Research abstract

Bridging the Gap for Students With Special Needs

Special needs students become often overlooked when it comes to literacy. However, rest assured that teachers and administrators are making every attempt to bridge the gap so that students thrive. By International Literacy Association Daily

Laura Lurns Last updated December 20, 2016 · 1 min read

Progress has been made by narrowing the achievement gap for students with special needs. Hartselle City Schools in Alabama knew something was missing so they started using the online reading intervention program with their students with special needs in 2014–2015. It works from the bottom up to address hidden problems that keep readers from making progress.

The challenge was that, despite our best efforts, many of our students with special needs continued to perform about two or three grade levels behind their peers in general education.

The program is different from regular programs. It starts with cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and processing speed. In one semester, they saw a 25% increase in students’ reading skills. They also use the Barton Reading and Spelling System, which help students connect sounds and letters using color-coded letter tiles.

Key takeaways

The Hartselle City school district formed a reading task force for students with special needs.
The task force implemented a new reading intervention program to better address underlying difficulties with reading, and took a structured, multisensory approach.
The task force has achieved measurable gains in literacy for children with reading difficulties.

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Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert Writes about the learning brain for parents who want plain answers. Every article is grounded in current neuroscience and classroom practice.

The challenge was that, despite our best efforts, many of our students with special needs continued to perform about two or three grade levels behind their peers in general education.

Key takeaways

Is your child struggling in school?

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