SpeechPathology.com Phone: 800-242-5183


EdTheory Build Your Career 2018

Understanding Alignment and Evidence-Based Strategies for Teaching Students with Moderate-to-Severe Disabilities

Understanding Alignment and Evidence-Based Strategies for Teaching Students with Moderate-to-Severe Disabilities
Bree Jimenez, PhD
January 14, 2016
Share:

Our learning objectives are that you will be able to describe the major elements of universal design for learning, identify specific strategies such as systemic instruction or self-determination to develop instruction that is aligned with standards-based IEP goals and objectives for this population of students with moderate to severe disabilities, and describe how to create  standards-based instructional plans for this group of students who access the curriculum at various levels, including multiple communication modes of responses. 

Strategies to Teach Standards

Let’s start with strategies to teach the standards.  Alignment to the curriculum is multifaceted for all students, and specifically those with extensive support needs (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Strategies to teach the standards.

Universal design for learning (UDL) is something we will talk about more.  We will also discuss student-directed learning outcomes that are important for engaging our students and not just telling them what to think. We want to help them think on their own and gain the skills needed to be college and career ready.  Another strategy is assistive technology and peer supports, as well as the many other supports that align with that.  Systematic instruction is the strategy with an instructional component of not just setting up the environment and having good clear objectives, but is also the teaching part.  How do we set up those objectives and teach in a way that students gain access, participate, show their knowledge and demonstrate the rigorous learning outcomes?  Research to practice strategy is important in that what we are doing is based on what we know works for this population of students and thinking about what we do know.  Generalization is another strategy for students who typically need repeated opportunities, many different opportunities and repeated practice to generalize what they are learning in the classroom to their community. 


bree jimenez

Bree Jimenez, PhD

Bree Jimenez is an assistant professor of special education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Jimenez has worked in the field of low-incidence disability for over 15 years. Dr. Jimenez designs and conducts research in the area of general curriculum access, specifically in adapted literature, mathematics, and inquiry science. She has published a book and written multiple textbooks chapters surrounding general curriculum access, inclusive practices and alternate assessments for students with moderate and severe disabilities, and is a published curriculum writer. Dr. Jimenez has also published 20 peer• reviewed journal articles, surrounding topics in systematic instruction, general curriculum access, inclusive practices, and embedded instruction for students with moderate and severe disabilities. She has spent extensive time working with state departments and alternate assessment consortiums, as well as providing professional development with educators and administrators on alternate assessments nationally.



Related Courses

Developing Authors: Designing Opportunities in AAC Using the Science of Writing
Presented by Janet Sturm, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
Video
Course: #9787Level: Advanced1 Hour
This is Part 1 of the 5-part series, Applying the Science of Reading, Writing, and Oral Language for Students Who Use AAC. The ability to write has enormous power, especially for a student who uses augmentative/alternative communication (AAC). This course describes how students who use AAC can become authors when systematic, sequential and explicit instruction is anchored in the science of writing, and discusses the components and benefits of this type of reading/writing curriculum.

“Spelling” It Out for Students Who Use AAC: Applying Evidence-Based Practices
Presented by Jillian McCarthy, PhD, CCC-SLP
Video
Course: #9788Level: Advanced1 Hour
This is Part 3 of the 5-part series, Applying the Science of Reading, Writing, and Oral Language for Students Who Use AAC. The ability to spell opens academic, social, and employment doors for children with complex communication needs (CCN) who use or benefit from augmentative-alternative communication (AAC). This course discusses evidence-based assessment and intervention ideas to help students with CCN who use AAC become “spellers,” and broaden their overall communication skills.

Supporting Literacy Development through Robust Language Intervention for Students who Use AAC
Presented by Carole Zangari, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
Video
Course: #97891 Hour
This is Part 4 of the 5-part series, Applying the Science of Reading, Writing, and Oral Language for Students Who Use AAC. Improving the linguistic foundation of students who use AAC supports the development of strong literacy skills. Key intervention strategies and guidelines for robust language intervention for AAC users are discussed along with examples demonstrating their application to various language skills.

Pulling It All Together for Students Who Use AAC: Reading, Writing, and Communication
Presented by Kelly S. Fonner, MS
Video
Course: #9791Level: Advanced1 Hour
This is Part 5 of the 5-part series, Applying the Science of Reading, Writing, and Oral Language for Students Who Use AAC. This course describes the integration of literacy learning and augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) for a student with complex communication needs (CCN). Case examples, video and data documentation are used to share methods for planning, activities, tools and progress monitoring that are doable as well as grounded in research-based practice.

Keep it Simple! Using the Simple View of Reading to Examine Literacy in AAC
Presented by Maureen Staskowski, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
Video
Course: #9792Level: Advanced1 Hour
This is Part 2 of the 5-part series, Applying the Science of Reading, Writing, and Oral Language for Students Who Use AAC. Join the Science of Reading Movement! This course describes how to use the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope models to examine instructional targets and materials and design high-leverage and engaging practices for augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) users.

Our site uses cookies to improve your experience. By using our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.