Specially designed instruction (SDI)
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Specially designed instruction is teaching adapted in content, method or delivery to meet a student's disability-related needs.
Topic: Services, placement and staff
In plain terms
SDI is what makes special education special. It might mean explicit, systematic phonics taught in a small group, a different sequence for math concepts, or social skills taught with video modeling. It is more than an accommodation: SDI changes how or what the student is taught, so the student can meet the standards that apply to all students.
How it shows up in an IEP
Each goal should have SDI behind it. Reviewers often ask: what is the special education teacher doing differently to teach this skill? Clear SDI also makes service logs easier to write, because each session targets named skills.
Example
For a decoding goal, the SDI is 30 minutes a day of explicit phonics with a structured literacy sequence, taught in a group of three, with daily review of previously taught patterns.
Not the same as Accommodation
An accommodation changes how a student accesses or shows learning. SDI changes the teaching itself. Read the definition of Accommodation.
The rule
Federal reference: 34 CFR §300.39(b)(3).
Related terms
- Special educationSpecial education is specially designed instruction, at no cost to families, that meets the unique needs of a child with a disability.
- AccommodationAn accommodation changes how a student learns or shows learning, without changing what the student is expected to learn.
- Structured literacyStructured literacy is an approach to reading instruction that teaches language systems explicitly and systematically, from sounds to meaning.
- Service minutesService minutes are the amount of time, written in the IEP, that a student will receive each special education or related service.
- FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)FAPE is the right of every eligible child with a disability to special education and related services, at no cost, designed around the child's needs.
This page describes special education terms and federal rules in general terms and is not legal advice. Our editorial policy explains how IEP Atlas writes and reviews content. Browse all 244 terms.