Sell special education resources as a teacher-author
Adapted materials take longer to make than almost anything else in a school. That is exactly why other special educators are glad to buy good ones.
Short answer: You can sell special education resources on TeachLessons by applying with a short form, then emailing your files, previews and a filled-in submission list to support@stifo.de. You set the price in US dollars and keep 70% of net revenue. Your resources go live once they are set up, without a separate approval round.
Which special education resources do teachers buy?
Special educators buy materials that save them the adapting step. A general education unit is easy to find. A version of that unit at a lower reading level, with picture support, fewer items per page and a clear routine, is not. That gap is where most good special education resources come from.
Adapted readers and texts
Short leveled passages with simplified vocabulary, picture cues and comprehension questions in multiple formats (circle, match, cut and paste, short answer).
Visual supports
Visual schedules, first-then boards, token boards, choice boards, social narratives and calm-down cards that work in a resource room or a self-contained classroom.
Life skills and functional work
Money, time, community signs, grocery lists, recipes and job skills tasks for older students who need practical, age-respectful material.
Task boxes and work bins
Printable task cards and file folder activities for independent work stations, with a clear answer check for staff.
Data and progress tools
Blank data sheets, trial-by-trial trackers and progress monitoring probes that a case manager can use the same day.
Interactive and adapted books
Books with velcro pieces, repeated lines and core vocabulary that support students who are working on communication.
Age matters more here than in most subjects. A 15-year-old working on early reading skills should not get cartoon bunnies. If your materials use teen-friendly photos and layouts at early skill levels, say so clearly. Teachers of older students search for exactly that and rarely find it.
How should I describe resources for IEP goals?
Teachers want to know whether a resource fits the goals they already write. Help them see that, but stay on the side of describing rather than promising. Write what the resource practices, not what it will achieve.
| Instead of this | Write this |
|---|---|
| Guarantees IEP goal mastery | Practices identifying coins and counting mixed coins up to $1.00 |
| Evidence-based intervention | Uses errorless learning format with one target per page (if that is true of your design) |
| Fixes behavior problems | Includes a first-then board and 12 visual cards for transitions |
| For autistic students | Designed with predictable layouts and visual routines; useful for many learners who need visual structure |
Avoid diagnostic labels as the main selling point, and never suggest a resource replaces a specialist, therapy or an assessment. A sentence such as "can support goals related to..." is honest and still helps a case manager match it to a student. Never include sample IEP text copied from a real student file, even with the name removed.
Market wording also differs. US buyers search for special education, SPED, IEP and resource room. UK buyers use SEND, EHCP, SENCO and interventions. Australian teachers often say inclusive education or learning support. You can use both sets of terms in the description, so one resource reaches teachers in several countries.
What makes an adapted resource accessible?
A resource that looks pretty on screen can still fail in a classroom. Check these points before you export the final PDF:
- Clear fonts. Simple sans-serif letters, a single-story a where early readers need it, and at least 16 to 18 point text for students.
- Contrast. Dark text on a plain light background. Avoid text over patterns or photos. Check pages in grayscale, because many schools print in black and white.
- White space. One task per page or one row per question. Crowded pages are the most common complaint about adapted work.
- Consistent layout. The same position for directions, pictures and answer boxes on every page builds independence.
- Large response areas. Room for students with fine motor needs to write, stamp, or place a velcro piece.
- Editable options when they make sense. A PowerPoint or Google Slides version lets teachers change names, photos and words for one student. Send editable files only when the resource is meant to be edited.
If you offer several levels of the same activity, label them plainly (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3) and show all levels in the preview.
Can I use picture symbols and photos in resources I sell?
This is the rights question that trips up the most special education sellers. Many schools have a license for a commercial picture symbol system, and teachers get used to using those symbols every day. A school license normally covers classroom use. It usually does not let you put the symbols into a product you sell. Read the terms of the symbol set itself, or ask the publisher, before you use them in anything for sale.
Safer options:
- Draw your own simple icons or commission them with a commercial-use license.
- Use clip art from artists whose license explicitly allows use in resources that are sold.
