.

7. Have lesson directions and class handouts available in Braille or in large print as needed by the student at the same time his peers are working.

8. Have tactile 3D models, raised-line drawings, or thermoforms (see this web page) available to supplement drawings or graphics in a tactile format when needed. Describe the tactile diagram to the student and teach him the features of the diagram.

9. Whenever possible, use actual objects for three dimensional representations.

10. Modify instructions for auditory/tactile presentation.

11. Use raised-line drawings for temporary tactile presentations.

12. Use a chalkboard/whiteboard, graphs, or slides as you would normally, but provide more detailed oral descriptions, possibly supplemented with tactile diagrams and written descriptions when appropriate.

13. Allow student to use a recording device, if needed, for recording classroom presentations or the text to use to study for future examinations.

14. Make all handouts and assignments available in an appropriate form: e.g., regular print, large print, Braille, or recorded, depending on the student's optimal mode of communication.

15. Use a monocular or assistive devices for long range observations of chalk board or demonstration table presentations.

Laboratory

1. Describe and tactually/spatially familiarize the student with the lab and all equipment to be used.

2. Consider alternate activities/exercises that can be utilized with less difficulty for the student, but has the same or similar learning objectives.

3. Use an enlarged activity script, directions, or readings for a low-vision student (or taped script for a student who is blind) for use with tactile 3D models.

4. Make all handouts and assignments available in the appropriate form for the student: e.g., regular print, large print, Braille, or tape depending on the students optimal mode of communication.

5. Assistance may be needed for converting certain laboratory materials from a visual to a tactile format.

6. Familiarize the student with a visual impairment on the lab equipment to be used, if needed, before the activity.

7. Allow more time for the laboratory activities, if needed.

8. Always try to keep materials, supplies, and equipment in the same places.

9. Use a videomicroscope or similar device to help the student with a visual impairment examine images from a microscope.

10. Be sure that all solid and liquid chemicals are in proper containers with braille and large print labels placed in a specific location in the room.

11. When using a Bunsen burner be sure to place the burner on a slide resistive surface or use a slide resistant mat/liner. This will prevent the burner from moving while conducting experiments.

12. Use Descriptive Video for videos or DVDs. If Descriptive Video is not available, use a sighted narrator to describe movies, videos, or slides.

13. Provide means for the acquisition and/or recording of data in an appropriate medium for the student.

14. Always use a test tube holder when heating up a tube on the Bunsen Burner.

15. Plastic lab wear is a safer option for students with visual impairments to use when possible.

16. Make equipment available that the student with a visual impairment can access in interpreting and understanding the results of laboratory exercises (e.g., audible readout voltmeters, calculators, talking thermometers, magnifiers, etc.).

17. Use a hot plate for heating instead of Bunsen burner when possible.

18. Label material, supplies, and equipment with regular print, large print, and/or Braille, as appropriate for the student with a visual impairment.

19. Pair the student with a visual impairment with a sighted student. Then have the sighted peer describe the activities and outcomes as they are observed. Caution: be sure the student with a visual impairment is working in the lab and is not just acting as a scribe.

20. A closed circuit television can be used to magnify images.

21. Use assistive technology devices to provide auditory scanning of laboratory materials, written directions, or symbols.

22. When working on circuits, be sure to allow the student with a visual impairment to use a buzzer instead of a light to complete the circuit.

23. Prior to the enrollment of a student with a visual impairment in class, obtain laboratory equipment that has the ability to produce adaptive outputs such as: a large screen, print materials, or various audio output devices.

24. In order to determine Ph, magnification devices can be used along with talking color detectors.

25. When heating water or any other solution, the use of heatproof gloves is recommended.

26. When using pipets, the use of a colored index card or paper behind the tube as background can enhance the contrast for a student with low vision.

27. Use fixed and adjustable pipets to help with measuring liquids for experimentation.

28. Be sure that all electrical cords are taped down to the floor to avoid tripping and falling or getting caught by canes.

29. Use of a dissecting microscope and closed circuit television can help model during dissections. Be sure to familiarize the student with a visual impairment regarding the use of cutting instruments. (Videos are available online to instruct teachers about dissection with students who are visually impaired.)

Group Interaction and Discussion

1. Describe and tactually/spatially familiarize the student to the classroom.

2. Allow recording of the materials being discussed if necessary.

3. Be sure that all students state their name prior to speaking to ensure that the student with a visual impairment knows who is speaking.

4. Be sure to provide a note taker or other assistive technology device so the student with a visual impairment can take notes in the appropriate medium as necessary.

Text Reading Systems

1. Paid or volunteer readers or writers can assist a student with a visual impairment with texts, materials, and library readings .

2. Offer to read, or arrange to have read, written information for a person with a visual impairment, when appropriate; but preferably have material available in proper medium for the student.

3. Arrange, ahead of time, for audio book acquisition of the text or other reading materials through the Talking Book Service, Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, text reading systems, or audio output devices (check out Book Share). Be sure to use your local Instructional Materials Accessibility Center.

4. Various Braille devices and assistive technology devices can be used to assists vision impaired students when reading.

Field Experiences

1. Make all handouts, safety information, and assignments available in an appropriate form (e.g., regular print, large print, tactile Braille, or cassette).

2. Consider alternate activities/exercises that can be utilized with less difficulty for the student, but has the same or similar learning objectives.

3. Have an orientation and mobility instructor accompany you on field trips. As a last resort, sighted guides can be used.

4. Do detailed description and narration of objects seen in science centers, museums, and/or field activities.

5. The use of a laser cane or mowat sensor can be useful in assisting the student in unfamiliar surroundings.

6. Make arrangements for tactile examinations, if touch is not normally permitted (say, in a museum) then contact the curator for tactile access to a museum display items or say, in a zoo for access to a plant/animal species and/or collection).

Research

1. Review and discuss with the student the steps involved in a research activity. Think about which step(s) may be difficult for the specific functional limitations of the student and jointly devise accommodations for that student.

2. Use appropriate lab and field strategies according to the nature of the research. (see above)

3. Various Braille Devices and assistive technology can be used to assist students with visual impairments when reading.

4. Suggest that the student use a recording device to record the various activities. If necessary, have a sighted peer describe the actions/reactions of the test subjects or materials.

5. Provide access to proper recording devices in the preferred medium for the student to take field notes and report out findings

6. Allow student to create tactile graphs and diagrams to report data

Testing

1. Present examinations in a form that will be unbiased to visually impaired students. Ask the student for the approach he/she finds to be most accessible.

2. Make tests available in the appropriate form for the student: e.g., regular print, large print, Braille, or tape depending on the student's optimal mode of communication.

3. Allow more time if needed.

4. Allow the student to record answers using assistive technology when needed.

5. Make use of visual magnification (magnifier or closed circuit television), assistive technology, or dark line paper answer sheets for written responses.

6. Be sure to understand the accessibility requirements and recommendations of your state before mandated tests are given.

Organizations
American Foundation for the Blind
The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired is a teacher organization that provides professional development for educators. They often have presentations on STEM related topics.

The Council for Exceptional Children - Division on Visual Impairments is a practitioner-driven organization that provides professional development for educators. They too have presentations on STEM related topics.

STEM-VI Research Laboratory at UAH

Focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education for Students with Visual Impairments

This Resource Guide for the Physically Blind is an annotated list of resources including organizations providing support, tips, and further information about blindness for those who are blind or visually impaired.

Assistive Software for Visual Impairment

Access Adobe
A resource designed to help people with visual disabilities work more effectively with Adobe Acrobat Software.

Access Unlimited
Various links to web sites for low vision and other disabilities.

AER Online
Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Visually Impaired Programs, services, and products for people who are visually impaired.

American Printing House for the Blind
APH is the largest not-for-profit company that creates educational, workplace, and lifestyle products and services for people with visual impairments.

About Braille
Information about Braille Systems used in the United States.

Blindness Resource Center
Eye diseases, the history of Braille, latest research.

Helen Keller National Center For Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults
This center operates an extensive system of field services nationwide for people who are deaf-blind within their local communities and their families, as well as public and private service providers and professionals.

L&H Kurzweil 3000
Developer of reading technology for people who are blind and for people with reading difficulties.

Louis Database: Accessible Materials and APH File Repository (Vision)
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) currently houses a database called the Louis Database of Accessible Materials for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired. Louis contains information about tens of thousands of titles of accessible materials, including braille, large print, sound recordings, and computer files from over 170 agencies throughout the United States.

National Association of Blind Students
The National Association of Blind Students (NABS) is a division of the National Federation of the Blind. Established in 1967, NABS is an organization comprised of blind high school and college students and is dedicated to changing the negative attitudes and stereotypes that exist about blindness in order to secure equality, and opportunity for all blind students.

National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
The Library Service provides, free-of-charge, recorded and Braille reading materials to persons with documented visual or physical impairments.

National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
NOPBC provides magainzes for parents and teachers of blind/VI children and a national network of people to turn to for ideas and advice. NOPBC is a division of the National Federation of the Blind.

The Rehabilitation Research Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision
Has individuals interested in research and training programs that focus on the need to identify, assess, and augment services intended to facilitate the employment and career development of persons who are blind or severely visually impaired.

Books and Videos

Hoffman, R., & Kitchel, E. (2006). Adapting Science for Students with Visual
Impairments: A Handbook for the Classroom Teacher and Teacher of the Visually Impaired. The American Printing House for the Blind.

Hadary, D., & Cohen, S. (1978). Laboratory science and art for blind, deaf, and
emotionally disturbed children. Baltimore: University Park Press.

Kumar, D., Ramassamy, R., & Stefanich, G. (2001). Science for students with visual
impairments: teaching suggestions and policy implication for secondary learners.[Electronic version]. Electronic Journal of Science Education, 5, 1-9.

Koenig, A., & Holbrook, M. (Eds.). (2000). Foundations of education second edition
volume II: instructional strategies for teaching children and youths with visual impairments. New York: AFB Press

Wild, T. & Koehler, K. (2008). Teaching science to students with visual impairments.
Penguins and Polar Bears [electronic journal].

YouTube Videos

Accessible Science: Making life sciences accessible to students with visual impairments
Series of videos that not only provide instruction for educators, but shows students completing various science tasks.

NFB Youth Slam
Student-produced video of a camp for students' with visual impairments that focuses on STEM. Students are interviewed and shown doing a variety of projects. There are several Youth Slam Videos from multiple years with different STEM projects profiled.

NFB Blind Driver Challenge
Talks about the technology used to develop a car for blind individuals. Multiple videos are available on this topic.

Youth Slam - Biology
Shows a video of a student who is blind dissecting a shark.

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To assist in teaching a student with a visual impairment, unique and individual strategies based on that student's particular visual impairment and his/her communication media is required. (e.g., Braille, speed listening, etc.).

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This article provides a guide for teachers on how to better work with children with visual impairments in the classroom. Although it is best to provide unique and individual strategies based on a student's particular visual impairment, this article provides general tips on how to better the education for the child.

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When working with a visually impaired student it is best to generally:

*Use descriptive words

*Describe and tactfully familiarize the student with their classroom

*Always make sure the classroom is adaptable and accessible for the student

*Find which type of aid and/or device is best for the student

*Most importantly it is vital for their education to individualize the child's educational experiences based on their individual needs and restrictions

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Writing effective IEP goals for AAC - AssistiveWare

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IEP goals are an important part of effective AAC use in the classroom. Read more about how to write better IEP goals.

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This article provides insight for teachers on how to most effectively write IEP goals for each student. IEP goals must support each student’s specific needs, be linked to learning the curriculum, and relate to their role as a learner in the school setting.

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*When it comes to speech and language it is important to measure observable communication rather than mastery. This means that there is no single goal for each child as their speech milestones and achievements are individualized.

*It is important to measure the child's growth through an observational pattern rather than through set test times. This allows for growth to be seen as it is occurring and it helps better understand how and why milestones for that child were hit. In turn, this allows for a better understanding of how the child learns in the future.

*Don't focus on one skill, rather focus on a set of patterns for the child

*Give the child ample time to learn and comprehend

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There are many teaching strategies you can use to ensure effective and productive learning environments and experiences for all students, including those with disabilities.

Accessible Education[i] is the process of designing courses and developing a teaching style to meet the needs of people who have a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles. Just as there is no single way to teach, people learn in a variety of ways; using different instructional methods will help meet the needs of the greatest number of learners[ii].

Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, you have a responsibility to learn about accessibility for persons with disabilities and how it relates to the development and delivery of accessible programs and courses.

The following are some practical tips for teaching students with speech-related disabilities.

What does it mean if someone has a speech-related disability?

