1. Module 4 of 6 Middle/Secondary Literacy for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Name of slide: Module 4: Middle/Secondary Literacy for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Objective/Purpose of slide: Introduction slide
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: The activity for this module is for teachers is to practice reading a book using the 12 steps creating comprehension questions. Break into groups and take turns being teacher and students with various response modes.
Another activity can be to modify books. This would require access to computers and clip art or other picture source
References:
Background Information:
Recommended citation: Assessing Special Education Students SCASS (AA-AAS Study Group), Middle/secondary literacy for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Washington, D.C., Council of Chief State School Officers 1

2. ASES SCASS AA-AAS Study Group Members
Modules developed by Special Education Research Consultants under the direction of Lynn Ahlgrim-Delzell, Ph.D. with contributions by:
Tracie-Lynn Zakas, M.Ed.
Shawnee Wakeman, Ph.D.
Pamela Mims, M.Ed.
Katherine Trela, ABD
Ella Glass and
ASES SCASS AA-AAS Study Group Members 2

3. Content of the Modules
Module 1 - Introduction to Teaching Literacy to Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (SSCD)*
Why we teach academics
Summary of current research and evidence- based practices
National Reading Panel (2000) & Put Reading First (2003) recommendations
Theoretical foundation for literacy instruction
Universal Design for Learning
* Within these modules, SSCD refers to students with significant cognitive disabilities 3

4. Content of the Modules
Module 2 – Literacy Development and Symbolic Communication
Stages of literacy development
Phonemic awareness and phonics skills
Levels of communication skills used by students with significant disabilities
Embedding Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices 4

5. Content of the Modules Module 3 - Elementary grade level literature
Elements of a story-based lesson (SBL) for elementary students
Ideas for adaptation of grade level books & using Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices
Module 4 - Middle and high school literacy
Elements of a story-based lesson (SBL) for middle/ secondary students
Adapting grade level books & using Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices 5

6. Content of the Modules
Module 5 - Literacy in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Lesson planning.
Standards-based IEPs.
Developing literacy lessons that align with general education content standards.
Module 6 – Families
What is literacy and why it is important.
Literacy activities families can do at home.
Homework. 6

7. Purpose of Module 4 Participants will learn:
Selection of grade-appropriate books
Description of a typical middle/secondary reading activity
Current Reading practices for SSCD
12 step for story-based lesson
Bloom’s Taxonomy for comprehension
Adaptations for vision and hearing impairments
Embedding AAC devices

8. Why Teach Literacy?
All students, including those with significant cognitive disabilities (SSCD) need access to age and grade appropriate reading materials
To systematically engage these students in meaningful literacy activities
To allow students with significant disabilities the opportunity to experience the same rich reading experiences as their typically developing peers
Literacy is a functional skill!
Name of slide: Why Teach Literacy?
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to discuss we are talking about teaching literacy to this population.
Terminology & acronyms defined: SSCD- Students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Gibbs, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, Mraz, & Flowers, in press.
Background Information:
With the inception of NCLB, accessing the general education curriculum has become a priority for state and local education agencies. As students with severe disabilities gain increased access to the general curriculum, their need for skills to manage printed materials increases. There is a lack of focus on literacy for this population or to the lack of research on comprehensive approaches to reading (Browder, Wakeman, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, 2006). Intensive reading programs for young students with severe disabilities are critical to addressing this limitation in educational opportunity. In contrast, the need also exists for older students with few to no reading skills to gain meaning from text. An option for teaching text access may be to promote listening comprehension and build students’ emergent literacy skills. For students with severe disabilities, systematic instruction may be needed in basic conventions of reading such as how to orient a book, turn pages, identify pictures, and track print on the page. Teaching these emergent literacy skills can promote active participation in shared reading of a text in contrast to passive listening to a reader.
Browder, Gibbs, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, Mraz, & Flowers, in press. 8

9. Selecting Grade Appropriate Books
What books are grade level students reading?
Consult the reading curriculum guide that your school district uses to teach reading
Ask a general education teacher at your school what her students are reading
Ask a librarian
Search the Internet
Name of slide: Selecting Grade Appropriate Books
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to give teachers options for selecting books that are grade appropriate for middle/secondary aged students.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: Teachers should access these websites to determine the age and grade level of the books that are commonly read in their classrooms. If a book does not appear on any of the first three websites, the first few lines of text can be typed into “lexile.com”. This site will give a score that can be converted into a grade level.
References:
This is a website that gives a summer reading list for students in the second through fourth grade.
This is a website that gives literature and reading recommendations for students in the first through fifth grades.
This website is a directory of children’s literature. It is categorized by age and grade.
“The Lexile Framework provides a common, developmental scale for matching reader ability and text difficulty.”
Background Information:
In teaching emergent literacy skills for SSCD, it will be important to preserve the long held value of using age-appropriate materials and activities. That is, the shared reading should focus on themes, pictures, and materials that are the same, or similar to, what is typically used at that grade level or band. An important way to do so is to use the same literature and informational text other students are using with adaptations for understanding and physical access. If the text is from the general curriculum of this student’s grade level, this instruction becomes not only “age-appropriate,” but also “grade-appropriate.” Adapted materials should be selected on the sensory/symbolic relevance to the student. 9

10. Typical Middle/Secondary Reading
A typical reading lesson consists of the teacher leading a class through a reading passage
Teacher sits or stands in front of the class
Each student has a copy of their own book
Students take turns interacting with the story, reading passages, and finding vocabulary words
A whole story is not typically read in a day, so the teacher may concentrate on only one chapter per day.
Name of slide: Typical Middle/Secondary Reading
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes a typical reading activity in a general education classroom at the middle/secondary level.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: Students typically sit in their own desks and the teacher leads from the front of the room. Students should have their own books. Picture books are not typically used. To understand sound-symbol associations, vocabulary, and text comprehension, students must have, at the very minimum, exposure to the conventions of print (Clay, 1977). Conventions of print are skills that are commonly understood without necessarily having the ability to read. These might include: reading movement from left to right, top to bottom, front to back, knowing the difference between the covers of a book and the pages, knowing that groups of letters make word, that punctuation and word spaces have meaning. 10

