Virginia Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Commonwealth University

Working with students that exhibit challenging behaviors in the classroom is something that almost all teachers will face at some point in their career.  Recent research indicates that more than 70% of teachers report an increase in disruptive behaviors in the classroom since 2019 (Prothero, 2023).  Additionally, 78% of teachers in another recent survey identified […]

We’re back! The Assistive Technology (AT) lab is now open in our new location on Staples Mill Road in Richmond; parking is free. As always, we have many devices that can be checked out to school teams in Regions 1 and 8. The device categories include Augmentative and Alternative Communication, play, leisure activities, computer access, […]

It is December, and many schools have been in session since August. As the school year moves toward the winter break, many students and teachers experience a mid-year slump as enthusiasm and focus begin to wane. What might contribute to these feelings? How can these challenges be eased and the new year be started with […]

Explicit Instruction features a continuum of supports, or scaffolds, where students are guided through the learning process while the responsibility for learning is gradually released from the teacher to the students. Although the concept of scaffolding hearkens back to 1976, (Puntambekar, 2022), Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey (2023) continue to find the concept of scaffolding […]

Creating a high-quality early childhood setting is a key aspect of improving long-term outcomes for students with and without disabilities and their families. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) states within their core values that, “children are best understood and supported in the context of family, culture, community, and society” (NAEYC […]

Many students enter the mathematics classroom, regardless of grade, with a variety of factors impacting their academic and behavioral performance. Some of these factors may be related to a disability directly or indirectly related to mathematics, but others might not be. One such factor is math anxiety. But what is math anxiety and how do […]

Attendance is a topic of discussion in many schools. When students attend school consistently, they have increased opportunities to experience academic and social success. However, some students struggle with regular school attendance and are chronically absent. Specifically, chronic absenteeism is an area of concern for students with disabilities. Let’s examine why students with disabilities may […]

Sensory processing is the relationship between the nervous system, sensory input interacting with our senses, and the patterns formed by a person’s response. Common processing patterns within our seven senses (i.e., sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, vestibular, and proprioceptive) are sensory sensitive, sensation avoidance, low registration, and sensation seeking. These create various possible responses and […]

If you’re a middle or high school teacher, you’re probably experiencing some challenges as you see your students struggle to organize materials from previous class sessions so they are unable to use them in future classes. Let’s look at this from the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) perspective.  The UDL Guidelines recommend scaffolds we can […]

Coaching plays a vital role in supporting and empowering co-teaching pairs. By providing ongoing guidance, feedback, and professional development, instructional coaches can help teachers develop the necessary skills and strategies to meet the diverse needs of their students. Here are four areas of coaching to consider when working with co-teachers. Establishing relationships Coaching teachers begins […]