Each year, the TASH Conference strengthens the disability field by connecting attendees to innovative information and resources, facilitating connections between stakeholders within the disability movement, and helping attendees reignite their passion for an inclusive world. This year’s conference theme, “Gateway to Equity,” explores inclusive communities, schools, and workplaces that support people with disabilities, including those with complex support needs, in living a fair, just, and balanced life. Return to TASH website.
Interactive reading experiences can provide a natural context for the enhancement of language and literacy competencies, but also the additional growth of social skills and confidence. This session will inform the development of a three-step cooperative learning intervention within shared reading activities for the purposeful inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities or Autism who use aided augmentative and alternative communication devices in upper elementary and middle grades. As a result of this session participants will be able to a) identify a three-step cooperative learning intervention to increase social, communication, and academic outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities or autism who use aided augmentative and alternative communication systems b) examine additional opportunities for implementation of cooperative learning during shared reading activities (e.g., during introduction of new material, across a variety of content areas, during social-emotional activities) c) consider strategies for individualization based on learnersŸ?? symbolic level of communication, grade-aligned content areas, and preferences
