All means all.
What do we mean by that? ‘All means all’ means that every person, no matter how disabled, has the right to the opportunity to learn. Has the right to appropriate instruction designed to their needs. ‘All means all’ means that we do everything we can to provide effective instruction and opportunities for learning.
We have no way of knowing for sure who will be able to learn what (and to what extent). We do not ever want to be the obstacle holding someone back from their full potential. They have the right to the opportunity to learn. They have the right to accessible and appropriate instruction.
An SLP shared a story about an AAC user she supported. He was highly motivated to learn to read and write. He worked hard for many years trying to learn. While he was frustrated that he never achieved the skill level he wanted, he did learn and make progress. He learned enough to express himself through poetry he wrote. He didn’t have perfect spelling or write full, grammatically correct sentences. But he had the power to express himself through the written word!
Another AAC user this SLP supported was similar in many ways to the gentleman in the previous story. Both diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Both in power wheelchairs. Both needed daily care support. Both nonspeaking, full-time AAC users. Both used high-tech AAC devices (even used similar devices). This second gentleman writes and shares presentations for his own small business. He was able to progress further in his literacy journey.
No one would have been able to predict the outcomes for either gentleman. And both deserved the opportunity to learn to read and write. Both benefited from the opportunity to learn to read and write.
Literacy is important for all (especially people who use AAC) because…
- educational achievement is directly related to literacy levels (Nguyen et al, 2017)
- employment and earnings (even after controlling for education levels) have a significant relationship with literacy abilities (de Baldini Rocha & Ponczek, 2011; Heisz, Notten & Stu, 2016; Kerckoff et al, 2001)
- higher literacy levels are associated with better health outcomes (Berkman et al, 2011; DeWalt et al, 2005; Kutner et al, 2006)
- literacy supports communication learning and use (Benson Goldberg et al, 2022; Skotko et al, 2004)
- literacy fills gaps between receptive and expressive vocabulary (Geist & Erickson, 2020)
- literacy allows communication with anyone, about anything, anytime, anywhere (Koppenhaver, 2000)
In 2024, NWACS delved into the Literacy Bill of Rights as part of our theme for the year: AAC and Literacy. Literacy right #6 is the right to have teachers and other service providers who are knowledgeable about literacy instruction methods and principles.
- Methods include but are not limited to instruction, assessment, and the technologies required to make literacy accessible to individuals with disabilities
- Principles include, but are not limited to, the beliefs that literacy is learned across places and time, and no person is too disabled to benefit from literacy learning opportunities.
Providers who are knowledgeable about literacy instruction. What do we need to know to be knowledgeable about literacy instruction? The good news is that we have decades of evidence from multiple disciplines to inform our instruction!
“To become literate, students with significant disabilities need…teams who believe in their capabilities, appreciate that difficulties are inevitable, understand that learning failures are more productively identified as teaching failures, and are willing to problem-solve and experiment as long as it takes to achieve success.”
Erickson & Koppenhaver
(2020, page 17)
Disability doesn’t change WHAT a learner needs to be taught.
The WHAT of literacy instruction is the same for all learners, including those with diverse needs. It is in the HOW that we modify to accommodate the needs of disabled learners. Modify our instruction and/or modify how disabled learners show their understanding and skills.
Let’s explore further.
Let’s take a look at the science of reading and writing. This compilation of research and evidence outlines what we currently know about how people best learn to read and write. This information serves as our guideposts as we take on the important work of providing literacy instruction for all.
- The Science of Reading is for Everyone
- The Science of Writing is for Everyone
- Getting Started with Literacy Instruction for Complex Learners
We all play a role in supporting literacy development! What is one step you can take to level up your support?
References
- Benson-Goldberg, S., Geist, L. A., & Erickson, K. A. (2022). Expressive communication over time: A longitudinal analysis of the Project Core implementation model. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 45(1), 64-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/15257401221120790
- de Baldini Rocha, M. S., & Ponczek, V. (2011). The effects of adult literacy on earnings and employment. Economics of Education Review, 30(4), 755-764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2011.03.005
- Erickson K. A., & Koppenhaver, D. A. (2020). Comprehensive Literacy for All: Teaching Students With Significant Disabilities to Read and Write. Baltimore: Brooks Publishing Company.
- Heisz, A., Notten, G., & Situ, J. (2016). The association between skills and low income. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/75-006-x/2016001/article/14322-eng.pdf?st=eu09zkvl
- Kerckhoff, A. C., Raudenbush, S. W, & Glennie E. (2001). Education, cognitive skill, and labor force outcomes. Sociology of Education, 74(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.2307/2673142
- Koppenhaver, D. A. (2000). Literacy in AAC: What should be written on the envelope we push? Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 16, 270–279. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434610012331279124
- Nguyen, T. T., Tchetgen, E. J., Kawachi, I., Gilman, S. E., Walter, S., & Glymour, M. M. (2017). The role of literacy in the association between educational attainment and depressive symptoms. SSM Health Population, 3, 586-593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2017.07.002
- Skotko, B. G., Koppenhaver, D. A., & Erickson, K. A. (2004). Parent reading behaviors and communication outcomes in girls with Rett syndrome. Exceptional Children, 70, 145-166. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290407000202
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