Problem-solving is a skill of fundamental importance for populations with developmental delays, and especially for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Training students with ASD to solve ill-defined problems is a challenging objective for educational and therapeutic teams. This is due to the myriad of unpredictable situations presented…

The United States has made many advances in establishing a culture of acceptance and inclusivity for individuals with disabilities. Through best practices in K-12 education, students with disabilities are becoming more independent and empowered, however, there are many potential risks students with disabilities face, especially in the area of…

Physical activity (PA) promotion for children with disabilities tends to be less of a priority in physical education teacher education programs when compared with a focus on motor and sport-specific skills and strategies. As a result, physical education teachers tend to have less competence in promoting PA of students with disabilities, leaving…

This article describes a process for the incidental teaching of conversation skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive settings. The incidental teaching of conversation skills is an effective naturalistic intervention for assisting students with ASD to improve their social communication skills. Special educators and other…

The Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) model for instructional delivery is well supported by research evidence and is often identified as a critical element of instruction for students with learning difficulties. However, there are challenges associated with effectively releasing responsibility to students. This may be especially true during…

Educators are often tasked with making decisions based on a body of evidence and a sound data-based decision-making process. Teachers examine data from assessments (e.g., curriculum-based measures, formal assessments, informal interviews with students' general education teachers, writing samples, and other assessment data) and find many students…

Response-prompting procedures are a form of systematic direct instruction based on the principles of ABA. Researchers have identified six specific and distinct response-prompting procedures for teaching both academic and functional skills: (1) graduated guidance; (2) most-to-least prompting; (3) system of least prompts; (4) progressive time delay;…

Social skills instruction (SSI) provides a promising avenue for teaching and promoting positive social interactions to students with high-incidence disabilities. Within SSI, a distinction can be made between social skills and social competence. Social skills are specific behaviors one must perform correctly within a specific social context or…

Evidence based reading instruction and intervention are essential for students with disabilities. The authors recommend that elementary special education teachers emphasize both code-based and meaning-based skills as part of delivering intensive reading interventions, including providing explicit and systematic decoding and vocabulary instruction.…

Students are frequently expected to complete multistep tasks within a range of academic or classroom routines and to do so independently. Students' ability to complete these tasks successfully may vary as a consequence of both their working-memory capacity and the conditions under which they are expected to learn. Crucial features in the design or…

Students with significant disabilities often struggle to communicate their wants and needs but can be taught widely recognizable communication with the aid of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) supports. Simple speech generating devices (SGDs) such as Step-by-Step switches or GoTalk can be used by students to send specific messages.…

Decoding practice significantly improves students' reading proficiency and is particularly beneficial for those who have or who are at risk for reading difficulties. Finding effective ways to provide decoding practice for struggling readers can be a challenge for teachers. Still, this goal is essential for developing reading proficiency. The…

Some students with disabilities develop a dependence on others for support and can benefit from self-management strategies to increase independence. Self-operated auditory prompting systems are an effective self-management intervention used to increase independence for students with disabilities while continuing to provide the support that they…

Families choose to enroll their children in fully online schools for many reasons. Online schools offer the possibility of flexible schedules and the potential to learn at a pace and in a manner that is not available to students in their brick-and-mortar schools (Cavanaugh & Clark, 2007). Because online education can allow for individualized…

Most schools have crisis plans to support student safety, but few plans address the complex needs of students with disabilities. School supports should include analysis of school plans and student strengths and needs to ensure that students with disabilities have the best opportunity to be safe in school crises. Recommendations include developing…