My student is a 9th grader who is deafblind with Down Syndrome. He has profound hearing loss, low vision, is nonverbal, uses some sign language, and uses an AAC device. Working with him has been an absolute joy and a powerful reminder that students can exceed expectations when we provide the right supports and believe in their potential.
He does more than what most people think he can do – and this lesson proves it.
Lesson Overview
Focus Area: Expanded Core Curriculum – Independent Living Skills & Career Education
Weekly Schedule: 60-minute community outing to grocery store
Primary Goal: Develop independence in functional shopping skills through visual matching and systematic task completion
IEP Goal
With the use of a large print shopping list, student will visually scan, match, grab, and place in the cart at least 10 2D items from a shopping list to the 3D items on the shelf with 80% accuracy in 3 out of 4 trials as measured by staff charted data.
Lesson Components
Materials
- Large print 2D grocery shopping list with visual representations of items
- Velcro checkmarks for task completion tracking
- Shopping cart
- Data collection sheet for staff
Communication methods
- Basic signing for grocery items
- Simple instructional signs
- Visual supports (large print list with real photo images)
Lesson Structure
Pre-Shopping Preparation (5 minutes)
- Review shopping list with student
- Sign key vocabulary items
- Walk student to shopping cart
Active Shopping (45 minutes)
-Student independently pushes shopping cart while following teacher through store.
-Student uses large print 2D shopping list to:
- Visually scan for target items
- Match 2D representations to 3D products on shelf
- Locate items independently
- Grab items from shelf
- Place items in cart
-After each successful item retrieval, student places velcro checkmark next to completed item on list
-Teacher provides support through signing, gesturing, physical prompts, and proximity
Checkout & Wrap-Up (10 minutes)
- Student participates in checkout process
- Review completed shopping list
- Praise student for effort and job well done
Key Instructional Strategies
High Expectations: Presume competence and provide opportunities for independence
Systematic Instruction: Clear, consistent routine each week builds confidence and skill
Visual Supports: Large print list with 2D images accommodates low vision
Tactile Feedback: Velcro checkmarks provide kinesthetic confirmation of task completion
Multi-Sensory Communication: Signing combined with visual supports
Community-Based Instruction: Real-world application of skills in authentic environment
Student Agency: Student controls cart and navigation, promoting independence
Data-Driven Progress Monitoring: Systematic tracking of accuracy across trials
Student Strengths Demonstrated
- Independent mobility (pushes cart, follows teacher)
- Visual discrimination (matching 2D to 3D)
- Task persistence (completing 10+ items)
- Fine motor skills (grabbing items, placing checkmarks)
- Following multi-step processes
- Functional use of adaptive materials
Outcomes & Impact
This lesson has been transformative in demonstrating that students with significant disabilities can develop meaningful functional skills when instruction is:
- Community-based and authentic
- Appropriately accommodated for sensory needs
- Systematic and consistent
- Built on strengths and interest
The student’s success challenges assumptions about what individuals with deaf-blindness and Down Syndrome can achieve and highlights the importance of access to real-world learning environments.
Documentation
- Large print 2D grocery list with velcro checkmarks
- Student actively grocery shopping
- Student pushing cart independently
- Student locating and selecting items from shelves
