scholarly journals Literacy Acquisition for Students With Severe Disabilities: Making It Happen Through Assistive Technology

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-83
Author(s):  
Marci Kinas Jerome ◽  
Melissa K. Ainsworth
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Literacy Acquisition ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

Comprehensive Literacy Instruction, Interprofessional Collaborative Practice, and Students With Severe Disabilities

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen A. Erickson
Keyword(s):  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Literacy Acquisition ◽  
Collaborative Practice ◽  
Career Readiness ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Interprofessional Collaborative Practice ◽  
Comprehensive Literacy ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

PurposeThe purpose of this clinical focus article is to briefly describe comprehensive emergent and conventional literacy instruction for students with severe disabilities. Specific attention is given to interprofessional collaborative practice and the roles of team members in planning and delivering instruction.MethodA rationale for the delivery of comprehensive instruction that balances skill and meaning emphases is provided with reference to new college and career readiness standards, the literature on literacy acquisition for students without disabilities, and, when possible, the literature on literacy acquisition for students with severe disabilities. Specific instructional approaches are presented to demonstrate how teams can actively engage students with severe disabilities in instruction that is collaborative, participatory, and interactive.Results/ConclusionsSuccessful provision of comprehensive literacy instruction that allows students with severe disabilities to achieve conventional literacy takes time and the efforts of a collaborative interprofessional team. Speech-language pathologists play a critical role on these teams as they ensure that students with severe disabilities have the language and communication supports they need to be successful.

Efficacy of Peer-Network Interventions for High School Students with Severe Disabilities and Complex Communication Needs

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-114
Author(s):  
Morgan E. Herbert ◽  
Matthew E. Brock ◽  
Mary A. Barczak ◽  
Eric J. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
School Students ◽  
Complex Communication Needs ◽  
Peer Network ◽  
Network Intervention ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

Peer networks are a promising intervention for increasing social interactions between students with severe disabilities and their peers. However, this approach has not been well studied with high school students who have complex communication needs and use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). In this study, we used a multiple probe across participants design to evaluate the effectiveness of a lunchtime peer-network intervention for three high school students with autism and/or multiple disabilities who had complex communication needs. The intervention involved recruiting peers, sharing practical background information and modeling how to communicate with the student, and then providing support as needed. A functional relation was established between the introduction of the peer-network intervention and both social interactions and social engagement. Interactions increased substantially across communication modalities. This study builds on the peer-network literature by demonstrating how this approach can be tailored for high school students with complex communication needs.

scholarly journals An Assessment of the Feasibility and Effectiveness of Distance Learning for Students With Severe Developmental Disabilities and High Behavioral Needs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melaura Andree Erickson Tomaino ◽  
Alissa L. Greenberg ◽  
Sarah Ann Kagawa-Purohit ◽  
Sagui A. Doering ◽  
Edward Steven Miguel
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Technology Study ◽  
Educational Benefits ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Behavioral Needs ◽  
Severe Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

AbstractSchools across the country closed their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures impacted all students, as schools, educators, and families grappled with the realities of transitioning to distance-learning platforms. The research on distance learning is still in its early phases. However, almost no research exists on educating students with severe disabilities and high behavioral needs using this technology. Study 1 collected survey data from students’ families and their educators on the feasibility and effectiveness of distance-learning programs when working with students with severe developmental disabilities and high behavioral needs. Results indicated that parents and educators had generally neutral attitudes toward distance learning, although educators agreed that their students were obtaining educational benefits during distance learning. Study 2 further examined the effects of a transition to distance learning on students’ Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goal progress. Analyses revealed that students maintained about half of the skills addressed in their IEPs and made progress on an additional quarter of their IEP goals. Findings contribute to a much-needed literature base on distance learning and provide additional information as to the feasibility and effectiveness of distance learning with students with severe developmental disabilities and high behavioral needs. Future work is needed to determine best practices for distance learning with this population.

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