• Pictures Many individuals with autism are visual learners, so it is best to use pictures and/or objects.

• Structured Environment individuals with autism benefit from having a clear beginning and end. The classroom should be organized to have designated areas. Labeling areas with pictures and/or words show the student what the area is and what is expected of them in that particular space.

• Give Clear Directions Give short and simple directions. Individuals work best when tasks are broken into smaller assignments over shorter amounts of time.

• Visual Schedule use of pictures, objects, or words to sequence daily activities

Depending on students individual impairment severity.

• Provide directions and instructions using the student’s preferred and strongest mode of communication. Many students will benefit from total communication approach including spoken language, tactile information, and sign language.

• Provide information to the student to indicate that a new task is beginning, the expectations for the lesson, and prepare the student for transitions to new activities. Consistency across routines will facilitate learning.

• Allow opportunities for repetition and practice of previously introduced material.
• Work with other teams members to identify appropriate homework options and requirements.

• Provide ample time for exploration and play with manipulatives before requiring students to complete the task.

• Use hands-on learning experiences that incorporate a multisensory approach and rely on information available through touch, smell, and movement.

• Capitalize on sense of touch through the systematic use of manipulatives throughout the grade levels. Pair students with peers while vocabulary specific to the lesson is introduced and allow them to practice related concepts with manipulatives.

• Consider close proximity to the activity and teacher during instruction. The positioning of the student and the materials must be based on understanding the child’s acuity and any field loss concerns. For example, a child who has a field loss on the left side will need materials presented on the right side. Accurate information about the child’s vision and hearing and how those losses impact access to information are CRITICAL.

• Carefully consider the arrangement of the classroom so that mobility is encouraged and comfortable for the child. Experiencing a simulation of dual sensory impairments may assist in identifying features of the environment that need to be adjusted.

• Provide instruction at an appropriate pace, frequently checking for understanding and reteaching concepts as necessary.

• Provide appropriate wait time for the student to respond to instruction or directions.

• Have classmates identify themselves as they answer questions and participate in class discussions to allow the student to orient to the speaker.

• Consider having the primary instructor positioned in one location during the lesson, away from the glare and optimizing contrast with background materials.

• Text to speech (TTS) software can help students with developmental delays that cause them to have trouble reading. Intel reader is a hand held TTS device. The Kurzweil 300 is another TTS with more features.

• FM systems are made for students with hearing problems. It is a radio broadcasting technology that allows the student to hear the teacher no matter the distance or background noise.

• Ghotit and Ginger are two types of proofreading software that can help students with writing delays.

•Seating: these students will do better if seated on their own instead of in a group so that they can have their own space. this also helps to minimize distractions.

• Material objects: there is some data that show that students with developmental delays understand subjects like math better when it is presented with shapes. Handling these objects also help develop motor skills that is one of the areas developmental delay students struggle with.

•Routine: these students benefit from repetition. It is even suggested that parents and teachers work together and let the student repeat routines at home and in the class.

•Discussion: speech is problems often occur with developmental delay students, so having a discussion about something like a book that was read in class is a good way to encourage and practice speaking.

•Simple assignments: these students will not benefit from writing and worksheets as it is hard for them to hold a pencil. Drawing and writing short sentences will encourage them. If they succeed in easy tasks, that will motivate them to try more.

These children will most likely need an aid to help them throughout the day. They could need help walking, standing, speaking, communicating, concentrating, thinking and working.

• Find their strengths, each child will have strengths so try and find a way to build and teach them from their strengths.

• Be flexible and ready to make changes and different accommodations based on the child.There are many resources that can help, here is a good one I found, http://nichcy.org/schoolage/accommodations

• Make sure that you are involved in the IEP, they will definitely have one.

• Propor transportation is required by all public education schools under IDEA. Children with orthopedic impairment need to be able to get to school.
• A propor school schedule that allows students minimal hallway navigation, especially in Middle and high school. This includes limited distance to classes, automatic door openers, elevators, and more.
• Physical education requirements should depend on the student’s physical abilities. They may be excused if they cannot perform a task properly. Think of exercise they can perform.

• Provide repetition and consistency.

