Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)

“Special Education is instruction delivered to a student that is more urgent, more intensive, more relentless, more precisely delivered, more highly structured and direct, and more carefully monitored for procedural fidelity and effects.” - J.M. Kauffman

Special education is “specially designed instruction.”(SDI) IDEA defines that term as adapting, as appropriate, to the needs of an eligible student under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction (i) to address the unique needs of the student that result from the student’s disability; and (ii) to ensure access of the student to the general curriculum, so that the student can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children [§300.39 (b)(3)]. Special education, therefore, involves adapting the “content, methodology, or delivery of instruction” [IDEA Regulations, 300.39(b)(3)].

SDI is the instruction delivered to a student with an IEP to help the student access the general education curriculum. SDI goes beyond differentiated instruction and addresses the unique needs that exist because of a student’s disability.