11. Typical Middle/Secondary Reading (con’t.)
Name of slide: Typical Middle/Secondary Reading Con’t
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes a typical reading activity in a general education classroom at the middle/secondary level.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: In elementary grades there is separate instruction of phonic skills. By the middle school grades separate phonics instruction does not typically occur, but students may be pulled out for individualized phonics instruction. In this module phonics instruction is taught as a part of literacy instruction using the a conceptual model of literacy described in Module 1 by Browder, Gibbs, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, Mraz, & Flowers, in press. According to this model, literacy in middle/secondary grades stress gleaning information from text. Given the time it may take to learn phonic skills and the needs of students of this age, gleaning information is believed to be more important. If you would prefer to provide some phonics instruction to students who have not had such instruction before and for whom it may not need a lot of instructional time, please see Module 2 and 3 for specific information about phonics instruction for SSCD.
Typical Middle/Secondary Reading (con’t.)
Phonics instruction not usually taught separately at this age, so these skills may be embedded in story reading by selecting specific words and using emphasized pronunciations 11

12. Current Reading Practices for SSCD
Name of slide: Current Reading Practices for SSCD
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes what a current, typical reading activity may look like for a student with significant cognitive disabilities.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: Have teachers think about and describe what their current literacy/reading time looks like.
References: Chiang & Lin, 2007; Browder, Wakeman, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, 2006
Background Information: There is little current evidence base that SSCD receive the same reading instruction as a typical student. SSCD may not receive explicit phonics instruction and/or explicit instruction in the specific conventions of print, or reading/text comprehension. Even when comprehension is taught, it is usually sight word based and functional in nature (Chiang & Lin, 2007). A review of literature from 1975 to 2007 by Browder, Wakeman, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, 2006 found that a vast majority of what we know about literacy for this population was only sight words.
Current Reading Practices for SSCD
Literacy activities may be passive
Students may listen to their teacher read a story
Students may not have the opportunities to actively engage and participate in the literature
Material that has not been adapted, may be too wordy, or the vocabulary may be too difficult
Literacy may consist of only sight word recognition 12

13. Story-based Lessons
Teach literacy skills with story-based lessons (SBL)
Grade-level chapter book /adapted chapter book
Select key vocabulary from book
Pair pictures with words as necessary
Up to 8 vocabulary pictures/words per book
Find repeated line or create one using main idea of book/chapter
Can be used for text pointing
Name of slide: Story Based Lessons
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide provides an overview of some of the key concepts and activities in a story-based lesson.
Terminology & acronyms defined: SBL- Story-based lesson
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007.
Background Information: Select books to be adapted from grade and age appropriate books that may be frequently found on school lists for suggested/required reading. The books can be summarized by chapter, and rewritten in using a writing program like Writing With Symbols This computer program assigns simple pictures to text on a word-by-word or phrase-by-phrase basis. The original plot of the book was maintained, while the vocabulary, text, and length of passages were modified. Each selected book can be analyzed using the Lexile Framework for Reading to determine the grade listening comprehension level. To further enhance meaning for the students with disabilities, each chapter should feature a repeated story line that gives a summary statement about that chapter.
There is currently no research that discusses the number of new vocabulary words to introduce. This number (8) is based on experience, but the number of words per book can vary depending upon the student. Keep in mind that we want to teach the meaning of the word and not just identification of it. We are also teaching story comprehension. In a literature review of sight word studies (Browder, Wakeman, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, & Algozzine, 2006) it was found that many sight word studies teach up to 20 words or more at a time. The problem is that these studies rarely taught word comprehension. Students learned to identify the word, but did not necessarily know what it meant. We are teaching a number of skills in this lesson, not just sight words. Each new book can introduce 8 new words or repeat words that were not learned in a previous book. Over time students’ vocabulary will increase.
Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007. 13

14. Story Based Lessons (con’t.)
Select at least 3 comprehension questions with answers and distracters per chapter
Modify book as needed for student access
Name of slide: Story Based Lessons Con’t
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide provides an overview of some of the key concepts and activities in a story-based lesson.
Terminology & acronyms defined: SBL- Story-based lesson
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Gibbs, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, & Lee, 2007.
Background Information: Comprehension questions can be asked either immediately after reading a passage in which the answer appears or after the story is complete depending upon the ability of the student. Both immediate and delayed questions may be used with the same story. Picture books remain, for the most part, intact, with very simple a basic modification to the text and pictures in the original book that will be described later. Chapter books can be summarized by chapter, and rewritten in using a writing program like Writing With Symbols This computer program assigns simple pictures to text on a word-by-word or phrase-by-phrase basis. The original plot of the book is maintained, while the vocabulary, text, and length of passages are modified.
To further enhance meaning for the students with disabilities, each chapter should feature a repeated story line that gives a summary statement about that chapter.

15. Steps of the Story-Based Lesson Secondary Level
1) Anticipatory set 2) Read the title 3) Read the author 4) Open book 5) Identify key vocabulary 6) Make a prediction
7) Repeated story line
8) Text point
9) Turn the page
10) Phonetic awareness
opportunity
11) Locate target vocabulary
word in text
12) Comprehension
question/review prediction
Name of slide: Steps of the Story-Based Lesson- Middle/Secondary Level
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide provides a quick overview of the 12 steps in story-based lessons. The bolded steps should be followed in order.
Terminology & acronyms defined: Each of the ten steps will be explained in detail in subsequent slides
Key Concepts: When completing the 12 steps, the first six steps should be completed in order, this will lead to a smoother flow in the lesson. The last six steps can be completed in the order that best suits the teacher’s lesson.
Activities: Every student should have the opportunity to demonstrate (with or without prompts) every step in the task analysis The exception is Step 5. At the teacher’s discretion, only one student may open the book at each lesson. Vary which student completes this step at subsequent lessons.
References:
Background Information:
When completing the task analysis, the first six steps should be completed in order, this will lead to a smoother flow in the lesson. The last six steps can be completed in the order that best suits the teacher’s lesson. Every child should have the opportunity to demonstrate (with or without prompts) every step in the task analysis. Because of the difference between picture books and chapter books, steps are introduced in a different order from the elementary task analysis. As there are rarely pictures in the adapted chapter books, prediction occurs after the vocabulary is reviewed. Vocabulary is addressed twice in the secondary task analysis, first in isolation and second, in text.
Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007. 15

