Educators
All disabled students have the right to education on an equal basis with others, with reasonable accommodations and individualized supports. This page centers disabled people’s expertise to help educators create genuinely inclusive learning environments that go beyond minimum legal compliance.
Why This Matters
Section titled “Why This Matters”Disabled students are routinely underestimated, segregated, and denied access to grade-level curriculum. They experience higher rates of suspension, expulsion, and restraint. They are disproportionately placed in restrictive settings away from non-disabled peers.
These outcomes are not inevitable—they result from systems designed without disabled input, deficit-based thinking, and lack of training. Educators who presume competence and design for access from the start can transform student outcomes.
Universal Design for Learning
Section titled “Universal Design for Learning”The Framework
Section titled “The Framework”Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides the foundation for accessible instruction. Developed by CAST, UDL is built on three principles:
Multiple Means of Engagement: Recruit interest and sustain effort through choice, relevance, and self-regulation support.
Multiple Means of Representation: Present information in varied formats—text, audio, video, graphics, hands-on materials.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Offer flexible ways to demonstrate learning—papers, presentations, portfolios, videos, verbal responses.
UDL isn’t an accommodation for some students—it’s better design benefiting everyone.
Getting Started
Section titled “Getting Started”Implementation starts small:
- Offer lecture recordings alongside live sessions
- Provide materials in multiple formats before students request them
- Let students choose how to demonstrate knowledge
- Build reflection into assessment
- Use flexible deadlines when content mastery (not time management) is the goal
- Caption all videos
- Ensure digital materials work with screen readers
Common Mistakes
Section titled “Common Mistakes”- Treating UDL as a checklist rather than a design philosophy
- Adding accessibility features after the fact instead of designing them in
- Assuming “accommodations” and “UDL” are the same thing
- Only applying UDL in special education settings
Presuming Competence
Section titled “Presuming Competence”The Principle
Section titled “The Principle”Presume that every student can learn, communicate, and participate—then figure out how to make it possible. When uncertain about a student’s abilities, assume competence: the consequences of underestimating someone are far more harmful than overestimating them.
This doesn’t mean ignoring support needs. It means starting from the assumption that the student has thoughts, preferences, and potential—and that your job is to find ways to access them.
In Practice
Section titled “In Practice”Curriculum access: Students should access grade-level content with supports rather than being relegated to “life skills” curricula based on disability labels alone.
Communication: If a student doesn’t speak, assume they have things to say and provide alternative communication methods. Non-speaking does not mean non-thinking.
Behavior: Assume behavior is communication. Ask what the student might be trying to tell you before assuming defiance or manipulation.
Goals: The 2017 Endrew F. Supreme Court decision requires “appropriately ambitious” IEP goals. Disabled students deserve high expectations, not lowered bars.
Warning Signs of Low Expectations
Section titled “Warning Signs of Low Expectations”- Curricula focused entirely on “life skills” without academic content
- Goals that never change or increase in complexity
- Assumptions that students “can’t” based on diagnosis rather than individual assessment
- Segregated placements without evidence that inclusion was tried with supports
- Praising disabled students for basic tasks that wouldn’t be praised in non-disabled peers
Beyond IEP Compliance
Section titled “Beyond IEP Compliance”The Legal Floor
Section titled “The Legal Floor”IDEA’s Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Section 504 plans establish minimums, not goals. Compliance is the floor—best practice builds far above it.
Proactive Accessibility
Section titled “Proactive Accessibility”Design curricula accessibly from the start rather than retrofitting accommodations after students request them. When accessibility is built in, students don’t have to out themselves to access learning.
Student-Led IEPs
Section titled “Student-Led IEPs”Teach self-advocacy skills early. Support students in understanding their own learning needs and directing their own planning meetings. Even young students can participate meaningfully in IEP discussions about their goals and preferences.
Challenging Deficit Documentation
Section titled “Challenging Deficit Documentation”Traditional accommodation systems require students to prove their deficits through extensive medical documentation. This perpetuates a deviance model of disability. Student narratives about their experience constitute valid evidence of access needs.
Inclusion as Default
Section titled “Inclusion as Default”The least restrictive environment (LRE) mandate means inclusion is the starting point, not something students must earn. Removal to more restrictive settings requires evidence that inclusion with supports was inadequate—not assumptions based on disability category.
Trauma-Informed Teaching
Section titled “Trauma-Informed Teaching”Why It Matters for Disabled Students
Section titled “Why It Matters for Disabled Students”Disabled students experience higher rates of trauma than non-disabled peers through:
- Abuse, neglect, and exploitation (higher rates than non-disabled children)
- Medical trauma from procedures, hospitalizations, and invasive treatments
- Restraint and seclusion in schools
- Bullying and social exclusion
- Repeated experiences of failure in inaccessible systems
Behaviors attributed to disability may actually be trauma responses.