Suggested tips on teaching a person with a speech-related disability

Suggestions for interacting one-on-one with a student with a speech-related disability

Accommodating a student with a speech-related disability

Remember that students with disabilities do not have to disclose their disability to their professors or anyone else in the academic environment in order to receive accommodations. Unless a student chooses to disclose to you the nature of his or her disability, you will only receive information on the accommodations the student is entitled to receive. It is important to familiarize yourself with the accommodation and the accessibility resources and protocols at your university to ensure you are following recommended practices.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Disability Information and Strategies

University of Ottawa, A Guide for Professors: Minimizing the Impact of Learning Obstacles

Trent University, Accessibility in Teaching: Strategies and Requirements for Supporting an Accessible Learning Environment

The Stuttering Foundation, 6 Tips for Speaking with Someone Who Stutters

[i] The term Accessible Education has been adopted to capture the value of two frameworks in improving the accessibility of university education: Universal Instructional Design (UID) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Both were informed by the architectural concept of Universal Design, which is "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." (Center for Universal Design, The Principles of Universal Design)

"UID is not just about accessibility for persons with a disability - it's about truly universal thinking - maximizing learning for students of all backgrounds and learner preferences while minimizing the need for special accommodations." (University of Guelph, UID Implementation Guide)

"UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone - not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs." (Center for Applied Special Technology, Universal Design for Learning)

[ii] Nilson, Linda B. (2010). Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors(3 rd ed). John Wiley & Sons.

NEWSLETTER

Stay up-to-date on the latest accessibility-related information, resources, events, announcements and more.

Council of Ontario Universities
180 Dundas St West, Suite 1800, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8
Contact COU * 416.979.2165

Copyright 2017 Council of Ontario Universities. All Rights Reserved.

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Teaching Students with Speech-Related Disabilities - Accessible Campus

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There are many teaching strategies you can use to ensure effective and productive learning environments and experiences for all students, including those with disabilities. Accessible Education[i] is the process of designing courses and developing a teaching style to meet the needs of people who have a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles.

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This article is aimed at helping teach educators teaching strategies on how to "ensure effective and productive learning environments and experiences for all students".

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*There is a list of how to best interact with a student with speech impairment in order to not accidentally offend or confuse the adolescent

*This article also points out that students do not need to disclose their type of disability or speech impairment in order to get accommodations and help

*This article refers to the Ontario Human Rights Code

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There is a range of medical diagnoses and subsequent health problems that can have a temporary or chronic impact on a student's academic performance. Common diagnoses include arthritis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, asthma, AIDS, and heart disease. Unless the condition is neurological in nature, health impairments are not likely to directly affect learning.

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This article is meant to inform the reader on how an adolescent's education may be affected by their invisible health and medical problems. This impact may be temporary or chronic. The article also delves into what exactly could be a problem for the students facing these issues and how the educators can best help them.

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*Physical abilities, memory, attention, strength, endurance, and energy can all be things negatively affected by medical issues faced by students

*It is important to be flexible when being an educator of students with health impairments

*Being available and readily posting all information could possibly be the difference between a child with health impairments struggling or succeeding

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September 2010
A legacy resource from NICHCY
This info in Spanish | Esta información en español
IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or districtwide assessments. These are tests that are periodically given to all students to measure achievement. It is one way that schools determine how well and how much students are learning.

This page will tell you how students with disabilities participate in this type of testing. Here's a quick Table of Contents.

In a nutshell
IDEA's exact words
Short-ish story on assessment accommodations
The long story
In a Nutshell

To support the participation of children with disabilities in such large-scale testing, accommodations or modifications may be necessary in how the test is administered or how a given child takes the test. It's the responsibility of the IEP team to decide how the student with a disability will participate, and then to document that decision in the child's IEP.

Alternatively, the IEP team may decide that a particular test is not appropriate for a child. In this case, the IEP must include:

an explanation of why that test is not suitable for the child, and

how the child will be assessed instead (often called alternate assessment).

Let's take a look at both of these scenarios and what type of information is then included in the IEP.

IDEA's Exact Words

What, precisely, is the provision in IDEA related to assessment accommodations? Found at §300.320(a)(6), it states that the IEP must contain:

(6)(i) A statement of any individual appropriate accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on State and districtwide assessments consistent with §612(a)(16) of the Act; and

(ii) If the IEP Team determines that the child must take an alternate assessment instead of a particular regular State or districtwide assessment of student achievement, a statement of why-

(A) The child cannot participate in the regular assessment; and

(B) The particular alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child...

In these words, you can easily see the two scenarios we're going to discuss now.

1. If the child participates in the assessment, how?

2. If he or she does not participate, why not and what alternate assessment will be used instead?

The Short-ish Story on Assessment Accommodations

Children with disabilities must participate in their state's grade-level assessments to determine their level of content mastery, just as their peers without disabilities must participate, unless a child's IEP Team determines that a given assessment is not appropriate for the child. Recognizing that disability has its impact, IDEA permits children with disabilities to participate in large-scale assessment programs with accommodations. Those accommodations are individually determined for a given child by his or her IEP team.

What Kind of Accommodations Are There?

Making an accommodation in testing generally means that some aspect of the testing condition has been altered so that a child with a disability can more fully show what he or she knows or can do. Accommodations in the classroom and those in assessment situations tend to fall into several types of changes-timing, scheduling, setting, presentation, response :

Presentation Accommodations-Allow students to access information in ways that do not require them to visually read standard print. These alternate modes of access are auditory, multi-sensory, tactile, and visual.

Response Accommodations-Allow students to complete activities, assignments, and assessments in different ways or to solve or organize problems using some type of assistive device or organizer.

Setting Accommodations-Change the location in which a test or assignment is given or the conditions of the assessment setting.

Timing and Scheduling Accommodations-Increase the allowable length of time to complete an assessment or assignment and perhaps change the way the time is organized. (p. 29)

The type of accommodation any one child with a disability receives is based on an individual consideration of that child's needs.
Presentation accommodations:

Large print

Magnification devices

Sign language

Braille

Tactile graphics

Human readers

Audiotape or CD

Audio amplification devices

Response accommodations:

Scribe

Word processor

Tape recorder

Responding in test booklet (not on answer sheet)

Monitoring of test response, if answer sheet is used

Calculators

Spelling and grammar devices

Setting accommodations:

Reduce distractions to student

Reduce distractions to other students

Change setting to permit physical access

Change setting to permit use of special equipment

Extended time

Multiple or frequent breaks

Change schedule or order of activities

Assessment accommodations tend to be-and should be-similar to classroom accommodations children with disabilities receive, so that the children are familiar with the accommodation before using it in a formal testing situation. However, IEP teams should not confuse classroom accommodations with assessment accommodations. What is permitted in class may not necessarily be permitted in state or districtwide assessments.

Finding Out More About Your State's Policies

The best place, of course, to find out more about your State's policies for assessment accommodations-what's allowable, in other words-is your State Department of Education. (Local policies may also be a factor to consider, so the LEA should also be contacted.) That said, one place you might consult for this information and to gain a sense of what other states are doing as well:

What about Alternate Assessments?

What happens if an IEP Team determines that it is inappropriate for a specific child with a disability to participate in a state or LEA's large-scale assessment, even with accommodations? Well, alternate assessments happen, and so do statements in the IEP explaining why this is an appropriate approach to use with a given child.

IDEA requires states to develop and implement at least one alternate assessment, unless all children with disabilities in the State can be assessed via the general assessment, with or without accommodations. Alternate assessments may be based on:

grade-level academic achievement standards,

modified academic achievement standards, or

alternate academic achievement standards. (U.S. Department of Education, 2007)

These options are discussed at length below, under "The Long Story." Here, we're interested in giving you a broad overview of the possibilities. Keep in mind that a state is not required to make all of these options available to children, so it's important to know what your state's policies and options are.

Additional information on alternative assessment is widely available. A few "Starter" resources include:

Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/TopicAreas/AlternateAssessments/altAssessTopic.htm

State Alternate Assessment Policies
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/TopicAreas/AlternateAssessments/StatesAltAssess.htm

Where to Find Out More About Accommodations

Here's a brief "Starter List" of resources on assessment accommodations that will undoubtedly lead you to yet more resources. Be aware that these may include discussion of classroom assessment accommodations and are often linked to discussion of classroom accommodations in general.

An Introduction to Assessment Accommodations:
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/~kucrl/cgi-bin/drupal/?q=assessment/assessment_accommodations

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/TopicAreas/Accommodations/Accomtopic.htm

Types of Assessment Accommodation
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods/educational-testing/4170.html

The Long Story on Assessment Accommodations

More? Oh yes. Namely-more about the assessment options available to children with disabilities that the IEP team will consider.

The 5 Assessment Options

According to the Department of Education (2007), there are five basic assessment options, as follows:

Participation in a general grade-level assessment.

Participation in a general grade-level assessment with accommodations.

Participation in an alternate assessment based on grade-level academic achievement standards.

Participation in an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards.

Participation in an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards. (p. 11)

These options sound uncomfortably alike, don't they? What, exactly, are "academic achievement standards" and the difference between those that are alternate, modified, or at grade-level?

To start, it's useful to know that grade-level assessments must be closely aligned with grade-level content standards. Content standards establish the information or skills that a child in a specific grade is expected to learn. Grade-level assessments are intended to find out if the child, in fact, has learned that content and to what level of proficiency. Keep this in mind as you read through the options described below.
Options 1 and 2: Participation With or Without Accommodations
You've already read about Options 1 and 2, above.
Option 3: Participation in Alternate Assessment Based on Grade-Level Academic Achievement Standards
This type of alternate assessment is intended for children who cannot take the regular assessment, even with accommodations, but for whom the State's grade-level academic achievement standards are nonetheless still appropriate.

An example of this might be a child who has a severe physical disability that cannot be accommodated in the general assessment without invalidating his or her test scores but who nonetheless is working to achieve the academic standards established for his or her grade level. This type of alternate assessment allows the child's mastery of grade-level content to still be determined.
Option 4: Participation in Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards
This type of alternate assessment is a new option recently made available to states (April 2007) with the publication of final regulations in NCLB governing its use. States are not required to develop such assessments, but they can if they so choose.

Alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards are intended for a small group of children "whose disability has precluded them from achieving grade-level proficiency and whose progress is such that they will not reach grade-level proficiency in the same time frame as other students" (U.S. Department of Education, 2007, p. 8). For these children, the general grade-level assessments are too difficult, and the alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards are too easy (they're meant for children with the most significant cognitive disabilities; Option 5, described below). Either type of assessment will not provide teachers, children, families, and others with accurate information on what a child with a disability knows or can do and, thus, what type of instruction or supports will help the child progress toward grade-level achievement.

The Department of Education (2007) has responded to this gap in assessment options by giving states "the option of developing modified academic achievement standards for a small group of students with disabilities who can make significant progress, but who may not reach grade-level achievement in the time frame covered by their IEP" (p. 20).

Using this approach does not alter the content standards established by a state for a specific grade level. In fact, such an alternate assessment must cover the same grade-level content as the general assessment. However, "the achievement expectations are less difficult than those on the general test" (emphasis added), which means that "the same content is covered in the test, but with less difficult questions overall" (p. 28).
Two final points about alternate assessments that are based on modified academic achievement standards.
First: A child may take this type of alternate assessment in one subject (e.g., reading), yet take the general assessment in another subject (e.g., math). Deciding how the child will be assessed in each applicable subject area is the responsibility of the IEP team. However, just as it is the state's choice to develop (or not) an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards, it also can decide to modify academic achievement standards only for certain grades (e.g., grades 6 through 8, or for high school) and develop only those alternate assessments corresponding to those modified standards. Similarly, the state can choose to "develop an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards in only one subject (e.g., reading), but not in all subjects (e.g., math, science)" (Ahearn, 2006).

Second: Every year the IEP team must review its decision to assess a child based on modified academic achievement standards. As the Department of Education (2007) states:

We expect that there will be students with disabilities who take an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards one year, make considerable progress during the school year, and then take the general grade-level assessment the following year. Therefore, an IEP Team must consider a student's progress annually based on multiple, objective measures of the student's achievement before determining that the student should be assessed based on modified academic achievement standards. (p. 23)

The option that states now have to develop and implement alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards clearly adds another dimension to how children with disabilities may participate in a state's assessment programs. However, as has been said, a state is not required to develop such assessments.

For your convenience, here are direct links to the new regulations, the Department's 51-page guidance for states, and its two-page Fact Sheet on this option to assessment.

Regulations on Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards:
http://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/finrule/2007-2/040907a.html

Department's Non-Regulatory Guidance:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/nclb/twopercent.doc

Fact Sheet: http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/twopercent.html
Option 5: Participation in Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards
Option 5 sounds almost the same as Option 4, but it isn't. Fortunately, the difference between modified academic achievement standards and alternate ones can be easily described. Alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards are intended for children with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

While this type of alternate assessment must be linked to grade-level content, it typically does not fully represent grade-level content, only a sampling of it. Moreover, this type of alternate assessment may be linked to "extended content standards" that a state develops, standards that may restrict or simplify grade-level content in order to make it accessible to children with the most significant cognitive disabilities (U.S. Department of Education, 2007, p. 18). The state may define these content standards in grade clusters (e.g., grades 3-5). (In contrast, Option 4, alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards, must define content standards grade by grade.)

