Visual supports are tools that use pictures, words, symbols, or other visual cues to help students better understand expectations, communicate, complete tasks, and participate more independently throughout the school day. By making information more concrete and predictable, visual supports can reduce anxiety, increase engagement, promote independence, and support success across academic, social, behavioral, and functional environments.
This collection provides a variety of visual supports designed to address communication, self-regulation, behavior, daily routines, academics, life skills, and social interactions. Detailed instructional sheets have been provided for each support; including an explanation of the purpose of the visual, when to use it, implementation guidance, and examples.
Individual visuals can also be obtained by contacting your building coordinator for printing or customization. If you would like to trial a visual support before implementing it with a student, building coordinators maintain a library of sample visuals that can be checked out throughout the school year. This allows teams to determine which supports best meet a student's individual needs before creating a permanent system.
Core Board Communication- Helps students communicate wants, needs, comments, and responses using a consistent visual language system.
Nurse's Office Communication Visual- Helps students communicate symptoms, pain, physical needs, and health concerns when verbal communication may be difficult.
Nurse's Office Communication Visual- Supports communication of health and physical needs across school environments.
Indoor & Outdoor Recess Visual- Provides predictability regarding recess locations and expectations.
Cafeteria Schedule Visual- Supports successful participation in cafeteria routines and transitions.
Lanyard Visual Support- Ensures visual support is available across settings and staff members throughout the school day.
Social Stories- Teaches social expectations, routines, and behaviors through individualized stories that explain situations and appropriate responses.
Turn-Taking Visual Support- Supports students in understanding whose turn it is and how to appropriately wait and participate in social interactions.
Break Card & Self-Regulation Support- Teaches students to appropriately request and use breaks before becoming overwhelmed or dysregulated.
Emotional Regulation Strategy- Provides visual reminders of coping strategies students can use to manage emotions and return to a regulated state.
Sensory Break- Supports students in accessing sensory activities that help maintain attention, regulation, and participation.
Wait, Stop, Break, & Pause Visual Support- Helps students understand and respond to common self-regulation and behavior cues across environments.
Teaching Students to Stop- Reinforces boundaries and expectations within the school environment.
Rules & Expectations Visual- Clearly communicates expected behaviors across classroom, hallway, and school environments.
Lanyard Visual Support- Provides staff with portable visual prompts that can be used throughout the day to support behavior and independence.
Prompt Hierarchy- Helps staff systematically provide and fade support to promote student independence.
Token Board Visual Support- Uses visual reinforcement to increase motivation and encourage desired behaviors or task completion.
Hybrid Token Board / Schedule & Working For- Combines visual schedules and reinforcement systems to increase engagement and task completion.
Choice Board- Encourages communication, self-advocacy, and social engagement through structured choice-making opportunities.
Visual Schedule- Provides a visual representation of daily routines and activities to increase predictability and independence.
Individual Visual Schedule- Offers personalized visual schedules tailored to a student's individual needs and routines.
First–Then–Last Visual Support- Helps students understand task sequences and what they are working toward.
Schedule & Working For System- Combines task expectations with reinforcement to increase participation and completion.
Independent Work Station- Teaches students how to independently complete work tasks using visual structure and organization.
Change Alert Visual- Prepares students for changes in routines and helps reduce anxiety associated with unexpected events.
Academic Strategy Visual- Provides visual reminders of previously taught academic strategies to increase independent problem-solving.
Handwashing Routine Visual- Supports independent completion of proper handwashing procedures.
Bathroom Visual Support- Teaches and reinforces toileting and bathroom hygiene routines through visual sequencing.
Cafeteria Schedule Visual- Helps students independently navigate lunchroom routines and expectations.
Indoor & Outdoor Recess Visual- Helps students understand recess expectations and weather-related schedule changes.
Visual Recipe & Measurement- Teaches cooking, food preparation, and measurement skills using visual supports.
Set the Table Life Skills- Develops independent table-setting skills and understanding of meal preparation routines.
Social Stories- Teaches social understanding, perspective-taking, and appropriate responses in a variety of situations.
Turn-Taking Visual Support- Builds foundational social interaction skills by teaching waiting, sharing, and participation.