16. Step 1: Anticipatory Set Description
Presentation of an object /event/concept that can be accessed through any one of the five senses
Select an item that will increase student participation.
The anticipatory set can include:
Object to be touched (dog leash)
Food that can be experienced through taste or smell (scent of vanilla or perfume)
Object that describes a concept (sandpaper)
Recording that represents a part of a story (music or part of a famous speech)
Name of slide: Step 1: Anticipatory Set- Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the anticipatory set in a story-based lesson.
Terminology & acronyms defined: An anticipatory set uses an object or item to excite and engage the students to help to bring the students into the lesson.
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Many items used in an anticipatory set are common items found in and around the school or home. It is not necessary to purchase item for the anticipatory set. Teachers are strongly encouraged to be creative when selecting the anticipatory set: expensive is NOT always better. The most important aspect of this step, is to select something that will encourage student participation that will promote meaning and engagement. This allows students with visual impairments or hearing impairments to access the content in a non-visual or non-auditory manner. 16

17. Step 1: Anticipatory Set Teacher Action
Present an object that can be accessed through at least one of the five senses to represent a major theme and create an sense of anticipation
Example: Call of the Wild by Jack London
You can give the students
an ice cube to represent
cold or pictures from
the Iditarod
Name of slide: Step 1: Anticipatory Set- Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in an anticipatory set.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: The teacher can start the lesson by seating the students in their desk or work area. S/He may show the item to the students without explanation, and prompt the students to describe it. The teacher can write the student’s description on the board or on chart paper. Each child should have the opportunity to handle, taste, smell, or hear the item used in the anticipatory set. Students may be able to give verbal descriptions or help to prepare the anticipatory set. 17

18. Step 2: Read the Title Description
When presenting the title page of the book, the teacher should use the word “title”
“I am going to read the title of our book.”
The teacher should also sweep their finger under the title, to further emphasize their statement
Students should have their own books; the teacher may need to model the title on the student’s book
Name of slide: Step 2: Read the Title Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose of explicitly teaching the student to locate the title.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Teachers should show their students the title of their book. It is common practice for all readers to read the title of the book at least once, prior to delving into its pages. Finding the title also helps to orient the student to the front of the book, as most book have the title on the front page. As the teacher points to the title on his/her book, she will want to encourage the students to point to the title on their book. Students with more significant physical impairments may eye-gaze at the title. Students who are visually impaired may require a tactile cue paired with Braille to orient toward the title. If a student is unable to handle their book, it can be placed on a music stand and raised to the student’s eye level. 18

19. Step 2: Read the Title Teacher Action
Every student should have an opportunity to touch and/or read the title of their own book.
Can record title on a voice output device (VOD)
The title of the book can be highlighted, underlined with a pipe cleaner, raised with puff paints, or traced over with glue and sand
Example: Teacher says “This title of our book is ‘Call of the Wild’. Touch/tell us the title of your book.”
Name of slide: Read the Title- Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in locating the title of the book.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information:
The title can be highlighted, underlined, or sprinkled with sand (and glue) to create a tactile experience for students. When the teacher reads the title on his/her book, s/he should sweep his/her finger under the title to emphasize the location of the title. This practice of finger-sweeping may also assist some students in making a word-text association. The use of the word title is encouraged. Title is the correct vocabulary word for this entity. This practice of finger-sweeping may also assist some students in making a word-text association.
For the student with limited physical mobility, tracing or finger-sweeping through the title may be difficult. The title can be enlarged and/or highlighted, for emphasis, and the student by be directed to find the title by eye-gaze. 19

20. Step 3: Read the Author’s Name Description
Use the word “author” to describe the writer of the story
“I am going to point to the author’s name. The author is the person who wrote this book.”
The teacher should also sweep their finger under the author’s name for emphasis
Since students have their own books; it may be necessary to model finding the author’s name on the student’s book
Name of slide: Step 3: Read the Author’s Name Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose of locating the author’s name on the cover of the book.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts: Teachers can query their students about the author’s job (“What does the author do?” “He wrote the book”).
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Teachers should show their students the author of his/her book. Teachers can also query their students about the author’s job (“He wrote the book”). Finding the author is another opportunity to orient the student to the front of the book, as most book have the author on the front page. Eventually, and with enough exposure, students may develop a preference for a particular author. Teachers may want to explore the concept of the author’s purpose. 20

21. Step 3: Read the Author’s Name Teacher Action
Every student should have an opportunity to engage with and/or read the name of the author from their own book.
Can record the title of the
book on a VOD
Example: Teacher says “The author of our book is Jack London. Touch/tell us the author’s name.”
Name of slide: Step 3: Read the Author’s Name- Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in locating the author’s name on the front cover of the book.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts: The use of the word author is encouraged. Author is the correct vocabulary word for this entity.
Activities: What other ways could a teacher emphasize the author’s name on the front cover of the book? What are some ways that the teacher could differentiate the author from the title?
References:
Background Information: The name can be highlighted,, underlined, sprinkled with sand (and glue) to create a tactile experience for students. When the teacher reads the name, s/he should sweep his/her finger under the title to emphasize the location of the author’s name. This practice of finger-sweeping may also assist some students in making a word-text association. The use of the word author is encouraged. Author is the correct vocabulary word for this entity. 21

22. Step 4: Model Opening the Book Description
Understand how to orient the book (front, back, top and bottom of the book)
Students should be given the opportunity to position the book so that it can be read
Point out the front, back, top and bottom of the book and model how to open it
Each student should have the opportunity to open their own chapter book and find the correct chapter
 Name of slide: Step 4: Model Opening the Book Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose of orienting the book so that it can be read.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts: This step is important because it teaches students how to orient the book front and back, top and bottom of the book.
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Students may not have had an opportunity to “handle” books for a number of reasons. Sometimes students with significant motor difficulties can be hard on books. Sometimes they may not have the strength to hold or handle the book. This step is important because it teaches students how to orient the book: front, back, top and bottom of the book. Every student should be given the opportunity to position their book so that it can be opened and read. The teacher may have to point out the front, back, top and bottom of the book and model how to open it. Present the closed book to a student to be opened. For an extra challenge, present the book upside down AND backward when placing the book on the student’s desk. The use of a tactile marker may be employed at the top, right-hand corner of the book to serve as a tactile cue for a student with visual impairments. For the student with physical difficulties, an VOD may be programmed with the command, “Open my book”. 22