Summing Up The Options

Each of the five options described above represents a way in which children with disabilities may participate in large-scale assessments. Looking at them one by one is useful for grasping what each is about, but when it comes to choosing among them-that is, deciding which represents the appropriate way to assess a specific child with a disability-a comparison of their key elements can be a handy tool.

To that end, the Department of Education provides a chart of comparisons in Appendix 1 of its non-regulatory guidance on alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards. This chart is available online at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/nclb/twopercent.doc

Decisions, Decisions

The IEP team needs to know which of these options are available to it (based on state and/or on local policies) and determine which one of those is appropriate for the child. How a team determines what's appropriate for the child will vary from state to state based on state policy, which the state must make clear to IEP teams so that they can make informed and appropriate choices.

So what goes in the IEP?

Let's bring the discussion full circle and back to the component of the IEP that this article addresses: any "individual appropriate accommodations" necessary for the child's functional and academic achievement to be measured on a state and districtwide assessment. If participating in such an assessment is appropriate for a specific child with a disability, then that child's IEP Team must enumerate in the IEP any individual accommodations the child will need during testing. Some children may need no accommodations. Many will need accommodations. It's important for IEP teams to know what type of accommodations can be made without invalidating a child's test scores and which accommodations the state permits.

References

Ahearn, E. (2006). Standards-based IEPs: Implementation in selected states. Alexandria, VA: Project Forum, National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE).

Thompson, S.J., Morse, A.B., Sharpe, M., & Hall, S. (2005, August). Accommodations manual: How to select, administer, and evaluate use of accommodations for instruction and assessment of students with disabilities (2nd ed.). Washington, DC. Council of Chief State School Officers. Available online at: https://osepideasthatwork.org/node/109

U.S. Department of Education. (2007, April). Modified academic achievement standards [non-regulatory guidance draft]. Washington, DC: Author. Available online at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/nclb/twopercent.doc

Would you like to read about another component of the IEP?
If so, use the links below to jump there quickly.
_________________________________________________

Annual Goals
Once a child's needs are identified, the IEP team works to develop appropriate goals to address those needs. Annual goal describe what the child is expected to do or learn within a 12-month period.

Related Services
To help a child with a disability benefit from special education, he or she may also need extra help in one area or another, such as speaking or moving. This additional help is called related services. Find out all about these critical services here.

Accommodations in Assessment (you're already here!)
IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or districtwide assessments. The IEP team must decide if the student needs accommodations in testing or another type of assessment entirely. In this component of the IEP, the team documents how the student will participate.

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Accommodations in Assessment for Students with Disabilities

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September 2010 A legacy resource from NICHCY This info in Spanish | Esta información en español IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or districtwide assessments. These are tests that are periodically given to all students to measure achievement. It is one way that schools determine how well and how much students are learning.

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This article is geared mainly toward the many types of testing accommodations that there are. Testing accommodations are extremely important for students with disabilities as under IDEA students with disabilities are required to take standardized tests in order to measure achievement. These testing accommodations may help these students very much in their process to complete the tests to the best of their ability.

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*There are presentations, responses, setting, and timing and scheduling accommodations

*There are also alternative assessments that can be available

*Classroom accommodations are different than assessment accommodations

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Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience more obstacles in their path to success than the average student. The symptoms of ADHD, such as inability to pay attention, difficulty sitting still, and difficulty controlling impulses, can make it hard for children with this diagnosis to do well in school.

Classroom treatment strategies for ADHD students

There are some school-based management strategies shown to be effective for ADHD students:

Behavioral classroom management

The behavioral classroom management approach encourages a student's positive behaviors in the classroom, through a reward system or a daily report card, and discourages their negative behaviors. This teacher-led approach has been shown to influence student behavior in a constructive manner, increasing academic engagement. Although tested mostly in elementary schools, behavioral classroom management has been shown to work for students of all ages.

Organizational training

Organizational training teaches children time management, planning skills, and ways to keep school materials organized in order to optimize student learning and reduce distractions. This management strategy has been tested with children and adolescents.

Teaching and supporting positive behavior‎

These two management strategies require trained staff-including teachers, counselors, or school psychologists-to follow a specific plan to teach and support positive behavior.

Special education services and accommodations

Most children with ADHD receive some school services, such as special education services and accommodations. There are two laws that govern special services and accommodations for children with disabilities:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Learn more about IDEA vs Section 504
The support a child with ADHD receives at school will depend on if they meet the eligibility requirements for one of two federal plans funded by IDEA and Section 504:

What are the main differences between an IEP and a 504 Plan?‎

* IEPs: Provide individualized special education services to meet the unique needs of the child and is governed under the Federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

* 504 Plan: Provides services and changes to the learning environment to meet the needs of the child as adequately as other students and is part of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Accommodations

IEPs and 504 Plans can offer accommodations for students to help them manage their ADHD, including the following:

Extra time on tests

Instruction and assignments tailored to the child

Positive reinforcement and feedback

Using technology to assist with tasks

Allowing breaks or time to move around

Changes to the environment to limit distraction

Extra help with staying organized

Did you know?‎

Parents of children with ADHD report receiving more services through an IEP than through a 504 plan.

There is limited information about which types of accommodations are effective for children with ADHD. However, there is evidence that setting clear expectations, providing immediate positive feedback, and communicating daily with parents through a daily report card can help.

What teachers can do to help

For teachers, helping children manage their ADHD symptoms can present a challenge. Most children with ADHD are not enrolled in special education classes but do need extra assistance on a daily basis.

Helping students with ADHD‎

CHADD's National Resource Center on ADHD provides information for teachers from experts on how to help students with ADHD.

Close collaboration between the school, parents, and healthcare providers will help ensure the child gets the right support. Here are some tips for classroom success:

Communication

Give frequent feedback and attention to positive behavior.

Be sensitive to the influence of ADHD on emotions, such as self-esteem issues or difficulty regulating feelings.

Provide extra warnings before transitions and changes in routines.

Understand that children with ADHD may become deeply absorbed in activities that interest them (hyper-focus) and may need extra assistance shifting their attention.

Assignments and tasks

Make assignments clear-check with the student to see if they understand what they need to do.

Provide choices to show mastery (for example, let the student choose among written essay, oral report, online quiz, or hands-on project.

Make sure assignments are not long and repetitive. Shorter assignments that provide a little challenge without being too hard may work well.

Allow breaks-for children with ADHD, paying attention takes extra effort and can be very tiring.

Allow time to move and exercise.

Minimize distractions in the classroom.

Use organizational tools, such as a homework folder, to limit the number of things the child has to track.

Develop a plan that fits the child

Observe and talk with the student about what helps or distracts them (for example, fidget tools, limiting eye contact when listening, background music, or moving while learning can be beneficial or distracting, depending on the child).

Communicate with parents on a regular basis.

Involve the school counselor or psychologist.

Parent education and support

How to best advocate for your child‎

What every parent should know

School support and services are regulated by laws. The U.S. Department of Education has developed a "Know your rights" letter for parents and a resource guide for educators to help educators, families, students, and other interested groups better understand how these laws apply to students with ADHD so that they can get the services and education they need to be successful.

Healthcare providers also play an important part in collaborating with schools to help children get the special services they need.

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ADHD in the Classroom: Helping Children Succeed in School

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Resources for parents, teachers, and healthcare providers to help children with ADHD succeed in the school.

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This article effectively communicates what ADHD is and what it entails. It also refers to how best to manage having a student with ADHD in the classroom to be accommodate them, educate them, and create an effective classroom.

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*Most children with ADHD receive some school services, such as special education services and accommodations

*IEP plans and 504 plans can help provide accommodations for student with disabilities, this includes: Extra time on tests,

Instruction and assignments tailored to the child, Positive reinforcement and feedback

,Using technology to assist with tasks

,Allowing breaks or time to move around

,Changes to the environment to limit, distraction, Extra help with staying organized

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Testing accommodations are assistive products and their related systems and services. They help maintain or improve an individual’s functioning, especially when it pertains to students with disabilities in the classroom.

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contributed by Brian Neese, Alvernia University

Assistive technology tools are among the least 'celebrated' but most crucial tools in K-12 education today.

According to the National Education Association (NEA), the number of U.S. students enrolled in special education programs has risen 30 percent over the past 10 years. Additionally, the NEA reports that nearly every general education classroom in the country includes students with disabilities, as three out of every four students with disabilities spend part or all of their school day in a general education classroom.

One tool to help students with disabilities even in the face of a special education teacher shortage is assistive technology. Today, assistive technology tools can help students with certain disabilities learn more effectively. Ranging in sophistication from 'low' technologies such as a graphic organizer worksheet to 'high' technologies including cutting-edge software and smartphone apps, assistive technology is a growing and dynamic field. Several areas of assistive technology and sample products may be found in any given classroom, making a difference in how students of all abilities learn.

See also 30 Examples Of Assistive Technology In The Classroom
Background On Assistive Needs & Supporting Technology Assistive Technology Module
This isn't a tech tool but a short kind of 'course' that offers an overview of assistive technology (AT) and explores ways to expand students' access to it in the classroom

Assistive Technology Act (AT Act)

A summary of the Assistive Technology Act and its consequences for educators.
AEM Student Summary Worksheet
A resource that, for example, helps teachers "think about whether the student 1) can gain information from print-based educational materials used across the curriculum by all students, 2) needs materials in a specialized format, or 3) needs modified content or alternative materials."
Text-To-Speech Assistive Tools
As an assistive technology, text-to-speech (TTS) software is designed to help children who have difficulties reading standard print. Common print disabilities can include blindness, dyslexia or any type of visual impairment, learning disability or other physical condition that impedes the ability to read. However, other students can benefit from TTS technology, such as children that have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or an intellectual disability.

The technology works by scanning and then reading the words to the student in a synthesized voice, using a large number of speech sounds that make up words in any given context. With the advances in speech synthesis, TTS technology is more accurate and lifelike than ever.
Tech Matrix
Search a database of nearly 400 products using extensive criteria tailored to assistive and educational technologies.
Kurzweil 3000
The Kurzweil 3000 is a leader in TTS software for individuals that struggle with literacy. In addition to a range of TTS features, the full-featured software program integrates abilities that can help students in other areas, potentially appealing to those who may have a non-print disability or those who may not typically consider a TTS program. Some of the features include:

* Multiple TTS voices

* Support for 18 languages and dialects

* Talking spell-checker

* Picture dictionary graphics for more than 40,000 words

* Text magnification

* Tools for test taking, essay writing, note-taking, reference and more

The Kurzweil 3000 strives to provide students with a multi-sensory approach to literacy learning. It is available for Windows and Macintosh.

Graphic organizers can be effective in helping students to organize their thoughts during the writing process. As an assistive technology, graphic organizers can be a strong choice for students with dysgraphia or disorders of written expressions - particularly the conceptual aspects of writing.

Graphic organizers work by helping the student map out a course of action. Depending on the type of writing, the graphic organizer can prompt the writer to describe an object, chart out a course of events or perform some other task that can help in planning the piece. Graphic organizers vary by type and technological sophistication.
Low-Tech Handouts
Graphic organizers do not need to be technologically advanced; in fact, they can exist in simple handout form.

Sample handouts can be found at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company. The sandwich chart can assist students with paragraph writing. The sequence chart can help with narrative writing and the ordering of events. The sense chart is designed for descriptive writing, where writers are prompted for terms that characterize and express an item. Dozens of other sample charts exist and can help students with virtually any type of writing.
Draft:Builder
Draft:Builder is a writing tool that integrates outlining, note taking and draft writing functions to break down the writing process into three steps. Using a graphical organizer, the program helps the student visualize the project and insert information into the appropriate place without having to conceptualize the whole process. It then automates the process of creating the paper, where the student can drag and drop what is written in each note to the rough draft.

Other features include a talking spell checker that uses TTS technology, a bibliography tool, a dictionary and the ability for teachers to add locked text into the program for further guidance. Draft:Builder is available for Windows and Macintosh.
Assistive Listening Systems
A variety of assistive listening systems, or hearing assistive technology, can help students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those with other auditory and learning problems. According to the National Association for the Deaf, assistive listening systems can be used to enhance the reach and effectiveness of hearing aids and cochlear implants, or by children who do not need those tools but still need help hearing. Assistive listening systems use a microphone, a type of transmission technology and a device for capturing and bringing the sound to the ear. The specific transmission technology used in the system is typically what contrasts one type of assistive listening system from another.
FM Systems
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), FM systems are the best choice for children with sensorineural hearing loss. The most common type of hearing loss for all ages, sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the inner ear (cochlea) or nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain are damaged.

