Building Bridges from Emergent to Conventional Literacy

The aim of Building Bridges is to promote achievement in English language arts and literacy for students with significant cognitive disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This will be accomplished by developing a collection of training and support resources for teachers and related professionals.

Building Bridges is a multi-year project and new resources and supports will be posted on this website as they are developed and evaluated. Check back periodically for updates.

Current Resources:

A series of videos focused on key conditions of learning in ELA and literacy https://www.buildingbridges-ela.com/principles-ela/

Other resources currently available today to support your students with the most significant disabilities in reading, writing and communicators:

student with universal core board

Project Core

Are you working with students who are not yet using speech, sign language or symbols to communicate?

Visit project-core.com

student and teacher read a tar heel shared reader book

Tar Heel Shared Reader

Are you working with students individually or in small groups to read and interact around shared storybooks?

Visit sharedreader.org

a student with disabilities reading a tar heel shared reader book

Tar Heel Reader

Do you need access to easy-to-read and accessible books on a wide range of topics?

Visit tarheelreader.org

student with disabilities

DLM Professional Development

Do you need help provided standards-aligned instruction in ELA, math, and science to your students with significant cognitive disabilities?

Visit dlmpd.com

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at: building-bridges@unc.edu