Teaching Reading to Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: An Observation Study

•Reading instruction for elementary students with IDD varies by content and quality.•Teacher perceptions of student abilities guide IEP goals and instruction.•Instruction includes evidence-based phonics and less effective whole word reading.•Phonological awareness and fluency instruction need greater emphasis.•Teachers struggle to balance academic and behavioral needs of students with IDD.•More emphasis on phonics instruction compared to whole word instruction. Growing evidence supports the efficacy of multicomponent, explicit, phonics-based reading instruction for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). However, little is known about the implementation of such instruction. The purpose of this observation study was to describe the content and quality of reading instruction provided to kindergarten through third grade students with IDD in self-contained classrooms. Researchers observed seven special education teachers and their seventeen students, examined teacher perspectives via survey and interview, and reviewed student Individualized Education Programs. Researchers coded 2,901 minutes of instruction for content, grouping, materials, instructional quality, engagement, and time spent reading connected text, using a tool adapted for the IDD population. Observed instructional content focused on phonics/word study, followed by vocabulary and comprehension, then other areas. Within the already small classes, instruction was generally delivered individually or in small groups. Instructional quality and engagement varied by activity. Study findings suggest a need for greater systematic investigation of content and methods pertaining to reading instruction for students with IDD, instructional quality and engagement, and connections to student outcomes.