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Special EducationSpecial Education

Meeting the Needs of Meeting the Needs of Exceptional LearnersExceptional Learners

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Schools’ Exceptional Schools’ Exceptional LearnersLearners

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

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Federal LegislationFederal Legislation– PL 94-142 (a.k.a. IDEA)PL 94-142 (a.k.a. IDEA)– Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Legislation states:Legislation states:– Zero rejects – schools must enroll all studentsZero rejects – schools must enroll all students– Nondiscriminatory testing – multiple Nondiscriminatory testing – multiple

indicators to prove placementindicators to prove placement– Appropriate education – Schools must meet Appropriate education – Schools must meet

needs of all childrenneeds of all children• IEP (Individual Education Plans)IEP (Individual Education Plans)

– Least restrictive environment (LRE) – students Least restrictive environment (LRE) – students with disabilities must be in the setting that with disabilities must be in the setting that meets their needs while affording them the meets their needs while affording them the same opportunities as other learnerssame opportunities as other learners

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Legislation statesLegislation states– Due process – rights to protect learners Due process – rights to protect learners

and parentsand parents– Parent / guardian participation – parents Parent / guardian participation – parents

must be involved in placement and IEP must be involved in placement and IEP developmentdevelopment

– Mainstreaming vs. Inclusion – schools Mainstreaming vs. Inclusion – schools must go beyond mainstreaming and must go beyond mainstreaming and adopt inclusionadopt inclusion

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Varieties of Educational SettingsVarieties of Educational Settings– Special classSpecial class– Separate public school facilitiesSeparate public school facilities– Separate private school facilitiesSeparate private school facilities– Publicly supported residential facilitiesPublicly supported residential facilities– Private residential settingsPrivate residential settings– Hospital / Homebound settingsHospital / Homebound settings

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Preparation of IEPsPreparation of IEPs– Process – several preliminary stepsProcess – several preliminary steps– People involvedPeople involved

• Regular ed teacher(s)Regular ed teacher(s)• Special ed teacher(s)Special ed teacher(s)• Parent / guardianParent / guardian• School district representativeSchool district representative• LEA rep – typically a Guidance Counselor or LEA rep – typically a Guidance Counselor or

ESE School SpecialistESE School Specialist• Student (if appropriate)Student (if appropriate)

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Preparation of IEPsPreparation of IEPs– Once it has been determined that an IEP is Once it has been determined that an IEP is

warranted, the following is discussed in the warranted, the following is discussed in the development meeting:development meeting:• Present level of performance (PLOP)Present level of performance (PLOP)• Services needed to meet educational developmentServices needed to meet educational development• Learner goals (academic and otherwise)Learner goals (academic and otherwise)• Evaluation procedures to determine progress toward Evaluation procedures to determine progress toward

goalsgoals• Identification of LRE that will best meet needs of learnerIdentification of LRE that will best meet needs of learner

– IEPs are valid for a maximum of one calendar IEPs are valid for a maximum of one calendar year, but can be revisited as neededyear, but can be revisited as needed

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Altering InstructionAltering Instruction– Accommodation – a change that will Accommodation – a change that will

allow a learner to be successful with the allow a learner to be successful with the same task as assigned to otherssame task as assigned to others• Extended timeExtended time• Reduced amount of workReduced amount of work• Task broken into smaller sectionsTask broken into smaller sections• Setting where work is completedSetting where work is completed• Various acceptable responsesVarious acceptable responses

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Altering InstructionAltering Instruction– Modification – changes that hold Modification – changes that hold

learners to a different standardlearners to a different standard• Reduce the level of work from that of other Reduce the level of work from that of other

learnerslearners• Remember – “modify” means to changeRemember – “modify” means to change

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Public Reporting of Learner Public Reporting of Learner PerformancePerformance– Past attitude – schools and districts Past attitude – schools and districts

would withhold testing scores of students would withhold testing scores of students with disabilitieswith disabilities

– IDEA & NCLB changed this attitudeIDEA & NCLB changed this attitude• Since students with disabilities will be tested, Since students with disabilities will be tested,

scores should be reportedscores should be reported• Since students with disabilities will be tested, Since students with disabilities will be tested,

they should be exposed to general curriculumthey should be exposed to general curriculum

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Inclusion IssuesInclusion Issues– Read P. 147-148 on your ownRead P. 147-148 on your own– What research says...What research says...

