Oct 06, 2016 01:02 AM EDT By Chris Brandt, UniversityHerald Reporter

The United States Department of Education has recently announced that it is awarding a $4.4 million grant to improve the literacy skills and outcomes of students who have disabilities. The grant will be given to four educational institutions.

The grant will be used to establish centers for literacy improvement and intensive intervention as well as in developing model demonstration projects for learners who are in grades 3 to 5. The national center which focuses on improving literacy skills will help schools and educators in identifying and assessing students through evident-based interventions and assessments. The center will also provide information and training for the parents of children who are diagnosed with disabilities including dyslexia.

On the other hand, the center for intensive intervention will support educators and schools in implementing intensive intervention to improve the academic and behavioral outcomes of students who have been persistent difficulties in learning.

Lastly, the model development projects will help educators and schools assess the efficacy of the projects in helping students overcome disabilities. The models will be designed within a "culturally responsive multi-tier of supports framework" that can be applied in a general and educational setting.

The grant is in accordance with the government's My Brother Keeper's initiative which aims to help all students reach their full potential in order to have equal opportunities. One of the initiative's main focus is literacy and reading outcomes.

"When we improve literacy skills for children with disabilities, including those with dyslexia, we are not just teaching them how to read, we are opening doors to a lifetime of more positive opportunities, such as improved academic skills, reduction in behavioral incidences, increased school completion, and lifelong learning," declared Education secretary John B. King.

The recipients of the grant include the University of Oregon, American Institutes for Research, University of Oregon at Portland, and The University of Texas Austin.

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