Developing Individualized Education Programs for Bidialectal Students With Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities who use African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in addition to Mainstream American English bring rich cultural and linguistic strengths shaped by their experiences across home, school, and community contexts. However, special education processes may overlook these strengths, influencing how students are understood as communicators and learners. This article examines how language in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) can better reflect the communicative practices of bidialectal students with learning disabilities while addressing their disability-related needs. A framework for IEP development is introduced that integrates five anchors and a four-step reflective protocol to support alignment across present levels, goal statements, and progress monitoring. The anchors function as lenses for interpreting student communication, while the protocol guides teams in examining and revising IEP language. Practical examples illustrate how this approach supports more accurate, strength-based documentation and more meaningful opportunities for communication and literacy development.