DEFINITION

1. DEFINITION • Cognitive disability means: • significantly sub-average intellectual functioning • that exists concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior • and that adversely affects educational performance.

2. Assumptions • Valid assessment considers cultural and linguistic diversity as well as differences in communication and behavioral factors • The deficits in adaptive behaviors occurs within the context of community environments typical of the individual’s age peers • Specific adaptive behavior deficits often coexist with strengths in other adaptive behaviors or other personal capabilities • With appropriate supports and services over a sustained period, the life functioning of the individual with cognitive disabilities will generally improve

3. Eligibility Criteria The IEP team may identify a child as having a cognitive disability if the child meets the criteria specified in PI 11.36 (1) (b) with regards to; • Intellectual Functioning • Adaptive Behavior • Academic Functioning

4. Intellectual Functioning • The child has a standard score of 2 or more standard deviations below the mean on a least one individually administered intelligence test developed to assess intellectual functioning.

5. Intellectual Functioning When evaluating a child, the child has; • a standard score between 1 and 2 standard deviations below the mean on at least one individually administered intelligence test • the child has been documented as having a cognitive disability in the past • The child’s condition is expected to last indefinitely

6. Adaptive Behavior The child has deficits in adaptive behavior: • As demonstrated by a standard score of 2 or more standard deviations below the mean on standardized or nationally-normed measures • As measured by comprehensive, individual assessments

7. Adaptive Behavior • Assessments include interviews of the parents, tests, and observations of the child in adaptive behavior which are relevant to the child’s age

8. Adaptive Behavior Adaptive Behavior to be assessed includes; • Communication (relevant for ages 3-21) • Self-care (relevant for ages 3-21) • Home-living skills (relevant for ages 6-21)

9. Adaptive Behavior • Social skills (relevant for ages 3-21) • Appropriate use of resources in the community ( relevant for ages 6-21)

10. Adaptive Behavior • Self-direction (relevant for ages 6-21) • Health and Safety (relevant for ages 6-21) • Applying academic skills in life (relevant for ages 6-21)

11. Adaptive Behavior • Leisure (relevant for ages 6-21) • Work (relevant for ages 14-21)

12. Academic Functioning • The child is age 3 through 5 and has a standard score of 2 or more standard deviations below the mean on standardized or nationally-normed measures, as measured by comprehensive, individual assessments in at least 2 of the following areas:

13. Academic Functioning • Academic readiness • Comprehension of language or communication • Motor skills

14. Academic Functioning • The child is age 6 through 21 and has a standard score of 2 or more standard deviations below the mean on standardized or nationally-normed measures, as measured by comprehensive, individual assessments, in; • general information

15. Academic Functioning • And at least 2 of the following areas: • Written language • Reading • Mathematics

16. Levels of Supports In the 1992 AAMR definition of CD, levels of supports are used to reflect intensities of supports and services necessary for individuals with CD to become more independent, productive, and integrated into the community.

17. Note • Cognitive disabilities typically manifest before age 18 • An etiology should be determined when possible, so that the IEP team can use this information for program planning

18. Need for Special Education[ PI 11.35 (3)] • “Disability” means impairment and need • for special education • Not automatic

19. Need for Special Education: Question for all evaluationsGo to 605 Handout The IEP team shall identify all of the following: • Needs that cannot be met in regular education as structured

20. Need for Special Education Modifications, if any, in regular education, such as; • Adaptation of content • Adaptation of methodology • Adaptation of delivery of instruction

21. Need for Special Education Modifications, if any, in regular education, that allow the child: • To access general education curriculum • To meet the educational standards that apply to all.

22. Need for Special Education Additions or modifications, if any, not provided in general curriculum, including: • Replacement content • Expanded core curriculum • Other supports

23. Resources • American Association on Mental Retardation (1992), Mental Retardation, Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports, Washington D.C., Author • American Association on Mental Retardation (1992), Mental Retardation, Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports Workbook, Washington D.C., Author

24. Circles of learning • Use your handouts and jot down 3 things that stand out about what you just learned.

25. Specific Learning Disabilities Criteria Review Barb Ebben, Consultant Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Programs for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities barbara.ebben@dpi.state.wi.us 608-266-5583

26. Triangulation is the Key Classroom Achievement Need for Special Education Information Processing Significant Discrepancy Exclusions SLD Criteria-pfv

27. What is SLD? • The intent of criteria rules is to allow accurate identification of students with SLD while discouraging the use of labels for students who do not have true disabilities and whose needs can be met with general education options. • Learning disabilities are not just learning differences • If failure is preventable with meaningful instruction in general education, it is not a disability • Not being provided sufficient opportunity to learn may exclude a child from identification SLD Criteria-pfv

28. When is it a disability?Research The primary characteristics that distinguish difficult to remediate from readily remediated poor readers seem to be persistent language related cognitive skills including phonological awareness, rapid naming, and verbal memory Vellutino, F.R., Scanlon, D.M., & Lyon G.R. (2000) Differentiating between difficult to remediate and readily remediated poor readers. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33(3), 223-39. SLD Criteria-pfv

29. Wisconsin Eligibility Criteria Does the child have an impairment? Is there a need for special education?

30. What is a Specific Learning Disability • The term “specific learning disability” means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations. SLD Criteria-pfv

31. Triangulation is the Key Classroom Achievement Need for Special Education Information Processing Significant Discrepancy Exclusions SLD Criteria-pfv