FM systems work using radio broadcast technology. With a transmitter microphone and a receiver, the teacher and student can maintain a consistent sound level regardless of distance and background noise. Additionally, ASHA notes that the hearing aid microphone can be turned off, so the student can concentrate on the teacher alone.
Sound-Field Systems
Sound-field systems are a strong choice for classrooms that need to assist listening for all children in the class. ASHA notes that these systems benefit not only children that have hearing loss, but those that have other auditory and learning problems, such as language delays, central auditory processing disorder, articulation disorders and development delays. Additionally, sound-field systems can be used for students who are learning English as a second language.

Sound-field systems use a microphone that projects sound through mounted speakers around the classroom. In classrooms that have good acoustics, sound is able to travel evenly throughout space, eliminating problems of distance between the speaker and each listener.
Sip-and-Puff Systems
Sip-and-puff systems are used by students who have mobility challenges, such as paralysis and fine motor skill disabilities. These systems allow for control of a computer, mobile device or some other technological application by the child moving the device with his or her mouth. Similar to a joystick, the child can move the controller in any direction and click on various navigational tools using either a sip or a puff. An on-screen keyboard allows the child to type using the same movements.

Sip-and-puff systems are a type of switch device, which refers to the technology used to replace a computer keyboard or mouse. Other switch devices include buttons or other objects that a student can touch, push, pull, kick or perform some other simple action that can then control the device.
Jouse3
The Jouse3 is a sip-and-puff system that allows children to control a device using any part of the mouth, cheek, chin or tongue. Due to its accuracy and quick response, home users can use it for drawing or computer games. It can mount to the desktop, a bedframe or any other type of structure; it does not require a headpiece or placement on the body of the user.

The product supports Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Unix based computers, in addition to Android and iOS mobile devices. It can support one or two external switches, and has two types of mouthpieces.
Sip-and-Puff Systems From Origin Instruments
Origin Instruments offers a range of sip-and-puff products that students can use to control an electronic device. Using a head mounted or gooseneck user interface, or available tubing for a custom solution, the child can control a mouse, joystick or keyboard with ease. The primary system is powered using USB technology.

The product supports Windows, Macintosh and Linux based computers. Two pressure switches connect the system to the user interface solution for use on electronic devices.
Proofreading Software
Proofreading software is a branch of assistive technology that goes above and beyond the typical proofreading features found in a word processing system, such as correcting words frequently misspelled by students with dyslexia. A number of other features offered within this category can help students work on his or her English skill set to become a more effective and accurate writer.

Although primarily geared towards individuals with dyslexia, proofreading software can be helpful to those with any type of learning disorder that makes writing and reading challenging.
Ginger
Ginger offers several features that can help students with dyslexia and other learning disorders with writing. It is also designed for speakers of languages other than English. Some of the features include:

* Grammar checker that analyzes context to determine any errors or misspellings. For instance, Ginger can recognize whether 'there,' 'their' or 'they're' should be used in a sentence, which is a common mistake in writing.

* Word prediction and sentence rephrasing tools that can be helpful for students learning how to construct sentences properly.

* TTS functionality so students can hear what they've written.

* A personal trainer that provides practice sessions based on past mistakes made by the student.

Ginger is available for Windows and Mac, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices.
Ghotit
Ghotit is specifically designed for students with dyslexia and other learning disorders who have difficulties with writing. The name is inspired by the word "Ghoti," which is a constructed term that illustrates irregularities in the English language. And since many spellings are counterintuitive - especially for those with dyslexia - Ghotit dedicates itself to assisting children and adults who struggle with writing accurately.

It features the ability to learn from the user's past mistakes, personalizing suggestions for spelling and grammatical errors. Ghotit can predict words, check passages of text contextually, read text aloud using TTS technology and recognize split and merged words. It also includes an integrated dictionary for students to quickly look up a word.
Math Tools
A range of technology and tools can help students that have trouble with math, most commonly found in a learning disability called dyscalculia. Dyscalculia makes it difficult to grasp numbers and it is characterized by a general lack of understanding in the field of math.

Assistive technology in math is not just for those with dyscalculia. It can also help students with blindness, fine motor skill disabilities or some other type of disability that makes it difficult to perform math-related work.
MathTalk
MathTalk is a speech recognition software program for math that can help students with a range of disabilities. From prealgebra to Ph.D. level mathematics, students can perform math problems by speaking into a microphone on their computer. The program works with Dragon NaturallySpeaking programs for voice-to-text functionality, making it ideal for students who have fine motor skill disabilities. Students with blindness or vision disabilities can use the integrated braille translator.

In addition to these audiences, MathTalk also appeals to students with dyscalculia. The program functions as an electronic math worksheet, allowing the child to organize, align and work through problems on the screen, making it helpful for students who have difficulties performing math problems on paper.
Math Simulations
Math simulations can help students with dyscalculia visualize math problems and concepts. As a result, students can better understand the application of a particular type of problem, since many students struggle with the conceptual aspects of math.

Examples can be found at the NASA website. From video to animated simulations, teachers and students can visually see how a math concept or problem would work. And with some math simulations, students can work through the problem and then see the result play out in the simulation.
Conclusion
Thanks to the rapid advances in assistive technology tools, students, parents, and teachers have a seemingly limitless number of tools at their disposal.

As these tools start to appear in the home and in the classroom, parents and teachers can utilize them for students' academic and personal growth. But technology alone is not enough - to successfully use these tools, it's critical to develop a plan for their use and have regular check-ins to ensure the student is gaining the most value possible and not becoming overly reliant on these tools.

But while assistive tools have become plentiful, the same cannot be said for special education instructors. As previously mentioned, the vast majority of states have reported a need for teachers in special education. And many general education classrooms instruct children with special needs.

Certification is a faster way for current teachers to qualify to teach this growing population. At Alvernia University Online, teachers can pursue a special education certification for grades PreK-8 or 7-12 to help make a difference for children with special needs. They will also improve their marketability in the process, gaining additional opportunities for their career.

Overall, more teachers are needed in this area. Although the advancement of technology in special education is promising, the same increase is needed for the number of special education instructors. Certification offers one solution to quickly meet this need. Learn more about Alvernia's program today.
15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources For Students With Disabilities

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15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources For Students With Disabilities

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Ranging in sophistication from tools to apps, assistive technology tools can help students with certain disabilities learn more effectively.

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*Three out of every four students with disabilities spend part or all of their school day in a general education classroom

*There are several different types of technological accommodations that range to help students of all types of disabilities

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Every day as a teacher, you have the potential to make a difference in your students' lives. However, the task can be challenging when it comes to particular schooling. Working with kids that have unique learning requirements necessitates a different strategy, one that takes their strengths and challenges into account. However, you are not required to figure it out on your own. This blog will explore some of the most effective instructional strategies for special education, such as Differentiated Instruction.

Using hands-on activities and technological resources, we will show you how to establish an inclusive and supportive learning environment that meets all your kids' needs. Whether an experienced special education teacher or a novice, this site offers something for you; prepare to take your instruction to the next level using methods like Co-Teaching in Special Education!

What Is Special Education? A Brief Overview

Special education is a system of educational services meant to assist kids with special needs or impairments. Special education aims to help these kids achieve academic and social success and prepare them for the future, whether in further education, vocational training, or a job. To understand more about inclusive education, you can read this article from the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal statute that specifies the rights and duties of students and school districts, governs special education services. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all students with disabilities have the right to a free and adequate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive setting ( LRE). This indicates that special education assistance should be given in a manner that causes the least disruption to the student's education while satisfying their particular requirements.

Special education services may include numerous interventions, including:

Modified Curriculum: Curriculum tailored to match the learner's needs, including alterations to material, pace, and style of education.

Assistive Technology: The use of technology to help students with disabilities access the curriculum and communicate.

Related Services: Services, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, that support the education and well-being of the student.

Inclusion: Placement in a general education classroom with assistance from a special education teacher or other support staff.

Resource Room: A specific room or area where students receive additional teaching and support.

Separate Classroom: Placement in a special education classroom with specialized instruction and support.

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A written plan outlining the student's skills, needs, and educational goals, as well as the resources and adjustments they will receive to support their education.

A team of experts, including exceptional education instructors, associated service providers, and school administrators, provides special education services. In addition to these experts, parents and caregivers play a crucial part in the student's unique education journey since they are essential advocates for the student and play a significant role in the development and implementation of the IEP.

Special education is a complete system of educational services and support to promote the academic and social success of students with disabilities. It is a collaborative effort involving the school system, the student's family, and a team of experts guided by the IDEA's principles, which include the right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Download the teaching strategies for special needs students pdf.

Strategies To Help Students Compensate for Learning Difficulties

For students with learning disabilities, the following methods have been effective:

Accommodations: Student accommodations may include extended testing time, a quiet room to take their exams or specialized software.

Study Skills: Instruct students in efficient study methods like outlining, taking notes, and managing their time. For more on improving study skills, check out this article from the American Psychological Association.

Multi-Sensory Instruction: Incorporating many modalities of instruction, including visual, aural, and kinesthetic, is known as multi-sensory instruction.

Collaborative Learning: Group work and teamwork can help students learn from and teach one another, strengthening everyone's grasp of the content.

Repetition and Practice: Promote the value of repetition and practice in cementing knowledge and enhancing retention.

Positive Reinforcement: Provide positive reinforcement for effort and progress to raise motivation and boost self-confidence.

Metacognition: Learning to reflect on one's thought processes (metacognition) might help pupils identify and address areas of improvement.

Access to Resources: Please ensure students can get help by providing them with access to resources like tutoring, counseling, and special education programs.

Remember that learners are different and might do better with a different approach. Regularly reevaluating the efficacy of the tactics being employed and making adjustments as necessary is also crucial.

Research-Based Instructional Strategies for Special Education

Teachers in the field of special education employ various instructional tactics designed to aid their pupils with unique learning requirements. These practices contribute to an atmosphere that welcomes and supports students with disabilities by considering their strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles.

The most effective method of providing special education will vary from one kid with a handicap to another and from one topic to another. However, some of the most typical ways are:

Differentiated Instruction: Differentiated instruction is a method of adapting the learning environment to the specific requirements of each student. One way to cater to students' varied preferences in how they learn is for instructors to provide content in many media (visual, aural, and kinesthetic, for example).

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): To ensure that all students, including those with special needs, have equal access to educational opportunities, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been developed. To guarantee that all students have equal opportunities to gain knowledge and participate in the educational process, it is necessary to employ various representational, expressive, and interactive strategies.

Visual Supports: Students with specific needs, such as autism or learning impairments, might benefit significantly from visual assistance. Graphic organizers, picture symbols, and visible schedules are all examples of such aids that can be used to make instructions more clear and boost students' capacity to absorb information.

Hands-On Activities: Engaging and retaining information is greatly improved through hands-on activities for kids with impairments. In the context of a science class, students might construct a solar system model, while in a history class, they might make a timeline of significant events.

Technology-Based Tools: Technology-based tools can be an excellent asset for educators working with students with special needs, opening up new avenues of communication and engagement in the classroom. Text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and instructional apps are examples of helpful technological aids.

Cooperative Learning: Students divide into smaller groups to accomplish a goal in a cooperative learning environment. Learning to lean on one's classmates for help and encouragement can make a difference for a kid with a disability just starting in school.

Positive Behavior Supports: Strategies that encourage desirable behaviors and discourage disruptive ones among kids with disabilities are known as positive behavior supports. A teacher may create a visual plan for a student with autism to assist them in grasping the steps of a task, or they may designate a quiet area for a kid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

These are some of the many methods that can be used in special education-finding a strategy that considers each student's unique skills and obstacles. The best way for special education teachers to assist their students in thriving and developing to their full potential is to use various techniques and approaches. Now you know the special education teaching strategies list.

Strategies for Teaching Students With Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms

In inclusive classrooms, teaching kids with disabilities may be a challenging but rewarding experience. The following measures can make the learning environment more effective and accessible for all students, including those with disabilities:

Differentiated instruction: This entails designing learning activities tailored to each student's needs and skills, including those with impairments. Teachers can employ several instructional tactics to engage students with diverse learning styles, such as hands-on exercises, visual aids, and multimedia presentations.

Universal learning design (UDL): Universal learning design (UDL) is an approach to education that strives to develop flexible learning environments that all students, including those with impairments, may access and utilize. Teachers can employ UDL principles to create accessible classes, evaluations, and materials for all students.

Assistive technology: Assistive technology refers to equipment and gadgets that enable students with impairments to access the curriculum and participate in class activities. Text-to-speech software, alternate keyboard and mouse devices, and voice recognition software are examples of assistive technology.

