WHAT IS PROJECT IMPACT? 

Project IMPACT (Inclusion Made Practical for ALL Children and Teachers) was designed to support general and special education teachers to use research-based reading practices and design grade-aligned instruction to improve reading comprehension for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability. Over the course of the project, teachers and paraprofessionals were trained and provided coaching to improve their teaching practice while supporting their students to access and benefit from reading instruction in the general education classroom. The project was implemented in both elemetary and middle schools over a period of three years and targeted four long term outcomes:

1. Improve the reading comprehension outcome data for students.
2. Improve the quality of instruction for students in more inclusive environments.
3. Increase the number of inclusive opportunities in academic settings for students.
4. Increase the capacity of PLC members to implement RBPs and utilize model curriculum tools in inclusive academic classrooms. 

“During our (end of grade) reading assessment, (one of our particpating students) used his learned language skills to search for common pictures in (the) selection (options) to select (his) correct response. His vocabulary, listening, and self confidence are through the roof!” 

—PLC 3 Project IMPACT Special Education Teacher discussing the testing outcomes
of the particpating student with the largest growth curve

We implemented project IMPACT in three phases (a) coaching special teachers to implement high quality literacy instruction for students with ESN, (b) supporting special and general education teachers to collaborate in the development of high quality lessons for students with and without ESN in the general education classrooms, and (c) increasing the capacity of peers to support students with ESN in the general education classroom.

• Coaching Educators
• Project IMPACT Training Materials (Phase 1, 2, 3)
• Adapted literacy tools for special educators and paraprofessionals

Tools and resources used during Phase 1 of Project IMPACT

• Tools for building inclusive literacy programs for students with extensive support needs

Tools and resources used during Phase 2 of Project IMPACT

• Building inclusive literacy programs using peers

Tools and resources used during Phase 3 of Project IMPACT

• Instructional Videos