•Demonstrate new tasks, state instructions, and provide. examples to illustrate ideas and concepts.

• Avoid figurative language.

• Reinforce lengthening periods of attention to appropriate tasks.

•Probe skill acquisition frequently and provide repeated practice.

• Teach compensatory strategies for increasing memory.

• Be prepared for students' reduced stamina and increased fatigue and provide rest breaks as needed.

• Keep the environment as distraction-free as possible.

• Find out as much as you can about the child's injury and his or her present needs. Find out more about TBI. See the list of resources and organizations at the end of this publication.

• Give the student more time to finish schoolwork and tests.

• Give directions one step at a time. For tasks with many steps, it helps to give the student written directions.

• Show the student how to perform new tasks. Give examples to go with new ideas and concepts.

• Have consistent routines. This helps the student know what to expect. If the routine is going to change, let the student know ahead of time.

• Check to make sure that the student has actually learned the new skill. Give the student lots of opportunities to practice the new skill.

• Show the student how to use an assignment book and a daily schedule. This helps the student get organized.

• Realize that the student may tire quickly. Let the student rest as needed.

• Reduce distractions.

• Keep in touch with the student's parents. Share information about how the student is doing at home and at school.

•Be flexible about expectations. Be patient. Maximize the student's chances for success.

• Speech recognition software
• Screen reading software
• Tinted overlays for reading (this may help with visual processing)
• Academic software packages for students with disabilities

Individuals with Autism use low to high tech assistive technology devices depending on where they are on the spectrum and whether or not they are verbal or non-verbal. Assistive technology allows students to be able to participate in the classroom as well as perform daily skills.

• Picture Exchange: teaches communication using pictures

• Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) app: an approach for non-verbal individuals to independently communicate.

*• There are several other communication apps. Apps can be selected based on preference and/or the child’s skill level.

• Manipulatives or calculator assist with completing work tasks as many individuals with autism are visual learners

• Weighted blanket or vest helps with calming and relaxation

• Visual Schedule use of pictures, objects, or words to sequence daily activities

•Go-Talk is a portable communication tool that allows you to record your own messages.

Use low to high tech devices for increasing independence and participation. Some students with visual impairments will benefit from light boxes to increase the contrast between objects and background and/or other devices to enlarge or magnify print and materials.

Students with hearing impairments may benefit from amplification systems or assistive listening devices.

There are many different examples of assistive technologies that can be used depending on which disabilities they have, they almost all have a learning disability but they can also have physical disabilities, sensory issues, many health needs and mental issues. There are a lot of high-tech options and technology has come a long way! Here are some examples of assistive tech that can be used depending on which disability they have.

• Alternative input devices are designed to allow students with disabilities to use computers and related technology easily. They include touch screens, modified keyboards, and even joysticks that direct a cursor through the use of body parts like chins, hands, or feet.

• Speech-to-text provides a learning advantage for students who have mobility or dexterity problems or those who are blind,
speech-to-text options can also “talk back” to students and let them know about potential errors in their work.

• Sensory Enhancers. A child with language disability can benefit from bright pictures or colors to learn new concepts. Sensory enhancers may include voice analyzers, augmentative communication tools or speech synthesizers.

• Screen readers, which is slightly different from text-to-speech because it simply informs students of what is on a screen.

• Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP), connects neurological and motor learning in a way that makes communication easier for students with autism and related disorders.
• IPAD’s or tablets can also be very helpful, there have been studies that show that students with communicating/verbal issues start talking as early as age 5-8 with the help of tablets and many apps they provide.
• Personal tablets can be good for kids with sensory issues because they can control the volume, brightness of the screen.. Etc

Teachers need to be aware of classroom layout, any student who uses a mobility device, such as a wheelchair or cane, then make sure they can navigate throughout the whole classroom.

• Wheelchairs
• Canes
• Walkers
• Special chairs or desks for optimal comfort, learning, and posture.
• Special physical activity equipment.
• Crutches

• Speak It!- Helps non-verbal students interact and speak.
• Read2Go- used for kids with dyslexia and vision issues.
• Dragon Dictation- Voice command app for students who can’t write.
• Notability- great notetaker for visually learning students.
• Talking calculator- easy interface for students who find calculators difficult.
• Virtual Manipulatives- math app
• Draw Free for Ipad App- For creative projects or kids.