Core Practices
Section titled “Core Practices”Safety: Create predictable routines, clear expectations, and physically/emotionally safe spaces.
Relationships: Build genuine relationships before focusing on content. Trust comes first.
Regulation support: Teach and support emotional regulation rather than punishing dysregulation.
Avoid triggers: Learn individual students’ triggers and proactively avoid them when possible.
Response over reaction: When behavior escalates, respond with curiosity and calm rather than punishment.
Critical Caution
Section titled “Critical Caution”Teachers should recognize trauma without attempting to be therapists. Forcing students to process trauma without proper support can cause harm. Know when to refer to mental health professionals and how to access those resources for students.
Avoiding Restraint and Seclusion
Section titled “Avoiding Restraint and Seclusion”Restraint and seclusion are traumatic, dangerous, and disproportionately used on disabled students and students of color. They are never educational interventions.
Best practice:
- Prevent escalation through environmental design and relationship-building
- Use de-escalation techniques
- Allow students to leave situations that are overwhelming
- Have crisis plans developed proactively with families
- If restraint is ever used, treat it as a system failure requiring review and plan modification
Supporting Multiply-Marginalized Students
Section titled “Supporting Multiply-Marginalized Students”Intersecting Identities
Section titled “Intersecting Identities”Disabled students hold multiple identities. Black disabled students face both racism and ableism. LGBTQ+ disabled students experience harassment related to multiple aspects of identity. Students in poverty face compounded access barriers. Immigrant students may have disability needs unidentified or misidentified.
Disproportionality
Section titled “Disproportionality”Black students are significantly more likely to be identified as having intellectual disabilities or emotional disturbance—categories that lead to more restrictive placements. They are more likely to be suspended, expelled, and subjected to restraint and seclusion.
This is not about Black students having more disabilities. It’s about racist systems producing discriminatory outcomes.
Culturally Responsive Special Education
Section titled “Culturally Responsive Special Education”- Examine your own biases about disability, race, gender, and their intersections
- Question referral patterns: Why is this student being referred? Would a white student with similar behaviors be referred?
- Include diverse perspectives across curriculum—disabled people of color, disabled LGBTQ+ people, disabled people from the student’s cultural background
- Involve families as partners, respecting cultural differences in understanding disability
- Reject “sequential inclusion” that addresses only one identity at a time
Resources
Section titled “Resources”DisCrit (Disability Critical Race Theory) provides frameworks for examining how racism and ableism intersect in educational settings.
Post-COVID Considerations
Section titled “Post-COVID Considerations”What the Pandemic Revealed
Section titled “What the Pandemic Revealed”The pandemic proved institutions could implement flexible accommodations—remote options, recorded lectures, asynchronous participation—previously denied to disabled students as “unreasonable.” When everyone needed flexibility, it suddenly became possible.
Maintaining Progress
Section titled “Maintaining Progress”Best practice means maintaining pandemic-era flexibilities permanently:
- Continue offering remote/hybrid options
- Keep recording lectures and providing asynchronous materials
- Honor “crip time” for chronic illness flare-ups and variable conditions
- Build accessibility into all digital materials by default
- Recognize that “returning to normal” means returning to exclusion for many disabled students
Long COVID
Section titled “Long COVID”Many students now have Long COVID—a disabling condition that may involve fatigue, cognitive difficulties (“brain fog”), and unpredictable symptom fluctuation. These students need accommodations even if they didn’t previously have disabilities.
Specific Considerations by Disability Type
Section titled “Specific Considerations by Disability Type”Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Section titled “Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students”- Qualified interpreters (not aides or family members) for ASL users
- CART (real-time captioning) for students who don’t use ASL
- Captioned videos and visual materials for all auditory content
- Favorable seating for lipreading if used
- Visual alerts for emergencies
- Reduce background noise
- Face students when speaking
Blind and Low Vision Students
Section titled “Blind and Low Vision Students”- Materials in accessible formats (braille, large print, electronic) provided in advance
- Describe visual content verbally
- Accessible educational technology
- Orientation to physical spaces
- Don’t rearrange the classroom without warning
Autistic Students
Section titled “Autistic Students”- Sensory-friendly environments (lighting, noise, textures)
- Clear, explicit communication—avoid sarcasm, idioms, implied expectations
- Predictable routines with advance notice of changes
- Respect for stimming (self-stimulatory behavior)
- Social supports without forcing neurotypical performance
- Recognize that behavior is communication
- Allow movement and sensory breaks
Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Section titled “Students with Intellectual Disabilities”- Presume competence—always
- Age-appropriate materials and respect
- Grade-level content with appropriate supports
- Concrete examples and visual supports
- Extended time and repetition
- Opportunities for meaningful inclusion with non-disabled peers
Students with Learning Disabilities
Section titled “Students with Learning Disabilities”- Explicit instruction in areas of difficulty
- Assistive technology (text-to-speech, speech-to-text, calculators)
- Alternative ways to demonstrate knowledge
- Extended time without stigma
- Avoid conflating learning disability with intelligence
Students with ADHD
Section titled “Students with ADHD”- Movement opportunities built into instruction
- Chunked tasks with clear steps
- Fidget tools without stigma
- Flexible seating
- Frequent check-ins
- Minimize distractions when needed while respecting student preferences
Students with Physical Disabilities
Section titled “Students with Physical Disabilities”- Fully accessible classrooms and materials
- Appropriate furniture and equipment
- Field trips and activities planned for accessibility from the start
- Allow for fatigue and medical needs
- Don’t assume cognitive limitations based on physical disability
Students with Chronic Illness
Section titled “Students with Chronic Illness”- Flexible attendance policies
- Plans for home instruction during flare-ups
- Medication and treatment access during school
- Recognition that symptoms fluctuate—good days don’t mean accommodation fraud
- Privacy regarding medical information
Students with Mental Health Disabilities
Section titled “Students with Mental Health Disabilities”- Trauma-informed approaches
- Flexible deadlines during crisis periods
- Access to counseling and mental health supports
- Anti-stigma education for all students
- Safety planning without punishment
Working with Families
Section titled “Working with Families”Families as Partners
Section titled “Families as Partners”Families know their children. They have expertise that professionals lack. Partnership means genuine collaboration, not informing families of decisions already made.