23. Step 4: Model Opening the Book Teacher Action
Teacher ask students to find a specific chapter from a closed book
Avoid directly saying “open the book”
May need to prompt which chapter to find
Place book in an upside-down and/or backward fashion to create additional challenge
Name of slide: Step 4: Model Opening the Book Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in starting the story by opening the book and locating the beginning of the story.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: The book can be placed on the student’s work space in an upside-down and/or backward fashion to create additional challenge. If a student has limited mobility, adapting the cover with items that will assist the student in opening the book. For the student who had no mobility, program a VOD or have a sentence for eye gaze to state “open the book”. The student can respond by using their primary method of indication (e.g. head nod, AAC device, pointing, eye gaze). For the student who may have receptive language issues, a visual cuing system may be developed that follows the steps in the task analysis. 23

24. Step 5: Model Opening the Book Teacher Action (con’t.)
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in starting the story by opening the book and locating the beginning of the story.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: Teachers can brainstorm different ways to assist students with differing disabilities to open a book:
Blind or visually impaired
Deaf or hearing impaired
Limited mobility of the upper extremities
Students who require longer processing time
Students who have limited verbal skills
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
 Background Information: The teacher hands the closed book to a student and ask him/her to get the story started. This can be prompted by saying, “ I really want to know what this story is about.” or “Can you help me to find out?” or “How can I get my story started?”
Step 5: Model Opening the Book Teacher Action (con’t.)
If the student has physical limitations, present book in a variety of positions, ask student, “Is the book ready to read?”
The student can respond by using their primary method of indication (e.g. head nod, AAC device, pointing, eye gaze)
Example: “How do we get our story started?”
“What should we do to begin reading our book?” 24

25. Step 5: Identify Key Vocabulary Description
Name of slide: Step 5: Identify Vocabulary Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the importance of pre-teaching vocabulary in isolation.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Vocabulary is the words that we must know to communicate effectively and the words in text that we must know so that we can connect to the text. Vocabulary comes in two varieties, indirect and direct vocabulary. Indirect vocabulary is word meaning learned through engaging in daily oral language, listening to adults read aloud, and reading extensively. Direct vocabulary is word meaning is taught through specific word instruction, teaching specific words prior to reading, extending instruction to promote active engagement, and repeated exposure to the vocabulary in many different contexts. This slide describes direct vocabulary instruction.
Step 5: Identify Key Vocabulary Description
Vocabulary:
Words to know to communicate effectively
Words so that we can connect to the text
Teach word meaning through specific instruction
Teach specific words prior to reading
Repeat exposure to vocabulary words in different contexts 25

26. Step 5: Identify Key Vocabulary Description (con’t.)
Name of slide: Step 5: Identify Vocabulary Description Con’t
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the importance of pre-teaching vocabulary in isolation.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: In middle/secondary, you may select key vocabulary for each chapter. Some vocabulary may be the same in differing chapters. Vary the number of words per chapter as needed for the students.
Step 5: Identify Key Vocabulary Description (con’t.)
Select up to 8 words/pictures per chapter
Words may be highlighted within the text
Pair picture/object with the printed word
Use VOD 26

27. Step 5: Identify Vocabulary Teacher Action
Identify key vocabulary before the story is read with a vocabulary list.
Give students the opportunity to read and point to vocabulary on the list.
Example: Two key vocabulary words for chapter one in Call of the Wild may be love and home. Student can be asked to find those words on the list.
Name of slide: Step 5: Identify Vocabulary Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in addressing specific vocabulary words, prior to reading the text.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Teachers may want to select and teach different types of vocabulary words. Literal words can be associated with an object. Inferential words can be associated with a concept (such as love). The word will have to be defined, described, explained, and maybe even acted out. By selecting different types of vocabulary words, the story can better meet the varying needs of the students in the class. Students who may have difficulty understanding the vocabulary word, matching a picture symbol to the word in text may be helpful. To fully support the vocabulary of a book, make an effort to involve the student in an experience tied to the word (activating prior knowledge). Build hands-on lessons around the vocabulary. 27

28. Step 6: Ask a Prediction Question Description
Students make a prediction about what they think the chapter will be about.
Use the vocabulary page of the chapter and/or repeated story-line to provide context clues that assist the student to make a prediction
There are no wrong answers.
The student is simply indicating what they THINK the chapter will be about.
Name of slide: Step 6: Ask a Prediction Question Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose of asking a prediction question at the beginning of the story.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Regardless of the student’s answer, the act of answering IS the correct response. This step simply asks the child to make a prediction. In conjunction with the anticipatory set, asking a prediction question allow the students to engage in the story prior to actually reading the text. This step simply asks the student to make a prediction. 28

29. Step 6: Ask a Prediction Question Teacher Action
Show cover of the book
Show vocabulary page
Review repeated story-line
Ask the students what they think the story will be about.
The teacher can graph or chart student answers
Name of slide: Step 6: Ask a Prediction Question Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in making a prediction about the chapter.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Using the past chapters from the book, cover of the book, the objects from the anticipatory set, vocabulary list, repeated line or other context clues, the teacher should ask, “What do you think that our chapter is going to be about?”. The student may answer verbally, with pictures, or VOD. 29

30. Step 6: Ask a Prediction Question Teacher Action (con’t.)
Student may choose from pictures, objects, preprogrammed VOD, or verbal response.
Use typical response mode of student
Vary number of options to select from
Vary difficulty of options by using distractors that are very dissimilar or similar to pictures in the book
Example: “What do you think our chapter will be about? Do you think it will be about an dog, elephant, or an airplane?”
Name of slide: Ask a Prediction Question Teacher Action Con’t
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in making a prediction about the chapter.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Different students may require different formats of response options depending upon their level of communication and ability to respond verbally. Use whatever typical mode the student uses in other activities. A teacher may provide only 2 options at first, but a goal is to be able to offer 4 choices. Offering more choices allows us to determine the correctness of a student response given guessing. For example, when providing only 2 options a student has a 50% chance of selecting a correct response given guessing. We are more sure of a student selecting the correct response when there are 4 options with only 25% of selecting a correct response given guessing. Even though this step of prediction does not have a true correct answer, this idea of number of options applies to all student responding. Vary the difficulty of the options beginning with easy discriminations such as the example provided here. A more difficult set of responses might be different animals all the same color or words without pictures.

