Collaboration to Support Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities in Fall 2020 Superintendents, school administrators, and local health officials are working feverishly to determine the safest instructional model for school districts after the COVID-19 closures. Although many details remain uncertain, school officials need to cautiously think through next steps if schools are to reopen successfully. [More]
Planning for Extended School Year (ESY) During a Pandemic The past several months brought about unprecedented shifts in how schools are providing instruction to complete the 2019–2020 school year. As the year ends and health and safety concerns related to providing face to face instruction remain uncertain, special education directors are facing news challenges in planning ESY. [More]
Connecting Social Emotional Well-Being, Mental Health, and Suicide Prevention: Strategies for Addressing a Child’s Call for Help Since late February and early March of 2020, due to the COVID-19 emergency, school districts across the nation have experienced school closures, which have impacted the delivery of instructional continuity. Many have managed to shift instructional practices to distance learning with varying degrees of success. [More]
Supporting Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities During Distance Learning As we support distance learning practices during the COVID-19 emergency, it is essential to implement highly effective instructional strategies to support learners with significant intellectual disabilities. Strategies include using the elements of Universal Design for Learning to develop learning plans; creating a consistent and collaborative schedule for ourselves, families, and students; and establishing student expectations; with flexibility. During distance learning, continued communication with colleagues, administrators, students, and families, is essential to keeping everyone connected and informed. [More]
Five Key Actions to Support Parent Engagement of Students with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Emergency As school districts are now several weeks into the COVID-19 emergency, state education agencies across the U.S. are announcing statewide closures of school buildings for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. What appeared to be a potentially short-term situation is now becoming a much longer-term “new normal.” [More]