STRIVE to improve educational outcomes: supporting students with disabilities in the general education classroom

Abstract

Increasingly, students with a variety of disabilities are being included in general education settings; however, many of these students have academic, behavioral, and social challenges that can interfere with their participation and performance. Teachers and school professionals supporting students with disabilities need effective and efficient strategies that can improve student outcomes. This paper describes a set of six domains of research-supported practices that can be implemented to support students. These practices are organized using the acronym STRIVE: Social supports, Teaching practices, Rewards and motivation, Independence, Visual supports, and Engagement. We include examples of how these practices can be used class-wide to support all students, and how they can be adapted to support specific students with disabilities. Practitioner-friendly applications and resources are included to support implementation within school settings.