31. Step 7: Text Pointing Description
Point to text as you read.
Teaches concept that words on a page are related to story being told.
Reinforces reading left to right, top to bottom
Give students the opportunity to text point in their book
Text can be highlighted or enlarged and displayed on a sentence strip, clear Plexiglas for eye-gaze or VOD
Sentences may be the repeated chapter line
Name of slide: Text Pointing Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose pointing to the words and sentences in the text of the book.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts: Text pointing teaches the concept that the words on the page are correlated to pictures in the book and story being told. It reinforces concept of reading left to right and top to bottom.
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Text pointing supports the most basic conventions of reading: we move left to right; and when we reach the end of the “row” (sentence), we move one down and start back on the left. Often, we have to DEMONSTRATE this skill. This demonstration may take many repetitions before our students learn the following concepts: letters to words, words to text, text to sentences, sentences to paragraphs, and paragraphs to story. This may be one process that leads to fluency (one of the 5 components of the NRP findings). Students should be given the opportunity to text point all of their sentences from their chapter. For students with physical limitations, text can be enlarged and displayed on a large piece of clear plexi-glass for eye-gazing or on a voice output device. Sentences can be highlighted. Text pointed sentences may also be the repeated story-line. 31

32. Step 7: Text Pointing Teacher Action
Read and point to the text.
Teacher should model pointing from their book
Students should point to the text in their books
Each student should have the opportunity to point to the text and “read” with the teacher at least once during the chapter.
Example: “Help me read this
sentence. Buck loved his home.”
Name of slide: Step 7: Text Pointing- Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in pointing to the words in sentences in their adapted books.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: When pointing to the text, the teacher should sweep their finger under the sentence. Sentences are typically read smoothly. Pointing to individual words may create a “choppy” message. If the student points really slowly, the teacher should read really slowly. If the student points really fast, the teacher should read really fast. If a student has a sensitivity to the glare from the plexi-glass, another surface may be used (thin piece of laminate, poster board, etc…). Every student should have the opportunity to text point all of the sentences from their book. 32

33. Step 8: Read Repeated Story Line Description
Middle/Secondary books rarely have a natural repeated story line like elementary books
Teacher creates one that emphasizes a central theme in the chapter
This text can be emphasized by highlighting, bolding, or underlining.
Each student should have an opportunity to read the repeated story line (or part thereof) independently or as a choral response.
Name of slide: Step 8- Read the Repeated Story Line Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose of the repeated story line in the chapter.
Terminology & acronyms defined: Choral response occurs when the teacher asks the entire group of students to respond in unison. Students may all respond at the same time, but can still use any individualized response mode. For example, one student may use a VOD, other verbal, and another through pointing or eyegazing.
Key Concepts: Repeated story line is a line that is repeated throughout the book that represents a common or central theme. While common in elementary books, it is uncommon in middle/secondary books.
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Most chapter books do not have a repeated story line imbedded into the text. For books that do not have a repeated story line, finding a theme, and reducing it to a few simple words will suffice. The repeated story line can be change for every chapter in an adapted chapter book. This will maintain the theme for that particular chapter. The repeated story line can be written in bold print and placed at the bottom of each page. There should be at least one opportunity for every student to read the repeated story line throughout the chapter. 33

34. Step 8: Read Repeated Story Line Teacher Action
Students have the opportunity to point to and “read” the repeated story line from their book
Repeated story line may also be recorded into a VOD
Leave VOD near the student so they may show anticipation of the line.
Example: “Buck loved his home.”
Name of slide: Read the Repeated Story Line Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in reading the repeated story line.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
Reference: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information:
Every student should have the opportunity to point to and “read” the repeated story line at least one time during the chapter. The story line can also be treated as a choral response. Students may take on the inflections and emphasis of the teacher. For students who are non-verbal, the repeated story line should be recorded into a student’s voice output device, so the student can “read along”. If using a voice output device, leave device near student so they may show anticipation of the line by activating the device at the right moment rather than handing the device to them at the time of the line. 34

35. Step 9: Turn the Page Description
Indirectly ask the student to turn the page in their own book
Helps make the connection between printed text and hearing the story
Prevents students from following direct command, demonstrates anticipation
Name of slide: Step 9: Turn the Page Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose of continuing the story by turning the page.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Turning the page is another activity that helps to show anticipation for the book. Students can turn the pages in their own book to “keep up with the rest of the class”. 35

36. Step 9: Turn the Page Description (con’t.)
For students with physical limitations:
Craft sticks glued to the pages to create handles
Pieces of sponge glued to separate the pages
Have a picture or program a VOD to indicate “turn the page”
Name of slide: Step 9: Turn the Page Description Con’t
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the purpose of continuing the story by turning the page.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: If a student has limited mobility, adapting a few pages with items that help to separate the pages will assist the student in turning the page. For the student who had no mobility, program a VOD or have a sentence for eye gaze to state “turn the page”. 36

37. Step 9: Turn the Page Teacher Action
Every student is turns the page in their book
Requests can be made by asking the student:
“What do you think happens next? How can we find out?”
“What do we need to do to find out what is going to happen?”
“How do we keep the story going?”
Example: “How do we keep our story going?”
Name of slide: Step 9: Turn the Page Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in turning the page.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: The teacher should not directly ask the student to turn the page. If the request is direct, the student is simply following a command. By using the following anticipatory statements students are required to infer the next step in the story reading process. 37

38. Step 10: Phonics & Phonemic Awareness- Description
Select at least one vocabulary word that is considered “phonetically regular”
Select a phonemic awareness activity
Eight activities presented in Module 2
May rotate different activities per chapter, but keep to 2-3 activities, not all 8
Use CVC words that are easily decoded
Learn continuous sounds before stop sounds
Name of slide: Step 10: Phonics & Phonemic Awareness Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the use of phonemic skills within the context of a story based lesson.
Terminology & acronyms defined: Phonetically regular words are those that are easily read using phonetic skills, they are not the “exception to the rule” type words. You may want to begin with easily read CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words or words with continuous sounds like M /m/ or L /l/ as opposed to stop sounds like C, T, or D. Stop sounds are more difficult to pronounce.
Key Concepts: These categories of phonemic awareness are described in depth in Module 2. Eight categories of phonemic awareness:
Phoneme isolation- individual sounds
Phoneme identity- recognizing the same sounds in different words
Phoneme categorization- recognizing the “odd” word
Phoneme blending- combining separate phonemes to create a word
Phoneme segmentation- breaking a word into single sounds then combing it make the word
Phoneme deletion- removing a sound from a word to create a new word
Phoneme addition- adding a new sound to make a new word
Phoneme substitution- changing a phoneme in a word to create a new word
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Phonemic Awareness is the ability to notice, think about, work with the individual sounds in spoken words. Before students can read print, they need to become aware of how the sounds in words work.