Cultural Humility
Section titled “Cultural Humility”Different cultures understand disability differently. Some families may not use disability language or may have concerns about labels. Meet families where they are while ensuring students receive needed supports.
Communication Access
Section titled “Communication Access”Provide interpreters for families who use sign language or speak languages other than English. Ensure all written communication is accessible and translated as needed. Schedule meetings at times that work for working families.
When Families and Schools Disagree
Section titled “When Families and Schools Disagree”Listen to family concerns. They may be seeing something you’re missing. If disagreement continues, explore mediation before adversarial processes. Remember that families are advocating for their children—assume good intent.
Professional Development
Section titled “Professional Development”Ongoing Learning
Section titled “Ongoing Learning”One training is not enough. Disability competency requires ongoing learning, reflection, and skill-building.
Learning from Disabled People
Section titled “Learning from Disabled People”The best professional development comes from disabled people themselves—disabled educators, self-advocates, disability studies scholars. Seek out training led by disabled people rather than only about disabled people.
Resources
Section titled “Resources”Organizations:
- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): exceptionalchildren.org
- CAST (UDL): cast.org
- AHEAD (higher education): ahead.org
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network: autisticadvocacy.org
Books:
- UDL Now! by Katie Novak
- Presuming Competence edited by Douglas Biklen
- DisCrit: Disability Studies and Critical Race Theory in Education edited by Connor, Ferri, and Annamma
Online:
- CAST UDL Guidelines: udlguidelines.cast.org
- ASAN resources for educators: autisticadvocacy.org
- Understood (for learning and attention issues): understood.org
Quick Reference: Do This, Not That
Section titled “Quick Reference: Do This, Not That”| Instead of… | Try… |
|---|---|
| ”He can’t do grade-level work" | "What supports would help him access grade-level content?” |
| Assuming behavior is willful defiance | Asking “What is this behavior communicating?” |
| Requiring documentation before accommodations | Believing students about their access needs |
| Segregated placements as default | Inclusion with supports as starting point |
| Praising basic task completion | Holding high expectations with appropriate support |
| Speaking to aides instead of students | Direct communication with students |
| One-size-fits-all instruction | UDL principles built into design |
| Treating accommodations as unfair advantages | Recognizing accommodations as access |
Legal Framework (United States)
Section titled “Legal Framework (United States)”IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
Section titled “IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)”- Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
- Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
- Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
- Applies to K-12 public schools
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Section titled “Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act”- Prohibits disability discrimination
- 504 plans for students who don’t qualify for IEPs
- Applies to all schools receiving federal funding
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Section titled “ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)”- Prohibits disability discrimination
- Applies to public schools and private schools (except religious schools)
- Covers physical and program accessibility
Endrew F. v. Douglas County (2017)
Section titled “Endrew F. v. Douglas County (2017)”- IEP goals must be “appropriately ambitious”
- Rejected the “merely more than de minimis” standard
- Students must have opportunity to make progress appropriate to their circumstances
Related Pages
Section titled “Related Pages”- Education Section
- K-12 Education
- Higher Education
- Designing an Accessible Course
- Rights & Advocacy
- For Allies
This page centers disabled people’s expertise and is informed by disabled-led organizing globally. For questions or to suggest additions, see How to Contribute.
Contribute to This Page
Section titled “Contribute to This Page”Have lived experience or expertise that could strengthen this page? We especially welcome perspectives on models not well represented here, including those from the Global South and Indigenous communities.
This page centers disabled people’s expertise and is informed by disabled-led organizing globally. For questions or to suggest additions, see How to Contribute.