special education inclusion schedules

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Teacher Voices

Now is the time for schools to invest in special-education inclusion models that benefit all students

Kimberly Berry

November 10, 2021.

Ivan was a fourth grader with big brown eyes, a wide smile and a quiet demeanor who refused to enter my classroom. “Everyone thinks I’m stupid,” he’d say. I’ve changed his name to protect his privacy.

At the time, my school employed a pull-out model for students with disabilities, meaning they were removed from their assigned classrooms to receive specialized services and supports. This left Ivan feeling embarrassed, ostracized and resistant to putting forth academic effort.

One in 8 students in U.S. public schools have an individualized education plan, or IEP, making them eligible for special education services. About 750,000 students with disabilities attend California public schools. Many, like Ivan, do not respond well to being substantially separated from their peers. Research suggests that inclusion models designed to integrate students with and without disabilities into a single learning environment can lead to stronger academic and social outcomes.

At Caliber ChangeMakers Academy — where I have been a program specialist for five of the 10 years I have worked with students with disabilities — we knew an inclusion model was best for Ivan and many others. Yet, we didn’t think we had the tools or resources to make it possible.

We were wrong.

Schools can support students like Ivan — and those of all abilities — to learn from and alongside one another in an inclusive setting without exorbitant costs if they rethink how they allocate resources and develop educators’ confidence and competence in teaching all students in a general education setting.

In 2019, we began intentionally organizing staff, time and money toward inclusion, and we did so without spending more than similar public schools do that don’t focus on inclusion.

Now, with the infusion of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, schools have additional resources to invest in this approach now, in service to longer-term, sustainable change.

The nonprofit Education Resource Strategies studied our school and three others in California that are doing this work without larger investments of resources. Their analysis examines the resource shifts that inclusion-focused schools employ and can be tapped by other schools considering this work, taking a “do now, build toward” approach that addresses student needs and sustains these changes even after the emergency federal funding expires. Many of their recommendations mirror the steps we took to pursue an inclusion model.

It didn’t happen overnight, but three steps were important to our efforts to adopt a more inclusive model for teaching and learning:

• Shift special education staff into general education classrooms to support targeted group sizes. At Caliber ChangeMakers Academy, special education teachers are departmentalized, each serving as a co-teacher to two general education teachers, leveraging their content expertise to share responsibility for classroom instruction. That means some special education teachers now teach students who are not part of their caseload. That means they are tracking the goals of more students, which also means that young people have more specialty educators working together to support their individual needs.
• Prioritize connected professional learning around inclusion for all teachers . We adjusted teachers’ schedules to incorporate collaborative time for general education and special education teachers to meet before, during and after lessons to plan engaging, differentiated instruction for all. On the surface, the reduction in individual planning time might be a challenge. However, our teachers have found that they now feel more prepared, effective and connected because they have a partner to turn to for feedback, suggestions and encouragement.
• Invest in social-emotional and mental health staff to narrow the scope of special education teachers. These staff members work to reduce unnecessary special education referrals and mitigate troubles facing students regardless of their disability status. They also can help address unexpected challenges, meaning special education teachers can spend more time in general education classrooms. A tradeoff we made is to slightly increase class sizes with fewer general administrative and support staff to prioritize hiring experienced social-emotional learning and mental health professionals.

For schools eager to adopt a more inclusive instructional model, now is the time. The emergency federal funding creates unprecedented opportunities for school and system leaders to build research-backed, sustainable inclusion models that can better meet the needs of all students, including students with disabilities.

I’ve seen firsthand that inclusive, diverse classrooms can provide powerful learning opportunities for all students.

As for Ivan, he’s now in eighth grade and thriving in an inclusive, co-teaching classroom. He went from completing almost no academic work independently to completing science lab reports on his own, working in collaborative groups in his English class and declaring that he loves math. Because our school invested in and normalized differentiated supports in an inclusive setting, now Ivan and many other students are getting what they need to be successful academically, socially and emotionally.

Kimberly Berry is a special education program specialist at Caliber ChangeMakers Academy in Vallejo.

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Karina Villalona 3 years ago 3 years ago

I speak as a mom of two kids in co-teaching collaborative classes for their 4 main academic subjects, as well as a former teacher, and a school psychologist for 19 years. I agree with much of what Ms. Berry states. Co-teaching programs can be very successful for both general and special education students if all of the appropriate supports are in place (as listed by Ms. Berry). However, it is important to clarify that this … Read More

I speak as a mom of two kids in co-teaching collaborative classes for their 4 main academic subjects, as well as a former teacher, and a school psychologist for 19 years. I agree with much of what Ms. Berry states. Co-teaching programs can be very successful for both general and special education students if all of the appropriate supports are in place (as listed by Ms. Berry).

However, it is important to clarify that this model is not a panacea. Students with cognitive skills that are far below the average range have also shared how incredibly frustrating being in co-teaching classes can be for them. Even with support from the special education teacher, the pacing for some students is way too fast. In addition, depending on what the student’s specific classification is, co-teaching on its own does not allow an opportunity for remedial instruction.

