Project Description:
Reading is one of life's most important life skills. Although research is clear that students with intellectual and developmental disabilities can gain meaningful skills to read and write, most school teams do not know how to deliver evidence-based reading intervention for these students. These challenges are complicated for school teams working with students who have limited speech and use or would benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
PATHS to Reading is a 5-year implementation and translational science project. We are focused on developing, testing, and scaling-up implementation supports for schools and districts to promote language and literacy outcomes for young students in PreK-2nd grade with disabilities who are nonspeaking or have limited speech through evidence-based, AAC-supported reading instruction.
Specifically, this project involves developing, piloting, and scaling-up high-quality virtual training and site-based coaching around PATHS to Reading—an evidence-based approach to integrating AAC into high-quality literacy instruction for young students with disabilities. Over the course of the project, we will also disseminate high-quality and accessible web resources that provide guidance and tools that schools and districts need to sustain and replicate the PATHS to Reading approach with students across the country.
PATHS to Reading is novel and important because we focus on AAC-supported language and literacy instruction through four core components:
1. Supporting language and literacy learning in children's natural environments with AAC
2. AAC-supported shared reading instruction
3. AAC-supported direct instruction on high-impact early reading skills (e.g., letter names, letter sounds, phonological awareness, early decoding)
4. Family-school engagement for literacy and AAC
We will support schools and districts to improve student language and literacy outcomes by providing high-quality, evidence-based AAC-supported literacy instruction and. A core component of the program is the development of over 10 hours of high-quality, video-based virtual training modules that will be freely available and widely disseminated. In partnership with the TRIAD team, we will develop eight highly engaging and informative video-based virtual modules that can be used by administrators, coaches, educators, speech-language pathologists and other service providers, paraeducators and families. Those planned courses include: (a) foundations for reading development, (b) fundamentals of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), (c) assessment of language and literacy skills, (d) coaching principles and practices, (e) AAC-supported learning in natural environments, (f) AAC-supported shared reading instruction, (g) AAC-supported direct instruction on high-impact early reading skills, and (h) partnering with families. Each video-based web module will include tailored versions for people in different roles (e.g., coaches, educators and service providers, families) and also provide supplementary tools to support implementation (such as fidelity assessment tools, tip sheets, planning guides, self-reflection activities). We will include real-world video examples of strategies being used in practice to support effective implementation.
Keyword(s):
Developmental Disabilities, Early Childhood – General, Autism, Education
Core Function(s):
Performing Direct and/or Demonstration Services, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English, Geographic Areas, Urban, Specific Groups
