Competency 4 addresses how teachers can ensure that students with disabilities learn in general education classrooms. Students with disabilities are most successful when teachers recognize that how they design and deliver curricula, individualize instruction in the process, and employ evidence-based practices can greatly improve student outcomes. The heterogeneous classroom of the 21st century must evolve to consider the complexity inherent to it. Students who need certain accommodations, modifications, or other supports can thrive in a classroom whose teacher has been well-trained in inclusive design and instruction to meet the needs of all students.

One framework for conceptualizing this type of inclusiveness is known an Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

This concept involves three main principles as seen in the diagram above that ultimately seek to consider flexibility and diversity with regard to how students interact and engage with material, thereby becoming more inclusive. UDL exists contrary to any belief that curriculum is monolithic.

An example of employing UDL principles would be to develop classroom materials digitally so that students have all the tools they may need for immediate modification and adaptation. For some students, digital formats serve as AT, while for others it is a means to enhance learning, (e.g. voice-typing can assist SWDs who have an orthopedic disability, while for others it can be a practice tool for language acquisition). Another example may involve converting instructions into visuals for quick student action (auditory processing, visual impairment, ASD, etc., or simply the distracted young person can benefit from a quick glance at the board for orientation). Consideration is also given to the universality of SLOs so that students can achieve those outcomes through engagement in different types of activities and assessments, thereby individualizing instruction through choice. Teachers are expected to monitor progress frequently thus acquiring the data needed to ensure student learning.

Another facet of teaching students with disabilities involves the degree to which the teacher is informed and trained in offering high quality evidence-based instruction. One such practice is known as explicit instruction. There are myriad resources to access: the video button below is Anita Archer giving a vocabulary review for 8th grade geometry while the web link to its right has various useful checklists for setting up a lesson using explicit instruction. Essentially one must understand the difference between explicit and implicit teaching, model for students with ample examples, offer opportunities for guided practice, and then scaffold effectively, moving students to independent learning.

Students with disabilities benefit tremendously from explicit instruction because it is a direct approach that allows the students ample time to build confidence before independence is expected.  The teacher is getting consistent feedback on progress to target instruction where needed, and students who have learned the material can move to independent work while the teacher can offer more guided practice and reteach concepts as deemed necessary.