My daughters are dyslexic. They participate in co-teaching with a lot of support from the special education teacher. They have one period of direct instruction in reading via an Orton-Gillingham based program and one period of Resource Room daily which allows them to work on content from the general education classes that they might need to review, break down or preview.

So, yes, co-teaching can be great for some students when the program is well managed and staffed; however, we cannot ignore the need for small group supports and remedial instruction when necessary.

Craig 3 years ago 3 years ago

Studies cited showing benefits of inclusion model typically suffer from selection bias, and there are no significant data on the effects of inclusion models on neurotypical peers. Does the author of this piece have data showing results that support her claims? Also, what do the teachers in this program have to say about it, in the first person? If this is truly working as presented it will be a game changer.

Monica Saraiya 3 years ago 3 years ago

The inclusion model is not a one size fits all one. Students with significant learning differences do not receive the services that best meet their needs in this model. As with all practices in education, inclusion must be one, but not the only way to service students who need specialized help with their learning.

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Home > Special Education & Autism Resources > Structured Learning Classroom Set-Up > Special Education Classroom Daily Schedule Templates

Special Education Classroom Daily Schedule Templates

Are you looking for a way to keep your daily staffing and student schedules organized? Check out our daily classroom schedule templates and corresponding samples for inspiration!

Educators have a lot of responsibilities throughout the school day. From student goal work, one-on-one instruction, and coverages in various parts of the school, it can be a challenge to keep up with each day’s routines.

Incorporating visual schedules and detailed instructions broken out by time frames, class subject, or for each student/staff member can help keep everything organized.

Bonus Tip: Display your daily schedules and coverages in an easy-to-access area in your classroom that is visible to all of your classroom staff and students as appropriate.

The special education resources on this page were authored by Watson Institute’s special education consultant, Andee Morris, M.Ed.

Staffing Templates

Staff Organization Schedule [Template]

Lunch & Recess Staff Coverage [Color-coded Sample]

Staff Schedule – 3 Column [Sample]

To Do Checklist [Blank Template]

Staff Coverage – 8 Period Schedule [Color-coded Sample]

Staff Coverage – 8 Period Schedule [Template]

Staff Instructions by Class Period [Sample]

Staff Responsibilities for 8 Class Periods [Sample]

Classroom Schedule Templates

Student Academic Schedule – 3 Column [Sample]

Individual Student Schedule [Template]

Individual Student Schedule [Sample]

Daily Plans and Schedule – Days of the Week [Sample]

Daily Plans and Schedule – Days of Week [Template]

Daily Plans and Schedule – Days of Week [Excel]

Planning Sheet Student Schedule Adult Roles [Sample]

Student Schedule for a Classroom of 8 [Sample]

If you have questions or concerns about the Watson Institute’s use of this information, please contact us .

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Special Educator Academy

Free resources, establishing a classroom schedule with centers: step 2 of setting up a sped classroom.

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So, our next step in setting up a special education classroom is to develop the classroom schedule.  My goal in developing a schedule for the class is to assure that all the individual needs of the students are met but within the context of the classroom.  Running 12 individual schedules doesn’t help to move the students to their next environment.  Eventually, even if they struggle with it now, we want them to be part of a classroom group. That requires instruction, even if we start small.

In order to know what the schedule is going to look like, you have to know the individual needs of the students. That’s why we completed the teaching implementation plans. The teaching plans help us to know what type of activities the students’ need, what staff ratios they will need, and what type of instruction is going to be needed in the classroom.  I know that the teaching plans feel like a piece of paperwork, but they provide the basis for this next step.  So, pull them out and take a look at the types of activities you will need.

I’ve written a good bit about making the classroom schedule in the past.

• Ideas about the steps and issues you have to decide in making the schedule.
• A middle school schedule example
• An elementary schedule example
• Another elementary schedule example
• And a preschool schedule
• And one that includes a high school schedule example

So with all that already done, today I want to focus on creating center rotations within the classroom schedule.  I like rotations within the schedule for the following reasons:

• It breaks down the number of students into smaller groups to work with for more individual attention
• Students work with multiple staff members for generalization
• The students can work some movement in with transitions if they are moving around
• We can change up the type of activities they are working on.  This works well for those students who need short periods of work followed by an opportunity to be more independent.

I use a schedule grid I’ve talked about in this post.  I fill in all the nonnegotiables–the things I cannot change.  These include things like lunch, specials like music and art, and recess.  Anything I don’t control the time of goes on the grid first.  Then I figure out when I can find time to have a rotation of centers.  With that thought, here are the considerations I go through to determine how to set them up.

Do I have a block of time that works well?

Sometimes I have an hour or so block in the morning and another in the afternoon.  Those are prime time for center rotations.  Sometimes I have larger blocks–in those cases, I can break them up with a group activity in the middle.  For instance, I could do 2 20-minute centers, then a music and movement time or exercise time. Then have 2 more 20-minute centers.

