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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a vocabulary intervention delivered by teachers collaborating with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the classroom as compared with teachers in a noncollaborating condition. Method: This quasi-experimental study employed a collaboration treatment condition (n = 2 collaborative pairs, n = 34 students) and a comparison condition (n = 2 noncollaborating teachers, n = 34 students). In both conditions, versions of the Vocabulary Scenario Technique were implemented. Third-grade students completed vocabulary assessments for three vocabulary tasks. Results on each of the measures were analyzed using a two-factor split-plot analysis of variance. Results: A significant interaction effect on the Words-in-Context (WIC) task, with a medium effect size (f = 0.28), supported the value-added impact of having the SLP collaborate directly with the teacher in implementing the approach. Gains on the Synonyms and Non-Example measures were not significantly different between the conditions, but large effects were found for all three tasks within the collaboration condition, whereas gains in the comparison condition showed large effects for the Synonyms task only and medium effects for the WIC and Non-Example tasks. Conclusions: SLPs' contributions within their collaborations were associated with gains that were larger than those made by students in classrooms where teachers did not collaborate with SLPs on a vocabulary task requiring application of word meanings in sentences. Clinical implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Purpose: Reading and writing are foundational skills that provide access to educational, vocational, and social experiences. However, while the gap widens between the literacy skills of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and those with typical development as they grow into adolescence, little is known about meeting the comprehensive literacy needs of adolescents with ID. This tutorial reimagines the assessment of literacy-specific skills for adolescents with ID as an individualized approach that will reveal a profile of strengths and challenges so they can receive targeted intervention. Method: Extant research investigating literacy achievement for individuals with ID is reviewed, followed by a discussion of emergent to conventional literacy skills and a conceptual framework within which to organize the skills. Then, an individualized assessment approach is presented that addresses considerations for the selection of complementary formal and informal measures and strategic analysis of the results. Results: A clinical case study depicting a literacy assessment of an adolescent diagnosed with ID is utilized to demonstrate the process for determining individual strengths and challenges in emergent and conventional literacy skills. Detailed discussion of assessment results and error analysis provide insight into her level of emergent and conventional reading and writing skills, which is then linked to intervention goal suggestions. Conclusion: Comprehensive individualized assessment batteries enable practitioners to align literacy interventions with each adolescent's needs in order to promote conventional reading and writing development.