This is hard to define because it depends on the need of the individual.

• ADHD: low to mid-tech can be used to assist their organizational abilities like notebooks, dividers, computer programs that do the same.

• Usually they can benefit from the same technological supports that are used with their normally developing peers.

• Neuromotor impairments: an abnormality of, or damage to, the brain, spinal cord, or nervous system that sends impulses to the muscles of the body.

• Degenerative diseases: are composed of various diseases that affect motor development. The most common degenerative disease found in the school population is muscular dystrophy.

• Musculoskeletal disorders: are composed of various conditions that can result in various levels of physical limitations.

Description
Is when a student experiences both hearing and visual impairments simultaneously. Due to the concomitant impairments, students cannot be accommodated in special education programs geared towards one impairment.

Description
Autism and or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disability affecting an individual’s ability to communicate and interact with others . A milder type of Autism is Asperger Syndrome where an individual has good language and cognitive skills. They tend to be socially awkward, not understand conventional social rules, limited eye contact, and seem disengaged.

Description
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) under federal law means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects the student's educational performance.

Infrared and audio induction loop systems—cable circling a room and transmitting
electromagnetic waves to a telecoil (compatible receiver cable) in a hearing aid or
cochlear implant

• Increased amount of visual examples/ information.

•Assigned hearing note-takers for Deaf/HoH students (student’s notes taken during oral ectures can be uploaded to class website (Blackboard, eg.).

•ASL (American Sign Language), PSE (Pidgin Signed English) orSEE (Signed Exact
English) interpreters.
•Teacher’s physical position—always facing the students when conveying information.

• Consistent eye contact—hugely important in Deaf and HoH communities.

Coupling accessories for media devices—devices that plug directly into a cochlear implant or hearing aid and transmit sound via tablet or phone; some coupling devices transmit
sound wirelessly to cochlear implant or hearing aid

Personal—coupled directly to a hearing aid or cochlear implant to an individual

Sound field—transmitting increased and directed sound levels to a group ofindividuals; special speakers placed at strategic locations in environment
classroom, auditorium, etc.)

Visual Alerting Devices—special alarms, timers, smoke detectors, etc. that provide visual alerts via lighting up or blinking, or via vibration.

Telecommunication-- texting, video chat applications for computers, smartphones, and
tablets

Communication Access Real-time translation (CART)—word-for-word speech to text translation.

Typewell and C-Print—capturing and transcribing the essence of a discussion.

• Assistive Technology.

•Optical Aids—Eyeglasses and magnifiers.

• Braille slate and stylus—portable device of paper held together by two sheets of metal on
which a student can punch out Braille text with a stylus.

• Perkins brailler—machine (like a typewriter) that type braille.

• Portable notetaker—small handheld word processor-like machine that has software that
may have a text-to-speech software.

• Recordings.

• Talking calculators.

• Tactile machines including calculators and timepieces.

• Tactile graphic aids such as maps, graphs, diagrams, and pictures.

• Computer text enlarging software.

• Screen reader—text-to-voice computer software that reads text aloud.

• Refreshable Braille displays—electronic devices that can be hooked up to a computer to
display a line of braille at a time by raising cells of pins on a surface a person touches.

• Adaptive paper—paper with darkened lines, different colors or raised lines.

• Video magnification (CCTV)—video magnification camera under which students can write to
display their writing on a magnification monitor.

• Abacus.

• Braille flash cards.

• Tactile manipulatives for sorting by size, shape, or other properties.

• Geometric manipulatives can be used to show concepts such as angles, area, and spatial
relationships.

• Tactile or Braille number line.

• Fraction manipulatives and puzzles.

• Large print/braille dice can be used to reinforce number recognition and play a variety of
math games.

• Large print/braille Bingo cards teach students to quickly scan for numbers while reinforcing
concepts of horizontal, vertical and diagonal.

• Base-ten blocks and braille math blocks help students “visualize” and manipulate numbers.

