A Both/And Approach: Supporting Students with Reading Disabilities in Disciplinary Literacy

• In Event: Reimagining K–12 Disciplinary Literacy: Access, Engagement, and Innovation Across Subjects

Abstract

Objectives: This presentation contributes to constructing a new vision for education research and practice by examining how we can transform disciplinary literacy instruction for students with reading disabilities. Drawing on the conference theme of unforgetting histories and imagining futures, this work acknowledges the historical exclusion of students with disabilities from rigorous content-area learning while demonstrating innovative approaches that reimagine equitable access. The primary objective is to present a transformative "both/and" framework that challenges deficit-based educational histories and constructs new possibilities for inclusive disciplinary literacy practices.

Theoretical Framework: Histories of educational segregation and remediation-focused approaches have limited students with reading disabilities to lower-level content. We draw upon disciplinary literacy frameworks, universal design for learning, and the social model of disability to imagine futures where reading disabilities are differences requiring innovative design, not barriers. The both/and framework constructs a vision moving beyond traditional either/or thinking that forced educators to choose between remediation and grade-level access. Instead, we reimagine the relationship between foundational skills instruction and access to complex disciplinary thinking by providing specially designed literacy instruction while ensuring equitable access to grade-level disciplinary texts through strategic accommodations and scaffolds.

Modes of Inquiry: Our approach involves critical examination of historical practices alongside systematic analysis of innovative interventions that construct new possibilities for students with reading disabilities in disciplinary contexts. We analyzed implementation strategies across K-12 content areas, examining how evidence-based practices can be reimagined to honor both the complexity of disciplinary thinking and the diverse learning needs of students historically marginalized in these contexts.

Data Sources: Our analysis integrates historical analysis of exclusionary practices with contemporary research, including IES Practice Guide recommendations, recent peer-reviewed studies on disciplinary literacy strategies for students with disabilities (Barnes et al., 2024; Drew & Thomas, 2022), special education dispute resolution cases, and implementation examples from diverse K-12 settings. This multifaceted evidence base allows us to construct new understanding while acknowledging the persistent impact of historical approaches that limited opportunities for students with disabilities.

Findings/Results: Results demonstrate that when we unforget histories of exclusion and actively imagine new futures, students with reading disabilities can successfully engage in complex disciplinary thinking through innovative supports including: (1) reimagined discipline-specific reading strategies that honor diverse learning approaches, 2) innovative vocabulary development within authentic content contexts, (3) strategic use of technology-enhanced accommodations, and (4) carefully scaffolded opportunities to engage with challenging texts. This both/and approach constructs new possibilities for eliminating false choices between access and rigor while honoring the full humanity and potential of students with disabilities.

Significance: This presentation directly advances the conference theme by unforgetting the history of educational practices that have systematically excluded students with reading disabilities from rigorous disciplinary learning, while actively constructing a new vision for inclusive education research and practice. By demonstrating how disciplinary literacy can be reimagined to serve all learners, this work contributes to broader efforts to construct more equitable educational futures. The findings offer concrete strategies for transforming research and practice, with implications for teacher preparation, professional development, and collaborative service delivery models that promote access, engagement, and authentic learning across diverse content areas.

Author

• Elizabeth Zagata, WestEd