Additional SDI Resources
This page provides a summary of the current Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) resources developed to support educators across West Virginia. Collectively, these resources offer guidance, instructional tools, and examples of evidence-based practices to strengthen the planning and delivery of high-quality SDI for students with disabilities.
Specially Designed Instruction Guidance and Tools
The SDI Guidance Document [PDF] helps educators and school leaders understand what effective Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) looks like and how to implement it in classrooms. It reflects best practices supported by the West Virginia Department of Education and is intended to support consistent, high-quality instruction for students with disabilities.
The SDI Scavenger Hunt [PDF] provides prompts and questions to guide staff when initially exploring the SDI Guidance Document. Use this resource as a professional learning tool and interactive way to introduce the SDI Guidance Document to your team.
The SDI Course [Canvas] explains how to plan and deliver high-quality Specially Designed Instruction. It outlines the roles of instructional staff, supports effective SDI planning, and introduces co-teaching models used to deliver SDI. The course is available online and can be completed individually or as a team. A K12 Single Sign-On account is required to access the course.
The High-Quality Literacy Instructional Practices for Students with IEPs [PDF] and High-Quality Mathematical Instructional Practices [PDF] can be used as a reference for educators to learn about evidence-based literacy and math practices (EBPs) for students with disabilities. Instructional practices and references are provided for each EBP. This is a reference document for general and special educators for planning purposes.
The Matching Disability Categories, Learning Challenges, and SDI Strategies [PDF] provides an overview of each disability category, associated common learning challenges, and instructional strategies to support SDI planning. Educators can use this document as a reference when designing SDI, or as a starting place when exploring which supports will be best for a student as part of the IEP team discussion.
The SDI Planning Template [PDF] is designed for general and special educators to collaboratively plan SDI. Prompts and reflective questions are used to guide educators through SDI planning best practices that require a knowledge of content, as well as student IEP specifics and instructional strategies. Share this resource with educators for use during grade-level planning, PLCs, or daily/weekly co-planning sessions.
The Specially Designed Instruction Resource Bank [PDF]
The SDI Resource Bank includes vetted professional learning resources that define best practices in special education. Explore a range of free, open source supports that include visuals, brochures, reusable templates, modules, and webinars, as well as synchronous and/or asynchronous courses with certificate and/or credit options that may be purchased. School administrators can use this resource to identify professional learning materials that will support SDI implementation in the LEAs or schools.
The EBP Spotlight: Explicit Instruction [PDF], EBP Spotlight: Scaffolding SDI [PDF], and EBP Spotlight: Corrective Feedback [PDF] are short, practical resources designed to help educators understand and apply common, but often misunderstood, evidence-based instructional practices that support students with disabilities. Each Spotlight explains what the practice is, why it matters, and what it looks like in classrooms. These resources are intended to support planning and instruction for both general and special educators across content areas.
The Comparison of SDI, Differentiated Instruction (DI), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) [PDF] is designed to clearly outline the distinctions among SDI, DI, and UDL by comparing their purposes, instructional applications, and the level of individualization required. The goal is to support educators in understanding how these approaches work together to ensure all students, and especially students with disabilities, receive meaningful access to grade-level instruction.
The SDI One-Page Postcard [PDF] is a single page overview of what SDI is and how it aligns with the our mission and vision.