100% Standards Aligned
All of our materials provide standards-based instruction with data-driven lessons.
Designed for students with diverse learning differences.
Why Austin & Lily
Researchers now see that people with an intellectual disability are able to learn much more than originally was thought possible. What we are committed to is not only providing access to general education curriculum for students with an intellectual disability, but that they also actually learn and understand the curriculum. That is why we not only provide the curriculum, but show you how to use best practices to teach the material. We use general education and culturally relevant topics to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Each unit provides a thematic context to expand knowledge of important people, places, things, events, and situations. In addition, it provides a platform for filling in missing or under-developed vocabulary, knowledge, life skills, and ideas.
The development of Austin and Lily LLC materials was informed, in part, by Cultural Literacy Theory, which recognizes the significance of an individual being familiar with the same topics that general education students are familiar with. Cultural literacy is assumed knowledge within a culture, and is the information that most people know. It is needed to better understand social situations, movies, conversations, TV programs, leisure activities, friendships, reading material, school, and work. People with an intellectual disability are missing a lot of this crucial information. Building background knowledge in these areas leads to better informed and higher functioning individuals. Thinking about ways to help people with an intellectual disability develop to their potential is an incredibly rewarding process.
Our modified curriculum can play an important role in preparing students with an intellectual disability for standardized tests. We are offering our Alexander Graham Bell Unit free of charge, because we believe that once you see it, and use it, that you will be convinced of its value. Please ask about licensing our curriculum for your school.
FUNCTIONAL SKILLS
Self-determination is the ultimate goal. It is that wonderful feeling of having control of your own life and enjoying the level of independence that comes with it. It’s the idea that I can decide I want to do something, and I can craft a plan to make it happen. There are several skills that need to be developed for students to achieve this. We thematically embed instruction for the thinking process and skills that are needed to fully develop self-determination into the curriculum.
LESSON PLANS
Because modified material alone is not enough, our custom-made, page-by-page lesson plans make all the difference. It has never been easier to use best practices to teach this population. The plan is simple to use and very flexible. The instructional strategies incorporated into the plan address memory and motivational impairments. The plan makes it easy to differentiate the learning experience. Language arts standards have been aligned with each activity.
BOOKS
Our books are designed to teach students with an ID content. In much the same way that a general education classroom teacher uses one text to work with a wide range of learners during whole group instruction, we suggest the same approach. When content-area instructional material is determined by reading level, we rob students who may not be able to read of learning valuable general education material. Our units come with a projectable e-book as well as a printable version.
DESIGN
The design of these materials has been a several year process and is on-going. It has involved deeply studying the impact an intellectual disability has on an individual, the different ways that impairments present themselves, effective strategies for learning new material, the need for life skills to aid independence, the hopes and dreams of people themselves with an intellectual disability and their families, and ultimately the curricular implications for applying all of these ideas.
How It Works
Students with an intellectual disability reaching their potential is our dream.
First Time Customers
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Educators Love Austin & Lily
Here’s what they are saying
When schools say yes to students with learning challenges that are new to their teachers and their campuses, they do so with the hope that they will find the supports, resources, and materials they will need to be able to meet the needs of these students. Janet Romo’s modified social studies curriculum for students with Down Syndrome made a huge difference on the two campuses where they were used in the Diocese of Phoenix. Not only did the materials aid the teachers, administrators, and instructional aides in meeting students’ needs, but Janet was also generously available for training to assist teachers and aides in understanding the process of content modification. With her help, students with Down Syndrome were able to access the curriculum, and teachers learned valuable skills.
Dr. Janet Romo is a great teacher who cares about her students and designs lessons that allow students to thrive and excel. Students were treated with dignity and respect and parents were welcomed in her classroom. What more can a principal ask for!
Dr. Janet Romo is very down-to-earth and delightful to work with. She and I were both lead faculty members for several years. Janet is an expert in the area of at-risk students and is an excellent instructor.
I am pleased to positively endorse Janet Romo’s books from Austin & Lily Solutions.
What I have discovered in using her books is, yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. My group’s reading levels range from 1st grade to 5th grade. With that being said, Janet’s books are working positively for each of them individually and as a reading group as a whole. Janet’s topics are age-appropriate for adults. The first book we used was on Taylor Swift. Because she has chosen interesting and applicable topics, my clients have embraced her books and in addition, they now have subject matter to discuss and have conversations about. A win/win as far as I am concerned!
I highly recommend Janet’s series of books. I am so grateful someone has finally developed reading material that appreciates and embraces how those who have intellectual disabilities learn and comprehend!
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