- Use your own photographs of objects, places and signs. Leave out real students' faces and names.
- Check open symbol sets carefully: some allow commercial use with attribution, others do not allow it at all.
TeachLessons does not check resources for third-party rights. By sending a resource, you confirm that fonts, clip art, symbols and images are licensed for commercial use. If a claim arises because of your resource, you are responsible for it.
Our guide to clip art and fonts for commercial use goes through license wording in more detail. Also remove anything personal: data sheets and examples must never contain names, photos or details of real students.
What should previews show for special education buyers?
A special educator looks at a preview with one student in mind. They want to see the real page, the font size and how much is on it. Good previews for this subject show:
- A full page at readable size, not a tiny collage of twenty pages.
- Each level or version side by side, so differentiation is visible.
- The cut-apart or velcro pieces, and what the finished activity looks like.
- The answer key or data sheet, if included.
- A page count and the paper size (US Letter, A4 or both).
Previews and thumbnails are required as PNG or JPEG files for every resource. Square thumbnails work best. Our page on making previews and thumbnails shows a simple layout you can reuse.
How should I price special education resources?
Adapted resources often come in large sets: 40 task cards, three levels, a data sheet and a visual direction page. Price for the time a teacher saves, not only the page count. You set the price in US dollars; our suggestion of a minimum of $4.99 for a single resource is only a suggestion.
| Example resource | Price | Your payout per sale |
|---|---|---|
| Single social narrative with visuals | $3.00 | $2.04 |
| Adapted reader set, 3 levels | $4.99 | $3.39 |
| Life skills money unit with data sheets | $10.00 | $6.79 |
| Year-long visual schedule and routine kit | $24.99 | $16.97 |
The payout is 70% of net revenue, where net is the price paid minus a 3% payment processing cost, so 67.9% of the price. There are no membership, listing or per-resource fees. Try any price in the payout calculator. We can't promise a number of sales.
How do I start selling special education resources here?
- Apply. Fill in the short application form. It takes about five minutes and needs no files.
- Get the documents. We email the Seller Agreement, payout form, Resource Rights Checklist and the Resource Submission List.
- List your resources. One row per resource in the Excel list: file name, preview and thumbnail names, title, subject, grades, type, price and a short description.
- Send one email. Send documents, files, previews and thumbnails from your own address to support@stifo.de, or one Drive, Dropbox or WeTransfer link that opens without a login. Up to 100 MB per resource.
- Go live. We confirm receipt within 2 business days, write your product pages and set up your author page. There is no extra approval round, so send final versions.
If you have a large catalog of task boxes or leveled sets, see how to submit many resources at once. You keep your copyright and can keep selling the same resources elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell special education resources I made for my own students?
Often yes, if you made them yourself and they contain no student data. Whether your employer has a claim depends on your employment contract and local law, so check your contract or ask your school or union.
Can I use my school's picture symbol license in resources I sell?
Usually not. A school license normally covers classroom use only. Check the symbol publisher's terms for commercial use in resources that are sold, or use your own or properly licensed images.
Should I write that a resource is evidence-based?
Only describe what the resource actually does and how it is designed. Avoid claims about outcomes or research you cannot back up, and never suggest it replaces a specialist or assessment.
Do I need to send editable versions?
No. A PDF is the usual format for printables. Send an editable PPTX, DOCX or Google link only if the resource is meant to be edited, for example to personalize visual schedules.
What happens if a buyer says my resource does not fit their curriculum?
Under the TeachLessons Guarantee, a customer who reports this within 30 days can get an adapted version for their own use. Adaptations stay true to your work and the original sale stays paid out unless refunded.
How much do I earn on a $10 special education unit?
$6.79 per sale. The payment cost is $0.30, net revenue is $9.70, and you keep 70% of that.
Ready to sell your teaching resources?
Apply with the short form. We email you the seller documents, you send your final files with previews and thumbnails, and we set up your product pages, your author page and landing pages. You keep 70% of net revenue, with no fees and no exclusivity.
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General information about the TeachLessons Seller Program, not legal, tax or financial advice. The signed Seller Agreement sets out the binding terms. Questions: support@stifo.de.