39. Step 10: Phonics & Phonemic Awareness Description
If a student in not verbal, individual sounds can be placed on a four box VOD so the student can touch the sounds and then touch the corresponding word.
Name of slide: Step 10: Phonics & Phonemic Awareness Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains the use of phonemic skills within the context of a story based lesson.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts: Select a VOD with very clear sound in order for the student to be able to hear the sound that is produced. Some VODs have better sound than others. Digital sounds are better than synthesized (like a robot).
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Using a VOD for students who are nonverbal allows them to play with the sounds in words without having to verbalize them. Allow the student to attempt to say the sound. Any of the eight phonemic awareness activities can be converted to a VOD. One issue in doing this is that the student will also need to learn letters. Recall that identification of letters is not necessary in phonemic awareness activities, these activities are only concerned with the sounds that they produce. It is not until phonics that letter sounds become paired with written letters. Using the VOD with letters to produce the sounds makes a phonemic awareness activity slightly more difficult for SSCD and more like a phonics activity.
You can mix up the letters, they do not always need to be in order. h o m e
home 39

40. Step 10: Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Teacher Action
Blending example
When reading the words on the vocabulary page, say the word targeted for the phonemic awareness activity very slowly, pronounce vowel and consonant sounds individually
Ask the students “What word?”
Example: “This is the word home, /h/ /o/ /m/ /e/. Listen, /h/ /o/ /m/ /e/. What word?”
Name of slide: Step 10: Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how a teacher can actively engage students in identifying phonemic patterns in their readings.
Terminology & acronyms defined: The // indicate to say the sound of the letter, not the letter name.
Key Concepts: This is an example of a blending activity
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: 40

41. Step 10: Phonics and Phonemic Awareness- Teacher Action (con’t.)
Phoneme identity example
Students identify first or last sound in the word
Example: "The vocabulary word is home. Listen,
/h/ /o/ /m/ /e/. Touch the letter that makes the
first sound.”
Name of slide: Step 10: Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Teacher Action Con’t
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how a teacher can actively engage students in identifying phonemic patterns in their readings.
Terminology & acronyms defined: The // indicate to say the sound of the letter, not the letter name.
Key Concepts: This is an example of a blending activity
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information:

42. Step 11: Target Vocabulary Word Description
Students find or say vocabulary words as they appear in the text as it is read.
For the student with limited verbal skills, provide a picture cue that they can display when the word is read.
Program a VOD with the vocabulary word. Encourage the student to press the correct vocabulary word when it appears in the passage.
Name of slide: Step 11: Target Vocabulary Word Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines the use of vocabulary words that are imbedded into the text of the chapters.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Teachers may want to select words that have different levels of comprehension. Literal words can be associated with an object. Inferential words can be associated with a concept (e.g. loved). Word will have to be defined, described, explained, and maybe even acted out. By selecting different types of vocabulary words, the story can better meet the varying needs of the students in the class. Different students may be “assigned” to find different words in the text, based on the student’s ability level. 42

43. Step 11: Target Vocabulary Word Teacher Action
Identify vocabulary words within the text as the chapter is read.
Vocabulary can be highlighted in the text
As the chapter or passage is read, students read and point to the selected vocabulary as they appear in the text.
Example: “Buck loved his home. Touch the word home in this sentence.” (“Find the word home on your GoTalk.”)
Name of slide: Step 11: Target Vocabulary Word Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in locating specific vocabulary words in the text of their chapters.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Finding the selected vocabulary words within the text of the chapter will help students to make a connection between the word, the word meaning and how these words relate to the story. Finding vocabulary words within the text adds a contextual definition to the vocabulary word and add meaning and comprehension to the passage. Teachers may want to select a word with a literal meaning and a word with an inferential meaning. 43

44. Step 12: Comprehension Description
Construct comprehension questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy
1. Knowledge
2. Comprehension
3. Application
4. Analysis
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation
Name of slide: Step 12: Comprehension Description
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains comprehension as it aligns with general education comprehension skills.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts: Bloom’s Taxonomy- Bloom’s Taxonomy is an hierarchy of six levels of comprehension. From the simple recall or recognition of facts through more difficult and abstract levels. We’ll define these levels next.
Activities:
References:
Background Information: Comprehension is the reason for reading. Just “calling words”—or decoding– without understanding what is being read IS NOT READING! The use of Bloom’s Taxonomy is a concept that is long overdue for students with SSCD. Not only are we bringing age and grade appropriate literature to students, we need to bring them closer to the comprehension levels of their peers. If the questions are carefully worded, some students can answer more than very basic, literal questions. Bear in mind, not all children will be able to access the book and comprehension activities in the same way. Different students may be able to answer questions at different levels of the hierarchy. Try to have at least one question at a higher level. 44

45. Sample Comprehension Questions
Knowledge- questions that involve basic recall skills
Who was in the story?
Where did the dog visit?
Comprehension- questions that identify, clarify, or sequence
What happened at the end of the story?
What happened first, next, last in the story?
Name of slide: Sample Comprehension Questions
Objective/Purpose of slide:   This slide defines and explains comprehension as it aligns with general education comprehension skills
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: Teachers could practice developing comprehension questions using the different levels of comprehension.
Background Information: These are typical questions asked of SSCD, very basic. 45

46. Sample Comprehension Questions
Application- making connections to the text
The girl was dancing. What are you doing?
The boy was happy. Tell me about a time when you were happy.
Analysis- categorizing/classifying and comparing/contrasting
Jack rode his bike to the store. How else could he have gotten to the store?
How are the two boys alike? How are they different.
Name of slide: Sample Comprehension Questions
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains comprehension as it aligns with general education comprehension skills.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: Teachers should develop a comprehension question or activity that directly relates to application and analysis.
How does this child see themselves in the main character? In Call of the Wild, Buck misses his home. Students can reflect on time when they missed their home.

