Understanding Special Understanding Special Education and Students Education and Students

with Disabilitieswith Disabilities

Kevin Finchkfinch@marietta-city.k12.ga.usJuly 16, 2003Georgia Institute of Technology

PART I:PART I:An Overview of Special EducationAn Overview of Special Education::No, really, it’s going to be funNo, 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

IntroductionIntroduction

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).

Introduction

Short HistoryShort 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.

History

U.S HistoryU.S History1940’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.

History

The Individuals with Disabilities The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 1990Education 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.

IDEA 97IDEA 97

Signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1997.

Reauthorized and amended IDEA.

Included several major changes to IDEA

IDEA

Major Provisions of IDEA 97Major 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

IDEA

LRELRE General Education Classroom

Resource Room (team taught)

Separate Class

Separate School

Residential Program

IDEA

Disability CategoriesDisability Categories

See Handout: “Percentage of Students Served by Category”

Mild Disabilities: Mental Retardation Learning Disabilities Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

Types of Disabilities

Mental RetardationMental 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.

Types of Disabilities

Characteristics of Mental Characteristics of Mental RetardationRetardation

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

Types of Disabilities

Learning DisabilitiesLearning 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.

Types of Disabilities

Identifying students with a Identifying students with a learning disabilitylearning 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)

Types of Disabilities

Characteristics of Students with Characteristics of Students with Learning DisabilitiesLearning 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.

Types of Disabilities

Classroom StrategiesClassroom 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.)

Types of Disabilities

Emotional or Behavioral Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (EBD)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.

Types of Disabilities

Characteristics of Students with Characteristics of Students with EBDEBD

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.

Types of Disabilities

StrategiesStrategies

Good Luck

Strategies 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

Types of Disabilities

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)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.

Types of Disabilities

The Referral ProcessThe 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.

The Referral Process

Referral Process ContinuedReferral 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.

The Referral Process

The Individualized Education The Individualized Education Program (IEP)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.

The IEP

What’s In 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.

The IEP

The IEP in PracticeThe 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.

The IEP in Practice

Diploma Options in GeorgiaDiploma 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.

PART II:PART II:Difficulties in Math and ScienceDifficulties 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.

CharacteristicsCharacteristics 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

StrategiesStrategies 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

HEADLINESHEADLINESFrom:From: Strengthening Your Students’ Strengthening Your Students’

Math Problem-Solving SkillsMath Problem-Solving SkillsBy: Sue O’ConnellBy: 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?

Brain-Based LearningBrain-Based LearningFrom: From: The Source for Brain-Based LearningThe Source for Brain-Based Learning

By: Clare B. JonesBy: 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.

The Visual LearnerThe Visual LearnerWhat 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 Auditory LearnerThe Auditory LearnerWhat 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 Kinesthetic LearnerThe Kinesthetic Learner

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

WE’RE DONE!!!WE’RE DONE!!!