A guiding principle to help us presume potential is called The Least Dangerous Assumption, originally crafted by Anne Donnellan.
The Least Dangerous Assumption is an inclusive approach to educational policy and pedagogy. It holds that in the absence of conclusive data, educational decisions should be based on assumptions that, if incorrect, will least likely limit the student. – Adapted from Donnellan, A. (1984). The criterion of the least dangerous assumption. Behavioral Disorders, 9, 141-150.
Simply put, if you don’t have enough information to make a decision pertaining to an intervention, choose the option that is least likely to limit the potential of the individual.
Watch this video featuring LCPS’s Assistive Technology Specialist Christopher Bugaj which describes the Least Dangerous Assumption.
Thank you for sharing this! I will be using it in future trainings … I wish every teacher working with students with complex needs would make the least dangerous assumption.