Problem-Solution

You have 40 minutes and then the kids go to PE and then you have another 20 minutes when they come back before it’s time for lunch.  Consider splitting your center rotation around PE time.  Have two 20-minute centers before PE and then have the third center rotation when they come back in the classroom.  This keeps the students engaged throughout the time and reduces down time or less productive time.  It also assures that every student gets to each center activity.

How many staff are available?

This is going to be the biggest dictator of how many centers I can have.  If my students are independent at their work systems, that center can be set up without direct supervision so I might sneak another center in there that way.  However, if my students all need supervision then that center has to be supervised and I’m limited by how many staff I have.

So, what if you have students who need small groups but you have only 1 or 2 staff besides you, leaving you with groups that are 4 to 5 students for instruction?  Think about whether you can have a related service provider, like a speech pathologist, run a center for at least some days of the week.  I’ve done this before and had speech run a speech center 3 days a week.  She got her hours of work with the students in by pushing into the classroom and we were able to break the class down into smaller groups.

How long can the students attend?

The length of your centers has to be determined by how long the students can sit and attend to instruction.  Can they attend for 10 minutes, 15 minutes or 20 minutes?  Do you have a rare class that can handle 30 minute centers?  More likely you will have students who attend for different times.  You can handle this to some degree by having the students do something semi-independently at the center while you work with other students and then switch.  This allows you to create shorter time periods for some students with longer work periods for others.  Let’s say you were working on discrete trials with some students, you could give the other students a file folder or something like a color by word activity to work on and then switch partway through the center rotation time.

I know it’s tempting to set up the centers so that you have 1-1 time with each student.  If you have enough staff to provide 1-1 that’s great.  However, if you don’t and you try to put 1-1 time in throughout the day, that often means that the other groups are uneven or you have individual students moving around on their own without supervision (a problem for some students).  Consider using alternative activities at the same area with you and working with the students 1-1 for part of the center time and taking turns with them.  This keeps the students in a place where staff can supervise them, it assures better engagement for many of our students who aren’t independent yet.

Grouping the Students

Clearly when you break the class into centers, you will have ot group the students in some way.  You can group them by similar skills or complementary skills.  For instance, you have a class with a 4 students who really need opportunities to practice interacting with peers and are working on advanced language skills.  You have 2 students who are not independent and cannot stay in their area without supervision.  They are working on more basic skills like matching and following directions.  Then you have 3 students who are somewhere in between those groups’ skills.  You could group the 4 students together and break up the group of 3 by having 2 of them in one group and 1 of the more dependent students in each group.  Advantages to this mean that you have the ability to provide supervision to the less independent student.  Disadvantage is that you might sacrifice some attention and instruction to the more independent students to supervise the less independent student.  On the flip side, you could do the same by breaking up the 4 student group who are very independent.  You could also have a group of the 4 independent students, a group of the 3 middle level students and one group of the 2 less independent students.  Advantage is that you have like skills together so instruction is easier and the more independent students will get more attention during the centers.  A disadvantage is that you will have one center that is going to be challenging for staff to keep the 2 kids engaged.  You may need to arrange furniture and engineer the environment to help keep those students more engaged with lots of simple tasks for them to work on during centers and learning to remain in the area.  Clearly you have to make the decision that works best for your students with an understanding of the trade offs.

Types of Centers

Finally, I sometimes get asked about what kinds of centers I have in a classroom.  Clearly it depends on the classroom and students, but you will see lots of examples by age in the links I shared above.  Often in the morning I will set up an “academic” set of rotations that might include either of the following.

Then in the afternoon, I would schedule a set of “leisure” centers that might include games, puzzles, listening center.  I might also have vocational centers that might include an independent work center that is vocational tasks, classroom jobs the students have to complete daily, and a center for teaching new vocational skills.  It depends on the goals for the students to some degree whether I would do a leisure rotation or a vocational center.  Sometimes I can do both, but if I have students who have lots of social goals and need opportunities to really work on the communication and interaction, I would look at more social and leisure skills.  For students who are preparing for work, I would obviously include more vocational skills.  Again, it goes back to those teaching plans that have all that information in one place.

Finally, the biggest issue I see people struggle with their schedule is trying to make it perfect.  There is no perfect schedule and it will take time to get it right as you get to see what the students can and can’t do.  You will have to make compromises on things. Perhaps your morning meeting isn’t as long as you would like it to be–maybe add another short group in the afternoon.  Maybe your center time is not as long as you would like or you can’t group the students in the ideal manner.

At this point you may have to tweak some of the teaching plans so that you assure that everyone’s needs are still met, but it may make it less ambitious.  For instance, you may find that you can’t have daily data collection during the art center because of the number of students who will be in the group.  You’ll have to come back and tweak the schedule and the teaching plans when you create the staff schedules (zoning plans) and when you design the physical space.

So, creating the schedule is a fluid process and it takes time to get it working in each classroom.  However with some careful planning and referring back to the needs of all the students, you can create a schedule that meets the needs of the all the students as a class and individually.

