Supporting All Students
Research indicates that including students with disabilities in academic instruction and social opportunities with their peers without disabilities is likely to result in improved post-school outcomes. Inclusion in general education requires students with disabilities to have access to general education curriculum and be engaged in regular education classes with peers without disabilities.
Some essential characteristics for including and supporting all students include:
- Provide administrative support (e.g., professional development for teachers and paraprofessionals, common planning, providing paraprofessionals) to teachers for students with disabilities included in general education classrooms.
- Provide specific instruction to support students with disabilities who are included in general education (e.g., differentiated instruction, learning strategies, study skills, organizational skills, personal management skills).
- Evaluate the effectiveness of inclusive programming by using formative assessment to identify when adjustments are needed to accommodate all students’ learning differences (e.g., pace, communication skills).
- Develop a receptive school atmosphere for including students with disabilities in general education by educating administrators, teachers, other staff, and students about person-first language and disability rights.
- Observe and assess integrated environment to identify and provide interventions for needed academic, social, behavior, and communication skills to ensure a conducive learning environment for all students.
- Use diverse instructional strategies to meet the learning needs of all students including universal design for learning, technology, and linking instruction to student interests.
- Provide professional development for secondary personnel to ensure personnel are qualified to use universal design for learning and evidence-based instructional strategies.
- Engage students as active participants in general education instructional processes utilizing multiple models of inclusive learning.
While adults with disabilities as a whole experience lower rates of postsecondary enrollment and competitive integrated employment than adults without disabilities, there are sub populations who tend to experience the lowest rates of employment as young adults. Examining local and state data regarding employment and enrollment trends can inform targeted programming.
Nationally, the populations that achieve lower rates of positive outcomes include students with autism, students with multiple disabilities, and students with serious mental health conditions. Geographic location, poverty, and other demographic variables are also factors that may influence the post-school outcomes of young adults with disabilities. Having knowledge of these factors in one's own state or community and addressing them with targeted, effective practices is crucial to improving the outcomes of students with disabilities.
Student Supports- Essential Characteristics:
- Develop and implement procedures for cultivating and maintaining school and community networks to assist students in obtaining their postsecondary goals.
- Provide students access to rigorous, differentiated academic instruction.
- Link students to appropriate individuals who can assist student in obtaining access to assistive technology resources and teach students to use technology to enhance their academic and functional performance.
- Link students to appropriate individuals that can provide support for financial planning, navigating the healthcare system, adult services, or transportation.
- Link students to a community mentor and/or school-based mentor/ graduation coach.
- Provide opportunities for meaningful engagement in the community (e.g., clubs, friends, advocacy groups, sports, etc.).
- Ensure teachers and other service personnel provide ongoing transition assessment to assist in planning for needed supports and resources in school and beyond.
Resources from Other Sources

What's New
Getting Started Resources
- Locating and Re-Engaging Secondary Students with Disabilities
- Decreasing Dropout Rates for Minority Male Youth
Getting Started Training
Key Resources
Related Topics
Graduation / Dropout
Strategies to reduce the dropout rate and increase graduation rate of all students with disabilities. More about graduation and dropout prevention planning.Transition Planning
Effective practices, resources for implementation, quality IEPs, Program Structure, and Student Development. More about Transition Planning.Pre-Employment Transition Services
Training to begin exploring jobs and career interests through additional VR services and in collaboration with state and local education agencies to students with disabilities. Explore options on how to make available to all students with disabilities who need those services. More about Pre-Employment Transition Services.Postsecondary Education
There are a multitude of education and training opportunities students and youth with disabilities can enroll in. These resources can help prepare students for education/training after high school. More about postsecondary education.Employment
Find resources for career development, early work experiences, work-based learning, career exploration, career assessments, and other effective practices to help students find success in competitive jobs and careers after high school.