Understanding Special Education and Students with Disabilities

1. Understanding Special Education and Students with Disabilities Kevin Finch kfinch@marietta-city.k12.ga.us July 16, 2003 Georgia Institute of Technology

2. PART I:An Overview of Special Education:No, really, it’s going to be fun • Introduction • History of Special Education • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act • Types of Disabilities • The Referral Process • The IEP • The IEP in Practice

3. Introduction Introduction What is Special Education? “Special education is the instruction and services designed to meet the unique learning needs of students” (Colarusso, 1999, p.2). “Special education is not a place, but a group of services tailored to the special needs of an individual student” (Kaplan, 1996, p.36).

4. History 1700’s Disabilities viewed with fear and suspicion Possession by demons Infants with mental retardation abandoned or put to death. Adults placed in overcrowded asylums to “protect” them from the world. 1800’s Philippe Pinel opposed use of chains as restraints and proposed occupational training. Movement towards humane treatment and education of individuals with disabilities. Short History

5. History 1940’s – 1950’s WWI and WWII leave many well-respected citizens disabled. Led to a change in attitude towards disabilities among children as well. Civil Rights Act of 1964: Forbids discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex or national origin. Led to laws directed to the rights of individuals with disabilities. Parent Advocacy Groups ARC LDA 1975: Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. States required to provide a free, appropriate education to all students with disabilities. U.S History

6. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 1990 • Introduced significant modifications to PL 94-142. • Replaced term handicapped with disabled. • Replaced term children with individuals. • Individuals with disabilities, NOT, disabled individuals. • Added two new categories of disability: autism and traumatic brain injury. • Added transition services and assistive technology access for individuals with disabilities.

7. IDEA IDEA 97 • Signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1997. • Reauthorized and amended IDEA. • Included several major changes to IDEA

8. IDEA Major Provisions of IDEA 97 • Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) • Nondiscriminatory Evaluation and Placement • Individualized Education Program (IEP) • Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) • Discipline and Placement in Alternative Settings • Related Services – Assistive Technology • Rights of Students and Parents

9. IDEA LRE • General Education Classroom • Resource Room (team taught) • Separate Class • Separate School • Residential Program

10. Types of Disabilities Disability Categories • See Handout: “Percentage of Students Served by Category” Mild Disabilities: • Mental Retardation • Learning Disabilities • Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

11. Types of Disabilities Mental Retardation “Mental retardation refers to significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior manifested during the developmental period.” • Significantly subaverage: An IQ score of around 70 or below – can be as high as 75. • Deficits in adaptive behavior: Includes all of those things people do to take care of themselves and interact with others in daily life. May be a formal or informal evaluation. • Developmental period: From conception to age 18. • Mild Mental Retardation: 50-55 to 70 IQ.

12. Types of Disabilities Characteristics of Mental Retardation • A characteristic of approximately 2-3 percent of the population • Often poor ability to transfer information from short-term to long-term memory • Focus on functional skills in the classroom • Classroom strategies include direct, consistent instruction

13. Types of Disabilities Learning Disabilities • “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 an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.” • Not result of visual, hearing or motor handicaps, of mental retardation, emotional disorders, or of cultural or economic disadvantage.

14. Types of Disabilities Identifying students with a learning disability • Measures of ability – IQ Test • Measures of academic achievement • Report cards, teacher reports • School and social history • Vision and hearing screenings • Use information to identify areas of serious underachievement (severe discrepancy between ability and achievement)

15. Types of Disabilities Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities • Classification tells us little about what student can do and what supports are needed. • Often exhibit language skills deficits – listening comprehension and oral communication. • Ineffective strategies for storing and retrieving information • Inability to organize thoughts both in written and oral communication – will speak and write in broken sentences and incomplete thoughts. • May misinterpret social cues and display inappropriate social skills.

16. Types of Disabilities Classroom Strategies • Structured environments • Predictable routines (NO surprises) • More frequent progress checks • Direct teaching of social skills • Appropriate academic modifications (note-taking assistance, books on tape, etc.)

17. Types of Disabilities Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (EBD) • A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree, which adversely affects a child’s educational performance: • An inability to learn which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. • An inability to build and maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships. • Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. • A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

18. Types of Disabilities Characteristics of Students with EBD • Conduct Disorder: antisocial, acting out behaviors (bully, selfish, tantrums). • Socialized Aggression: steals, cheats, lies, gang member, idolizes law breakers. • Attention Problems: short attention span, impulsive, distractible, inattentive. • Anxiety Withdrawal: fearful, anxious, depressed, feel ill constantly. • Psychotic Behavior: hallucinations, difficulty differentiating between fantasy and reality. • Motor Excess: hyperactive, fidgety, jumpy.

