ABSTRACT

Although not every person with a disability is a poor writer, most have diffi culty mastering this complex skill. According to fi ndings from the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP; Salahu-Din, Persky, & Miller, 2008), only 6% of eighth-grade and 5% of 12thgrade students with disabilities perform at or above the “profi cient” level in writing (defi ned as solid academic performance). Students who score below this level are classifi ed as obtaining only partial mastery of the literacy skills needed at their respective grade. Consequently, 19 of every 20 students with disabilities do not acquire the writing skills needed for success in school.