Lesson 1: Navigating Specific Diagnosis

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• What it is: A neurodevelopmental difference that affects how a person communicates, interacts socially, and processes sensory information.

• Classroom Accommodations:

  • Manage the Senses: Avoid overstimulation by reducing loud sounds, bright lights, or visually cluttered walls. Use your therapy area if they become overwhelmed.

  • Be Literal: Avoid euphemisms, sarcasm, and play-on-words, which can be highly confusing. If you do use an idiom (e.g., "It's raining cats and dogs"), use it as a teachable moment to explain what it means!

  • Clear Expectations: Provide extra, explicit explanations on how to perform new or multi-step tasks.

ADD / ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

• What it is: Differences in brain development that affect attention, impulse control, and executive functioning.

• Classroom Accommodations:

  • Occupy the Brain: Allow the great use of fidget toys; giving the hands something to do often allows the brain to focus on listening.

  • Chunk Information: Avoid long, overwhelming paragraphs of written directions. Shorten instructions and use visual checklists so the student can physically mark off their progress.

  • Movement is Medicine: Utilize exercise and movement to help them calm down and refocus. Build "brain breaks" into the day.

  • Gentle Redirection: Expect that they will likely need to be redirected frequently. Do this calmly and without shame.

Intellectual Disabilities (ID)

• What it is: Limitations in cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior, which includes conceptual, social, and practical life skills.

• Classroom Accommodations:

  • Multi-Sensory Teaching: Do not rely solely on auditory teaching. Model the behavior, use images, and show them how to do something.

  • Pre-Teaching: Provide reading lists, outlines, and vocabulary early. Giving them expansion material ahead of time helps prevent misconceptions and allows them time to absorb the material.

  • Alternative Assessments: Consider providing oral feedback instead of written feedback on assignments, which can be much easier for the student to process.

Dyslexia

• What it is: A specific learning disability that makes reading, writing, and spelling difficult due to challenges in identifying speech sounds and decoding letters.

• Classroom Accommodations:

  • Look for Masking: If a student isn’t aware they are dyslexic, they may feel deeply embarrassed. They may lash out in anger or become the "class clown" to disrupt the lesson and mask their reading difficulties.

  • Alternative Access: Provide audiobooks, text-to-speech software, and avoid forcing them to read aloud in front of the class (like "popcorn reading") unless they volunteer.

Blind / Visual Impairment

• What it is: Varying degrees of vision loss that cannot be corrected with standard glasses.

• Classroom Accommodations:

  • Verbalize Everything: If you write something on the board, speak it out loud simultaneously.

  • Strategic Placement: Ensure they are seated near the front of the instruction area and that classroom walkways remain clear of tripping hazards.

  • Accessible Materials: Provide high-contrast printed materials or ensure digital documents are compatible with screen readers.

Deaf / Hard of Hearing

• What it is: Varying degrees of hearing loss.

• Classroom Accommodations:

  • Face the Student: Always face the class when speaking so the student can read your lips and facial expressions. (Avoid talking while writing on the whiteboard).

  • Use Visual Aids: Always use closed captioning on videos and provide visual supports or written outlines for lectures.