Some visually or cognitively disabled students have trouble interpreting standard print. In this case, you can read a story aloud to your students or play a book tape, pausing in between to answer any questions and make sure students are understanding you. Bring in sensory details from the story if possible to help students imagine and understand details. For example, if reading a book about fall leaves, give each student a fall leaf for them to smell and crunch in their hands to hear the sounds of walking on fall leaves. If students have the ability, bring in crayons and drawing paper and have them draw their interpretation of what the setting looks like.
Some students with learning disabilities may not be able to complete homework in a traditional way. Instead of sending these students home with worksheets, try asking questions and conducting group discussions about the answers. Allowing students to help each other solve problems can help them learn and gain confidence in their abilities. If possible, have students answer some problems hands-on. For example, place five dimes on a student's desk and ask her how many dimes she will have if she spends 20 cents, allowing her to physically move away the two dimes she spends. Hands-on problems can help some disabled students visually interpret problems more easily.
Some students with disabilities get antsy and cannot focus in a typical classroom environment. If the weather's ideal, try bringing these students outside to conduct an outdoors activity. You can have students play a game of "I Spy" to help reinforce their understanding of colors and practice critical thinking. Ask students what their ideal learning environments are and redecorate your classroom to resemble them. For example, if students enjoy reading in their bedrooms, you can create a "bedroom book nook," and have students help decorate it by bringing in pillows and drawing pictures for the walls. When the book nook is decorated, read to students or have students take turns reading aloud in the new setting.
Some disabled students need more time to complete assignments or need a set of reasonable deadlines to keep them on track. When assigning a project, ask students about how long they think it will take them to complete the project. Help each student write a list of everything they need to do for the project and then have students create time lines for their projects in class. If students feel comfortable, they can present their time lines to the rest of the class. Presenting can give them confidence in their own ability to plan and get them excited about their projects.