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

Supporting all students in the mathematics classroom starts with the use of evidence-based Tier 1 instruction. For decades, that foundation has been the use of the Concrete-Representational-Abstract, or C-R-A, framework, which is supported by the research and studies of Jerome Bruner and Helen Kenney (Bruner & Kenney, 1965). The framework advocates for providing instruction to […]

Establishing an environment in early childhood classrooms that promotes effective teamwork and collaboration has been shown to significantly enhance student outcomes, particularly for those with complex needs. Exceptional education teachers are expected to collaborate with various providers to support the students they serve. Paraprofessionals play a crucial role as integral members of the educational team. […]

As a secondary educator, knowing when to start supporting students with disabilities on the post-secondary transition journey can be challenging. Do we begin in high school? Or, do we plan from the beginning with the end in mind? Morningstar and Clavenna-Dean (2018) wrote a book, Your Complete Guide to Transition Planning and Services, that guides […]

The world of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. We now have access to cutting-edge high-tech options and personalized access methods like eye gaze and head tracking. However, the challenge remains – many teachers and even some therapists aren’t equipped with the necessary experience and training to […]

For every licensed educator, ongoing and continuous professional development (PD) is likely a requirement for recertification. Unfortunately, many educators do not buy-in to PD due to lack of choice, relevance, and the “sit and get” nature of many offerings (Kroeger et al., 2022). In their article, “Microteaching: An Opportunity for Meaningful Professional Development,” Kroeger et […]

Creating change in the co-taught classroom can be challenging. Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) method allows co-teachers to make data-informed decisions about areas needing improvement, adjust those areas, and analyze the results to consider the following steps to improve student outcomes. The PDSA model was first developed to monitor quality control in the scientific community, and […]

Creating a high-quality early childhood setting is key to improving long-term outcomes for students with disabilities. Utilizing assistive technology (AT) ensures equitable access that supports children receiving services outlined in an individualized family service plan (IFSP) or an individualized education program (IEP) while serving as a bridge to enhance a child’s opportunities for meaningful participation […]

Take a minute to think about how an adult helps a child learn to ride a bike. He doesn’t put her on the bike and say, “There you go! Ride the bike!” Instead, he scaffolds the support in order to help her learn to ride her bike independently: The adult knew a gap existed between […]

For the United States to maintain its status as a global leader in innovation, it is projected that over one million more professionals from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) sectors will be needed over the next ten years (Athanasia & Cota, 2022). With the rapidly growing need in these fields, educators must consider […]

In today’s advanced world, people with communication challenges have more opportunities than ever to express themselves. We all communicate in different ways, whether through speech, sign language, pictures, gestalts, speech-generating devices, eye gaze, or keyboards. Aided Language Input (ALI) is a powerful, proven, effective strategy. ALI is also referred to as Aided Language Stimulation or […]