Considerations in Determining Primary Disability Speech Language Impairment or Specific Learning Disability

Overlap between SLI and SLD  Both address language skills that impact academic achievement  Many students receive speech-language services as specialized instruction even when SLD is determined to be the primary disability  Some young students are initially identified with a Speech- Language Impairment, then later are determined to have a Specific Learning Disability 2

Considerations in Determining Primary Disability... Identification & Eligibility Process 3

The Eligibility Process The multidisciplinary eligibility team, including the parent, will examine the body of evidence and make any determination of disability. 4

The Body of Evidence May include…  previous referrals, evaluations, special education history  health/social histories  observation of area(s) of difficulty in learning environment  classroom-based assessment data  work samples  progress monitoring data (e.g., curriculum-based measures)  school records, schools attended and attendance history  prescriptive/diagnostic, standardized and/or norm-referenced assessments  ELA assessments and information, including stage of language acquisition  primary language/home language survey  assessment of acculturation ELL 5 ELL ELL

Is the primary disability SLD or SLI?  Insufficient response to intervention for oral expression and/or listening comprehension could indicate a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) or a Speech or Language Impairment (SLI)  The multidisciplinary eligibility team will examine the body of evidence and make the determination. 6

 Has the student received appropriate intervention to improve oral expression or listening comprehension? What does the progress monitoring data show?  Which areas of academic performance are being most impacted by language difficulties? (Red Flag: writing is better than speaking)  Has the student received appropriate intervention to improve any academic skill deficit? What does the progress monitoring data show? When determining primary disability (SLD or SLI), the team might consider… 7

 What prescriptive/diagnostic speech-language or academic assessments were conducted and what were the results?  What is the severity and nature of needs?  Is the concern about access or the need for alternative instruction?  Is intensive specialized instruction in one or more specific academic skill areas needed? 8

Which disability category is the strongest match with the student’s greatest areas of need? The final determination of primary disability is made by the multidisciplinary eligibility team and is based on the body of evidence. Final Determination… 9