Research Briefs Test

What comes to mind when we think about our best experiences in school? Those experiences often center on the relationships we enjoyed and the friendships we formed: conversations in the cafeteria, hanging out in the hallways, running around together at recess, and having fun with friends — each of these are examples of the everyday ways students spend time with their peers. Likewise, the academic aspects of schooling are also powerful. The classes we took, the electives we enjoyed, the interests we discovered, and the knowledge we gained — each prepared us for our future and impacted our life outcomes. When we remember our school experience, relationships and learning often go hand in hand.

Communication is a basic human need and right for all people. Many students with disabilities have complex communication needs – that is, they are unable to use speech alone to meet their daily communication needs, and they benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). AAC refers to other ways of communicating beyond speech, such as gestures, signs, picture symbols, and speech-generating devices. Tools such as speech-generating devices or picture symbols are referred to as aided AAC because they involve something other than the student’s body. Communication support through AAC enables students to communicate more effectively with others, build language and literacy skills, participate more fully in their schools and communities, decrease challenging behaviors, and make meaningful progress in the general curriculum.

Data-based decision making is a process involving the intentional collection and use of data from a variety of sources to inform specific decisions that align with the data that are collected. People have many perspectives and opinions; however, using data to inform decisions allows people to make objective and equitable decisions that are based on facts and not just opinions or feelings. Educators use data to help them make decisions within a school setting when striving to positively change outcomes for students, and it works! It also helps all students have equitable access to an inclusive school experience.

Paraeducators have routinely assisted the classroom teacher with clerical work and supporting students academically; however, paraeducators report that a significant portion of their workday is dedicated to managing behavior (Frantz et al., 2022; Walker et al., 2021). Not only are they carrying out tier one and tier two behavior management strategies, paraeducators are often required to implement the strategies outlined in Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).

Educators want every student to be successful and as independent as possible. Paraprofessionals play an important role in promoting success and outcomes for students with disabilities and in encouraging them to be independent. Employing best practices around fading paraprofessional support in school and community settings is essential to a student’s success and independence.

Educators want every student to be successful and as independent as possible. Paraprofessionals play an important role in promoting success and outcomes for students with disabilities and in encouraging them to be independent. Employing best practices around fading paraprofessional support in school and community settings is essential to a student’s success and independence.

Given the current shortage of teachers and paraeducators, now more than ever it is necessary to rethink how we support and retain all educators. Gradual release methods of support shift traditional methods of supervision to approaches that allow for mutual learning and collaborative conversations.

Paraeducators play a crucial role in helping middle and high school students become successful readers. It is important for them to know about the Science of Reading and understand that in a child’s early years, they would have been exposed to this reading instruction approach. As they get older, it is important that all support team members know how they learned to read and continue to use that approach to support their secondary reading experiences. Paraeducators play a key role in vocabulary development and continued literacy development throughout middle and high school learning experiences.

Support for young children with extensive support needs requires a team approach, family and child centered practices, naturalistic and embedded learning opportunities, and the use of assistive technology. Paraeducators are an important part of the educational process for children with extensive support needs and often provide guidance to these children moment-to-moment in home, community, and educational settings. Following the guidelines outlined in this research brief will aid early intervention and educational teams in helping children with extensive support needs to flourish academically, socially, and physically.

This research brief introduces employment skills and outlines strategies to promote task independence and social integration for students with disabilities in employment settings. It also summarizes a framework that educators can use to teach employment skills and support long-term maintenance of these skills in workplace environments. “MADE 2 FADE” is informed by several evidence-based practices, including community-based instruction, peer-assisted instruction, response prompting, simulation, self-determination, and self-management instruction (Ingles et al., 2021).

The premise of this brief is that paraprofessionals can further contribute to improved student outcomes by participating in instructional teams. Simultaneously, participation will provide learning opportunities for paraprofessionals, many of whom have the potential to become credentialed teachers (Genzuk et al., 1994; Wenger et al., 2004).

Math is essential for success in school and for success beyond school. In this paper, we focused on two aspects of math related to literacy in math. First, we described the necessity for understanding the language of math, particularly math vocabulary. Second, we explained how an attack strategy and a focus on word-problem schemas is important to support students’ word-problem solving. By focusing on these aspects of literacy in math, educators can help students have greater access to learning in the math classroom.

Tending to ourselves is like cultivating and tending a garden. It requires continual nurturing, gentle rain, and rays of sunshine. When we encounter chaotic, tough-to-handle, or traumatizing situations, the act of tending to our self-care may fall by the wayside. As a lotus, we must sometimes grow through the mud to reach the light. Unfolding our strength and flexibility, maintained by the time we tend to ourselves through nurturing our wellness.

In this brief, you’ll learn how UDL can help you recognize and respond to student variability, understand and reduce common learning barriers, and support more flexible and supportive learning environments.