Inclusive assessments: Teachers can utilize inclusive evaluations that consider the requirements of students with disabilities and offer them numerous options to demonstrate their learning. For example, teachers can assess student learning via written responses, oral presentations, and hands-on activities.

Collaborative learning: Collaborative learning is a teaching approach in which students work in small groups to finish a task. This can be a helpful method for students with disabilities since it encourages social engagement and facilitates peer-to-peer learning.

Accommodations and modifications: Accommodations and modifications are alterations made to the learning environment or curriculum that permit students with disabilities to participate and achieve progress. Extra time on tests, assignment adjustments, and assistive technology are examples of accommodations.

Positive behavior support: Positive behavior support is a strategy for behavior management that emphasizes teaching and reinforcing positive student behavior. This can be especially effective for students with disabilities who struggle with classroom conduct concerns.

Effective communication: Effective communication is essential when working with students with difficulties. Teachers should establish clear and regular contact with children, their families, and support personnel to ensure that all parties are on the same page and working toward the same goals.

These measures can contribute to establishing an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students, including those with impairments. It is essential to remember that each student is unique and may require different tactics to succeed. Download the Strategies for teaching learners with special needs 11th edition pdf.

Creative Ways To Engage Special Education Students

It might be challenging to keep the attention of students who require special education in the classroom, but several successful strategies can be used. The following methods can be used to assist in making education more engaging, relevant, and accessible for students with special needs:

Hands-on activities: Manipulatives, experiments, and arts and crafts are all examples of hands-on activities that give kids a concrete and participatory way to learn new concepts. Students can use these chances to practice and improve their fine motor skills, as well as to practice and improve their problem-solving and creative thinking.

Technology: Educational games and apps can be an excellent method to engage students in learning while being highly interactive and entertaining. Apps like these can aid students with impairments by providing engaging and interactive courses and games.

Music and movement: It is often challenging to capture the attention of students with special needs, but incorporating music and movement into courses can be a powerful method to do just that. Teachers can utilize songs, dances, and movement games to help pupils practice skills and remember information.

Visual aids: Accessible and unique content can be achieved through visual aids such as graphic organizers, videos, and photos for students with impairments. Students who have difficulties with abstract concepts may also benefit from these tools.

Collaborative learning: Disabled students can benefit from working with their peers and honing their social skills through collaborative learning activities such as group projects and partner work. Each student's unique requirements can be accommodated through these activities.

Multi-sensory approach: Engaging students with impairments and making the material more accessible can be accomplished through a multi-sensory approach to education. Teachers can utilize various visual, aural, and kinesthetic methods to ensure their students fully grasp complex subjects.

Real-world connections: Making the links between classroom material and the student's personal experiences can make learning more meaningful and exciting for children with special needs. Teachers can use real-world examples and situations to help pupils relate to and apply classroom learning.

Interest-based learning: Interest-based education is a teaching method in which courses are developed around students' areas of personal interest. Disabled kids may benefit significantly from this approach because it might help enhance their interest and motivation.

Flexible seating: Giving students with disabilities the option to sit where they feel most comfortable or to stand while they work can significantly improve their comfort and participation in class. Beanbag chairs and balance balls are two examples of nontraditional seating teachers might use.

These innovative methods can pique the interest of impaired kids and make education more manageable, enjoyable, and fun. Remember that each learner is an individual who may benefit from a distinct set of teaching methods.

What Are the Benefits of Instructional Strategies for Special Education?

Instructional practices can significantly affect the achievement of kids with special needs. Using instructional methodologies in special education offers the following benefits:

Access to the curriculum: Teachers can guarantee that students with disabilities have access to the same curriculum as their peers by employing instructional practices tailored for children with impairments, such as differentiated instruction. This can assist kids with impairments in overcoming the achievement gap and enhance their academic achievements.

Increased engagement and motivation: For instance, hands-on activities, technology, and learning based on a student's interests can boost student engagement and motivation.

Development of functional skills: Many instructional tactics, such as hands-on exercises, real-world linkages, and multi-sensory approaches, can assist children with disabilities in developing functional skills applicable to daily life.

Improved learning outcomes: By utilizing instructional practices suited to the requirements of children with disabilities, teachers can assist these kids in achieving improved learning outcomes. Technology, visual aids, and collaborative learning, for instance, can improve student comprehension and recall of academic subjects.

Social and emotional growth: Instructional practices such as collaborative learning, positive behavior support, and interest-based learning can assist in fostering social and emotional development in students with disabilities. These techniques can help pupils develop self-esteem, positive relationships, and social skills.

Increased independence: Teachers can help students with disabilities become more autonomous by employing instructional practices emphasizing hands-on learning and allowing students to take an active role in their education. This can strengthen their confidence and enhance their quality of life overall.

Improved teacher effectiveness: By utilizing evidence-based instructional practices adapted to the needs of children with disabilities, instructors can increase their effectiveness and confidence in their capacity to help these students.

These are only a few advantages of implementing instructional methodologies in special education. Teachers may assist in guaranteeing that all students have access to quality education and the opportunity to attain their full potential by employing various tactics and customizing them to meet the requirements of specific students.

About Us:

Jennifer Hanson is a dedicated and seasoned writer specializing in the field of special education. With a passion for advocating for the rights and needs of children with diverse learning abilities, Jennifer uses her pen to educate, inspire, and empower both educators and parents alike.

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Instructional Strategies for Special Ed: Best Practices

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Discover effective instructional strategies for special education, tailored to enhance learning and engagement for diverse student needs.

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Working with kids that have unique learning requirements necessitates a different strategy, one that takes their strengths and challenges into account. Instructional strategies can very as it is up to the individual educator on what method is best for their students.

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*According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all students with disabilities have the right to a free and adequate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive setting (LRE)

Modified Curriculum: Curriculum tailored to match the learner’s needs, including alterations to material, pace, and style of education.

Assistive Technology: The use of technology to help students with disabilities access the curriculum and communicate.

Related Services: Services, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, that support the education and well-being of the student.

Inclusion: Placement in a general education classroom with assistance from a special education teacher or other support staff.

Resource Room: A specific room or area where students receive additional teaching and support.

Separate Classroom: Placement in a special education classroom with specialized instruction and support.

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A written plan outlining the student’s skills, needs, and educational goals, as well as the resources and adjustments they will receive to support their education.

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All students, regardless of ability, should get the recommended 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity. Schools can help all students meet this recommendation by providing equal opportunities for students with disabilities. ¹ Creating an inclusive culture for physical education and physical activity helps every student learn to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

Inclusion means that, "All children, regardless of ability or disability, have the right to be respected and appreciated as valuable members of the school community, fully participate in all school activities, and interact with peers of all ability levels with opportunities to develop friendships." ²

Inclusive physical education and physical activity:

Includes students with disabilities in regular physical education classes. Specifically, teaching strategies, equipment, environments, and assessments have been adapted to meet the needs of all students.

Supports students with disabilities who want to participate in other physical activities before, during, and after school.

Encourages students with disabilities to have the same roles and experiences as their peers who do not have a disability during physical education and other physical activities.

Federal law requires states, districts, and schools to provide children and adolescents with and without disabilities equal opportunity to participate in physical education and physical activity. ³

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)external icon bans discrimination on the basis of disability.⁴ Therefore, schools are required to comply with the accessibility requirements of the ADA and provide appropriate physical education and physical activity opportunities for students with disabilities.

Most school districts require schools to meet the physical education needs of students with disabilities by ⁸:

Including accommodations in physical education in 504 plans or IEPs (98%).

Mainstreaming into regular physical education as appropriate (97%).

Providing adapted physical education as appropriate (91%).

Among schools that have students with disabilities, 91% include physical education in IEPs or 504 plans for these students. ⁹

Among schools that have students with disabilities, 62% require students with long-term physical, medical, or cognitive disabilities to participate in physical education. ⁹

However, 52% of schools exempted students with cognitive disability, and 86% exempted students with long-term physical and medical disability from physical education. Both percentages increased between 2000 and 2014. 9

More information and data can be found in CDC's research brief, Inclusion in School Physical Education and Physical Activity pdf icon [PDF - 697 KB] .

Below are six actions state leaders can take to promote inclusion in physical education and physical activity at the district and school levels.

1. Share any state laws, policies, and guidance for participation in physical education and physical activity for students with disabilities with district and school staff. This includes policy language around inclusive physical education and physical activities, adapted physical education, professional development for administrators and staff about building a culture of inclusion, and certification of staff working with students with disabilities.

2. Share your state-level data about students with disabilities with educational and health leaders. The National Survey of Children's Healthexternal icon provides an interactive data query site that you can use to identify state estimates about students with disabilities. Starting in 2020, CDC's School Health Profiles survey will have two questions related to inclusion.

3. Identify and reach out to state and district partners that are already leading inclusion efforts and look for opportunities to collaborate. Potential partners include state disability program staff, Special Olympics state affiliates, local university departments working on adapted physical education and inclusion, state Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America affiliates, adapted physical education specialists, adapted sport programs or clubs, and allied health-occupational, physical, and speech therapists. CDC funds 19 states under the State Disability and Health Programs.

4. Conduct a brief assessment of current activity and needs. This assessment should identify any current activities for inclusion at the state and district levels (e.g., programmatic efforts, built environment improvements, funding, professional development) and any needs at the district and school levels for inclusion. The National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability's Community Health Inclusion Indexexternal icon is an example of an assessment tool. It is designed to collect information about healthy living resources and the degree to which they are inclusive.

5. Provide training to district and school staff on how to create an inclusive Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) to ensure that physical activity opportunities are accessible and inclusive before, during, and after school.

6. Engage partners and university programs to train current and future school leaders, physical education teachers, and classroom teachers on best policies and practices for inclusion. This could include learning about how to make adaptations and accommodations to facilities, rules, equipment, instructions, and assessment.

1. Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA), 33 § 1400-1482 (1990).

2. National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability. Discover Inclusive School Wellness. Birmingham, AL: National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability; 2016. https://www.nchpad.org/fppics/NCHPAD_Discover%20Inclusive%20School%20Wellness(1).pdf pdf icon [PDF - 4.4 MB] external icon . Accessed December 18, 2019.

3. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs. Creating Equal Opportunities for Children and Youth with Disabilities to Participate in Physical Education and Extracurricular Athletics. Washington, DC: US Dept Education; 2011. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED524248external icon . Accessed December 18, 2019.

4. Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S. Code § 12101 12102 (2009).

5. Section 504, Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 701, as amended through P.L. 114-95 (2015).

6. SHAPE America; American Heart Association. Shape of the Nation. Status of Physical Education in the USA. Reston, VA: SHAPE America-Society of Health and Physical Educators; 2016. https://www.shapeamerica.org/advocacy/son/2016/upload/Shape-of-the-Nation-2016_web.pdf pdf icon [PDF - 1.4 MB] external icon . Accessed December 18, 2019.

7. National Association of State Boards of Education. NASBE State Policy Database. https://statepolicies.nasbe.org/external icon . Accessed December 18, 2019.

8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results from the School Health Policies and Practices Study 2016. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/shpps/pdf/shpps-results_2016.pdf pdf icon [PDF - 1.5 MB] . Accessed December 18, 2019.

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results from the School Health Policies and Practices Study 2014. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2015. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/shpps/pdf/SHPPS-508-final_101315.pdf pdf icon [PDF - 1.9 MB] . Accessed December 18, 2019.

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centers for disease control and prevention

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Inclusive School Physical Education and Physical Activity

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All students, regardless of ability, should get the recommended 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity. Schools can help all students meet this recommendation by providing equal opportunities for students with disabilities. 1 Creating an inclusive culture for physical education and physical activity helps every student learn to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

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All students, regardless of ability, should get the recommended 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity. Schools can, and should, help all students meet this recommendation by providing equal opportunities for students with physical disabilities.

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*The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides for a “free appropriate public education” in the “least restrictive environment” to all children with a disability

*Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the ADA are federal civil rights laws that prohibit disability discrimination, including in schools

*The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bans discrimination on the basis of disability

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This article educates us that bilingual learners with disabilities also need teachers to provide for social learning in order to enhance intellectual and social growth.  A nurturing social environment is especially important to bilingual learners because they attend school while adapting to a new culture and a new language. A bilingual learner with a disability or disabilities must resolve how to retain her or his own original identity while being bombarded with new expressions and customs.

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*An Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) Dual Language (DL) program is the instruction of academic content in two languages (English and native language), which was designed specifically to meet the unique needs of children and youth who are acquiring a second language and who have been identified as having a disability

*ICT-DL classrooms provide an avenue for that approach and an opportunity for bilingual kids who need extra support to have the greatest chances for success

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Learning disability (LD) is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math. Learning disabilities vary from person to person. One person with LD may not have the same kind of learning problems as another person with LD. One person may have trouble with reading and writing. Another person with LD may have problems understanding math. Still another person may have trouble in each of these areas, as well as with understanding what people are saying (National Dissemination Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities [NICHCY], 2004).

