Abstract:
For students who have severe and multiple disabilities including intellectual disabilities, complex communication needs, physical and/or sensory disabilities, there are many barriers to literacy acquisition. Some barriers are a result of extensive support needs, some due to the attitudes and low expectations of parents, teachers, and administrators, and some are due to a general shortage of evidence-based research supporting effective instructional strategies for use with this student population (Agran, 2011; Bailey, Angell, & Stoner, 2011). However, literacy remains a "critical component of an independent adult life" (Downing, 2005, p. 12). Literacy also remains an elusive reality for many individuals with severe and multiple disabilities.
