Story-based Lessons for Students with Severe Intellectual Disability: Implications for Research-To-Practice

Abstract

All educators must use evidence-based practices to teach literacy to their students, including those who teach students with a severe disability. This may be a challenge, specifically for teachers who serve students with intensive communication needs and hearing loss. This exploratory study investigated the use of research in both severe disability and hearing loss to support two middle-school students, with a severe intellectual disability, in participating in literacy lessons aligned to grade level novels. The study used an abbreviated alternating treatment design to compare the effects of a story-based task analysis, with (SBL+) and without (SBL) embedded support for students with hearing loss, on student participation and comprehension of grade-aligned text. Results indicated increased student participation and correct responses from baseline to intervention for both the SBL+ and SBL interventions. Results were mixed regarding one treatment providing better student outcomes. Additionally, results indicated that while the teacher was able to implement the steps of the task-analysis during literacy instruction, low fidelity on prompting system and feedback during each step of the task-analysis may hinder students’ opportunities to demonstrate mastery of new content. Implications for practice, with emphasis on the use of evidence-based practice and future research are discussed.