Intro to Special

Education
Toolbox
Intellectual Disability (mild cognitive impairment)
• Use short and simple sentences to ensure understanding.

• Repeat instructions or directions frequently.

• Ask student if further clarification is necessary.

• Provide frequent opportunities for students to learn and socialize with typically
developing peers.

• Involve the student in group activities and clubs.

• Provide daily social skills instruction.

Intellectual Disability (mild cognitive impairment)
• Ensure that the student has a way to appropriately express their wants and
needs.

• If the student is non-verbal, identify and establish an appropriate functional

communication system (e.g. sign language, Picture Exchange Communication
System (PECS), voice output, etc.).

• Understand that picture schedules and functional communication systems are

NOT the same thing; they do not serve the same purpose.

• Break down / task-analyze skills into steps.

• Model targeted skills, then provide practice opportunities.

• Use visual schedules with pictures / icons to demonstrate each step.

Intellectual Disability (mild cognitive impairment)
• Model desired behaviors, and clearly identify what behaviors you expect in the
classroom.

• Use behavior contracts or token economies if necessary.

• Ensure consistency of rules and routine.

Specific Learning Disability: Dyslexia
• Explicitly and systematically teach math to students with dyslexia (including
models of proficient problem solving, verbalization of thought processes, guided
practice, corrective feedback, and frequent cumulative review).

• Preview the title, pictures, chapter names, and bold-faced words in order to
make a prediction.

• Pre-teach key vocabulary for a particular unit or chapter before introducing the
text.

• Provide multisensory experiences for students related to each book that they
read, such as using stories and coloring pages (available with a story teller
guide).
Specific Learning Disability: Dyslexia
• Explicitly teach “how to use” the table of contents, glossary, index, headings,
sidebars, charts, captions, and review questions in a text book.

• Provide a set of textbooks for the student to take home and to highlight.

• Assign class readings a week ahead of time for students to preview. This will
improve attention and comprehension.

• Give the student a choice of what to read within selected genres, topics, and
themes. High interest reading facilitates comprehension and reading for
pleasure.
ADD/ADHD
• Teach Difficult Material Earlier in the Day

• Written Down Schedules

• Give Student Task to Complete

• Using Manipulatives with the Whole Class

• Timers

• Ignore Behavior

• Direct Instruction

• Peer Tutoring

• Auditory Cues
Emotional Behavior Disorders
• Post a general class schedule that indicates what students should be expected to
do as they enter your classroom, when homework is collected, etc.
• Before your students enter class, write on the board what will happen during
that specific class period and how long each activity will take.
• Develop and maintain an active schedule with evenly intermixed direction
instruction, individual seatwork, and cooperative learning activities.
• To prevent student frustration, intersperse more challenging, acquisition-
oriented learning activities with review / maintenance-enhancing activities.
• Explicitly and frequently teach social rules and skills.
• Model appropriate responses to social situations.
• Engage student in role-play opportunities to practice appropriate responses.
Emotional Behavior Disorders
• Arrange observation and data collection system to monitor student’s behavior
across all school contexts.
• Use data to inform decision-making.
• Regularly communicate with family members and teachers to ensure consistent
response to student’s behavior.
• Model tolerance and acceptance.
• Provide opportunities for the student to assume responsibilities, such as
distributing papers.
• Teach other students to ignore inappropriate attention-seeking behaviors.
• Have other students (who demonstrate appropriate behavior) serve as peer
tutors.
Autism
• Ensure that the student has a way to appropriately express their wants and
needs.

• Identify and establish appropriate functional communication system (e.g. sign

language, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), voice output, etc.).

• Ensure that the student has access to their (portable) communication system
across all contexts, all of the time.

• Reinforce communication attempts (e.g. their gestures, partial verbalizations)

when the student is non-verbal or emerging verbal.

• Do not take rude or aggressive behavior personally.

• Recognize that the target for anger may not be linked to the source of that anger.
Autism
• Be aware that student may feel very uncomfortable with eye contact.
• Work to expand the student’s reinforcer and leisure activities repertoire; work
to increase social reinforcers and activities.
• Reinforce desirable behaviors that serve as alternatives to inappropriate
behaviors (teaching the student what to do rather than what not to do).
• Provide clear structure and a set daily routine.
• Ensure that the student knows the day's schedule at the start of each day and
can reference schedule throughout day.
• Vary the activities within the daily schedule so that the student does not become
inflexible about the sequence of the schedule or routine itself.
• Provide warning of any change of routine, or switch of activity. Present this
warning visually.
Communication Disorder
• Repeat or rephrase key information

• Speak clearly

• Use visual tools (whiteboard, projector, etc).

