What is Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) — and why is it the foundation of special education?

In this brand-new series, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, breaks down one of the most misunderstood (and misused) concepts in IDEA: special education is specially designed instruction.

In Part 1, we cover:
✅ Why SDI is different from accommodations or modifications
✅ How to ask teachers the right questions to uncover whether SDI is really happening
✅ Why strong IEP goals are the foundation of effective SDI
✅ The three SDI elements: Content, Methodology, and Delivery
✅ How IDEA defines SDI — and what that means in practice for your child
✅ Common mistakes schools make
✅ Why data collection, baselines, and progress monitoring matter 

Karen also shares real-life stories from IEP meetings, due process hearings, and advocacy experiences that highlight how schools get SDI wrong — and what parents and advocates can do about it.

📌 If a school can’t describe what they are doing differently than a general education teacher, then your child has not received Specially Designed Instruction.

✨ Join us for this powerful series and come back for Part 2 where we’ll go even deeper.

📣 Want step-by-step training to navigate IEPs, 504s, and advocacy? Join The Academy:
👉 https://specialeducationacademy.com/training

🎥 Watch replays and trainings on YouTube:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/c/SpecialEducationAcademy/videos

🎧 Listen to more episodes on Buzzsprout or your favorite podcast platform.

✨ Remember: We’re not giving legal advice. We’re educating you.

“When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody.” — Karen Mayer Cunningham

Support the show

✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨

👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®
Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence.

👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!
🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources
🔗 Learn more at The Academy

📬 Have a question? Email us at [email protected]

📱 Follow Karen on:

• TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss
• YouTube: Special Education Academy

🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?
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(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.)

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