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Special Education

Special Education. Meeting the Needs of Exceptional Learners. Schools’ Exceptional Learners. Exceptional learners run the gamut from very low IQs with many needs to gifted students with high IQs. Learners With Disabilities. Federal Legislation PL 94-142 (a.k.a. IDEA)

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Special Education

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  1. Special Education Meeting the Needs of Exceptional Learners

  2. Schools’ Exceptional Learners • Exceptional learners run the gamut from very low IQs with many needs to gifted students with high IQs.

  3. Learners With Disabilities • Federal Legislation • PL 94-142 (a.k.a. IDEA) • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

  4. Learners With Disabilities • Legislation states: • Zero rejects – schools must enroll all students • Nondiscriminatory testing – multiple indicators to prove placement • Appropriate education – Schools must meet needs of all children • IEP (Individual Education Plans) • Least restrictive environment (LRE) – students with disabilities must be in the setting that meets their needs while affording them the same opportunities as other learners

  5. Learners With Disabilities • Legislation states • Due process – rights to protect learners and parents • Parent / guardian participation – parents must be involved in placement and IEP development • Mainstreaming vs. Inclusion – schools must go beyond mainstreaming and adopt inclusion

  6. Learners With Disabilities • Varieties of Educational Settings • Special class • Separate public school facilities • Separate private school facilities • Publicly supported residential facilities • Private residential settings • Hospital / Homebound settings

  7. Learners With Disabilities • Preparation of IEPs • Process – several preliminary steps • People involved • Regular ed teacher(s) • Special ed teacher(s) • Parent / guardian • School district representative • LEA rep – typically a Guidance Counselor or ESE School Specialist • Student (if appropriate)

  8. Learners With Disabilities • Preparation of IEPs • Once it has been determined that an IEP is warranted, the following is discussed in the development meeting: • Present level of performance (PLOP) • Services needed to meet educational development • Learner goals (academic and otherwise) • Evaluation procedures to determine progress toward goals • Identification of LRE that will best meet needs of learner • IEPs are valid for a maximum of one calendar year, but can be revisited as needed

  9. Learners With Disabilities • Altering Instruction • Accommodation – a change that will allow a learner to be successful with the same task as assigned to others • Extended time • Reduced amount of work • Task broken into smaller sections • Setting where work is completed • Various acceptable responses

  10. Learners With Disabilities • Altering Instruction • Modification – changes that hold learners to a different standard • Reduce the level of work from that of other learners • Remember – “modify” means to change

  11. Learners With Disabilities • Public Reporting of Learner Performance • Past attitude – schools and districts would withhold testing scores of students with disabilities • IDEA & NCLB changed this attitude • Since students with disabilities will be tested, scores should be reported • Since students with disabilities will be tested, they should be exposed to general curriculum

  12. Learners With Disabilities • Inclusion Issues • Read P. 147-148 on your own • What research says... • Students with disabilities taught in inclusive classrooms: • Performed better on standardized tests • Improved social and communication skills • Increased personal knowledge of the world • Students without disabilities taught in inclusive classrooms: • Developed attitudes valuing individual differences • Enhanced their self-esteem

  13. Learners With Disabilities • Characteristics of Learners with Specific Disabilities • Speech Impairments • Visual Impairments • Hearing Impairments • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) • Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) • Orthopedic Impairments • Emotional Disturbance – EH, EBD • Mental Retardation

  14. Learners With Disabilities • Assistive Technology – equipment that helps the functionality of a learner with a disability • Low tech • Pencils with special grips • Paper with raised lines • Sign language • High tech • Speech devices – converting speech to writing • Various computer devices • Assistive technology works for all students

  15. Learners With Disabilities • Overrepresentation of Certain Minorities • History has shown African-American students have had higher rate of entry into special program • As a result, entry requirements have changed • Key national organizations recommend a Prereferral Intervention Process • Lake County – RTI (Response to Intervention) • Team approach • Multi-step system • Testing for programs is not guarantee

  16. Bell Curve

  17. Gifted Learners • PL 91-230 • Gifted learners are children who have outstanding intellectual ability or creative talent, the development of which requires special activities or services not ordinarily provided by local education agencies.

  18. Gifted Learners • The Selection Issue • Back to the bell curve • Different entry requirements in different states • Designed for a small, select group of learners • Catch 22 for districts • Gifted programs require funding • Funding is taken away from general population • We want program to increase enrollment, but money may not allow for needed growth

  19. Gifted Learners • Pressures Facing Gifted Learners • Gifted learners may be pressured to do less to fit in • Parents feel that teachers pressure gifted learners to perform flawlessly • Unrealistic expectations can lead to negative outcomes and frustrations for gifted learners • Gifted learners need to understand that they also have strengths and weaknesses

  20. Gifted Learners • Enrichment Programs • Keep gifted learners with peers and have them work at their level • Work for gifted learners must differ from others • Problems could occur if students are being retaught • Being gifted could be viewed as a burden if workload is increased (could be viewed as punishment)

  21. Gifted Learners • Acceleration Programs • Gifted learners move at faster pace than peers and are not kept with same age group • Subject matter acceleration • Taking courses that are designed for older children • Grade level acceleration • Learners are permitted to skip an entire grade and are placed with older learners • Critics suggest social interference with accelerated programs

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