This document discusses strategies for creating inclusive classrooms that meet the needs of all students, including those with disabilities. It emphasizes using universal design for learning principles to remove barriers to learning by providing flexible and customized instructional methods, materials, and assessments. This allows students with disabilities to learn in different ways and have the same educational opportunities as other students. The goal is for disabled students to spend as much time as possible in regular classrooms, as research shows inclusion benefits both disabled and non-disabled students. The document provides examples of assistive technologies and instructional strategies teachers can use to support students with various disabilities.

1. Gia Johnson
February 26, 2012

2. All students are able to learn, as teachers we need to asses the strengths
and weaknesses of the students in our classrooms and incorporate
Universal Design for Learning into our lessons and classroom. UDI
suggests that teachers can remove barriers to learning by providing
flexibility in terms of options for materials, methods and assessments
(Rose & Meyer, 2002)
This flexibility and customization is especially important for students
with disabilities. These students benefit greatly when assistive
technology and teaching strategies are incorporated into the classroom.
These students are not intellectually impaired, they just learn in
different ways or need to have hurdles to learning cleared, so that they
can have the same educational opportunities as their fellow classmates.
Our goal should be to create a learning environment that is inclusive for
the disabled student and allows the student to be in a regular classroom
as much as possible. Studies have indicated that students without
disabilities also benefit from inclusive classrooms.

4.  Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) - A
learning plan that provides the most possible
time in the regular classroom setting.
 Inclusion – A term which involves bringing
the support services to the child in the
classroom, instead of separating the child
from the other students.
 Learning Disability - a neurological disorder
that affects one or more of the basic
psychological processes involved in
understanding or in using spoken or written
language

5.  Auditory Disability –a disorder that effects
the way auditory information is processed by
the brain
 Assistive technology or adaptive technology
(AT) is a term that includes assistive,
adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for
people with disabilities and also includes the
process used in selecting, locating, and using
them.

6.  Work to determine what type of help each
student needs
 Communicate verbally, in writing and displayed
in the classroom the rules, classroom
expectations, schedules and assignments.
 Teach study skills and learning strategies
 Schedule breaks, allow student to work standing
at the board
 Provide step by step directions, both verbally
and in writing.
 Allow the student to complete assignments on a
computer.

7.  Lee Swanson (1999) and his colleagues  Show rather than explain
found two major intervention practices  Supplement with more intact senses (use
that produced large outcomes. One is visual cues, signals, handouts,
direct instruction. The other is learning manipulatives)
strategy instruction.
 Reduce or space directions, give cues
 Teachers who were applying those kinds such as “ready?”
of intervention:
 broke learning into small steps;  Reword or help decipher confusing oral
and/or written directions
 administered probes;  Teach abstract vocabulary, word roots,
 supplied regular quality feedback; synonyms/antonyms
 used diagrams, graphics and pictures to  Vary pitch and tone of voice, alter pace,
augment what they were saying in stress key words
words;  Ask specific questions as you teach to
 provided ample independent, well- find out if they do understand
designed, intensive practice;  Allow them 5-6 seconds to respond
 modeled instructional practices that (“think time”)
they wanted students to follow;  Have the student constantly verbalize
 provided prompts of strategies to use; concepts, vocabulary words, rules, etc.
and  Avoid asking the child to listen and write
 engaged students in process type at the same time
questions like “How is that strategy  Excerpted from the LDA of California and
working? Where else might you apply it?” UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute "Q.U.I.L.T.S."
Calendar 2001-2002

8.  Web application/e-reader to read stories
aloud
 Icommunicator
 Digi-wave personal listening system
 Windows XP Assistive Software
 Computer/Laptop
 Spell check, grammar and thesaurus software
 I-Pad/I-Pod Touch
 Software – Tap to Talk, Easy Speech Pro,
Vanguard Springboard, Proloquo2go, Vmax,
Verbally and Lingraphica

9.  For students with auditory disabilities a
printed calendar listings assignments and
class activities is a helpful tool.
 Providing written outlines and notes on class
lessons will support students with both
auditory and mild learning disabilities.
 Break down information into small parts for
the student to understand and grasp.
 Incorporate memory tricks like mnemonics
into your instruction.
 Use visual, auditory and tactile cues to
augments teaching concepts.

10. Students who have trouble focusing can
use graphic organizers to assist in
arranging thoughts and ideas. This is an
effective tool for students with ADHD.

11.  www.lessonbuilder.cast.org/
 www.readingrockets.org
 www.signedstories.com/index.cfm

12. References
Cennamo, Katherine S., Ross, John D., and Ertmer, Peggy A, (2010). Technology
Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use; A Standards-Based Approach. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth.
Retrieved from http://www.cabrini.edu/communications/ProfDev/cardevC
hickering.html
Behrmann, Michael M., (1995). ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
Reston VA. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-2/mild.htm
Retrieved from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/
Retrieved from
http://www.ldaamerica.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/strategies.asp
Behrmann, Michael M., (2011). ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
Reston VA. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-2/mild.htm
Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/Checklists_for_Teachers©
Retrieved from
http://weac.org/Issues_Advocacy/Resource_Pages_On_Issues_one/Special_Education/sp
ecial_education_inclusion.aspx
CAST (2008), Retrieved from www.cast.org, www.udlcenter.org
Wakeeld, MA (N.D.). Universal design for learning guidelines version 1.0. Retrieved from
http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/adhd/