32. SLD Criteria Areas of Achievement Delay & Discrepancy • oral expression • listening comprehension • written expression • basic reading skill • reading comprehension • Reading Fluency • mathematics calculation • mathematics reasoning SLD Criteria-pfv

33. Classroom Achievement Upon initial identification, the child’s ability to meet the instructional demands of the classroom and to achieve commensurate with his or her age and ability levels is severely delayed • Pattern over time • Decision relies on curriculum-based data • Compare to same age and ability • Must be severe delay SLD Criteria-pfv

34. Classroom Achievement DataWhat the IEP team needs to know • What has been taught to the student and how has it been taught? • What are the student's skills in reference to what they have been taught? • How are the other students doing? SLD Criteria-pfv

35. Guiding QuestionsClassroom Achievement • Can the student meet the instructional demands that apply to all students? • Is the student's achievement very different from others? • Are many other students having the same problem(s)? • Is there a pattern of achievement delay over time? • Has the student received sufficient and meaningful general education instruction (sustained intervention)? • Has curriculum-based data been used to determine severe delay? SLD Criteria-pfv

36. individual reading inventory/running records district grade level benchmark checklists writing rubrics analysis of daily work portfolio assessment student interview/self-assessment WKCE or WRCT results report cards/progress reports observations by family results of interventions observation of academic learning behavior other curriculum referenced assessments Classroom AchievementSources of Data SLD Criteria-pfv

37. What Classroom Teachers Offer • Description of instruction provided • Description of learning environment • District/classroom expectations and criteria for measuring progress/success • Individual achievement data • Student work samples/portfolios • Performance data over time (checklists, observations, quiz scores, teacher notes, etc.) • Data about behavior, attendance, other factors • Background information • Comparative data SLD Criteria-pfv

38. Significant Discrepancy a significant discrepancy exists between academic achievement in any of the (7) areas under and intellectual ability as documented by the child’s composite score • general intellectual functioning (G) • achievement standard score • cut-scores • considerations SLD Criteria-pfv

39. Significant Discrepancy

40. What is Information Processing? The child has an information processing deficit that is linked to the classroom achievement delays and to the significant discrepancy. …a pattern of severe problems with Acquisition,Storage, Organization, Retrieval, Manipulation or Expression of information rather than relative strengths and weaknesses Stimulus information in (acquisition) Response Output (expression) Processing working memory metacognition/executive control what is done with stimulus and how response is generated (organization, manipulation, storage, retrieval) SLD Criteria-pfv

41. Exclusions The IEP team may not identify a child as having SLD if it determines that the significant discrepancy between ability and achievement is primarily due to environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage, other impairments, or because the child has received insufficient instruction in reading or mathematics or the child has limited English proficiency • The exclusion must be the primary reason for the achievement delay(s) and deficit(s) • Issues: frequent absence/moves, truancy, home schooling SLD Criteria-pfv

42. Need for Special EducationConsiderations • Needs that cannot be met in regular education as structured at time of evaluation • Modifications in regular education that allow access to general education curriculum and to meet the educational standards that apply to all students • Additions or modifications not provided in the general curriculum SLD Criteria-pfv

43. Re-evaluation and Exit Criteria • met initial identification criteria • continues to display processing deficits • continues to have some level of achievement delay and discrepancy • continues to demonstrate a need for special education including specially designed instruction • exclusions considered SLD Criteria-pfv

44. Classroom Achievement Need for Special Education Significant Discrepancy Information Processing Exclusions Summary • All criteria must be met (SLD pattern) • severe classroom achievement delay and significant discrepancy in at least one area • information processing deficit must be linked to the achievement delay and discrepancy • exclusions may not be the primary reason for the classroom delay and discrepancy • There must also be a need for special education before a student w/SLD can be found eligible SLD Criteria-pfv

45. Summary: Disability, Difference or Preventable Failure? • SLD is not just a learning delay or difference • Many children demonstrate learning challenges; only a few have SLD • Prevention is the key • If failure is preventable, it is not SLD • Not being provided sufficient opportunity to learn may exclude a child from identification • General education options should meet the needs of the vast majority of students SLD Criteria-pfv

46. Questions Discussion Comments Resources: • Special Education Team Homepage: www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsea/een • Criteria Page: www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsea/een/eligintro.html • SLD Program Page: www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsea/een/ld.html SLD Criteria-pfv

47. Circle of learning So…LD…What do you think? If we dropped Special Education out of the sky today would it look anything like this?

48. Emotional Behavioral disability: • Emotional behavioral disability, pursuant to s. 115.76 (5)(a)5., Stats., means social, emotional or behavioral functioning that so departs from generally accepted, age appropriate ethnic or cultural norms that it adversely affects a child’s academic progress, social relationships, personal adjustment, classroom adjustment, self-care or vocational skills.

49. The IEP team may identify a child as having an emotional behavioral disability if the child meets the definition under par. (a), and meets all of the following: • The child demonstrates severe, chronic and frequent behavior that is not the result of situational anxiety, stress or conflict. • The child’s behavior described under par. (a) occurs in school and in at least one other setting.

50. The child displays any of the following: • Inability to develop or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships. • Inappropriate affective or behavior response to a normal situation. • Pervasive unhappiness, depression or anxiety. • Physical symptoms, pains or fears associated with personal or school problems. • Inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory or health factors. • Extreme withdrawal from social interactions. • Extreme aggressiveness for a long period of time. • Other inappropriate behaviors that are so different from children of similar age, ability, educational experiences and opportunities that the child or other children in a regular or special education program are negatively affected.