So, got all that?  

Until next time,

• Read more about: 10 Steps to a Well Run Special Ed. Classroom , Scheduling

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Using Schedules in Special Education Classrooms

Imagine using schedules in special education classrooms where every student is engaged, empowered, and knows exactly what to expect throughout the day. Structure, routine, and visual supports play a vital role in creating an inclusive learning environment for students with special needs. In this blog post, we will delve into the powerful tool of visual schedules and how they can transform your special education classroom. Get ready to unlock a world of structure, independence, and success!

I. The Power of Visual Schedules

First and foremost, what are visual schedules?

Visual schedules are visual representations of a sequence of activities or tasks, using pictures, symbols, or words. They provide a clear and concrete way for students to understand what will happen throughout the day. The benefits of using schedules in special education classrooms are numerous. They promote predictability, reduce anxiety, improve transitions, and foster independence and self-regulation skills.

Emily’s Journey to Independence Emily, a student with autism, used to struggle with transitioning between activities and often experienced meltdowns. However, with the introduction of visual schedules in her classroom, she gained a sense of control and independence. By following the schedule, she knew what was coming next and could prepare herself mentally. Emily’s meltdowns decreased significantly, and she began actively participating in class activities.

How do I introduce visual schedules to my students?

Introducing visual schedules to students requires a systematic approach. Start by selecting appropriate visuals that represent the activities or tasks. Teach students how to use the schedule by modeling and providing guided practice. Gradually fade support as they become more familiar with the process.

II. Creating a Daily Schedule

Next, let’s explore how to create a daily schedule that meets the unique needs of your students. When designing a daily schedule, several key considerations come into play. It’s important to consider the students’ developmental levels, individual goals, and the classroom’s routines and structure. By creating a well-structured schedule, you provide a framework for students to navigate their day successfully.

Example Visual Schedules for Different Classroom Settings

• Morning Routine: Arrival, Attendance, Morning Meeting
• Academic Time: Math, Language Arts, Science
• Specials: Art, Music, PE
• Lunch and Recess
• Independent Workstations: Task Bins, Computer Time
• Wrap-up: Review, Pack Up, Dismissal
• Individualized Morning Routine: Personal Care, Sensory Breaks
• Academic Time: Individualized Instruction, Small Group Work
• Therapies: Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy
• Life Skills: Meal Prep, Social Skills
• Preferred Activities: Choice Time, Reinforcement
• Math Schedule: Introduction, Guided Practice, Independent Practice
• Language Arts Schedule: Phonics, Reading Comprehension, Writing
• Science Schedule: Experiment, Discussion, Reflection

How do I individualize schedules for students with diverse needs?

Individualizing and Using schedules in special education classrooms are crucial to meet the unique needs of each student. Consider their strengths, challenges, and learning preferences. Modify visuals, provide additional supports such as timers or checklists, and include breaks or sensory activities as needed.

III. Implementing Visual Schedules

Furthermore, let’s explore how to effectively using schedules in special education classrooms. Introducing visual schedules to students requires a systematic approach and ongoing support.

Introducing Visual Schedules to Students

Start by explaining the purpose and benefits of the visual schedule to your students. Use simple language and visuals to make it accessible. Engage them in the process by allowing them to choose or create some of the visuals themselves.

Teaching Students to Use Visual Schedules

Provide explicit instruction on how to use the visual schedule. Teach students to navigate the schedule, check off completed tasks, and transition between activities smoothly. Use modeling, role-playing, and reinforcement to promote understanding and independence.

Strategies for Smooth Transitions

Smooth transitions are essential in maintaining the flow of the classroom. Incorporate transition strategies such as using transition cues, providing warnings, and incorporating transition activities or songs. These strategies help students anticipate and adapt to changes successfully.

Mia’s Journey to Organization

Mia, a student with executive functioning difficulties, struggled with transitions and often felt overwhelmed. However, with the implementation of transition strategies and visual supports, Mia gained a sense of organization and control. She became more confident and independent during transitions, which positively impacted her overall engagement and academic performance.

How do I address resistance or challenges when implementing visual schedules?

Some students may resist or face challenges when first introduced to visual schedules. Patience, consistency, and gradual exposure are key. Start with short periods of schedule use and gradually increase as students become more comfortable. Provide positive reinforcement and individualized supports to help them overcome any difficulties.

IV. Enhancing Classroom Environment

Moreover, let’s explore how to enhance the classroom environment using visual schedules. Creating a visually supportive classroom empowers students and promotes their overall success.

Creating Visual Supports:

Tips and Ideas In addition to schedules, consider incorporating visual supports throughout the classroom. Use visual cues for classroom rules, expectations, and procedures. Display anchor charts, labels, and step-by-step visuals to provide additional guidance and promote independence.

Collaborating with Students, Parents, and Support Staff

Involve students, parents, and support staff in the process of designing and implementing visual supports. Share the purpose and benefits of visual schedules, and encourage their input. Collaborating with all stakeholders helps create a consistent and supportive learning environment.