47. Sample Comprehension Questions
Synthesis- main idea; and cause and effect
What was our story about?
When it started to rain, what did the girl do?
Evaluation- real/not real, fact/fiction
Is Buck the dog real or not real?
Is the book Call of the Wild fact or fiction?
Name of slide: Sample Comprehension Questions
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide defines and explains comprehension as it aligns with general education comprehension skills.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: Teachers should develop a comprehension question or activity that directly relates to synthesis and evaluation.
References:
Background Information: Synthesis- main idea; and cause and effect. Cause and effect can be handled by asking questions in an IF/THEN format (If it rains outside, then what can we do? We can wear our raincoat. We can use our umbrella.) Evaluation- real/not real, fact/fiction. Using a graphic organizer to determine real and not real is helpful. Is Buck real or not real?. Are dogs real or not real?
You may also use pictures and classify them as real or not real using characters in the story. For example, have students place a realistic photo of a dog in the REAL category and a picture of Buck in NOT REAL category. You may also use photos of students pets (or pictures of pets with the names of students pets). 47

48. Step 12: Comprehension Questions Teacher Action
Questions can be asked immediately after reading the line or after reading the book.
Support student responds by offering choices:
Vary number of options, and types of distracters
VOD, pair pictures with words, eye gaze board,
Students can also complete comprehension tasks as Individual Work Time
Example: “Who was the main character in our story?” Was it Buck or a duck?
Name of slide: Step 12: Comprehension Teacher Action
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes how the teacher can actively engage his/her students in comprehension activities.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References: Browder, Trela, & Jimenez, 2007
Background Information: Teachers should ask a variety of questions in a variety of ways. Students should be given a variety of methods to respond to the questions and comprehension activities. When given questions in a choice format, provide the number of distractors (wrong answers) that the student can handle. For some students, that may be one distractor, for another it may be five distractors. The distractors can also be disparate (really different, example dog and car) or non-disparate (dog and wolf). When concluding the lesson, teachers may return to the original prediction question to query the students about the main idea or character in the story. This is a summative question. Teachers may also create additional activities to extend the book, its vocabulary, and concepts. Activities may include an art project, listening to music or singing a related song, using sequencing to retell the story, or applying a science or a social studies concept that is gleaned from the book. 48

49. Modifying Books
Books at this level typically will not have repeated story lines, picture cues and simple text.
Modifications may be needed for access by students with visual or physical disabilities and improve durability
Excellent resource: Strategies & Tools for Adapting Books
Name of slide: Modifying Books
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to describe why modifying books for SSCDs is important to assisting the students to access grade and age appropriate literacy.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: Teachers can describe some of the ways that they currently modify books to increase accessibility.
References: Right click on link, select “open link,” scroll to bottom of page to view resources for modifying books. Some examples of what might be found on the website are: Read Me File for Adapting Books Handouts, Reasons for Adapting Books, Adapting Books Activity Kit, Strategies & Tools for Adapting Books, Guidelines for Adapting Books, Adapting Books Assistive Technology Continuum, and Working With Graphics.
Background Information: Chapter books are more difficult to adapt, because often the entire text needs to be rewritten. Individual student needs will determine how much the text/vocabulary will need to be reduced from the book. Very few chapter books will require very little adaptation. Most chapter books will require a lot of adaptation. When rewriting with a commercial software program, less is more for the embedding of linked picture symbols. Too many symbols on a page may be confusing for students. Only vocabulary words may be linked with a symbol to prevent visual overload for students.
If using an adapted chapter book in a classroom, a published copy of the original text should always accompany the adaptation to address copyright and publication laws. 49

50. Accessing Books Increasing Durability
Use self-laminating sheets or clear contact paper to cover pages of the book
Place in page protectors and 3-ring binder
Increasing Access to the Book
Page holders or fluffers such as paper clips, pipe cleaners or craft sticks between the pages
Place book on an easel or flip chart
Name of slide: Accessing Books
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to describe ways to make adapted books more accessible to SSCD.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: What are additional ways that teachers can increase the durability of their adapted books?
References:
Background Information: If adapting a personal or classroom copy of a book, each page can be laminated to protect the adaptation or each page can inserted into a clear plastic page protector and bound into a plastic file or binder. If the lamination process creates a distracting glare, teacher may use low-glare page protectors. Adapting books takes time and effort. If the teacher creates a durable, adapted book, s/he will have that book for many years in the future. When using an adapted chapter book in the classroom, the teacher must have a copy of the unabridged publication. This is to prevent the teacher or the adaptor from copy write infringement. Pages can inserted into a clear plastic page protector and bound into a plastic file or binder. 50

51. Other Modifications Text Augmentation
Scan book and enlarge or use bold text
Use puff paints to underline or outline words or sentences
Use foam or plastic letters to form words
Highlight images, vocabulary words, sentences
Name of slide: Other Modifications
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to describe other modifications that can be made to increase the accessibility to the adapted book.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: If there is too much text, the text can be simplified by re-writing the text to preserve the main idea. The text can be rewritten with Writing with Symbol to add picture cues to the text. One word of caution, Do not use too many picture symbols on the page, as it will diminish the meaning of the text. It may also confuse the student. Boardmaker and Writing with Symbols are two examples of commercially produced writing tools. They pair word/text with pictures to increase clarity of the writer’s message. For students with visual and other impairments, creating tactile experiences will increase the level of participation for the student. Puff paints and highlighters can be used to emphasize single words, repeated story lines, and text in the books. 51

52. Other Modifications (con’t.)
Reduce or Simplify Text
Select the pages that are pertinent to maintaining the integrity of the story. If there is too much text or if the text is too complicated, rewrite the text to simplify the language
Laminate pages together (the pages not needed to get main idea)
Add vocabulary symbols to book
Name of slide: Other Modifications
Objective/Purpose of slide: This slide describes some ways to adapt the text of a story to increase the book’s accessibility.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: If there is too much text, the text can be simplified by re-writing the text to preserve the main idea, printing it out, and gluing the adapted text over the original text. Boardmaker and Writing with Symbols are two examples of commercially produced writing tools. These programs pair word/text with pictures to increase clarity of the writer’s message 52

53. Laminated, rebound, puff paint
Name of slide: Pictures of book adaptions
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to show ways to adapt books.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: What additional ways can teachers adapt books?
References:
Background Information: Some of these pictures are elementary books, but the concept of the adaption is the same.
Laminated, rebound, puff paint
Picture cues
Objects to illustrate sequence of story 53

54. Unbound and placed in page protectors, objects in sleeve
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to show ways to adapt books.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities: What additional ways can teachers adapt books?
References:
Background Information: Some of these pictures are elementary books, but the concept of the adaption is the same.
Writing With Symbols, 3-ring binder 54

