Special Education is “specially designed instruction” to meet the individual needs of an exceptional child. The “specially designed instruction” should be:
Special Education should not be:
Special Education is NOT a place! It is support and services brought to students through an IEP. Special Education may include some or all of the following components working together to support a student: modified curriculum, environmental accommodations, physical assistance, collaboration, DIS services, friendship/facilitation, consultation with specialists, behavior support plans, and/or staff development.
An IEP is an Individualized Education Plan. It is a document that is written for each child who receives special education services. It is a legal document. An IEP is tailored specifically to meet the needs of the individual child.
The main ingredients of an IEP include:
IDEA is an acronym for Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990. This law updated and added to Public Law 94-142. In 1975, the United States government passed Public Law 94-142, which extends educational rights to school-age children. The law declares that all children with disabilities are entitled to a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) in the least restrict environment (LRE). IDEA has 2 parts: Part B (ages 3-21); and Part C (birth-2) IDEA was reauthorized in 2004 in which new statutory provisions went into effect as of July 1, 2005.
Autism is a neurological disorder most recently renamed as a single umbrella disorder known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Each individual has a range of characteristics, differing levels of severity, and various delays. Therefore, each individual requires different levels of assistance and intervention. Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by symptoms that cause functional impairment, in two main areas:
In May 2013, the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was released, presenting a revised diagnosis to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This manual is the main reference used to determine the diagnostic criteria. Some of the key changes in DSM-5 include:
For more details regarding the changes to the criteria, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics News website at http://aapnews.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/06/04/aapnews.20130604-1
Visit the DSM-5 website for the American Psychiatric Association’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Fact Sheet: http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
To see the full text of the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the related diagnosis of Social Communication Disorder as they appear in the DSM-5, visit Autism Speaks’ website: http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/dsm-5-diagnostic-criteria
For a side-by-side look at the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder under both DSM-IV and DSM-5, visit Talk About Curing Autism’s (TACA) website: http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/diagnostic-criteria-for-autism-spectrum-disorder/
Down syndrome is an intellectual disability caused by an extra chromosome at the 21st position. Children (and adults) with Down syndrome often have:
For more information on Down syndrome, visit the National Dissemination Center of Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) website: http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/downsyndrome
An individual is considered to have an intellectual disability based on the following three criteria:
In addition, you will also often observe:
For more information on Intellectual Disabilities, visit the National Dissemination Center of Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) website: http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/intellectual
It is a permanent disorder. For people with learning disabilities, incoming and outgoing information that is processed by the brain often becomes fuzzy or scrambled, making learning difficult. It is commonly recognized with significant deficits in: Reading comprehension, spelling, written expression, math computation, problem solving, organizational skills, time management, or social skills. It is often inconsistent, causing problems one day but not the next, or in only one area, or in many areas. Can be very frustrating, to themselves and to others (especially if not properly diagnosed or if the student does not receive appropriate interventions). For more information on Learning Disabilities, visit the National Dissemination Center of Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) website: http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/ld
ul>
Areas of Speech and Language:
For more information on Speech and Language impairments, visit the National Dissemination Center of Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) website: http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/speechlanguage
State and federal law under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) guarantees parental rights
Each school district across the country is required to present to parents, in more detailed format, the Parents Rights and Procedural Safeguards document.
“A Parent’s Guide to Developing your Child’s IEP” from the National Dissemination Center of Children with Disabilities (NICHCY): http://users.neo.registeredsite.com/3/8/9/12669983/assets/Ed013.pdf
“IEP Meeting Tips” from the Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. http://users.neo.registeredsite.com/3/8/9/12669983/assets/Ed013.pdf
These are some common acronyms that parents and professionals use in special education and school settings. ABA – Applied Behavioral Analysis
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act
ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADR – Alternative Dispute Resolution
APE – Adaptive Physical Education
ASL – American Sign Language
AT – Assistive Technology
BIP – Behavior Intervention Plan
BSP – Behavior Support Plan
DIS – Designated Instruction and Services
EI – Early Intervention
ELL – English Language Learner
ESL – English as a Second Language
ESY – Extended School Year
FAPE – Free and Appropriate Public Education
FBA – Functional Behavior Assessment
IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IEP – Individualized Education Program
IFSP – Individualized Family Support Plan
ISP – Individualized Services Plan
ITP – Individualized Transition Plan
LEA – Local Education Agency
LEP – Limited English Proficient
LRE – Least Restrictive Environment
NCLB – No Child Left Behind
OT – Occupational Therapy or Occupational Therapist
PECS – Picture Exchange Communication System
PDD/NOS – Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified
PT – Physical Therapy or Physical Therapist
RTI – Response to Intervention
SELPA – Special Education Local Plan Area
SLD – Specific Learning Disability
SLP – Speech and Language Pathologist
“Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew” by Ellen Notbohm http://www.ellennotbohm.com/article-archive/ten-things-every-child-with-autism-wishes-you-knew/
Developmental Milestones Checklists, by Age – 2 months through 5 years (English and Spanish) http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/all_checklists.pdf
Autism Spectrum Disorders from A to Z by Barbara Doyle and Emily Iland http://www.asdatoz.com/
To ensure INCLUSION, FREEDOM, and RESPECT for people with disabilities, we must use People First Language by Kathie Snow http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl09.pdf
Mental Health Advocacy Services, A non-profit organization protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with mental disabilities, Los Angeles, California: http://www.mhas-la.org/