Incorporating Visual Schedules Across Subjects and Activities

Visual schedules can extend beyond daily routines. Incorporate them into specific subjects or activities, such as science experiments, group projects, or art lessons. By providing clear expectations and steps, visual schedules promote comprehension and success in various areas.

Josh’s Confidence Boost Josh, a student with a specific learning disability, often felt overwhelmed during group projects. However, with the use of visual schedules and step-by-step visuals, Josh gained a sense of structure and confidence. The visual supports helped him understand his role, follow the project’s progression, and effectively contribute to the team. As a result, Josh’s participation and self-esteem soared.

How do I adapt visual schedules for students with sensory sensitivities?

For students with sensory sensitivities, consider using visuals that are calming and visually soothing. Use muted colors, incorporate sensory breaks or activities within the schedule, and provide options for individualized supports, such as noise-canceling headphones or fidget tools.

V. Empowering Students for Life

Lastly, let’s explore how using visual schedules in special education classrooms goes beyond academic success and empowers students for life.

Promoting Independence and Self-Advocacy

Visual schedules encourage students to take ownership of their learning and develop self-advocacy skills. As they become proficient in using schedules, they gain confidence in managing their time, tasks, and responsibilities independently.

Generalizing Skills Beyond the Classroom

The skills students develop through visual schedules can extend beyond the classroom setting. Encourage students to use schedules at home, during extracurricular activities, and in other environments. This generalization promotes consistency and reinforces their independence. Check out this blog post for more

Celebrating Successes and Making Adjustments

Acknowledge and celebrate students’ achievements and progress in using visual schedules. Regularly review and update schedules to reflect evolving needs and goals. By making adjustments based on feedback and observation, you ensure that schedules remain effective and meaningful.

How will visual schedules transform your classroom?

Reflect on the potential impact of using schedules in special education classrooms. How can they support your students’ individual needs, foster independence, and create a positive learning environment? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Ready to unlock the potential of visual schedules in your special education classroom? Connect with Cultivating Exceptional Minds for personalized support and resources to enhance your teaching journey. Don’t forget to check out our Special Education Classroom Schedule Template in the TPT shop , designed to streamline your scheduling process and promote student success. Let’s embark on this transformative adventure together!

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Scheduling in the Special Education Classroom

Welcome to week one of our Back to School Block Party: all about scheduling! Scheduling for a self contained classroom is always a puzzle that I love to hate. It’s so satisfying when I’m finally done, but then the school year begins and it changes approximately 238 more times, haha! I’m going to go through my steps to putting my schedule together each year.

1. Start with the basics. Above is a finished product of one of my schedules. When I start my schedule, I lay out the time slots and student names in an Excel spreadsheet. Once this is finished, I insert all of the non-negotiable times during the day such as lunch, recess, specials, students that go into regular ed, etc.

2. Make sure each student has 1:1 work time scheduled. If you notice above, each student has a designated 1:1 work time (shown in yellow) that I like to have set aside to work on specific IEP goals. This time is not always with me and is sometimes with a paraprofessional.

3. Schedule other center rotations. This is sometimes where it gets a little tricky for me depending on my caseload each year. During my day, I build in different rotations such as fine motor work, independent work, free choice, etc. Obviously, I can’t have 5 students doing independent work at once because I don’t have 5 independent stations! I now start working on scheduling each student during their open time slots at different center rotations.

4. Color code everything. Color coding makes the schedule pretty, yes, but I do it for more reasons than to just look nice. Color coding the schedule helps me quickly see that everyone is scheduled for 1:1 work, independent work, or any other specifics that I want them to do during the school day. Above, you’ll notice for this schedule each slot that is gray is a group non-negotiable that everyone participates in each day. Yellow is for 1:1 work, blue for independent work, pink for fine motor work, and green for encore (specials) with their regular ed class.

5. Make a schedule for your paras. Writing a schedule for your paraprofessionals will save you so much time and THEY will appreciate it as well. Would you want to go to work having no idea what you’re going to do all day? Absolutely not. This is a great way to make sure you have enough hands during different time slots as well.

This schedule isn’t anything pretty, but it gets the job done. Everyone knows what they should be doing at all times which also limits down time for chit chat to happen!

6. REVISE! Your schedule isn’t going to be the same on day 2 or even day 13. If you aren’t changing it at least once, there’s probably something wrong. It’s often hard to know how things will work when you just look at them on paper. Little things such as “student A” can’t appropriately work next to “student B” at this time so maybe you move student B to fine motor, etc. Speech, OT, and PT usually change on me quite a few times for the first month or two as well. I try to be totally flexible with them as they have more than just my kiddos to work into their (insane) schedule! The revisions will eventually stop and you will find your groove. Promise. 🙂

Do you write your schedule similarly? What do you do differently? I’d love to hear how everyone schedules their school day! Click below to read on about how Stephanie from Mrs. D’s Corner schedules for her class!

