High-Leverage Practices for Students with Disabilities: A Closer Look at Adapting Curriculum

Did you know that the High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) for Students with Disabilities have been revised and updated as of March 2024? The HLPs are now organized by domain, and each HLP is also identified as either a Pillar Practice or an Embedded Practice. Pillar Practices are the most critical HLPs for teachers, while Embedded Practices are key to supporting the effectiveness of the pillars.

In our community of practice with the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), we have emphasized that the HLPs are effective instructional practices for all students. Although designed specifically for students with disabilities, the HLPs establish the bedrock of sound instructional practices. Our work has focused on three HLPs within the Instruction in Behavior and Academics domain: explicit instruction, adapting curriculum, and providing scaffolded supports. Our last blog focused on explicit instruction, a Pillar Practice.

This blog is focused on adapting curriculum, an Embedded Practice. The Embedded Practices within the Instruction in Behavior and Academics domain are split into two categories: What to Teach and How to Teach.

Adapting curriculum falls under the How to Teach category, and it directly connects to explicit instruction. When designing explicit instruction, teachers must think about the adaptations needed in any part of the lesson, including modeling, guided practice, and independent practice stages. Adaptation decisions are based on student performance and learning objectives. “Educators who have mastered principles of explicit instruction and use them to create organized and effective learning environments for behavior and academics also need to consider unique adaptations students may need to succeed” (Aceves & Kennedy, 2024, p. 109).

Adaptations will look different according to student needs. For students with Individualized Education Plans, there are two types of adaptations: accommodations and modifications. Accommodations alter how a student learns, and modifications alter what a student learns. In addition to adaptations planned in advance, some adaptations may occur “on the spot” during a lesson as needed.

For each HLP that our community of practice has examined, we have designed an infographic to provide a succinct overview of the practice and its key features. Check out our infographic for adapting curriculum and use it as a reference guide for you and your team.

 

Authors: Samuel Glickman, Jessica Folsom; Region 7 Comprehensive Center