• Pegboards or geoboards are useful for teaching shapes, spatial relations, or graphing.

• Wikki Stix—crystalline strips that can be cut, shaped and manipulated to represent lines or
shapes.

• Allow a student to explore classroom during the first week and whenever you make any major changes.

• Show student where his or her desk is, where materials are located, papers turned in, etc.

• Point out restrooms, water fountains, library, office, cafeteria, gym, and bus stops and
ask that Braille labels be placed outside each entry for blind students.

• Avoid having students work in their own shadow or facing the light.

• Students may need to change their seats whenever they desire more or less light.

• Use regular print (opposed to large print) whenever possible.

• When showing a picture in a textbook, use regular size print (large print processing distorts
the picture).

• Seat students near the board and in a central location, but within a group of students

• Verbalize as you write on the board

• Provide student a copy of what you have written on the board (when possible).

• Avoid yellow/orange writing.

• Keep board clean (for better contrast effect)

• Tests should be dark and clear.

• Do not use red ink.

• Remember that students with poor sight will often be slower readers than those with normal sight of the same intelligence. His or her eyes will tire much faster, so tests in the afternoon can be particularly difficult to read.

• On timed drills allow at least double the time for a student with low vision (or do not time
them at all).

• If the student is comfortable performing orally, tests may be given orally by another person
who fills in the blanks.

• Seat student close to the screen.

• Provide student with your overhead projector sheet or master copy so he or she can read
and/or copy from it.

• Use a dark (preferably black) pen on the overhead sheet; do not use red ink.

• Discuss movies thoroughly afterward to make sure the student understands major
concepts presented.

• Move the projector closer to the screen to produce a smaller, more distinct image.

• Record the assignment, provided that the student can function as well with a recording.

• Make tests completely legible. Ask the student to read parts of the test to you privately to be sure he or she can see all parts of the test.

• Give the student a little extra time

• Light intensity can be regulated by adjusting distance from the window or light source.

• Artificial lights should be used whenever brightness levels become low in any part of the room.
• Avoid glares on working surfaces (a piece of dark colored paper taped to the entire desk
• Surface diminishes glare off the desk).

• Dry erase boards used with dark markers offer better contrast than chalkboards

• Soft lead pencils and felt-tipped pens with black ink are recommended for use on unglazed light and tinted paper

• Good contrast and white space between lines of print offer the best viewing comfort for
lengthy reading assignments

• Flexible time limits may be necessary for students that need longer on projects and tests or to switch activities.

• For more complex activities, simplify into steps to make it easier to understand and manageable.

• Seat the students close to the teacher and away from distracting students.

• Prepare a schedule for students, this can help keep them on and get them on track.

• Frequent breaks.

• Freedom to use the bathroom and water fountain
Alternative grading scale

• Infrared and audio induction loop systems—cable circling a room and transmitting
electromagnetic waves to a telecoil (compatible receiver cable) in a hearing aid or
cochlear implant.

• Coupling accessories for media devices—devices that plug directly into a cochlear implant or hearing aid and transmit sound via tablet or phone; some coupling devices transmit
sound wirelessly to cochlear implant or hearing aid.

• Translation services—allow words of a speaker to be transcribed into text displayed on a
monitor or computer screen.

• Personal—coupled directly to a hearing aid or cochlear implant to an individual.
• Sound field—transmitting increased and directed sound levels to a group of individuals;
special speakers placed at strategic locations in environment (classroom, auditorium, etc.).

• Captioning services—allow video productions to display spoken dialogue as printed text.

• Face-to-Face communication system—two keyboards and two monitors allowing educator and student to type messages back and forth to each other.

• Clearly, enunciate speech

• Seating student near the source of auditory information

• Reducing background classroom noise/distracting extraneous noises

• Obtain student’s attention prior to speaking

• Repeat sentences/directions if necessary

• ASL/PSE (Pidgin Signed English)/SEE (Signed Exact English) Interpreter

• Reduce visual distractions

• Frequently check for comprehension/understanding

• Use clear (simple) sentence structures; give step-by-step instructions

• Use peer note takers

• Allow for breaks from listening/processing

• Use as many visual supports and materials as possible