55. Adaptations for Visual Impairments
Name of slide: Adaptations for Visual Impairments
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to provide ideas to adapt books for students with visual impairments.
Terminology & acronyms defined: A page fluffer is an object that is place between the pages of the adapted books to fan the pages. This will assist students when turning the page.
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: Fluffers are materials that can be used to stick in between pages of a book to make it easier to turn the pages such as cotton balls or pieces of sponge. Placing spaghetti under the text can provide a tactile cue for learning text pointing (from left to right and top to bottom) . Braille services are available from several organizations (listed in Module 2). IF the student has some sight enlarging the print on a copy machine or a computer may suffice. To highlight key words use plastic or foam letters, puffy paints, glitter or highlighting to make text more accessible to the student. Books on tape can assist in promoting independence in accessing text. Objects can be used to supplement the concepts/theme of the story.
Adaptations for Visual Impairments
Fluffers between pages for easy page turning
Place spaghetti under each line of text
Braille or Enlarged print
Textual changes
Foam letters, Letters mounted on surface, glue and glitter, puffy paints
Audio version of the book
Highlight text
Add real objects 55

56. Adaptations for Visual Impairments (con’t.)
Name of slide: Adaptations for Visual Impairments Con’t
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to provide ideas to adapt books for students with visual impairments.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts: Book illustrations add to the meaning of text. Adaptations to access illustrations in elementary level books is also important.
Activities:
References:
Background Information: These ideas assist in accessing the illustrations in addition to the ideas for accessing text. Adding tactile objects to the book and the pages may increase engagement and comprehension of the story. Objects can be placed in to plastic Zip-Loc bags and the bags can be glues or taped onto the pages of the book.
Adaptations for Visual Impairments (con’t.)
Tactile Illustrations
Raised line drawings
Embed real objects
Reproduce the tactile sensation of the photo (e.g., for a picture of grass- glue real grass or grass like material on top of the picture) 56

57. Adaptations for Hearing Impairments
Name of slide: Adaptations for Hearing Impairments
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to provide ideas to adapt books for students with hearing impairments.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:  
Activities:
References:
Background Information: If the student does not have American Sign Language knowledge other generic signs (like demonstration of playing a piano) can be used. Adding illustrations or pictures can also assist the student in following the story line. Use the same pictures added to the book as those required for student response when asked a question about the book. Some computer programs store books with moving illustrations for each student in the class.
Adaptations for Hearing Impairments
Pairing words and story line with American Sign Language, generic hand signs, pictures, objects, pantomime
Books on computer 57

58. Resources for Books Baltimore public schools
Name of slide: Resources for books
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to provide resources for where parents can get adapted books.
Terminology & acronyms defined: Boardmaker and Writing with Symbols are both available through Mayer Johnson. These programs are used to pair pictures to written words to help student read. The words selected for pictures are typically the vocabulary words. These two programs are required in order to print out the books and materials. It is a copyright issue.
Key Concepts:
Activities: Open these links and explore the resources.
References:
Background Information: Baltimore City Schools has hundreds of elementary books that teachers have created vocabulary words and activities. The UNCC site is mostly middle/secondary level books with some poetry.
Resources for Books
Baltimore public schools
Mostly elementary level materials to accompany books that require Boardmaker
Mostly middle/secondary books that require Writing With Symbols 58

59. Tactile Experience Books
Making a Tactile Experience Book
Collect objects
Affix objects to the page
Large objects can be stored in Zip-Lock bags
Keep the “decorations” simple
Braille text should be in a predictable and consistent place
Visual text should also be included, so the story can be shared with those who do not read Braille
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: Materials can be added to books that make them richly tactile. For example gluing a tuft of grass atop an illustration of grass. Some objects may need to be stored in storage bags if they are too large for the page. 59

60. Embedding Augmentative Communication Devices
Record repeated line on a VOD for students to press in anticipation of reading the line
Place key vocabulary (text, symbols or pictures) on VOD typically used by student to be used while reading the book
VOD can be used for requesting opportunities to turn pages, taking turns or read the repeated story line
Name of slide: Embedding Augmentative Communication Devices
Objective/Purpose of slide: The purpose of this slide is to describe the different options and alternatives with augmentative communication systems and devices.
Terminology & acronyms defined:
Key Concepts:
Activities:
References:
Background Information: Based on the individual needs of each student, the augmentative communication can be tailored to suit the specific objectives within the lesson. Augmentative and alternative communication systems fall into two categories: unaided and aided (Mirenda, 2003). Unaided communication systems do not involve the use of any equipment that is external to the persons’ body (Mirenda, 2001). Examples of unaided communication may include signs, gestures and pantomime. Aided communication approaches incorporate apparatus that is external to the person who may use them (Mirenda, 2001). Examples of aided communication fall into two categories: high technology- incorporate voice-output communication aids (VODs) including Big Macks, First Steps, DynaVox, and Cheap Talks; and low technology -consist of pictures, symbols, line drawings, and words and may include the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and picture-symbols created by Boardmaker and Writing with Symbols 2000. 60

61. References
Boston Public Schools Access Technology Center. (2003). Strategies & Tools for Adapting Books. Retrieved January 22, 2007 from
Browder, D. M., & Spooner, F. (Eds.) (2006). Teaching language arts, math & science to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Browder, D. M., Trela, K., & Jimenez, B. (in press). Training teachers to follow a task analysis to engage middle school students with severe and moderate developmental disabilities in grade-appropriate literature. Focus on Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

62. References (con’t.)
Browder, D. M., Wakeman, S. Y., Spooner, F., Ahlgrim-Delzell, L., & Algozzine, B. (2006). Research on reading for individuals with significant cognitive disabilities. Exceptional Children, 72,
Clay, M. M . (1977). Reading: The patterning of complex behaviors. Auckland: Heinemann.
Mirenda, P. (2001). Autism, augmentative communication, and assistive technology: What do we really know? Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 16,

63. References (con’t.)
Mirenda, P. (2003). Toward functional augmentative and alternative communication for students with autism: Manual signs, graphic symbols, and voice output communication aids. Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 34,
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, PL , 115 Stat (2002).
Whitehurst, G. J., & Lonigan, C. J. (1998). Child development and emergent literacy. Child Development, 69,

64. End of Module 4