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Building Wings

Our Mission

Led by Don Johnston, Building Wings creates special education resources that help teachers take ALL students to new heights in their learning.

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Helping ALL Students Soar

ALL means ALL. Building Wings believes students across ALL learning styles and abilities deserve opportunities to reach new heights in their learning.

We love seeing students discover their own abilities and find potential they didn’t know they had. That’s why we develop special education resources designed to achieve learning. breakthroughs. By putting the right tools in the hands of compassionate teachers and motivated students, we can unlock reservoirs of hidden potential.

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Improving Literacy Outcomes

Some say reading and writing are out of reach for students with significant learning barriers. But with Building Wings, teachers can help students realize their full literacy potential.

Our evidence-based alternative instructional materials for reading and writing are:

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DIFFERENTIATED

Meet the needs of the widest range of students—learners with autism, cognitive and developmental delays, dyslexia, and complex learning barriers in preschool through high school.

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ENGAGING

Fully reach students with all kinds of abilities, backgrounds, and knowledge using a blend of diverse curriculum, assessment tools, and accommodation strategies.

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PURPOSEFUL

Drive progress towards IEP goals and meet today’s academic standards, preparing students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead more independent lives.

Building Wings Success Stories

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CASE STUDY

First Author Helps Teacher Spark Writing Breakthroughs for Students

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VIDEO

Readtopia Meets Diverse Student Needs, Growing Excitement for Reading

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CASE STUDY

Readtopia Restores Balance in a Teacher’s Classroom and Life

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Our History of Excellence

Building Wings is a new chapter in the legacy of Don Johnston, an esteemed advocate on disability issues in education and a leader in assistive technology development for over 40 years.

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Explore New Heights
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Explore educational materials from Readtopia and First Author and try them for free with your students—no credit card required.

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Karen A. Erickson, Ph.D.​

Karen A. Erickson, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. Her focus is on understanding the best ways to assess and teach reading and writing to children with the most severe disabilities. As a special education teacher, Dr. Erickson has worked to support students with a range of disabilities in a variety of classroom settings, particularly students who do not use speech as their primary means of communication.

Website: https://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds

Author Profile: https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_Contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=110&Name=Karen+Erickson,Ph.D.​

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