Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) means organized and planned instructional activities typically provided by a qualified special education professional that modify, as appropriate, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction. What makes instruction truly individualized and specially designed for a student with an IEP and different from what a student without an IEP receives is how the instruction is linked to the student’s IEP goals and objectives. SDI is planned, organized and meaningful in that it is an intentional and systematic process that specifically addresses the student’s needs as expressed in the IEP goals and objectives.