Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) — Strategies & MTSS Alignment (Blended)

This blended guide preserves wording from two sources: a teacher-facing SDI strategies list and a state technical paper explaining how Specially Designed Instruction fits within MTSS. It organizes the content under consistent anchors so an AI or team can quickly find strategies, MTSS alignment, and IEP documentation cues. Any added legal clarifications are labeled as updates.

Student Context

This guide compiles SDI strategies (teacher-facing) and an MTSS alignment overview to support planning for students with IEPs.

Update (2025-09-24): SDI in IDEA means adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the student’s unique needs and ensure access to the general curriculum (34 CFR §300.39(b)(3)). source

Assessments & Screenings

The state paper describes formative, screening, progress‑monitoring, and diagnostic assessments across tiers, with frequency and depth increasing as need intensifies.

SDI within MTSS (overview excerpt)

What Is “Special” About Special Education?

Specially Des igned Instruction for Students With Disabilities Within a Multi -tiered System of Supports This document was developed to clarify the relationship between Specially Designed Instruction, Tier 1 Instruction and Interventions within a multi- tiered system of supports (MTSS) for educators developing, improving and maintaining systems of support for all students. The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 made it clear that students with disabilities are to be considered first and foremost as general education students. This distinction, along with the implementation of a multi -tiered system of supports and state standards, has prompted educators to consider t he characteristics that uniquely define special education. The graphic below illustrates the integration of specially design ed instruction within an MTSS . Instruction and i nterventions for all students are implemented using a data-b ased problem-s olving process that matches the intensity of support to meet student needs (both strengths and weaknesses). Effective Tier 1 instruction and interventions are provided for all students, including students with disabilities, who need various levels of supports to master grade-l evel standards. Students with di sabilities are legally entitled to specially designed instruction, including intensive interventions, when the intensity of their needs warrants this level of s upport. 1 What Is “Special ” About Special Education?

Specially Des igned Instruction forStudents With Disabilities Within a Multi-t iered System of Supports The table below provides an in-depth explanation of the similarities and differences – as well as the inter-r elatedness – of Specially Designed Instruction, Tier 1 Instruction, and Interventions.

Specially Designed Instruction Universal Instruction (Tier 1) Supplemental Intervention (Tier 2) Intensive Intervention (Tier 3) –Ap plic a ble Ac r o s s All Tie r s –

Defining Characteristics Specially designed instruction as defined by IDEA regulations refers to adaptations to the content, methodology or delivery of instruction that : • Address the unique needs of a ch ild that result from the child’ s di sabilit y • Ens ure access to the genera l ed ucation curriculum so tha t th e child can meet th e ed ucational standards tha t ap ply to all children ( 34 Codeof Fe deral Regulations (CFR ) §300 .39(b)(3)) • Are gu aranteed by IDEA and im plemented in accordanc e wi ththe i ndividual educationa l pla n (IEP) proces sInstruction and support designed and differentiated for all students in all settings to ensure mastery of the standards and Tier 1 instructional goals/ expectations . More focused, targeted instruction/intervention and supplemental support aligned with standards and Tier 1 instructional goals/expectations . The most intense * intervention based upon individual student need and aligned with Tier 1 curriculum, instruction and supplemental supports. *Da ily or near daily sessions; increased time per session for delivery, practice and feedback; narrowed focus; reduced group size; most explicit and systematic; most frequent progress monitoring. Common Focus Provide instruction and intervention supports, designed and implemented through a team approach to data -based planning and problem solving, matched to student learning needs. Relationship to Tier 1 In struction Integrated and in alignment with standards and Tier 1 instructional goals and expectations across the full continuum of learners. 2 What Is “Special” About Special Education?

