A systematic literature review was conducted to determine the effects of reading comprehension instruction beyond vocabulary instruction for students with intellectual disabilities. Database and ancestral searches from 2000 to 2018 were conducted to identify experimental and quasi-experimental studies that were published in peer-reviewed journals.…

The middle and high school years represent a unique challenge for students who have not yet attained proficiency with word reading. By this time, it is generally expected that students will be able to independently read a variety of texts to gain content knowledge and to read for understanding. Students with or at-risk for learning disabilities…

Background and Aims: Students with intellectual disability benefit from high-quality instruction in reading and mathematics. Methods: This Theoretical Paper outlines the need for effective, evidence-based instructional practices for this population and the potential for observation research to inform such advancements. We report our systematic…

Despite the importance of reading comprehension, many secondary students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) struggle with this skill. Students with ID also experience greater challenges in foundational literacy skills (i.e., skills related to phonological awareness) and the cognitive skills temporal processing and nonverbal reasoning (Van…

Students with learning disabilities in word-level reading typically require explicit, systematic, and intensive phonics intervention. Teachers' capacity to provide effective intervention depends largely on their depth of understanding of language and their proficiency with evidence-based instructional methods. This article outlines the key…

More and more students with learning disabilities and other diverse learners are placed for instruction in general education classrooms, which often leaves teachers grappling to design successful peer interactions and literacy activities to meet the needs of all learners in their classrooms. As the shift is made to align literacy instruction to…

In Botswana, Special Needs Education has been implemented for 25 years with some success but there is still a need for evidence-based methods like Frequency Building, behavioural fluency, and Precision Teaching to be used to measure and improve school performance and learning. We explored the impact of these behavioural technologies on reading…

Effective learning and classroom interaction depend on learners' reading skills. In essence, reading is the cornerstone of academic success. Thus, functional literacy enhances learners' abilities irrespective of their intellectual abilities. Learners with intellectual disability will have an improved ability to understand and apply the information…

Reading comprehension is a critical skill for student success in school, the workplace, and daily life, yet many students display significant reading comprehension deficits. This article describes the impact effective strategy instruction can have on the reading outcomes of students with learning disabilities and related challenges. A discussion…

This study asked Teachers of the Visually Impaired to evaluate a shared reading intervention for Students with Intellectual Disabilities and Visual Impairments and how they felt about their preparedness to teach reading. There has been little research on the student population's literacy skills acquisition. For this study, TVIs evaluated stories…

Purpose: Opportunities to actively engage in literacy instruction should be accessible to all students in the classroom. Shared book reading provides a literacy-based context in which teachers may adapt their communication to allow students with a range of abilities to participate. The current study examines teacher communication during shared…

Statistics relating to special schools indicate very low rates of basic literacy. However, there is very little information available regarding typical instruction in these settings and, therefore, no clear picture of the potential barriers precluding the improvement of reading skills in special schools. The current paper investigated current…

According to research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD; 2000), reading is the single most important skill a child will learn in life. Reading proficiency is a powerful predictor of academic success, on-time graduation, and future earning potential in the workforce. Children who reach adulthood without adequate…

Students with specific learning disability (SLD) are at a greater risk for reading difficulties, academic stress, and deficits in self-efficacy. There are several research-supported interventions used in schools that are effective in increasing reading skills (e.g., reading fluency) but do not explicitly address academic stress or deficient…

Students with Learning disabilities and at risk for reading difficulties often face challenges in reading fluency and comprehension that impact negatively on academic success. Repeated reading (RR) is an intervention designed to increase reading fluency and comprehension skills among students at risk and diagnosed with disabilities. The purpose of…