LD is a group of disorders that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways: as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read, write, or do math.

A learning disability is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information. The term learning disability is used to describe the seemingly unexplained difficulty a person of at least average intelligence has in acquiring basic academic skills. These skills are essential for success at school and work, and for coping with life in general. "LD" does not stand for a single disorder. It is a term that refers to a group of disorders.

Interestingly, there is no clear and widely accepted definition of learning disabilities. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of the field, there is ongoing debate on the issue of definition, and currently at least twelve definitions appear in the professional literature. There are several technical definitions offered by various health and education sources. Overall, most experts agree on the following descriptions:

Individuals with LD have difficulties with academic achievement and progress.

Discrepancies exist between a person's potential for learning and what that person actually learns.

Individuals with LD show an uneven pattern of development (language development, physical development, academic development, and/or perceptual development).

Learning problems are not due to environmental disadvantage.

Learning problems are not due to mental retardation or emotional disturbance.

Learning disabilities can affect one's ability to read, write, speak, spell, compute math, and reason. They also can affect a person's attention, memory, coordination, social skills, and emotional maturity.

Individuals with LD have normal intelligence, or are sometimes even intellectually gifted.

Individuals with LD have differing capabilities, with difficulties in certain academic areas but not in others.

Learning disabilities have an effect on either input (the brain's ability to process incoming information) or output (the person's ability to use information in practical skills, such as reading, math, spelling, etc.).

Research suggests that learning disabilities are caused by differences in how a person's brain works and how it processes information. Children with LD are not stupid or lazy. In fact, they usually have average or above average intelligence, but their brains process information differently. \ A learning disability affects the way kids of average to above average intelligence receive, process, or express information. Even if the person learns to compensate and, in effect, overcomes the disorder, the difference in brain processing lasts throughout life.

Important Point to Note

Knowing that a child has a learning disability tells you only that the child is experiencing some difficulty processing information. You must learn much more about the child before you can determine how much difficulty, the type of difficulties, and/or the impact the disability has on specific academic subjects or tasks.

Myth vs. Reality about Learning Disabilities

Myth 1. People with LD are not very smart.
Reality. Kids with learning disabilities are just as smart as other kids. Intelligence has nothing to do with LD. In fact, people with LD have average to above average intelligence. Many have intellectual, artistic, or other abilities that permit them to be defined as gifted. Studies indicate that as many as 33% of students with LD are gifted.

Many children with LD struggle with organization, attention, and memory. One-third of them may also have an attention deficit disorder-difficulty in regulating attention effectively, paying attention as needed, and shifting attention to another task, when required. Children with LD are creative and resourceful, and can frequently be characterized as gifted and as alternative thinkers. They are often very smart, and typically have strengths and talents that differ from the skills emphasized in school. With recognition of their difficulties, appropriate help, and the development of their interests and talents, children with LD can learn to succeed both in school and beyond.

History of the Field

Definitions of learning disabilities have evolved over time. These definitions have been attempts at describing a condition that had been labeled, among other terms, aphasia, neurologically impaired, Strauss Syndrome, and minimal brain dysfunction.

History suggests that the term learning disabilities originated with and became popularized by Dr. Samuel Kirk based on his writings in the early 1960s and comments that were made at the April 6, 1963 Conference on Exploration into Problems of the Perceptually Handicapped Child. His proposed label was "enthusiastically received and helped to unite the participants into an organization known as the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, the forerunner of today's Learning Disabilities Association" (Lerner, 2000).

I have used the term "learning disabilities" to describe "a group of children who have disorders in development in language, speech, reading, and associated communication skills needed for social interaction. In this group I do not include children who have sensory handicaps such as blindness or deafness, because we have methods of managing and training the deaf and the blind. I also exclude from this group children who have generalized mental retardation. (Kirk, 1963, p. 2)

During the latter part of the 1960s, there became greater awareness about learning disabilities, both from the general public and Congress. In response, the U.S. Office of Education was charged with creating a federal definition for what constituted a learning disability. Samuel Kirk chaired this committee. In 1968, the first annual report of the National Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children, headed by Dr. Kirk, wrote:

Children with special learning disabilities exhibit a disorder in one or more of the basic, psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written languages. These may be manifested in disorders of listening, thinking, talking, reading, writing, spelling, or arithmetic. They include conditions which have been referred to as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, developmental aphasia, etc. They do not include learning problems which are due primarily to visual, hearing, or motor handicaps, to mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or to environmental disadvantage. (Special Education for Handicapped Children, 1968)

By the end of 1968, "specific learning disability" (abbreviated SLD or LD) became a federally designated category of special education (U.S. Office of Education, 1968), and in 1969, the Specific Learning Disabilities Act was enacted, Public Law 91-230. In 1975, Congress enacted P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children's Act. Here, the definition of a learning disability was formalized for children in special education. Under P.L. 94-142, a specific learning disability was defined as follows.

. . . a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. However, learning disabilities do not include, ". . . learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

The continuance of the P.L. 94-142 definition in federal law prompted further analysis. In the 1980s, a coalition of parent and professional organizations, described as the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD), criticized the definition under P.L. 94-142 for including concepts that were unclear or difficult to use to identify children with learning disabilities. In response to the criticisms, the NJCLD proposed an alternative definition.

Learning disabilities is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction, and may occur across the lifespan. Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities but do not by themselves constitute a learning disability. Although learning disabilities may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions or with extrinsic influences, they are not the direct result of those conditions or influences (NJCLD, 1994).

Today, children in special education are protected under Public Law 108-446, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004). The defi¬nition under IDEA has not changed in its criteria and guidelines for what constitutes a learning disability. Under current federal law the following language was established.

IN GENERAL: The term "specific learning disability" means a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.

DISORDERS INCLUDED. Such term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

DISORDERS NOT INCLUDED. Such term does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

As can be seen when comparing the definitions set forth by P.L. 94-142 (now IDEA) and the NJCLD, both view central nervous system dysfunction as a potential cause; both specify that speaking, listening, reading, writing, and math can be affected; and both exclude learning problems due primarily to other conditions, such as mental retardation, emotional disturbance, and cultural differences (Hallahan & Kauffman, 2003).
The key differences between the definition set forth by IDEA and the definition established by the NJCLD are listed below:

The federal definition is older and has a medical orientation.

The NJCLD definition allows for coexisting disabilities (e.g., learning disabilities and visual disabilities).

The NJCLD definition acknowledges problems many of these individuals have with social skills (Smith, 2004).

The NJCLD does not use the phrase "basic psychological processes," which has been so controversial, and does not mention perceptual handicaps, dyslexia, or minimal brain dysfunction, which have been so difficult to define.

The NJCLD definition clearly states that a learning disability may be a lifelong condition.

As noted above, the current IDEA definition of LD remains the same as that incorporated in P.L. 94-142. The focus of IDEA is on student-age recipients of public education. However, nonacademic services to persons with developmental disabilities are provided by the Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) after high school. Because of DDD's requirement that a person demonstrate a "substantial disability" to qualify for services, caseworkers need to determine a substantial level of severity affecting daily living. Without a separate definition of learning disabilities, caseworkers must qualify adults for DDD services based on some criterion. Bender (1992) advises, "A practitioner in the developmental disabilities is well advised to use the definition provided by the state in which he or she practices. Generally, the state's Department of Education can provide a set of rules and regulations for special education services that includes the state definition of learning disability" (p. 82).

Finally, IDEA was reauthorized in 2004 (IDEA 2004), and its official name is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (Public Law 108-446). As stated by Bowe (2004),

. . . IDEA will no longer require local education agencies (school districts) to use discrepancy in determining whether or not a given child has a learning disability. You should check with your state's department of education to see if a discrepancy requirement continues to be in effect. The new amendments to IDEA also call for a process that determines if a child responds to "scientific, research-based intervention." If a student does, the school district may rule that there is no specific learning disability, but rather a prior failure to provide adequate instruction. (p. 69)"Discrepancy" in Diagnosing a Learning Disability
According to Ortiz (2004).

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the definition of LD is that the observed academic problems are greater than what might be expected based on the child's intellectual ability. This would appear to be an assumption that would be rarely questioned because it seems to make the most sense. As noted previously, LD is generally not diagnosed in individuals who have mental retardation because it is expected that people with low cognitive ability will have problems learning to read, write, or do math. On the other hand, there is an assumption implicit in most def¬ initions of LD that a child would be able to perform at a normal or average level consistent with his/her ability level were it not for the presence of LD. That is, children with LD are performing below their ability, intelligence, or potential.

Under the provisions of IDEA, decisions regarding the presence or absence of any disability, as well as the provision of special education services, are determined by a multidisciplinary team which, by law, must include the parents, a regular education teacher, an administrator, and all professional staff who have evaluated the child. The notion of discrepancy is reflected in IDEA, which states that "a team may determine that a child has a specific learning disability" if two conditions are met: (1) "the child does not achieve commensurate with his or her age and ability levels . . . if provided with learning experiences appropriate for the child's age and ability levels"; and (2) "the team finds that a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability" in one or more areas of academic skills. The real problem in using this approach involves defining exactly what it means to be below one's expected level of performance.
There are numerous criticisms of using discrepancy formulas. Here are some from Smith (2004):

IQ tests are not reliable and are unfair to many groups of children.

Results have little utility in planning a student's educational program.

The process is not helpful in determining which interventions might be successful.

The outcomes are not related to performance in the classroom, in the general education curriculum, or on district- or statewide assessments.

Children must fail before they qualify for needed services. (p. 114)

The Exclusionary Clause

The definition of learning disability under IDEA also has what is referred to as an "exclusionary clause." The exclusionary clause states that a learning disability "does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage." The purpose of this exclusionary clause is to help prevent the improper labeling of children, especially those from distinct cultures who have acquired learning styles, language, or behaviors that are not compatible with academic requirements of schools in the dominant culture. However, the exclusionary clause has generated tremendous debate and controversy by experts in the field.

The wording of the exclusion clause in the federal definition of learning disabilities lends itself to the misinterpretation that individuals with LD cannot also have other disabilities or be from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. It is essential to understand and recognize the LD as they might occur within the varying disability categories as well as different cultural and linguistic groups. Individuals within these groups frequently have received inappropriate educational assessment, planning, and instruction because they could not be identified as learning disabled.

The NJCLD supports the idea that learning disabilities are not the primary and direct result of other disabilities and should not be so confused. However, the NJCLD notes specifically that learning disabilities may occur concomitantly with other disabilities. Although these individuals may be served educationally through different service modes, a denial of the existence of significant learning disabilities will result in inappropriate assessment and educational instruction and can result in the denial of direct or indirect professional services. According to Mercer (1997; cited in Gargiulio, 2004), the word "primarily" suggests that a learning disability can exist with other exceptionalities.

Classification Criteria

Consistent with the IDEA and NJCLD definitions, most states and local school districts require that students meet three criteria for classification as having a learning disability (Mercer, Jordan, Allsopp, & Mercer, 1996; cited in Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, & Smith, 2004, p. 105):

1. Inclusionary criterion - The student must demonstrate a severe discrepancy (a statistically significant difference) between perceived potential and actual achievement as measured by formal and informal assessments.

2. Exclusionary criterion - The student's learning disability may not result primarily from visual or hearing impairment, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance, or cultural differences.

3. Need criterion - The student manifests a demonstrated need for special education services. Without specialized support, the student's disability will prevent him or her from learning.

Prevalence of Learning Disabilities

Your chances of knowing someone with learning disabilities are very good. Currently, almost 2.9 million school-aged children in the United States are classified as having specific learning disabilities and receive some kind of special education support. In fact, over half of all children who receive special education have a learning disability (24th Annual Report to Congress, 2002). They are approximately 5% of all school-aged children in public schools. (These numbers do not include children in private and religious schools or home-schooled children.) Learning disabilities is by far the largest category of special education.

It should be noted that prevalence figures can vary widely between states and within a state, depending on the stringency of the method used to determine eligibility. For example:

Kentucky reports the lowest prevalence figure (2.9%) and Massachusetts the highest (7.35%). A study completed in Michigan compared the learning disabilities eligibility criteria and procedures for identification across the 57 regional education service agencies in the state (RESA). The results indicated that 21% of the RESAs had no written eligibility criteria or policies, the length of the written policies varied from one sentence to 112 pages, and the severe discrepancy formula score varied from 15 to 30 standard score points! It is possible for a student to move a few miles to the next school district and no longer be considered to have a learning disability. (Smith, Pollaway, Patton, & Dowdy, 2004, p. 164).

Studies show that learning disabilities do not fall evenly across racial and ethnic groups. For instance, in 2001, 1% of white children and 2.6% of non-Hispanic black children were receiving LD-related special education services. The same studies suggest that this has to do with economic status and not ethnic background. Learning disabilities are not caused by economic disadvantage, but in low-income communities there is increased risk of exposure to harmful toxins (lead, tobacco, alcohol, etc.) at early stages of development.

