Chapter 12 Helping Students with Exceptionalities

School Counselor’s Role in Working with Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) Delivering counseling support Encouraging increased family involvement Consulting and collaborating with school staff to promote student success 504 plans and IEPs

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation ActIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Students have a right to a free and appropriate public education 504 plan implemented for students without disabilities but who require modifications to succeed in school For students with disabilities, appropriate education is defined as an individualized education program (IEP) Highly defined set of experiences -How students are evaluated -Timeline for evaluation, services, and review -Access to services -Processes for changes and disputes Review of Definitions

Special Education Overview Students qualify for special education if they have a disability AND and educational need Failing grades are not a requirement for special education services Disorder must interfere with academic or social emotional development If a student has a disability with minimal interference, a 504 plan may be used e.g. A student with ADHD has average grades an adequate social skills, however, his teacher states he is hyper and his homework is often destroyed. His locker is messy and disorganized. 504 plan or IEP? Why?

Child FindProblems with Child Find IDEA mandate to identify all students with a disability from birth to age 21 -Includes all children in the district catchment area Infants/ Toddlers -Identified by pediatricians and referred to early intervention services -Screening procedures to ask questions about health, determine if development is within normal ranges, and identify presence of disability States have the choice to recognize and support childhood delays (problems not yet identified as disabilities) for children between the ages of 3-9 School personnel fail to understand how to implement Child Find Confuse the requirement to find students with disabilities with the notion that every child should be considered for special education

Special Education Eligibility Comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation Input from child, parents, teachers, counselors Observations in multiple settings Review of cognitive abilities Review of social emotional status Review of academic achievement Referral question (need) drives the evaluation Difficulties determining the presence of a learning disability Learning disabilities are common referral questions Requires many hours of service Must differentiate between learning disabilities and learning problems that are the result of poor instruction Special education eligibility process uses a “wait-to fail” method

Response to Intervention (RTI) Tier 3 5% of children Most intensive support Tier 2 15% of children More intensive support Tier 1 Interventions for all students Proactive and preventative

Benefits of RtIProblems with RtI Addresses “wait-to fail” method previously used Designed to prevent learning problems Quickly moves toward intensive services regardless of disability status The usefulness of an intervention must be determined before a decision is made about a child’s failure to respond to that intervention Interventions are selected based on what works for most children Interventions may not work for all children, particularly with increasingly diverse student populations Note: RTI data must be used in combination with other data because a comprehensive evaluation is still required

Specific Learning Disability Definition “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.” “the term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.” Problems with the definition No clear definition of “imperfect ability” Some disorders are repeated within the definition and others are left out completely (i.e. nonverbal learning disability)

Developmental Considerations Children eligible for special education at any age, however, sever deficits are typically noticed early in development Behavior problems in preschool are likely an indicator of learning problem (when developmental milestones are met and no previous trauma) Social emotional disabilities tend to appear in adolescence Children who show significant problems at a younger age tend to have the most difficult time Learning problems may show up later than expected Support in classroom is enough to mute disability Diagnosis may have been missed Adults and parents may wait to see if child grows out of difficulties School counselors should support teachers and parents to seek services when needed

Direct ServicesIndirect Service Counselors can help children understand their disability: Symptoms & how to manage symptoms Children should know they are not the disorder Use child first language Help build assertiveness skills Encourage communication & development of good communication skills Counselors serve as longstanding support for parents & teachers Supported adults are better prepared to provide support to children Counselors bridge how the school & parents are going to combine efforts on behalf of the child Provide empathetic ear when teachers feel stressed Assess & coordinate resources in the building Collaborate with special education services, school psychologists, etc. Contribute to professional development programming Address social needs within the school Communicate with administration regarding teacher & school needs School Counselor’s Role

IDEA Definitions / Special Education Categories Autism Deaf-blindness Deaf Developmental Delay Emotional disturbance Hearing Impairment Intellectual Disability Multiple Disabilities Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Specific Learning Disability Speech and Language Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairment and Blindness

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Considered a lifelong disorder Occurs on a spectrum Symptoms include poor verbal and nonverbal communication skills and social interactions Most often evident by age three Stress may worsen symptoms Variability among individuals For children with severe impairments, the deficits are obvious For children with less severe impairments, the deficits are less clear, often causing adults to become frustrated Difficult to determine when and where a child with high functioning ASD will fail to understand how to act

Deaf Blindness Simultaneous hearing and visual impairments that require interventions beyond what is provided to only the deaf or only the blind Example of redundancy in law Deaf Hearing impairment that interferes in processing spoken language Hearing loss that interferes with education Developmental Delay Below average development but not to a degree that a disability is present Each state determines exact definition that would result in services

Emotional Disturbance (ED) “a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance: An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with teachers and peers Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems Highly controversial category Includes both internalizing and externalizing disorders Criteria is not well-defined Criteria does not match well with DSM descriptions Category does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted

Hearing Impairment Similar to deafness Includes children with transient conditions Permanent hearing loss not required Intellectual Disability Significantly low general intellectual functioning & adaptive skills Generally below a standard score of 70 Multiple Disabilities Children with several disabilities simultaneously Reminds schools to address all of the child’s needs Orthopedic Impairment Impairments due to genetic conditions, disease, injury, or other concerns Broad definition Other Health Impairment “impairments in strength, vitality, or alertness” including issues of heightened & under arousal Includes: ADHD, acute and chronic health problems (e.g., asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, Tourette syndrome)

Specific Learning Disability Disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do math calculations. Types of Specific Learning DisabilitiesCannot be result of: Oral Expression Listening Comprehension Written Expression Basic Reading Skill Reading Fluency Skills Reading Comprehension Mathematical Calculations Mathematical Problem-Solving Environmental factors Cultural factors Economic disadvantage Limited English proficiency

Speech & Language Disability Voice disorders (an inability to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently) -Stuttering, impaired articulation Language impairment (delayed language acquisition) -Overlap with language skills needed for reading Traumatic Brain Injury Injured by an external force to the head Increase in sports related concussions and accidents Visual Impairment & Blindness Includes children with transient conditions Permanent vision loss not required Includes students with visual correction

Gifted Education Gifted education does not mandate inclusion or least restrictive environment Gifted education managed differently depending on the school No options Pull out classes Specialized schools Advanced placement (AP) classes Differentiated instruction (most successful method) IQ of 130 or above + teacher, parent recommendations Giftedness is not a stable trait Effort, attitude, & persistence matter

Transition Services School counselors advise students transitioning from high school to the work world Special education students must be “prepared for adulthood” Transition plan must in the student’s IEP by the time the student is 16 Student must participate in development of plan Goals in the plan must be measurable What does the student need to prepare for life after high school? Consider the student’s strengths, interests, academic skills, & functional skills Bridge the school counseling activities offered to all students to IEP transition services Career services, work experience education, academy programs, vocational courses