Focus Areas

May 2026 E-News Summer is quickly approaching, and hopefully includes some time to relax and unwind! You’ve worked hard. Reflection is such a powerful teacher, so set aside some time to reflect on the 25-26 school year with intention. Begin by celebrating what went well, what you learned, and where you’d like to improve. Then it’s time to think…

Are you a school or division leader looking for meaningful ways to strengthen the capacity of your special education staff? Are you searching for flexible professional learning opportunities that extend beyond pre-service days, knowing those valuable days are often filled with competing priorities, required trainings, and division initiatives? Consider these pathways and alternative access points…

Listening to Learn: Our 5 Favorite Podcast Picks! This week, we are excited to share Real Talk for Real Teachers, a go‑to podcast for educators seeking honest, practical guidance to navigate the real challenges of today’s classrooms. Hosted by Conscious Discipline experts, each episode shares meaningful conversations with teachers, leaders, and community members who are…

Overview Early mathematics skills are strong predictors of later academic success, yet young children and/or students in grades K-12 who require extra support to facilitate their learning often have fewer opportunities to engage with math compared to literacy. Storybooks can be an effective and engaging way to teach mathematical concepts at both school and home.…

So far in this series we have explored getting started, holding and using information, and reflecting and adjusting. But what happens when routines change, expectations shift, or things do not go according to plan? Next up in this executive function series is cognitive flexibility.

“Because of impairment to muscle movement, coordination, and posture, individuals with cerebral palsy may have limited access to learning experiences and social interactions.” Beukelman & Light, 2020, p.294 Access is the method that a student with limited motor control uses to select a cell on a communication device or to operate a device.  Access methods…

Transitions in early childhood can feel like standing at the edge of a new wave—full of excitement, uncertainty, and opportunity. Whether a child is moving from Early Intervention to preschool special education services or transitioning from ECSE to kindergarten, families often look to early childhood professionals for guidance, reassurance, and support. Educators and service providers…

This summer, TTAC ODU is expanding our lending library with new, instructional reading materials for educators designed to support inclusive literacy and meaningful engagement for every learner. As you begin planning for the year ahead, these resources are here to help you strengthen access, instruction, and opportunity. We also invite you to listen to a…

Students who access the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL) benefit from science instruction that is active, engaging, sensory-rich, and accessible. For students with intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, complex communication needs, and multiple disabilities, science learning should include meaningful opportunities to explore, observe, communicate, experiment, and participate. The activities below include accessibility ideas to support…