Boys outnumber girls by about three to one in the LD category. Some researchers have suggested that the prevalence of learning disabilities among males is due to their biological vulnerability. However, others have suggested that "the higher prevalence of learning disabilities among males may be due to referral bias." They suggest that "academic difficulties are no more prevalent among boys than girls, but that boys are more likely to be referred for special education when they do have academic problems because of other behaviors, such as hyperactivity. Research on this issue is mixed" (Hallahan & Kauffman, 2003, p. 155).

The prevalence of LD also varies by age. Not surprisingly, the number of students receiving special education services increases steadily between the ages of 6 and 9. The bulk of students served (42%), however, are between the ages of 10 and 13, with a sharp decrease observed for individuals between 16 and 21 years of age (U.S. Department of Education, 2000; cited in Gargiulio, 2004, p. 210).

The true prevalence of learning disabilities is subject to much dispute because of the lack of a standard definition of LD and the absence of objective diagnostic criteria. Some researchers have argued that the currently recognized 5% prevalence rate is excessive and is based on vague definitions, leading to inaccurate identification. On the other hand, research efforts to identify objective early indicators of LD in basic reading skills have concluded that virtually all children scoring below the 25th percentile on standardized reading tests can meet the criteria for having a reading disorder. While less is known about LD in written expression, researchers estimate its true prevalence at between 8% and 15% of the school population. Research also indicates that approximately 6% of the school population has difficulties in mathematics which cannot be attributed to low intelligence, sensory deficits, or economic deprivation.

Finally, the dramatic increase in the number of students identified with LD is getting mixed reviews from learning professionals. For some, the increase is alarming, raising concerns that students are being overidentified. By contrast, other experts believe that the increased prevalence is reasonable, considering the newness of the field (Fuchs et al., 2001; cited in Turnbull et al., 2004).

Growth in the Identification of Students with Learning Disabilities
Since 1975, when the category of LD was first included in public law, the number of students identified as having a learning disability has grown by almost 250%, from approximately 800,000 students to almost 3,000,000 students (U.S. Department of Education, 2002).

A number of reasons have been suggested for the enormous growth in the identification of students with learning disabilities. According to Hunt and Marshall (2002, p. 119), these reasons include:

1. Children who are underachieving are incorrectly identified as individuals with learning disabilities. The evaluation and identification criteria are too subjective and unreliable, and there are few, if any, alternative programs for these students.

2. The diagnosis of LD is more socially acceptable than many other special education classifications, particularly mild mental retardation and behavior disorders. Consequently, teachers and parents prefer this classification and "push" for it.

3. Greater general awareness of learning disabilities has resulted in more appropriate referrals and diagnoses. Teachers and parents are more aware of the types of services that are available.

4. The number of students identified with learning disabilities parallels the increased social and cultural risks that have arisen during the past two decades. Biological and psychosocial stressors may place more children at risk for acquiring learning disabilities, and therefore more children are identified.

Warning Signs of a Learning Disability

There is no single sign that shows a person has a learning disability. Experts look for a noticeable difference between how well a child does in school and how well he or she could do, given his or her intelligence or ability. There are also certain clues that may mean a child has a learning disability. We've listed a few below. Most relate to elementary school tasks, because learning disabilities tend to be identified in elementary school. A child probably won't show all of these signs, or even most of them. However, if a child shows a number of these problems, then parents and the teacher should consider the possibility that the child has a learning disability.

When a child has a learning disability, he or she may exhibit the following characteristics:

Have trouble learning the alphabet, rhyming words, or matching letters to their sounds

Make many mistakes when reading aloud, and repeat and pause often

Not understand what he or she reads

Have real trouble with spelling

Have very messy handwriting or hold a pencil awkwardly

Struggle to express ideas in writing

Learn language late and have a limited vocabulary

Have trouble remembering the sounds that letters make, or in hearing slight differences between words

Have trouble understanding jokes, comic strips, and sarcasm

Have trouble following directions

Mispronounce words or use a wrong word that sounds similar

Have trouble organizing what he or she wants to say or not be able to think of the word needed for writing or conversation

Not follow the social rules of conversation, such as taking turns, and may stand too close to the listener

Confuse math symbols and misread numbers

Not be able to retell a story in order (what happened first, second, third)

Not know where to begin a task or how to go on from there

Conclusion

As should be evident, the debate surrounding what constitutes a learning disability continues on as strong as ever. Remember, this is a multidisciplinary field that embraces sometimes competing viewpoints as the very nature of the construct and its causes. It is perhaps best to envision LD as "a family or syndrome of disabilities affecting a wide range of academic and/or behavioral performance (Gargiulio, 2004, p. 206). In particular, regardless of the definition used, children with learning disabilities have intellectual functioning within the normal range, there is a discrepancy between potential and achievement, the learning disability is not due to other causes, there is difficulty in learning, and there is a presumption of central nervous system dysfunction.

The field of special education is subject to the dynamic forces found in political and scientific arenas, as well as to the capacity of the special education workforce to be responsive to current and future changes. To the extent that the identification of individuals with learning disabilities serves those purposes, changes in definition and criteria are and should be part of the constant evolution in this field. To the consumer of information, a careful examination of the definition and criteria used to identify populations will allow the application of research to practice.

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The National Association of Special Education Teachers-national membership org for teachers, professors, and college students involved in special education

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Learning disability (LD) is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math. Learning disabilities vary from person to person.

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*Research suggests that learning disabilities are caused by differences in how a person’s brain works and how it processes information

*Knowing that a child has a learning disability tells you only that the child is experiencing some difficulty processing information. You must learn much more about the child before you can determine how much difficulty, the type of difficulties, and/or the impact the disability has on specific academic subjects or tasks

*Interestingly, there is no clear and widely accepted definition of learning disabilities

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Ron Turiello's daughter, Grace, seemed unusually alert even as a newborn.

At 7 months or so, she showed an interest in categorizing objects: She'd take a drawing of an elephant in a picture book, say, and match it to a stuffed elephant and a realistic plastic elephant.

At 5 or 6 years old, when snorkeling with her family in Hawaii, she identified a passing fish correctly as a Heller's barracuda, then added, "Where are the rest? They usually travel in schools."

With a child so bright, some parents might assume that she'd do great in any school setting, and pretty much leave it at that. But Turiello was convinced she needed a special environment, in part because of his own experience. He scored very high on IQ tests as a child, but almost dropped out of high school. He says he was bored, unmotivated, socially isolated.

"I took a swing at the teacher in second grade because she was making fun of my vocabulary," he recalls. "I would get bad grades because I never did my homework. I could have ended up a really well-read homeless person."

Turiello, now an attorney, and his wife, Margaret Caruso, have two children who attend a private school in Sunnyvale, Calif., exclusively for the gifted. It's called Helios, and it uses project-based learning, groups children by ability not age, and creates an individualized learning plan for each student. For Turiello, the biggest benefits to Grace, now 11, and son Marcello, 7, are social and emotional. "They don't have to pretend to be something they're not," says Turiello. "If they can be among peers and be themselves, that can really change their lives."

Estimates vary, but many say there are around 3 million students in K-12 classrooms nationwide who could be considered academically gifted and talented. The education they get is the subject of a national debate about what our public schools owe to each child in the post-No Child Left Behind era.

When it comes to gifted children, there are three big questions: How to define them, how to identify them and how best to serve them.
1. How do you define giftedness?
One of the most popular definitions, dating to the early 1990s, is "asynchronous development." That means, roughly, a student whose mental capacities develop ahead of chronological age. This concept matches the most popular tests of giftedness: IQ tests. Scores are indexed to age, with 100 as the average; a 6 year old who gives answers characteristic of a 12 year old would have an IQ of 200.

But there are problems with this framework. No 6-year-old is truly mentally identical to a 12-year-old. He or she may be brilliant at mathematics but lack background knowledge or impulse control.

In addition, IQ tests become less useful as children get older because there is less "headroom" on the test, especially for those who are already high scorers. "It's like measuring a 6-foot person with a 5-foot ruler," says Linda Silverman, an educational psychologist and founder of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development.

Recent intelligence research de-emphasizes IQ alone and focuses on social and emotional factors.

"There's research that these other things like motivation and grit can take you to the same exact academic outcomes as someone with a higher IQ but without those things," says Scott Barry Kaufman, a psychologist who studies intelligence and creativity at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of the book Ungifted. "That's a really important finding that is just totally ignored. Our country has a narrow view of what counts as merit."

Of course, as the definitions get broader, the measurements get more subjective and thus, perhaps, less useful. Some centers for gifted children put out checklists of "giftedness" so broad that any proud parent would be hard-pressed not to recognize her child. Things like: "Has a vivid imagination." "Good sense of humor." "Highly sensitive."
1(a). How many students should be designated gifted?
It can be useful for education policy purposes to think about giftedness as it relates to the rest of the special education spectrum. Silverman argues that just as children with IQ scores two full standard deviations below the norm need special classrooms and extra resources, those who score two standard deviations above the norm need the same. By her lights, the population we should be focusing on is the top 2.5 percent to 3 percent of achievers, not the top 5 to 10 percent.

Scott Peters disagrees. He's a professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater who prepares teachers for gifted certifications. He says the question that every teacher and every school should be asking is, "How will we serve the students who already know what I'm covering today?"

In a school where most children are in remediation, he argues, a child who is simply performing on grade level may need special attention.
2. How do you identify gifted students?
The most common answer nationwide is: First, by teacher and/or parent nomination. After that come tests.

Minority and free-reduced lunch students are extremely underrepresented in gifted programs nationwide. The problem starts with that first step. Less-educated or non-English-speaking parents may not be aware of gifted program opportunities. Pre-service teachers, says Peters, typically get one day of training on gifted students, which may not prepare them to recognize giftedness in its many forms.

Research shows that screening every child, rather than relying on nominations, produces far more equitable outcomes.

Tests have their problems, too, says Kaufman. IQ and other standardized tests produce results that can be skewed by background cultural knowledge, language learner status and racial and social privilege. Even nonverbal tasks like puzzles are influenced by class and cultural background.

Using a single test-score cutoff as the criteria is common but not considered best practice.

In addition, the majority of districts in the U.S. test children for these programs before the third grade. Experts worry that identifying children only at the outset of school can be a problem, because abilities change over time, and the practice favors students who have an enriched environment at home.

Experts prefer the use of multiple criteria and multiple opportunities. Portfolios or auditions, interviews or narrative profiles may be part of the process.
3. How do you best serve gifted students?
This is the biggest controversy in gifted education. Peters says many districts focus their resources on identifying gifted or advanced learners, while offering little or nothing to serve them.

"There are cases where parents spend years advocating for students, kids get multiple rounds of testing, and at the end of the day they're provided with a little bit of differentiation or an hour of resource-room time in the course of a week," he says. "That's not sufficient for a fourth-grader, say, who needs to take geometry."

While this emphasis on diagnosis over treatment might seem paradoxical, it's compliant with the law:

In most states the law governs the identification of gifted students. But only 27 percent of districts surveyed in 2013 report a state law about how to group these students, whether in a self-contained program, or pulled out into a resource room for a single subject or offered differentiation within a classroom. And almost no states have laws mandating anything about the curriculum for gifted students.

In addition to a need to move faster and delve deeper, students whose intellectual abilities or interests don't match those of their peers often have special social and emotional needs.

"I believe that every single day in school a gifted child has the right to learn something new - not to help the teacher," Silverman says. "And to be protected from bullying, teasing and abuse."

Helping gifted students may or may not take many more resources. But it does require a shift in mindset to the idea that "every child deserves to be challenged," as Ron Turiello says.

That's why, paradoxically, many of the gifted education experts I interviewed didn't like the label "gifted." "In a perfect world, every student would have an IEP," says Kaufman.

As it happens, federal education policy is currently being reconfigured around some version of that idea.

"The whole NCLB era, and really back to the first Elementary and Secondary Education Act in the 1960s, was about getting kids to grade level, to minimal proficiency," says Peters. "There seems to be a change in belief now - that you need to show growth in every student."

That means, instead of just focusing on the 50 percent of kids who are below average, teachers should be responsible for the half who are above average, too. "That's huge. It's hard to articulate how big of a sea change that is."

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Who Are The 'Gifted And Talented' And What Do They Need?

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Ron Turiello's daughter, Grace, seemed unusually alert even as a newborn. At 7 months or so, she showed an interest in categorizing objects: She'd take a drawing of an elephant in a picture book, say, and match it to a stuffed elephant and a realistic plastic elephant.

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One of the most popular definitions of giftedness, dating to the early 1990s, is "asynchronous development." That means roughly, a student whose mental capacities develop ahead of chronological age.

