Illinois School Transformation Academy

Illinois School Transformation Academy Resource List: Students with Disabilities (SWDs)

Overview

The following resources are suggested readings and websites for members of the Illinois School Transformation Academy. The documents and reports listed below are intended to offer members key background information to facilitate a deeper understanding about policies and practices related to students with disabilities (SWD).

This resource list was developed to support the identification of key issues, leverage points, and promising practices. It is a growing body of sources that will be updated periodically.

Practice Practice Review High-Leverage Practices and Teacher Preparation in Special Education

This paper provides a general overview of recent changes in teacher education programs to produce classroom-ready teachers by using high-leverage practices (HLPs). It addresses recent developments in program accreditation and describes an emerging approach to teacher education centered in classroom practice. Intensive Interventions for Students Struggling in Reading and Mathematics This practice guide provides educators with guidance on intensive interventions that can inform the design, delivery, and use of evidence-based interventions with students, including those with disabilities and those who struggle with mastering today’s rigorous reading, literacy, and mathematics standards.

Policy and Research The State of Learning Disabilities (2014) This report from the National Center for Learning Disabilities provides a primer overview of what learning disabilities are, of the impact they have on the lives of children during the school- age years and of the ways that they shape children into adulthood. It includes topics such as Response to Intervention, charter schools, vouchers, online and blended learning, college and career readiness and juvenile justice.

Teacher and Leader Preparation Illinois Policy Profile (2014) This interactive profile provides an overview of Illinois’ teacher preparation policies across five primary policy levers that impact educator preparation including teacher preparation, induction and professional development.

Webinar Using Technology to Support Content Learning for SWD (2015)

Illinois State Board of Education School Transformation Academy Resource List—1 5014_01/16 This archived webinar presented by CEEDAR provides an overview of the Innovation Configuration “Supporting content learning with technology for students with disabilities” This recorded discussion included the concepts of assistive technology, general and content-specific technologies for use during instruction and assessment, how to align instructional technologies with the UDL framework, and technology considerations during IEP development

Websites http://ncsi.wested.org/ (2016)

The Center for Instruction (2016)

The Center on Instruction features materials and resources related to research-based instruction to support students including SWDs or those with the most intensive needs.

. The Center on RTI (2016)

The Center on RTI is a national repository of information, resources, and technical expertise for supporting the successful implementation and scale-up of RTI and its components.

National Center for Learning Disabilities (2016) The National Center for Learning Disabilities offers many resources designed to improve the lives of individuals with learning disabilities by empowering parents, enabling young adults, transforming schools, and creating policy and advocacy impact. Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform (CEEDAR) (2016) CEEDAR is a national center that works with educational agencies to support educators and leaders in creating conditions in schools that sustain high quality instruction in order to enable students with disabilities to achieve college and career ready standards.

Illinois State Board of Education School Transformation Academy Resource List—2