Reading Comprehension Supports and Assessment: Effective Strategies for Students with Intellectual Disability

Accessing and understanding print—both in physical and digital formats—is essential for academic learning, independence, and social engagement. However, students with intellectual disability often face significant challenges in both reading comprehension and how it is assessed. This session will present current research on strategies to support comprehension and access to text, including the use of visual supports, structured discussions, and adapted materials. Participants will also explore how to adapt informal comprehension assessments to more accurately reflect students' understanding and guide their instruction. Practical examples and classroom tools will be shared to support implementation in diverse learning environments.

Following this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify common barriers to reading comprehension for students with intellectual disability and describe strategies to increase access to print and digital text.
• Apply supportive instructional approaches such as visual supports and structured discussion to enhance reading comprehension.
• Adapt and use informal comprehension assessments to better understand and plan for the learning needs of students with intellectual disability.

Target Audience:

• Special education teachers who support students with intellectual disability
• Special education school leaders
• Related service providers of special education schools (e.g., speech language therapists)
• Special Needs Education Officers in Mainstream Schools