History and Medical Aspects of Students with Learning Disabilities

1. History and Medical Aspects of Students with Learning Disabilities • Special Education terminology • Reauthorization of IDEIA • Organizations and practicing theories • Brain functioning • Unknown causes • Attempted therapies (quick fixes) • Recent medical findings

2. Warm-up Activity • Is there any single cause to a LD? • What are some examples of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal causes? • Name a few results from brain research on students with LD. • What are some aspects to different disorders? • Spoken language; written language; perceptual/motor • Explain the chronology of the term learning disabilities. Were the earlier thoughts incorrect? • What have been the outcomes of most LD treatments?

3. Special Education terminology • LD; ID; EBD; ASD • ADD or ADHD • IEP • IFSP; 504 plans • LRE; REI • IDEA and IDEIA • EHA and ADA • Explicit, systematic and direct, teacher-directed • Others?

4. IDEA 1997 • Adding to PL 94- 142 and IDEA 1990 • IEP • includes the general education teacher and increases the emphasis on the parent as a member • Requires an annual review • Emphasizes the general education curriculum first • Transitional IEP • Established by age 16 • Statement needed by age 14

5. IDEA 1997 changes • Discipline • Manifestation determination • If not manifested by the disability then removal from placement cannot exceed 10 days • Functional behavioral assessment • Required when a child has been removed more than 10 days • Positive behavior intervention plan • Must be based on the FBA and teach replacement behaviors • Interim Alternative Educational Setting • Up to 45 days; services and curriculum must match IEP needs; inappropriate behavior must be addressed

6. 2004 IDEiA information • IEPs • Who comprises an IEP team • Assessment - from discrepancy to RtI? • Research-based v research-supported instruction • Clarified 45 school days for removal in disciplinary situations • and more… (see http://www.pde.state.pa.us/special_edu/cwp/view.asp?a=177&q=112563)

7. Organizations • CEC • CLD • DLD • LDA • ADA • Journals of interest: Remedial and Special Education; LD: Research and Practice; Exceptional Children; Journal of LD; Intervention in School and Clinic; Teaching Exceptional Children; Preventing School Failure; Phi Delta Kappan; Journal of Special Education Leadership; Journal of Special Education Technology

8. Practicing Theories • Heterogeneity and Assessment • Preschool and Post-secondary services • Teaching practices • REI to inclusion • Collaboration and Professional Services • Technology

9. Brain Research and Neuropsychology • MRI- magnetic resonance imaging shows size, shape, and location of brain structures • fMRI- functional magnetic resonance imaging shows brain activity while people complete complex tasks • PET- positron emission tomography measures metabolism with the brain thus determining glucose in the brain of a child with hyperactivity

10. Medical Aspects: Brain functions • Correlational data • Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas • Motor development • Memory • Stimulations and stimulants • http://www.articlesforeducators.com/dir/learning_disabilities/understanding_the_brain.asp

11. Recent medical findings • Poor readers share the same inactivity areas in the brain while reading difficult passages. • Behavior has much to do with inputs and how brain processes reality. • Neuron wiring changes with knowledge

12. Results on dyslexia • Left parietal sulci emits lower energy for low memory • Planum temporale is symmetric in dyslexic readers • Frontal regions of the brain are more symmetric and smaller than other people’s • Good readers use the front and back of their brains for phonological processing while students with dyslexia use only the front • We need to teach using strategies effective at developing activity essential to parts of the brain (ie., connect sounds and symbols)

13. Beware “According to brain research in mathematics” • According to the National Math Panel (2008), “…attempts to connect research in the brain sciences to classroom teaching and students learning in mathematics are premature” (p. 4-111) • We have learned about general learning but the details are not specific enough to make sweeping changes.

14. Medical Needs of Children • The physical needs of children must be met before learning can be optimized • Aside from brain development and wiring concerns, what other medical factors affect learning? • Hearing • Vision • Psychological

15. “Quick fixes” • Pros and Cons of Ritalin; Cylert; Dexedrine (p.228-229) • Megavitamin • Feingold diet • Tinted lenses • Perceptual training • D.O.R.E. • Scare and boot camp techniques

16. Where to go for more information.. • Brain research – Lyon; Shaywitz • Legal changes – National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities; LDOnline • Technology – Evers • Inclusion – Everington; Giangreco • Any others???

17. Summary • Why study instructional methods meant for students with learning disabilities? • What do we know about the medical aspects of people with dyslexia? • What behavioral aspects are explained in IDEA 1997 and 2004? • How do some of the contemporary practices in special education affect students with learning disabilities?