As educators and parents of children with disabilities, we recognize that students with significant disabilities benefit from research-based strategies to support the development of academic and social learning. We regularly use systematic instruction and behavior supports to provide day-to-day instruction, yet this same detailed planning is not always carried through to support these students in preparation for school crises. Whether a student with a significant disability is in a weather-related event such as a tornado or a larger crisis such as a school shooting, she or he likely needs intensive instruction with research-based strategies in order to survive. In this article, we discuss the critical issue of systematically inquiring about the specific needs of students with significant disabilities as they pertain to staying safe in school crises and introduce why and how to write an Individual Emergency and Lockdown Plan (IELP) for these students.

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