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Schedules and Visual Supports

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10 types of Visual Schedules for Special Education

• February 2022
• Schedules , Visual Supports

Using Visual Schedules:

Using the right type of visual schedule s can, quite honestly, make or break your classroom.  Students crave routine, especially those that are on the Autism spectrum.  They need to know what is coming next and visual schedules can help provide this much-needed structure.

Some teachers will argue that kids don't need a schedule, but I will disagree every time.

Even grown adults , that are typically developing, need and want visual schedules.  Whether is a list on my phone or a pacing checklist that I made for vacation, these types of schedules ensure that I do every step and don't forget anything.

Different Types Of Schedules:

There are so many different types of schedules out there.  They come in many different variations, you just need to pick the one that best meets the needs of your students.  And remember, you don't have to pick just one specific type for your entire classroom.  Choose the visual schedule that matches the student's needs.

I will go over the top 10 types of visual schedules that I have used in my classroom. 

1. Object Schedules:

2. first/then boards:

3. Picture Schedule:

4. Written Schedule:

5. Binder Schedule:

6. checklist schedules:, 7. real photo schedule, 8. mini-schedules.

9. Mobile Schedule (schedule on their phone)

10. traveling schedule:.

The important thing to remember is that not every student in the classroom needs a matchy-matchy, cute picture schedule.  Individualize the schedules.  Hey, maybe every student has a different schedule.  Now that would be great!

I am a High School, self-contained Autism teacher from Central New York, who is passionate about individualizing student learning. I am a mommy of three, lover of all things Disney, married to my best friend and addicted to chocolate!! I hope that you find great ideas and inspiration here, so welcome!!

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Visual Schedules: Making Programs Accessible for All

Kate Easley

July 1, 2018 at 2:47 pm

In the old Deerfield program room! Great post!

Renee Grassi

July 1, 2018 at 4:45 pm

Thanks, Kate! #memories

Cathy Mealey

July 4, 2018 at 2:11 pm

Thank you! Terrific!

July 5, 2018 at 1:04 pm

You’re welcome, Cathy! =)

October 13, 2018 at 9:11 pm

Thank you for sharing Renee! I’ve often thought about the benefits of a visual schedule, especially for my storytime with lots of ESL caregivers and children. One thing that’s held me back is worrying about flexibility to change the schedule. Also at said storytime, I need to play to the crowd- sometimes it’s more of a toddler storytime, sometimes I have mostly school-agers! Do you have any recommendations for how to be flexible with visual schedules? Thanks!

Pingback: Free printable visual schedule for virtual Spanish storytime – Lindsay Delaney

December 6, 2022 at 3:52 pm

Thank you for this amazing information! I am working on creating a sensory friendly storytime and have some but limited amount of experience. I found this article to be extremely helpful and full of great resources.

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How To Create Your Master Schedule for Special Education

• fullspedahead
• August 9, 2021
• Back to School , Classroom Structure , Helpful Tips , Routines

Creating a master schedule can seem like a daunting task, especially in self-contained special education classrooms. Many teachers are responsible for multiple subjects across the day. The big question is: how do you do it all? I’m going to give you some quick tips when it comes to creating a master schedule! 

What Content in my Master schedule?

A teacher first needs to know what content areas they will be teaching. When you start a new school year, ask your administration if you are responsible for all academic content or just a few subjects. Your school may have multiple teachers that rotate through content areas. 

If you’re like me, you teach it all! From life skills and academics to grooming and self care. Not to mention we also work on vocational skills, independence and communication skills! Just thinking about creating your master schedule for all those areas makes a teacher tired!

Answer the following question and write it down:

• What content areas will I need to teach in my master schedule?

Schedule Considerations

Next, a teacher needs to look at the student’s required classes and activities when they create their master schedule in special education. Consider when the students have lunch, specials, related services, etc. Many of those times are not flexible and need to be consistent every day or throughout the weeks. Once you have an idea of what the schedule has, you can plug in content areas throughout the day. 

Answer the following questions and write it down:

• When do my students have lunch each day?
• When do my students have specials or electives in their master schedule?
• Do I have my related service minutes, when are those? (If you don’t have those yet, you can put in your content, but know your student may miss part or all of that activity each week)

Content Considerations

In my district, we have a requirement for the amount of time a student needs Reading and Math instruction in their day. You may also find this information on each student’s Additional Services and Placement pages in their Individual Learning Plan (IEP). Make sure to include all required content in your master schedule.

For example, my students are required to receive 90 minutes of reading instruction daily and 45 minutes of math instruction daily. Legally, I need to make sure that throughout the day, those minutes are met. 

• How long am I required to teach Reading? Math? Community Trips? Life Skills? Science? Cooking? Vocational Skills? Any other content area?