• Assistive device
Blindness/Low Vision
• Provide copies of written texts and handouts in large print or Braille

• Use appropriate assistive technology

• Use other media sources for delivering information(audio cassette, voice file)

• Consistently keep items in predetermined/predictable places(desk, chairs,

pencils, etc.)

• Use preferential seating close to teacher

• Provide easy access to Braille equipment, if appropriate.

• Use oral tests/scribe

Blindness/Low Vision
• Use white chalk on a blackboard or black marker on a whiteboard.

• Provide oral instructions with visual ones.

• Use an auditory cue to get the attention of the class.

• Allow extra time.

• Allow breaks to refocus/rest eyes.

• Encourage use of a magnifier.

• Frequently check with the student for understanding.

Deafness/Hard of hearing
• Implement strategies recommended by a teacher of the deaf, audiologist and/or
speech and language pathologist, who may work directly with the student.

• Pair oral instructions with visual (written or pictures) and gestures.

• Use FM system (microphone that a teacher wears for students with some
hearing) and Sound Field system.

• Provide copies of notes

• Don't turn away when talking. Face the child so he/she can maximize on the
information received.

• Use assistive technology and computer options.

Deafness/Hard of hearing
• Post a visual schedule.

• Provide choice for assignments (oral and written presentations).

• Allow additional time for the student to process information, especially if the
information is new.

• Select closed captioning whenever available on DVDs and/or computer options.

• Reduce background noise (tennis balls on chair legs, close classroom doors,
etc.).
Severe Disabilities
• Pair oral with visual instructions.
• Repeat information/instructions and ask the student to repeat them back and
explain.
• Chunk information/instructions.
• Use checklists and an agenda (including a personalized one, that differs from
peers).
• Use preferential seating to avoid distractions.
• Use a visual and auditory signal to get attention before speaking.
• Post rules, consequences and a schedule.
Severe Disabilities
• Reward efforts in organization, work completion and prioritization by
specifically outlining the student’s positive actions/choices.

• Reduce the number of tasks assigned at once.

• Provide extra time for tests and assignments.

• Provide written copies of assignment instructions and rubrics.

• Use preferential seating, close to the teacher or peers who will model
appropriately, and away from sources of conflict, when possible.

• Provide a cool-down/time-out location, and establish parameters for when the

student can access this location.
Severe Disabilities
• Provide anger reduction tools (doodle pad, stress ball, iPod).

• Provide a range of assessment options to permit student choice.

• Allow the option of open book tests.

• Minimize distractions/consider an alternative testing location.

• Chunk tests and assignments into small tasks when necessary.

Physical Disabilities
• Use mnemonics such as SLANT (Sit up, lean forward, ask questions, nod your
head, track the teacher).

• Use textured mats under worksheets and manipulatives to stabilize work area.

• Provide adapted paper (bold line, raised line, enlarged spacing).

• Use large pencils and/or pencil grips/weighted pencils

• Use adaptive equipment for posture: booster seats, arm rests, etc.

• Use computers with touch screen capabilities.

• A paraeducator may be needed to act as a scribe for in-class requirements.

Physical Disabilities
• Implement school based recommendations provided by Occupational and
Physical Therapists.

• Use assistive devices as prescribed (orthopedic chair, desk, etc).

• Provide frequent breaks to avoid fatigue.

• Use preferential seating, so that the student is close to supplies.

• Ensure safety by providing adequate space for the student to walk to his/her
desk.

• Ensure materials are reachable.

Gifted and Talented
• Streamline Curriculum by assessing prior knowledge and modifying work to suit
needs

• Group Flexibly by considering the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of each student
in the group

• Give Choices when applicable to allow the student to feel as if they are in control of
their learning (would you like to complete A or B assignment?)

• Provide Independent Work by creating multilevel learning stations that enrich

classroom content

• Collaborate with Parents in order to find new strategies and better curriculum
options

• Keep the Students Moving by assigning tasks or adding tools to use during lessons
(that won’t be distracting)

• Give Brain Breaks through meditation, knitting, coloring, etc.