• Students with disabilities taught in inclusive Students with disabilities taught in inclusive classrooms:classrooms:

– Performed better on standardized testsPerformed better on standardized tests– Improved social and communication skillsImproved social and communication skills– Increased personal knowledge of the worldIncreased personal knowledge of the world

• Students without disabilities taught in Students without disabilities taught in inclusive classrooms:inclusive classrooms:

– Developed attitudes valuing individual differencesDeveloped attitudes valuing individual differences– Enhanced their self-esteemEnhanced their self-esteem

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Characteristics of Learners with Specific Characteristics of Learners with Specific DisabilitiesDisabilities– Speech ImpairmentsSpeech Impairments– Visual ImpairmentsVisual Impairments– Hearing ImpairmentsHearing Impairments– Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)– Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)– Orthopedic ImpairmentsOrthopedic Impairments– Emotional Disturbance – EH, EBDEmotional Disturbance – EH, EBD– Mental RetardationMental Retardation

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Assistive Technology – equipment that Assistive Technology – equipment that helps the functionality of a learner with helps the functionality of a learner with a disabilitya disability– Low techLow tech

• Pencils with special gripsPencils with special grips• Paper with raised linesPaper with raised lines• Sign languageSign language

– High techHigh tech• Speech devices – converting speech to writingSpeech devices – converting speech to writing• Various computer devicesVarious computer devices

– Assistive technology works for all studentsAssistive technology works for all students

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Learners With Learners With DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Overrepresentation of Certain MinoritiesOverrepresentation of Certain Minorities– History has shown African-American History has shown African-American

students have had higher rate of entry into students have had higher rate of entry into special programspecial program• As a result, entry requirements have changedAs a result, entry requirements have changed

– Key national organizations recommend a Key national organizations recommend a Prereferral Intervention ProcessPrereferral Intervention Process• Lake County – RTI (Response to Intervention)Lake County – RTI (Response to Intervention)

– Team approachTeam approach– Multi-step systemMulti-step system– Testing for programs is not guaranteeTesting for programs is not guarantee

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Bell CurveBell Curve

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Gifted LearnersGifted Learners

• PL 91-230PL 91-230– Gifted learners are children who have Gifted learners are children who have

outstanding intellectual ability or outstanding intellectual ability or creative talent, the development of creative talent, the development of which requires special activities or which requires special activities or services not ordinarily provided by local services not ordinarily provided by local education agencies.education agencies.

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Gifted LearnersGifted Learners

• The Selection IssueThe Selection Issue– Back to the bell curveBack to the bell curve

• Different entry requirements in different statesDifferent entry requirements in different states

– Designed for a small, select group of Designed for a small, select group of learnerslearners

– Catch 22 for districtsCatch 22 for districts• Gifted programs require fundingGifted programs require funding• Funding is taken away from general populationFunding is taken away from general population• We want program to increase enrollment, but We want program to increase enrollment, but

money may not allow for needed growthmoney may not allow for needed growth

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Gifted LearnersGifted Learners

• Pressures Facing Gifted LearnersPressures Facing Gifted Learners– Gifted learners may be pressured to do Gifted learners may be pressured to do

less to fit inless to fit in– Parents feel that teachers pressure gifted Parents feel that teachers pressure gifted

learners to perform flawlesslylearners to perform flawlessly– Unrealistic expectations can lead to Unrealistic expectations can lead to

negative outcomes and frustrations for negative outcomes and frustrations for gifted learnersgifted learners

– Gifted learners need to understand that Gifted learners need to understand that they also have strengths and weaknessesthey also have strengths and weaknesses

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Gifted LearnersGifted Learners

• Enrichment ProgramsEnrichment Programs– Keep gifted learners with peers and have Keep gifted learners with peers and have

them work at their levelthem work at their level– Work for gifted learners must differ from Work for gifted learners must differ from

othersothers– Problems could occur if students are Problems could occur if students are

being retaughtbeing retaught– Being gifted could be viewed as a burden Being gifted could be viewed as a burden

if workload is increased (could be viewed if workload is increased (could be viewed as punishment)as punishment)

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Gifted LearnersGifted Learners

• Acceleration ProgramsAcceleration Programs– Gifted learners move at faster pace than Gifted learners move at faster pace than

peers and are not kept with same age grouppeers and are not kept with same age group– Subject matter accelerationSubject matter acceleration

• Taking courses that are designed for older Taking courses that are designed for older childrenchildren

– Grade level accelerationGrade level acceleration• Learners are permitted to skip an entire grade Learners are permitted to skip an entire grade

and are placed with older learnersand are placed with older learners

– Critics suggest social interference with Critics suggest social interference with accelerated programsaccelerated programs