Teaching Literacy to Students With Significant Disabilities

June E. Downing is Professor Emerita of Special Education at California State University, Northridge, and prior to that was at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she did research and prepared teachers to work in the area of moderate, severe, and multiple disabilities. She is a national leader in the field of special education that targets the needs of students with severe disabilities, especially with regard to inclusive education. She has published numerous articles, chapters, monographs, and seven books on students having severe and multiple disabilities. She served for six years on the Executive Board of TASH, an international advocacy organization for individuals with severe disabilities, and was a past president of the California Chapter of this organization—CalTASH as well as AZTASH. She has served as an associate editor of Research and Practices for Persons With Severe Disabilities and currently serves on this board as well as several other professional editorial boards. She is presently serving as an educational consultant, traveling extensively in the United States and abroad to do presentations on various subjects.

• Foreword - Douglas FisherAcknowledgmentsIntroductionAbout the Author1. Literacy and a Free Appropriate Public EducationKey ConceptsWhat Is Literacy?Literacy and Federal Mandates in EducationBarriers to Literacy Instruction for Students With Significant DisabilitiesAttitudinal BarrierLow ExpectationsLimited OpportunitiesLimited Means of Accessing LiteracyLimited TimeThe Age FactorLiteracy and Quality of Life IssuesSelf-EsteemSelf-DeterminationIndependenceInformation GatheringOrganizationLearningEntertainmentWhy Teach Reading to Students With Severe Disabilities?2. Literacy and CommunicationKey ConceptsThe Relationship Between Communication and LiteracyBuilding RelationshipsReading TogetherThe Benefits of Play InteractionsEmergent Literacy for Students of All AgesAugmentative and Alternative Communication DevicesBuilding Shared Experiences for Literacy DevelopmentDocumentation of Shared ExperiencesDrawingsPhotograph BooksTactile BooksSummaryFrequently Asked Questions3. Planning Literacy ActivitiesKey ConceptsGeneral ConsiderationsLiteracy Rich EnvironmentsBenefits of Learning in a General Education ClassroomAccess to the Core CurriculumNot Just Physical PresenceIdentifying Literacy GoalsWhat Are the Literacy Goals of the Individual and the Family?Determining Present Literacy SkillsAnalyzing the Environment and the Need for Literacy SkillsIdentifying When Literacy Skills Can be Taught Throughout the DayCreating Literacy-Learning Opportunities for All AgesIntegrated Related ServicesDeveloping Literacy Materials for Individual StudentsAge AppropriatenessIndividual ConsuderationsPhysical ConsiderationsVisual ConsiderationsCultural ConsiderationsInteresting MaterialHigh QualityAssistive TechnologyComputer AccessSummaryFrequently Asked Questions4. Teaching Literacy SkillsKey ConceptsConcerns With Some Past PracticesGeneral Considerations When Teaching Literacy SkillsOffering ChoicesFollowing Interest LevelProviding OpportunitiesMake AccessibleOn the Spot AccommodationsMeaningful Literacy ExperiencesThe Use of a Daily PlannerWithin Task DirectionsSelf-Monitoring ChecklistsLanguage Experience StoriesInteractive and FunClear Literacy Goals in MindDrawing Attention to Conventional LiteracyBalanced Literacy ApproachSpecific Instructional StrategiesDraw Attention to the Stimulus and Shape the ResponseModel the Behaviors of Reading and WritingCheck for ComprehensionWait for a ResponseProvide Corrective Feedback and PraiseFade Instructional SupportTeaching Generalization of SkillsSummaryFrequently Asked Questions5. Evaluating Progress: Next StepsKey ConceptsAlternative AssessmentsInterviewObservationsReview of Past RecordsThe Link to IEP Goals and State StandardsAdapting State Standards on LiteracyDeveloping Appropriate IEP Goals and ObjectivesPassive Versus Active IEP Goals and ObjectivesStandard Linked IEP ObjectivesProcedures for Measuring Student ProgressData CollectionEasy to Use FormsPortfolio AssessmentUsing Data for Instructional PurposedDetermining Next StepsReview Literacy GoalsRaise ExpectationsWhat Are the Logical Next Steps?Summary6. The Future for Literacy Access and InstructionKey ConceptsImproved Strategies to Support Literacy GoalsStrengthening Early Intervention ServicesFuture Advances in TechnologyBridging the Research-to-Practice GapImpact on Personnel PreparationImpact on Quality of LifeResourcesGlossaryReferencesList of TablesList of FiguresIndex

“Literacy is power—power to control your own life and influence the world around you. This book makes an important contribution. June Downing has challenged our assumptions about and expectations for students with significant disabilities.”