Specially Des igned Instruction for Students With Disabilities Within a Multi -tiered System of Supports

Specially Designed Instruction Universal Instruction (Tier 1) Supplemental Intervention (Tier 2) Intensive Intervention (Tier 3) –Ap plic a ble Ac r o s s All Tie r s –

Goal Enable students with disabilities to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR § 300.320(a )(2)(i)). Free appropriate public e ducation for students with disabilities in the least r estrictive e nvironment (34 CFR §300.17) .Successful mastery of standards and prevention of skill gaps to ensure career and college readiness. Close skill gaps to enable successful mastery of Standards and grade -level instructional goals and expectations for lea rners who are struggling in the general education curriculum and setting, while ensuring the prevention of new content area gaps and supporting student engag ement. ForWhom? Eligible s tudent swith disabilities (IDEA). When applied at tier 3, these students typically demonstrate a need for sustained intensive interventions in order to maintain adequate rates of progress over time. ALL students . Any student who needs supplemental supports to master standards . Any student who needs intensive supports (i.e., identified problem is both intense and severe) to master thestandards . ByWhom? Exceptional student education (ESE) teachers and related service providers with spe cialization in the area of need, in collaboration with general education teachers to align and integrate with standards . General education teacher, in collaboration with school -based team members . General education teacher in collaboration with support of school -based team members who have content knowledge and intervention expertise. General Educators, special educators, school -based team members and professional support staff with deep content knowledge and expertise implementing evidence- based interventions. Where Are Interventions Delivered? Specially designed instruction is a service ,not a place ,and is not defined by where it occurs. Must be provided in leas t restrictive setting (34 CFR § 300.17). Evidence -based instruction and support provided in the general education setting. 3 What Is “Special” About Special Education?

Specially Des igned Instruction for Students With Disabilities Within a Multi -tiered System of Supports

Specially Designed Instruction Universal Instruction (Tier 1) Supplemental Intervention (Tier 2) Intensive Intervention (Tier 3) –Ap plic a ble Ac r o s s All Ti e r s – How Are Interventions and Services Documented? An IEP, which may include an intervention plan that specifies details of the interventions and is aligned with thegoals and services of the IEP . Differentiated instruction is documented through thelesson – planning process. Prog ress Monitoring Plan (PMP), 504 Plan, Limite d English Proficient (LEP) Plan , or other intervention plans when applicable. What Legal Protections Apply? Procedural safeguards protect the rights of students with disabilities and the ir families . No procedural safeguards unless 504 eligible. How Are Learning Needs Accommodated? Accommodations specified by the IEP are provided so that students with disabilities can access information and demonstrate what they know and are able to do. No accommodations unless 504 eligible or on an LEP Plan. How Are Students Engaged and Supported i n Learning? Universal Design for Learning , instructional scaffold sto bridge gaps and reduce or eliminate barriers to engagement , differentiation , andlearning supports that reduce or eliminate barriers to learning . What Is the Purpose of Assessment? The purpose of assessment depends upon the specific assessment questions to address student needs. What Assessment Practices Are Relevant? Formative, Screening, Ongoing Progress Monit oring and Diagnostic Assessment including those required for instructional and eligibility decision making per IDEA. The frequency and depth of assessment practice increases as student need intensifies. Formative, screening, ongoing progress m onitoring and diagnostic a ssessment. 4

Supports & Features — SDI Strategies & SAS

Source excerpt: SDI Strategies — Concise Guide (wording preserved)

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Strategies — Concise Guide

Source: Kentucky Special Education Cooperative — SDI Strategies

Basic Reading

Description

Foundational reading focuses on grapho‑phonic skills (letter–sound knowledge, phonemic awareness, decoding), visual strategies (recognition and visual memory for words), auditory/language structure across word, sentence, and text levels, fluency, and precision of word meanings. Instruction teaches students to identify/pronounce words and to read orally with accuracy and flow.

Classroom Implications

Provide daily practice in connected text with explicit coaching on cross‑checking (meaning, structure, visual cues). Maintain access to grade‑level materials using supports such as manipulatives, recorded formats, and visual scaffolds.

Strategies (Complete List)

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) — what the teacher teaches

Use context clues to confirm/clarify word meaning and pronunciation

Visual word‑recognition strategies, including environmental print

Word analysis: prefixes, suffixes, compound words, derivations

Text management: reread/read ahead, deep reading, skimming/scanning

Decoding: word families, chunking, point‑and‑slide, finding known words inside words

Cross‑check across systems (meaning, language structure, letter–sound match); confer with another reader as needed

Supplementary Aids & Services (SAS) — what the student needs

Graphic organizers

Prompting and cueing

Recorded materials

Oral/visual presentation of materials above independent reading level

Extended time

Large print

Highlighted material

Braille

Manipulatives (e.g., letter tiles, flash cards)

Access to technology (e.g., computer, software, voice‑to‑text)

Reading Comprehension

Description

Comprehension instruction makes thinking visible: activating/building background knowledge, teaching text structures and strategies (monitoring for meaning, determining importance, creating mental images, synthesizing, relating new to known, questioning, inferring), and using organizers and routines that scaffold understanding.