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*Recent intelligence research de-emphasizes IQ alone and focuses on social and emotional factors

*In most states the law governs the identification of gifted students. But only 27 percent of districts surveyed in 2013 reported a state law about how to group these students, whether in a self-contained program or pulled out into a resource room for a single subject or offered differentiation within a classroom. And almost no states have laws mandating anything about the curriculum for gifted students

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Definition

The Education of the Handicapped Act (P.L. 94-142), includes "hearing impairment" and "deafness" as two of the categories under which children with disabilities may be eligible for special education and related services programming. While the term "hearing impairment" is often used generically to describe a wide range of hearing losses, including deafness, the regulations for IDEA define hearing loss and deafness separately.

Hearing impairment is defined by IDEA as "an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance."

Deafness is defined as "a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification."

Thus, deafness may be viewed as a condition that prevents an individual from receiving sound in all or most of its forms. In contrast, a child with a hearing loss can generally respond to auditory stimuli, including speech.

Incidence

Hearing loss and deafness affect individuals of all ages and may occur at any time from infancy through old age. The U.S. Department of Education (2002) reports that, during the 2000-2001 school year, 70,767 students aged 6 to 21 (or 1.3% of all students with disabilities) received special education services under the category of "hearing impairment." However, the number of children with hearing loss and deafness is undoubtedly higher, since many of these students may have other disabilities as well and may be served under other categories.

Characteristics

It is useful to know that sound is measured by its loudness or intensity (measured in units called decibels, dB) and its frequency or pitch (measured in units called hertz, Hz). Impairments in hearing can occur in either or both areas, and may exist in only one ear or in both ears. Hearing loss is generally described as slight, mild, moderate, severe, or profound, depending upon how well a person can hear the intensities or frequencies most greatly associated with speech. Generally, only children whose hearing loss is greater than 90 decibels (dB) are considered deaf for the purposes of educational placement.

There are four types of hearing loss. Conductive hearing losses are caused by diseases or obstructions in the outer or middle ear (the conduction pathways for sound to reach the inner ear). Conductive hearing losses usually affect all frequencies of hearing evenly and do not result in severe losses. A person with a conductive hearing loss usually is able to use a hearing aid well or can be helped medically or surgically.

Sensorineural hearing losses result from damage to the delicate sensory hair cells of the inner ear or the nerves which supply it. These hearing losses can range from mild to profound. They often affect the person's ability to hear certain frequencies more than others. Thus, even with amplification to increase the sound level, a person with a sensorineural hearing loss may perceive distorted sounds, sometimes making the successful use of a hearing aid impossible.

A mixed hearing loss refers to a combination of conductive and sensorineural loss and means that a problem occurs in both the outer or middle and the inner ear. A central hearing loss results from damage or impairment to the nerves or nuclei of the central nervous system, either in the pathways to the brain or in the brain itself.

Educational Implications

Hearing loss or deafness does not affect a person's intellectual capacity or ability to learn. However, children who are either hard of hearing or deaf generally require some form of special education services in order to receive an adequate education. Such services may include:

regular speech, language, and auditory training from a specialist;

amplification systems;

services of an interpreter for those students who use sign language;

favorable seating in the class to facilitate lip reading;

captioned films/videos;

assistance of a notetaker, who takes notes for the student with a hearing loss, so that the student can fully attend to instruction;

instruction for the teacher and peers in alternate communication methods, such as sign language; and counseling.

Children who are hard of hearing will find it much more difficult than children who have normal hearing to learn vocabulary, grammar, word order, idiomatic expressions, and other aspects of verbal communication. For children who are deaf or have severe hearing losses, early, consistent, and conscious use of visible communication modes (such as sign language, fingerspelling, and Cued Speech) and/or amplification and aural/oral training can help reduce this language delay. By age four or five, most children who are deaf are enrolled in school on a full-day basis and do special work on communication and language development. It is important for teachers and audiologists to work together to teach the child to use his or her residual hearing to the maximum extent possible, even if the preferred means of communication is manual. Since the great majority of deaf children (over 90%) are born to hearing parents, programs should provide instruction for parents on implications of deafness within the family.

People with hearing loss use oral or manual means of communication or a combination of the two. Oral communication includes speech, lip reading and the use of residual hearing. Manual communication involves signs and fingerspelling. Total Communication, as a method of instruction, is a combination of the oral method plus signing and fingerspelling.

Individuals with hearing loss, including those who are deaf, now have many helpful devices available to them. Text telephones (known as TTs, TTYs, orTDDs) enable persons to type phone messages over the telephone network. The Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), now required by law, makes it possible for TT users to communicate with virtually anyone (and vice versa) via telephone. Dial 711 to access all TRSs anywhere in the United States. The relay service is free.

Resources

Luterman, D.M. (2002). When your child is deaf: A guide for parents (2nd ed.). Parkton, MD: York Press. (Telephone: 800.962.2763. Web: www.yorkpress.com/index.html)

Medwid, D.J., & Weston, D.C. (1995). Kid-friendly parenting with deaf and hard of hearing children: A treasury of fun activities toward better behavior. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. (Telephone: 800.621.2736; 888. 630.9347 (V/TTY). Web: http://gupress.gallaudet.edu)

Ogden, P.W. (1996). The silent garden: Raising your deaf child (Rev. ed.). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. (See contact information above.)

Schwartz, S. (Ed.). (1996). Choices in deafness: A parents' guide to communication options (2nd ed.). Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House. (Telephone: 800.843.7323. Web: www.woodbinehouse.com )

So your child has a hearing loss: Next steps for parents (n.d.). (For copies fax, email, or call Karen Anderson, EHDI Project Audiology Consultant Karen_Anderson@doh.state.fl.us (850)245-4444 X226 Fax (850)921-8138 or Janet Evans, Unit Director, Early Intervention Programs, at Janet_Evans@doh.state.fl.us (850)245-4200)

Organizations

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
3417 Volta Place, NW
Washington, DC 20007
202.337.5220 (V); 202.337.5221 (TTY)
E-mail: info@agbell.org
Web: www.agbell.org

American Society for Deaf Children
P.O. Box 3355
Gettysburg, PA 17325
800.942.2732 (V/TTY); 717.334.7922 (V/TTY)
E-mail: ASDC1@aol.com
Web: www.deafchildren.org

American Speech-Language Hearing Association
10801 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
301.897.5700 (V/TTY); 800.638.8255 (V/TTY)
Web: www.asha.org

Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
KDES PAS-6, Gallaudet University
800 Florida Avenue N.E.
Washington, DC 20002-3695
202.651.5051 (V/TTY)
E-mail: Clearinghouse.InfoToGo@gallaudet.edu
Web: http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/InfoToGo/index.html

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Information Clearinghouse
1 Communication Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-3456
800.241.1044 (V); 800.241.1055 (TTY)
E-mail: nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov
Web: www.nidcd.nih.gov/

Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH)
7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.657-2248 (V); 301.657.2249 (TTY)
E-mail: info@hearingloss.org
Web: www.hearingloss.org

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curriculum for children with disabilities

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Comprehensive Overview of Hearing Impairments

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Child Hearing Impairments - National Association of Special Education Teachers

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Hearing impairment is defined by IDEA as "an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance." This article talks about the characteristics of deafness and the educational implications.

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-That sound is measured by its loudness or intensity (measured in units called decibels, dB) and its frequency or pitch (measured in units called hertz, Hz)

-Hearing loss or deafness does not affect a person's intellectual capacity or ability to learn, however they may need further assistance

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Supporting Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities in the Classroom

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A list of best practices to help teachers support students with emotional/behavioral diabilities in the classroom.

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There are many characteristics that an individual needs to meet in order to classify as having an emotional or behavioral disorder. This category of disability is focused on serving the needs of students with mental health disorders, as well as students with chronic behavioral needs that cannot be explained by their intellectual status, sensory needs, or physical health. There are many ways in which students with these disabilities can be helped.

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The best way to help a student with behavioral and emotional disabilities is to ... know their behavior plan, work with their parents, collaborate with the school, and support socialization with their peers.

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Educational games in the classroom can transform traditional lesson plans into an engaging learning experience. In a classroom, games might be typically used during independent work time, during indoor recess, and even to review for the next day's test. However, they're not often thought of as purposefully instructional activities. Using educational games for learning is a great way to start small when bringing technology into the classroom to keep students engaged while also interacting with their peers.

Why are games in the classroom important?

Using games for teaching helps students learn additional skills beyond the academic concept that is being taught. They will also build 21st-century social skills, problem-solving skills, and build community all while learning core subject material.

Games are most effective when well-planned and integrated into learning objectives. With Time to Climb, you can include an existing Nearpod lesson or use it as a quick stand-alone activity.
New to Nearpod? Sign up for free to access interactive activities, create engaging lessons, and more!
How to use educational games in the classroom

1. Use gamified learning consistently to increase students' skills

In the classroom, an educator hopes to teach the math, reading, writing, or science skills a student will need to succeed in the world. However, students need more skill sets beyond academics. They need to have social and emotional learning skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, behavior management, responsibility, social skills, and more to excel in the real world. These life skills get carried beyond the classroom into everyday life and can be used in nearly every setting.

When teachers bring gamification into the classroom, they provide students with the opportunity topractice these life skills as well as to see them in action from their peers.Whether students are narrowing down answer choices on a question, using logic to select the correct answer, or practicing decision-making opportunities, they're working on those 21st-century skills.

In Nearpod's Time to Climb, students compete to see who gets to the top of a mountain first by answering a series of questions both correctly and quickly to increase their own points to become one of the top three winners of the game.

This gamified quiz helps increase memory and allows students to become responsible for their own learning while developing social skills along the way. With the ability to select multiple correct answers and use images or text, teachers can customize a gamified quiz for their needs.

2. Create engaging learning experiences

Educational games in the classroom can bring high levels of engagement to students during the learning process. When students engage in a game, their motivation increases, leading to better participation and the ability to form connections and positive memories of learning. Student outcomes and achievement increase when students are engaged and motivated to learn.

On Time to Climb, students can select their own characters and compete with them. The competitive nature and playful themes bring even more excitement and engagement to your classroom.Teachers can also select themes such as a beach, carnival, underwater, space, or mountain. Our Valentine's, Halloween, and Winter Holiday themes will be accessible during these holiday time frames.

3. Keep students on track with learning

Formative assessment as a daily practice in the classroom has many benefits. It can help teachers better understand where their students are on the learning continuum, collect feedback on how a lesson could be more effective, and know exactly which students may need additional support. Using games in the classroom is an effective way to assess students before, during, or after a lesson.

Time to Climb allows teachers to pause between questions and access new data as they teach. When a question is live, the teacher can collect instant data on students' understanding of the concept. If pausing between questions is turned on, the teacher will have an opportunity to reflect quickly on that data and address any misconceptions in real-time during the game. Teachers can ensure that when a student gets a question incorrect, they have an opportunity to strategize and try again.

Start using games in the classroom!

When Time to Climb is played in a live classroom environment, students of all ages laugh and enjoy the integrated community-building elements of their learning experience! This educational game is built with an instructional design that keeps students engaged in any learning environment. Teachers can create a gamified quiz as a Student-Paced activity or launch one in the classroom for Live Participation.

Gamified quizzes have always been a favorite for teachers and students. Some teachers use them as a pre-assessment to get a deeper understanding of what students already know before introducing a new concept. Others use them as an engaging formative assessment in the middle of a lesson, final assessment, exit ticket, or opportunity to review key concepts for test prep. No matter how you assess, a gamified assessment can help you transform quizzes into engaging instructional moments in the classroom.

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How to use educational games in the classroom

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Educational games create engaging learning experiences. Explore teaching games like Time to Climb for online classroom games student love.

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Educational games in the classroom can transform traditional lesson plans into an engaging learning experience. Games are most beneficial when in collaboration with interactive learning, which helps students reach their fullest potential.

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Educational games are a great way to bring technology into the classroom and engage the students

Games are most effective when well-planned and integrated into learning objectives

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Laws and Regulations Related to Special Education and Students with Disabilities

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State Law and Regulations: In order to remain eligible for federal funds under the IDEA, states must have policies and procedures in effect that comply with federal requirements. The special education requirements for New York State are set forth in New York State Education Law and in Parts 200 and 201 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

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Federal laws and regulations govern how states and public agencies provide special education and related services to students with disabilities with disabilities. Each state has their own laws and regulations as well, but they are required to follow the guidlines of the federal laws.

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Code of Federal Regulations are federal laws and regulations in place for students with exceptionalities

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This article refers to twice-exceptional children. They are defined as intellectually gifted children who have one or more learning disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, etc.

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Students with exceptionalities will typically struggle with some aspects and excel in others. This is how you can usually tell if a student has an exceptionality, as an educator. 6% of the population typically has exceptionalities.