Collaborative partnerships are vital to the success of ALL students. However, students with significant cognitive and complex may particularly benefit from collaborative partnerships between special education and general education teachers, as well as other partners, such as family members, related service providers, and agency professionals. The objective of collaborative partnerships is for all students to receive the support they need to optimize educational outcomes.
Featured Resource: The 5-15-45 Tool | TIES Center
- Hoping to increase collaboration between special education and general education teachers? This tool provides a planning framework for general and special education teachers to use for instructional planning and brainstorming ways to address learning barriers, whether they have 5, 15, or 45 minutes!
Family members are important collaborative partners, especially for students with significant cognitive disabilities and complex needs. Family members, such as parents, are experts on their children’s medical histories and experiences in outside therapies, as well as their children’s interests and motivations. They also serve as a link to post-secondary experiences. Truly engaging families in authentic discussions and collaborative planning increases educational outcomes for students with significant cognitive disabilities and prepares them for the journey to the adult world.
Developing a Universally Designed Classroom
Every classroom has students of varied abilities, strengths, and interests. Students need a classroom and instruction that can be flexible to meet their individual needs; this is the focus of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL can especially benefit students with complex learning needs by designing instruction that prevents barriers and maximizes access.
- Tools for Implementing Universal Design for Learning from Novak Education Tools for Implementing Universal Design for Learning (novakeducation.com) Looking for free resources and tools to help you implement UDL? Then this page from Novak Education is for you! From guidance for teachers, administrators, and professional development; to observation tools, rubrics, and student surveys, this page has free and useful resources for anyone interested in UDL!
- CAST: UDL At A Glance: This video is a great place to start to learn about provides a brief overview of what Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is and how it can support teachers. For more information on the UDL guidelines, you can visit: UDL Guidline
- The Goal of UDL: The goal of UDL is learner agency. Read more about how to design learning environments that are purposeful, reflective, resourceful, authentic, strategic, and action oriented at this link.