Classroom Implications

Front‑load vocabulary/concepts; model strategies and provide guided practice. Use structured prompts and organizers so students stay with grade‑level passages while practicing comprehension.

Strategies (Complete List)

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) — what the teacher teaches

Graphic organizers

Modeling

Cloze procedures

Mnemonic strategies

Advance organizers

Visual prompts

Pre‑teaching concepts/vocabulary

LEARN strategy (List, Explore, Access, Reflect, Now connect)

KWL strategy (Know, Want, Learned)

Verbal summarization

Open‑ended stories

QAR (Question–Answer–Response)

Choral reading

Paired reading

Echo reading

Visual imagery

Story mapping

Think‑aloud

Direct instruction: monitoring for meaning; determining importance; creating mental images; synthesizing; relating new to known; questioning; inferring

Other (as specified)

Supplementary Aids & Services (SAS) — what the student needs

Recorded books with appropriate pacing

Recorded materials

Highlighting

Large print

Braille

Reader

Paraphrasing

Oral/visual presentation of materials above independent reading level

Manipulatives (e.g., story strips)

Advance organizers

Visual prompts

Note‑taking guides

Study guides

Other (as needed)

Written Language

Description

Writing instruction develops transcription and composition: sentence structure, idea development, organization, audience/purpose, and the full writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing). Instruction uses modeling, practice, prompts/cues, and explicit structures across genres (open‑response, on‑demand, transactive, personal, literary, reflective, writing‑to‑learn).

Classroom Implications

Provide clear models and scaffolded routines (sentence frames, organizers, rubrics). Reduce production barriers with tools and accommodations so students can focus on content and structure; support planning and revision with prompts/checklists.

Strategies (Complete List)

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) — what the teacher teaches

Graphic organizers

Modeling

Tactile‑kinesthetic tracing

Repetitive practice

Advance organizers

Visual and physical prompts/cues

Small‑group instruction

Structured approach to sentence writing

Direct instruction in the writing process (prewriting, writing, revising, editing, publishing)

Direct instruction in idea development, structural patterns, sequencing, organization, standards of correctness, audience/purpose

Direct instruction across genres: open‑response, writing‑on‑demand, transactive, personal, literary, reflective, writing‑to‑learn (journals, note‑taking)

Other (as specified)

Supplementary Aids & Services (SAS) — what the student needs

Scribe (specify how/when)

Paraphrasing

Assistive technology

Cue cards (definitions, examples, story starters, picture prompts)

Graphic organizers

Journals, logs, notebooks

Rubrics/scoring guides

Editing checklists

Production of written pieces

Mnemonic strategies

Error monitoring / self‑monitoring

Modified tests and assignments

Copies of overheads (notes, directions, organizers)

Preferential seating

Highlighting

Color‑coded direction words

Student paraphrasing of directions

Raised‑line paper

Manipulatives (sentence strips, word cards, personal/classroom word banks)

Tape recorder to talk into and write from

Pencil grips

Retaking of tests

Access to technology (computer, software, tape recorder, voice‑to‑text)

Other (as needed)

Implementation & Training — SDI within MTSS

This section incorporates the state paper’s description of how SDI integrates with Tier 1/2/3 instruction and interventions.

Documentation & Compliance

Update (2025-09-24): IEPs must include present levels, measurable annual goals, services and supports, participation with peers, and assessment accommodations, all aligned to involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR §300.320). source

References & Glossary

• 34 CFR §300.39(b)(3) — Special education (definition of SDI). eCFR
• 34 CFR §300.320 — IEP content. eCFR
• State MTSS/SDI overview paper (source text provided by user).
• Teacher-facing SDI Strategy Lists (source text provided by user).