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Adjustments for students with an intellectual impairment

Students with Disabilities - Intellectual Impairment contains information regarding characteristics of students with intellectual impairment.

Adjustments in planning

Investigate different levels within the Essential Learnings at earlier year level junctures as appropriate.
Plan as part of a team. Adjustments should be considered in the process of planning, not as an add-on afterwards.
Consider the IEP (Individual Education Plan), as a way of prioritising the adjustments needed for the student to access the curriculum in the context of your classroom. For example, a communication goal could be for the student to ask for help from peers as well as the teacher.

Adjustments in teaching

Provide an outline of what will be taught - highlight key concepts and provide opportunities to practise.
Increase the opportunities to practise new skills and concepts - teach a younger child, demonstrate to adults, practise on the computer with a peer.
Use teamwork and vary roles within the group - recorder, designer, encourager, researcher, explainer, speaker.
Use small group instruction and cooperative learning strategies.
Teach the use of organisers such as colour coding, pictorial labels, visual timetables/ sequences, now/later charts.
Reduce the amount and complexity of materials and text.
Break tasks into small achievable steps.
Use human resources - peer tutoring, teacher aides, teachers, therapy services.
Direct teach routines and expectations of behaviour.
Celebrate successes.
Use modelling and concrete examples.

Adjustments in assessment

Use technology to record students work; e.g., digital photography, tape and video.
Collect annotated work samples over time.
Use team and peer assessment.
Have expectations of quality rather than quantity.
Examine amount, timing and style of assessment.
Use one-to-one conferences.
Use picture sequencing and drawing demonstrations instead of text.
Use verbal presentation of concepts and skills.
Assess using concrete and real life examples and environments.
Make comparisons with personal progress, rather than the year level, where appropriate.
Assess the important content and provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and what they can do with what they know.

Adjustments in reporting

Information about reporting for all students can be found at the Guidelines for Reporting Student Achievement (new window) [an error occurred while processing this directive] which are part of the P-12 Framework.

Adjustments in environment

Provide space to enable work with concrete materials.
Reduce noise, clutter and activity in area when necessary.
Personalise learning spaces with pictorial sequences, rule reminders, labels.
Provide space for students to work quietly with an adult volunteer or aide.

Adjustments in resources

Provide a range of sources of the information such as readers, magazines, posters, tapes, video.
Obtain appropriate and relevant materials from other year levels.
Use computers to provide additional practice of concepts and skills.
Use assistive technology and communication supports to create and access information.
Use peers, volunteers, buddies, co-teaching strategies and specialists.
Ensure work is interesting and appropriate to the student's age and ability.
Adjust learning outcomes.
Give short clear instructions.
Allow 'wait time' for the student to process information.
Provide appropriate prompts.
Provide more frequent and specific feedback & repetition.
Use a range of supports.
Develop consistent classroom procedures.
Establish rules.
Develop and maintain structured routines and timetables.
Give time limit warnings.
Develop smooth transitions that take into account different learner needs.

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