19. Strategies • Good Luck

20. Types of Disabilities Strategies • Clear, enforceable management plan for the entire classroom • Consistent enforcement of classroom rules. • Positive reinforcement • Good proximity control – don’t call a student out! • Maintain calm demeanor in an encounter • Get to know the student – take an interest • Use encounters as a learning experience for both of you

21. Types of Disabilities Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) • Not a separate diagnostic category under IDEA, but students with ADHD are eligible for services under “Other Health Impaired.” • Often associated with learning and/or behavioral problems. • Prevalent in about 3-5 percent of children. • Characteristics: mood instability, temper outbursts, lack of effort, poor self-esteem, stubborness, low frustration tolerance.

22. The Referral Process The Referral Process • Teacher observes that the student’s problem is severe, persistent, and inherent in the student (not just the result of a temporary difficulty). • Teacher makes specific documentation of the problem (time, environment, specific behaviors). • A prereferral team (often called the student support team) develops and implements strategies in the general education classroom, reviews work samples, and reviews child’s history. • Documentation reveals if further evaluation is necessary.

23. The Referral Process Referral Process Continued • General Education Teacher: provides work samples, intervention results, progress, etc) • Special Education Teacher: may administer some testing, observes student in general education environment, records observations. • School Psychologist: Administers testing, provides feedback and recommendations. • Parents: Provide background information, observations. • Determination of whether or not child is eligible for special ed. services and under what category.

24. The IEP The Individualized Education Program (IEP) • Required by IDEA to assure that the special education services are planned and carried out. • IEP developed by at least a special ed. teacher, a general ed. teacher, the student, and his or her parent/s.

25. The IEP What’s In the IEP? • Current levels of performance • Measurable annual goals • Measurable instructional objectives that are expected to be mastered • Specific special education services needed and who is responsible for the services • How IEP progress will be communicated to the parents or guardians • Indicates amount of time to be spent in general education • An individual transition plan by age 14 • IEP must be reviewed every year.

26. The IEP in Practice The IEP in Practice • Nearly all students receiving special education services have a list of modifications that must be implemented to support the student. • It is the responsibility of the student’s case manager to insure that teachers are aware of the modifications.

27. Diploma Options in Georgia • College Preparatory Diploma: For students planning to attend a 4-year college. A rigorous curriculum with emphasis on higher level academic classes. • Technical Preparatory Diploma: For students planning to attend a 2-year technical school or certification program. Emphasis is on technical classes in a specific field of study. • Special Education Diploma: A recognized high school diploma for students with disabilities who have mastered IEP goals and objectives.

28. PART II:Difficulties in Math and Science • Research has shown that the math progress of students with learning disabilities reaches a plateau after grade 7. • Two separate studies found that the mean math scores of students with learning disabilities in the 12th grade are at the high 5th grade level.

29. Characteristics • Inability to acquire and maintain math facts at fluency level needed for higher level math (memorization difficulties are a major obstacle) • Inability to choose correct algorithm for multistep problems. • Poor understanding of place value and other basic math concepts • Inability to organize and/or remember steps • Inability to interpret and solve word problems • Low frustration tolerance – can result in behavior problems

30. Strategies • Concrete Semi-concrete Abstract • Model specific strategies numerous times • Use of graph paper for organization • Provide students with a checklist of steps (see handout) • Pair students to work on problems • Reduce number of problems • Use simpler numbers when appropriate • Give real-world problems – relate them to your students • Have students monitor progress • Use appropriate competitive games

31. HEADLINESFrom:Strengthening Your Students’ Math Problem-Solving SkillsBy: Sue O’Connell FANS RUSH TO BUY FOOTBALL TICKETS (36 x 20) + (25 x 12) Student response: • Tickets for the Yellow Jackets football games went on sale today! The team sold 36 adult tickets for $20 each and 25 student tickets for $12 each. How much money did the ticket office collect from the sales?

32. Brain-Based LearningFrom: The Source for Brain-Based LearningBy: Clare B. Jones • Result of more recent research involving the brain. • Advances in genetic studies, neuroscience, and the use of brain imaging machines has led to increased knowledge of the mind’s patterns and functions. • Just beginning to fully understand how to apply this research to the classroom.

33. What the visual learner requires: Clear, visual cues To see the big picture Information on the board To see the action Opportunity to jot or write down What the teacher offers: Drawings, charts Webbing, mapping Seat near activity Color coding Lists on the chalkboard Outlines Brain-Based Learning The Visual Learner

34. What the auditory learner requires: Clear, auditory directions Oral expression opportunities Listening to oral presentations Auditory Mnemonics What the teacher offers: Brief, pointed verbal cues Oral book reports, discussion groups Tape recorder, videos Mnemonic devices Brain-Based Learning The Auditory Learner

35. What the kineshetic learner requires: Hands-on activities Opportunity to manipulate Physical movement What the teacher offers: Movement, breaks, manipulatives Tactile stimulation Role-playing Physical movement as instruction Brain-Based Learning The Kinesthetic Learner

36. WE’RE DONE!!!