Lunches and Breaks

Master Schedule consideration: Take some time to consider a reasonable lunch break for your assistant(s), I typically start the lunch time around 10:45 and end lunch by 1:00. In my district, paraprofessionals get 30 minute lunch breaks and two 15 minute breaks. I try to space out the paraprofessional breaks as well. Aides get one 15 minute break before 10:30 and one 15 minute break after their lunch but at least an hour before the end of the school day. 

Work with your aides when setting up their lunch and breaks. This will help them feel included in the process. Previously, I had an assistant that liked to call her family on the other side of the world, so she needed time to do that with the time difference. I respected that and let her choose an appropriate break to accommodate that. This needs to be in the master schedule.

• What time would be reasonable to take lunch breaks?
• Is there a time during the lunch time that I need my assistants to support? (Student lunch times, specials)?
• When can my paraprofessionals take breaks?

Pockets of Time

Teachers need to create a master schedule in special education, but you need to look for pockets of time! Once you have all of that information, you should be able to start plugging in academic and functional content into your schedule. This can also be flexible! I know that by 2:00, my students have a difficult time focusing, so I try to frontload my day with as much academic content as possible. 

Also, you need to consider the time increments that you want your classes to be. I typically do 15 minute increments so that bathroom breaks and hygiene times can easily be embedded. 

Here is an example of what my master schedule has looked like in past years:

In a couple weeks, I’ll have another post about how to decide the type of delivery of instruction when lesson planning! Hope you have learned how to create your master schedule for special education!

If you’re looking for how to create a scope and sequence, read this post!

Want to include stations and centers in your classroom? I got the post for you right here !

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SPED Inclusion Documentation Forms

Service times documentation for IEPs is important.

And with being a special education teacher… or any teacher at this point in time… we know how important it is to document every. single. thing. that happens for each of our students. While it is super time consuming, it saves us in the long run (dare I say the dreaded words due process ).

So let’s talk about documenting inclusion services today 🙂

My students are fortunate enough to be in a school that is an inclusion school. My students receive anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes of inclusion time each school day, not including inclusion specials (like art, gym, music).

And that means us teachers and paraprofessionals need to document their inclusion service time . Every time. Every day.

{ Grab the Service Documentation Form here. }

It wasn’t until recently, though, that we were required to have an official documentation folder for each student. So of course I took the time to dress mine up and make “official clipboards” for each of my friends.

Student clipboards are color coded, that way if I need to ask a student to grab their clipboard, they have the visual color aspect as well as their name on the front.

You can see more of my color coded classroom in this blog post .

Each student’s clipboard also has a cover on it – for confidentiality.

Behind each student’s cover sheet ( for confidentiality ), is a weekly documentation form for inclusion services. Each student has a specific paper that directly mimics their IEP accommodations. The paper is double sided, leaving room for us to write the date, specific service times, the teacher’s name, what the lesson was about, an adult’s signature, and more… depending on your district .

One big thing about NOT collecting this data is, how do you know the accommodations are working, or being used? Is the student getting their full service time and receiving their accommodations? Is this setting appropriate for the child? Is the child being pulled from this class 2x a week for something else and missing instruction?

The documentation form helps myself, my paras, and the general ed teachers daily to remember what accommodations each student has, if we are utilizing them, and a lot of other important data we can share with the team.

That way, if we notice a trend that a student has not been utilizing or no longer needs a certain accommodation, or the setting is inappropriate, we can make appropriate recommendations at their next IEP meeting with data to back it up .

At the end of each week, we take the documentation forms and place them in their student IEP binders for safe keeping.

It’s a super simple system that is a quick, effective way to document inclusion service times.

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AI’s Potential in Special Education: What Teachers and Parents Think

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Educators and parents of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are optimistic about artificial intelligence’s potential to create more inclusive classrooms and close educational gaps between students with disabilities and those without, concludes a report from the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education .

However, both groups are also concerned about the possibility that AI use in schools could decrease human interaction and that schools with fewer resources could be left behind, the report found.

The findings, released July 22, are based on a survey of 500 U.S. parents of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities, as well as 200 U.S. K-12 teachers, conducted by Stratalys Research between June 3-10.

Ever since generative AI technology broke into K-12, some special education practitioners have experimented with using it to speed up some of their administrative tasks.

But experts say there still isn’t enough data on how using generative AI for instruction could affect students with disabilities, and educators should approach the technology with caution.

Most datasets that AI tools are trained on contain a lot of information about neurotypical students, but they don’t have nearly as much to draw from on students in special education , which could translate into technology that isn’t as helpful for those populations.

Indeed, a majority of educators (66 percent) and more than a third of parents (35 percent) say they don’t believe or are not sure if AI developers are taking the needs and priorities of students with disabilities into consideration, according to the report.

Many teachers and parents think AI will make education more inclusive

Still, most parents and teachers have positive views about the emerging technology: More than 7 in 10 parents and 6 in 10 teachers say AI will make education more inclusive, the report found. Additionally, more than 7 in 10 parents also believe AI has the potential to close educational gaps between students with and without disabilities, and a smaller majority of educators (54 percent) say the same.

