Teaching Literacy to Students With Significant Disabilities

Book excerpt: Break down literacy barriers to enrich the lives of students with significant disabilities! All educators and family members would agree that depriving any student of the enhanced self-esteem, independence, social skills, and general quality of life afforded by literacy would be wrong. However, because of the particular challenges-perceived or otherwise-of providing literacy instruction to children and youth with significant disabilities, these students are often overlooked in receiving meaningful experiences and equal access to this aspect of the core curriculum. Teaching Literacy to Students With Significant Disabilities offers tangible support for obliterating the obstacles to effective literacy instruction, including: Effective strategies for tailoring literacy materials to students with disabilities Tactics for adapting state standards and meeting No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements Straightforward chapter summaries, frequently asked questions, Web sites, and other resources that reinforce key points Easy-to-implement planning and assessment guidelines Brimming with practical ideas, tips, and examples, this definitive guide offers K-12 educators the research findings and means for creating an inclusive environment that encourages students with significant disabilities to become actively engaged in literacy learning. It empowers teachers, family members, and all team members with creative, sensitive, and all-embracing ways to successfully set and meet realistic communication-development goals that yield lifelong benefits.