The American Rescue Plan Act Funds and Students With Extensive Support Needs: Three Considerations for Technology Access and Use

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted inequities in technology literacy and access for students with extensive support needs (ESN) in k-12 settings. Technology is critical for students with ESN to continue lifelong learning after graduation. The unprecedented level of funds from the American Relief Plan provides schools opportunities to invest in sustainable and accessible technology which benefits all students. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is used to increase access to learning for all students, and should be applied to decision making surrounding technology investment and purchasing. This essay provides three considerations for schools to reflect on when spending ARP Act funds: (a) use UD to purchase technology, (b) provide UDL professional development to teach technology literacy skills, and (c) provide learning opportunities aimed at technology use among students with ESN.

The Importance of Disability Identity, Self-Advocacy, and Disability Activism

Disability identity development is an important part of the experience of people with disabilities. Participation in disability community activism and advocacy for the goals of the disability community is related to self-advocacy and plays a fundamental role in shifting individuals’ views of themselves and their disabilities. This article explores a political disability identity conceptual framework and provides recommendations for teachers to develop an understanding of disability in school focused on self-worth and pride; awareness of discrimination, common cause within the disability community, and policy alternatives; and engagement in political action.

Fair and Equitable Grading for ALL Students in Inclusive Settings

Grading is a common practice in general education settings. Few teachers, however, are clear about how they should grade students with significant cognitive disabilities when those students are included in the general education classroom. Unfortunately, existing research provides minimal information to aid teachers and education leaders as they consider fair and equitable grading practices for these students. In this article, we examine the four criteria for high-quality inclusive grading outlined by The William & Mary Training & Technical Assistance Center for grading within the inclusive classroom: (a) grades are accurate, (b) grades are meaningful, (c) grades are consistent, and (d) grades are supportive of learning and discuss how these criteria could be applied to provide a more fair and equitable grading system for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

An Interview on District and School Transformation: Practical Approaches to Facilitating Sustainable Systemic Change

Illinois has an education system that includes regional cooperatives charged with supporting member districts in the provision of special education services for students from birth to age 22. Such support can include both direct services (i.e., early childhood services, special education classes in a separate building or in special education classrooms of the member districts) and indirect services (e.g., consulting services, professional development and coaching, assessment, related services). This interview is with three leaders in one such cooperative of 18 K-8 and high school member districts of varying size across 3 regions in 2 counties.

Strategies for Including Students With Extensive Support Needs in SWPBIS

Schools that implement School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) offer a multitiered continuum of supports that increases in intensity to support the behavioral needs of all students within a school. Although the number of schools that have adopted SWPBIS continues to rise, students with extensive support needs (ESN) may be excluded from various aspects of SWPBIS at the Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels. Given that SWPBIS is intended to be fully inclusive, the purpose of this article is to provide educators and other staff with practical tools and guidelines for including students with ESN in Tiers 1 and 2 of SWPBIS. We also present additional considerations for self-assessment, collaborative teaming, and professional development for including students with ESN in SWPBIS.

Distance Learning and Students With Extensive Support Needs: (Re)Defining Access to Education From a Distance

Students with Extensive Support Needs (ESN) experience multiple barriers in accessing distance learning educational programs during school closures in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These barriers include inaccessible formats, a lack of access to adequate support to access instruction, and a lack of available assistive technology. Access issues may result in further isolation of students and reduced access to general education peers and curriculum. Promising practices include close collaboration with families, connecting Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals to students’ daily routines, supporting access to the general education curriculum, strategic participation in online classes, meaningful engagement with typical peers, and the adaptation of progress monitoring strategies for distance learning formats.

Leveraging the UDL Framework to Plan Grade-Aligned Mathematics in Inclusive Settings

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that can be applied when planning inclusive mathematics to benefit all students in a classroom, including students with extensive support needs. This article provides a step-by-step process for using the UDL framework to plan instruction, meeting the needs of all learners. Strategies such as collaboration, prioritizing learning goals, contextualizing mathematics to make it meaningful to learners, and planning for variability across the three principles of UDL—multiple means of expression, representation, and action and expression—are discussed.

A Place of Belonging: Including Individuals With Significant Disabilities in Faith Communities

Faith is central to the flourishing of so many children and adults with significant disabilities and their families. For congregations striving to be a place of inclusion and belonging for their entire community, the theological call to welcome people with disabilities can introduce a host of questions: What does it mean to be a community marked by belonging? What strategies and supports should we adopt to include people well? How can others assist us in this essential endeavor? This article presents a framework for reflecting on the practices and commitments of local congregations that contribute to belonging within a community of faith.