When is a child’s eligibility for special education and related services determined?In most states the eligibility of a child for special education and related services is considered when a child has arrived at the Tier 3 level of RTI (Response to Intervention). When a child has been in Tier 2 for a pre-determined amount of time and an evaluation is given, then a meeting is called to determine eligibility for special education services. Who makes the decision about whether a child is eligible for special education and related services? Show
The parent of the child and a team of qualified professionals must determine whether the child is a child with a disability and in need of special education and related services. (The determination of whether a child suspected of having a specific learning disability is a child with a disability, must be made by the child’s parents and a team of qualified professionals which must include the child’s regular teacher; or a regular classroom teacher qualified to teach a child of his or her age if the child does not have a regular teacher; or, for a child of less than school age, an individual qualified by the SEA to teach a child of his or her age; and at least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children, such as a school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, or remedial reading teacher.) What must the team consider in determining eligibility?In interpreting evaluation data for the purpose of determining if a child is a child with a disability and in need of special education, each public agency is to draw upon information from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement tests (but not restricted to these results), parent input, teacher recommendations, physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive behavior. Are there additional procedures for evaluating children and determining the existence of a specific learning disability?Yes. IDEA includes the following additional procedures when evaluating and determining the existence of a specific learning disability:
Each team member shall certify in writing whether the report reflects his or her conclusion. If it does not reflect his or her conclusion, the team member must submit a separate statement presenting his or her conclusions. What are the two components that must be present in order for a child to be eligible for special education and related services?In order for a child to be declared eligible for special education and related services it must be determined that the child is a “child with a disability” and is in need of special education and related services. How does the law define a “child with a disability?”The term “a child with a disability” means:
Is there a non-categorical designation of a child with a disability in addition to the above categories?At the discretion of the State and Local Education Agencies, a “child with a disability,” aged three through nine, may include a child who is experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. What does IDEA require when determining eligibility for special education and related services based on “developmental delay?”When determining eligibility for special education and related services based on “developmental delay” rather than a specific category, IDEA requires the following:
What are possible implications for students with learning disabilities when they are identified as having a developmental delay?The use of a “developmental delay” category to determine whether a child is eligible for special education and related services could make it possible to identify some children early before they experience failure in school and fall behind their peers. Many children with learning disabilities show delays in one or more of the areas specified. There is, however, some concern that children with learning disabilities will be included in the “developmental delay” category without identifying the specific processing disorder/s present and, thus the specific intervention strategies needed will not be provided. Parents should ensure that:
Since States and Local Education Agencies are not mandated to follow a certain course, but can make a choice regarding whether to use “developmental delay” for children aged three to nine, parents need to determine the eligibility criteria used by their State and Local Education Agencies. Contact special education administrators at the State Department of Education or the local school district for this information. Are there other non-categorical designations?Some states have expanded the non-categorical age past the “developmental delay” age span (3 through 9 years) to include students birth through twenty-one years of age. If states use a designation instead of categorical disabilities, certain guidelines must be followed. While the state determines the criteria for eligibility, the team must provide a comprehensive evaluation of the child that could determine a disability as defined by IDEA. What are the main two effective approaches to teaching students with disabilities?Successful Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning.... direct instruction;. learning strategy instruction; and.. using a sequential, simultaneous structured multi-sensory approach.. What are the different types of SLD?Dyslexia.. Dysgraphia.. Dyscalculia.. Auditory processing disorder.. Language processing disorder.. Nonverbal learning disabilities.. Visual perceptual/visual motor deficit.. What are 3 characteristics of students with specific learning disabilities?What are some of the common characteristics of LD?. Poor decoding skills.. Poor reading fluency.. Slow reading rate.. Lack of self-monitoring reading skills.. Poor comprehension and/or retention.. Difficulty identifying important ideas in context.. Extreme difficulty building ideas and images.. What is the diagnostic criteria for specific learning disorder?Specific learning disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders that are typically diagnosed in early school-aged children, although may not be recognized until adulthood. They are characterized by a persistent impairment in at least one of three major areas: reading, written expression, and/or math.
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