The report found that a plurality of parents and teachers believe that AI’s potential to create more adaptive, personalized learning and its potential to help students write and express themselves could have a “major positive impact” on students with disabilities.

The report “reflects the optimism of the parents,” said Margaret Vice, the managing director of FGS Global’s research division, a consulting firm that collaborated with the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education on the report. Parents are “eager for anything to help their child grow and learn.”

Teachers, however, are a little bit more skeptical , Vice said.

“Their experience is likely rife with new tech forced upon them, and new ways of teaching, new ideas, new things to learn, without, maybe, the training and the time and the resources put toward allowing them to do that,” she said.

AI shouldn’t ‘replace relationships’

Special education experts are optimistic about AI’s potential to create better and more personalized learning experiences for students, too, but they’re also cautious considering the technology is still so new.

“My concern is that [AI] doesn’t replace the relationships,” said Luis Perez, the disability and digital inclusion lead for CAST, a nonprofit that advocates for universally accessible educational materials. “We don’t want to plop a student in front of a computer and have [the kid] just interact with a ‘personalized system.’ There’s a lot more to learning than access to information. I just want to be cautious that when we say personalized, we’re not taking out the human element of what an education for individuals with intellectual disabilities and all students with disabilities should have.”

A decrease in human interaction is also the top concern of parents and teachers when it comes to increasing the use of AI in schools, according to the report. However, parents are less likely to be concerned about AI’s potential negative impacts than teachers.

AI literacy will be critical to counter the concerns that parents, teachers, and experts have, Perez said.

“Students, when they move into the workforce, they’re going to encounter AI,” he said. It’s important that “people understand what AI is, what it can do, what its potential is, but also its limitations, so you have a balanced perspective on it.”

AI literacy is important for educators and parents, too, experts say. Some educators are already getting professional development on the technology , but it’s unclear how much parents know about AI. As schools experiment with these AI tools, experts say they should bring parents along and let them explore and learn alongside educators and students.

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Inclusive education through the prism of the 2020 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report

On July 10, UNESCO IITE hosted a webinar on the 2020 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report and the presentation of the country profile of the Russian Federation. Two weeks earlier, the GEM Report team officially  launched its 2020 GEM Report on inclusion . Invited experts and those responsible for the education policy in the Russian Federation participated in the webinar, as well as the international expert on the policy analysis.

Presentation of the 2020 GEM Report

At the opening of the webinar Director of UNESCO IITE Tao Zhan noted that inclusion in education is a very important and challenging theme during the pandemic and for the future of education systems. Moreover, this is a key area where it is necessary to apply advanced digital technologies and strengthen the cooperation of all partners. The Senior Policy Analyst of the GEM Report team supported this message by highlighting the main issues and tasks, which the Report outlined. 

We need to see learner diversity not as a problem, but as an opportunity. Inclusion cannot be achieved if it is seen as an inconvenience or if people harbour the belief that children’s capacity to learn is fixed. Stigma, stereotypes and discrimination mean millions are alienated inside classrooms meaning they are less likely to progress through education. – Bilal Barakat, Senior Policy Analyst of the GEM Report team, UNESCO

The country profile of the Russian Federation

The country profiles immensely contributed to the Report by providing the results of the analysis on the inclusive education in different countries. UNESCO IITE together with the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) prepared the country profile of the Russian Federation. It covers the key points of inclusion and regulatory mechanisms at the state level and in the constituent entities. The analysis was carried out in 5 areas: the definition of inclusive education; laws, policies and programs; management and finance; teachers and supporting staff; data and monitoring.

As a result, the report presents the outcomes of an analytical study highlighting the key issues of the implementation of inclusive education policies. In the process of the preparation, we sought to cover all the mechanisms that could lead children, youth and adults to the exclusion from education. Moreover, we described the situation taking into account 4 characteristics: gender, disability, poverty, ethnicity and language. – Natalia Amelina, Senior National Project Officer in Education, UNESCO IITE

Inclusive education in action

The representatives of 2 organizations, whose activities address inclusive education, shared practical examples of its implementation in the Russian Federation. Yulia O. Filatova, Director of the Educational and Scientific Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Special and Inclusive Education, Moscow State Pedagogical University (MPGU) , spoke about the long-standing successful training of future educators on teaching students with special educational needs. The university also actively promotes the continuous professional development of its staff. For instance, all teachers received the advanced training on the quality of education of higher education students with disabilities last year.

Andrey V. Mochalin, the first deputy general director of the “Cultural and Sport Rehabilitation Centre” of the All Russia Association of the Blind ( CSRK VOS ), described the vocational training courses that focused primarily on the practical work of teachers with/out disabilities. Young professionals can seize this unique opportunity in a short time to gain the valuable experience of working with people with visual impairments.

Thus, the webinar ended with questions from participants and a discussion about the future of inclusive education. The participants agreed that there are many challenges, which people with disabilities still face in the Russian Federation and beyond. As a result, there is a need to search for possible solutions to existing problems.

Video recording of the webinar on the 2020 GEM Report