1. Dawn Sessa-White DawnW1224@aol.com HFU EDU 509 August 4, 2003
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Dawn Sessa-White
HFU EDU 509
August 4, 2003

2. What do you need to know about special education in Hamilton Township?
Video Welcome to Hamilton Township
Federal and State Laws
How to refer a child
Classification Process and Terms
Specific Learning Disability
IEP
Strategies for the classroom
Resources

3. History of IDEA
The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act was originally enacted in 1975 as PL
Established the right of all eligible school aged children and youth with disabilities to receive a free, appropriate, public education

4. Purpose of IDEA
To ensure that the rights of children and youth with disabilities and their parents are protected
To ensure that children with disabilities have a free, appropriate, public education available to them, one which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living

5. Who is Eligible? Must be a “child with a disability”
Evaluated according to IDEA requirements
Determined to fall into a specific disability category as defined by IDEA/State
Requires special education and related services

6. When to refer a child difficulties must impact educational performance
after pre-referral intervention has been unsuccessful
difficulties must impact educational performance
must not be result of lack of exposure or experience
with primary school aged children must be certain not due to developmental issues
when a student does not speak English, must have been exposed to English instruction for a reasonable amount of time

7. Referral Process
Child may be referred by parent, counselor, teacher, principal
An evaluation plan meeting is scheduled to determine if evaluation is warranted and scope of evaluation

8. Classification Process
If the evaluation is warranted it must include at least 2 of the first 4 assessments
Psychological Assessment
Educational Assessment
Social History
Speech and Language Assessment
Psychiatric Evaluation
Neurological Evaluation
Medical Evaluation
Audiological Evaluation

9. Classification Evaluations completed within 90 calendar days
Eligibility meeting includes one member of child study team, parent, regular education teacher, special education teacher and student
Program and IEP developed at this meeting

10. Classification Terms Preschool Disabled Auditorily Impaired Autistic
Cognitively Impaired
Emotionally Disturbed
Socially Maladjusted
Other Health Impaired
Specific Learning Disability
Preschool Disabled
Orthepedically Impaired
Traumatic Brain Injury
Visually Impaired
Multiply Disabled

11. What is … Meeting each child’s unique needs
Giving each child access to the general curriculum
Using classroom modifications and/or accomodations to reach the curricular goals
Modifying the curriculum

12. What is a specific learning disability?
Testing reveals a severe discrepancy
between intelligence level and
performance level
Discrepancy must be at least 2 standard deviations
Learning Disability vs Slow Learner

13. Example of SLD in the Classroom
Visual Motor Integration
When the image you see is transmitted through your brain to your hand for you to reproduce the same image
Visual Motor Integration Introduction
Beginning of Demonstration
Demonstration Part 2

14. Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Includes measurable annual goals and short term objectives
Special education/related services and supplementary aids the child will receive
Read the IEP’s and know what each child needs

15. Multisensory Strategies in the Classroom
Use ACE (Action, Color, Exaggeration) to enhance lessons
Simulation and role play add a kinesthetic dimension to learning
Rhyme, Rhythm and Music add an
auditory dimension to learning
BE OPEN TO ACCOMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS TO HELP YOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS REACH THEIR GOALS

16. Resouces within Hamilton