Adapted texts at Victoria Avenue Public School
Objective
Allow students in a support class to access curriculum-related concepts, information and narratives on the same basis as their peers in mainstream classes by using adapted versions of texts.
Measure of success
Effectiveness of adapted texts in improving language comprehension.
All measures
Adapted text assessment scores (Vocabulary, opinion, inferential, and literal comprehension)
On task and off task behaviour
Teacher, parent and SLSO interview
Student interviews in relation to abstract concepts, supported by visuals
Partner school
Victoria Avenue Public School
Overview
This Disability Strategy initiative assesses the potential for students with moderate intellectual disability and/or autism to access the curriculum in an age-appropriate way through the use of adapted versions of texts studied by their mainstream peers.
This project is based on the reading theory in Scarborough’s Reading Rope (2001). Word recognition is not required of the students. Background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning and literacy knowledge are explicitly taught and supported. Visual supports, including primary sources, are used wherever possible.
The project aims to help students:
improve literal and inferential comprehension
improve ability to form and support opinions
demonstrate understanding of abstract concepts.
It involves seven students with autism and/or intellectual disability and several with ADHD in a Stage 3 class.