1. How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws?
According to IDEA, the definition of a specific learning disability is “a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations” (U.S. Department of Education, 2006) “including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia” (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
According to the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) all school children were to receive the opportunity to academic success. Major changes to ESEA via NCLBA redefine the federal role in education to better enhance academic performance (Federal Register, 2006).
The NJ special education code says that a student with a disability is defined as “a student who has been determined to be eligible for special education and related services according to N.J. A.C. 6A:14-3.5 or 3.6” (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2006).
A reading disability can be defined under federal and state laws as when reading skills are not met at the sufficient level of achievement. This includes basic reading skills, reading fluency skills and reading comprehension (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
A math disability “includes persistent trouble ‘memorizing’ basic number facts in all four operations, despite adequate understanding and great effort expended trying to do so” (Garnett, 1998).
2. What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability? (This would include cognitive, social, emotional, and physical, as well as levels of functioning.)
Students with learning disabilities of all kinds share similar developmental characteristics. Many of the developmental characteristics are cognitive in form. The students have more cognitive issues than any other type of developmental characteristics.
Learning disability students may be “hampered by the language aspects of math resulting in confusion about terminology, difficulty following verbal explanations and/or week verbal skills from monitoring the steps of complex calculations” (Garnett, 1998).
Developmental characteristics of people with reading disabilities include “developmental delays” (Logsdon, 2008). The developmental characteristics may vary within the different types of specific reading disabilities. Most students with reading disabilities will have cognitive characteristics. Students with dyslexia, for example, will have problems decoding words, including order of letters and confusion of or substituting words. A dyslexic student may also have trouble remembering known words and with reading and listening comprehension. Dyslexic students will also read slowly (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
Students with disabilities in reading comprehension will have developmental characteristics cognitively. It includes problems with processing the language and visually understanding the reading (Logsdon, 2008).
For students who have aphasia or dysphasia the developmental characteristics differ and can be cognitive and emotional. While most of the disability comes from their lack of speech, it is still associated with reading. Students may have poor reading comprehension, frustration and feelings of sadness (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
Other general characteristics for students with reading related disabilities would include problems with visual perception (Silver, 2004). Most developmental characteristics for students with reading related issues fall under the cognitive category.
3. If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability? This would include academic support as well as social support.
Information that would help to further assist students in class with a learning disability would include understanding that the disability comes from mainly cognitive rather than primarily social, emotional or physical disabilities.
An important strategy to help students with learning disabilities would include having aids in the classroom to assist when the teacher is unable to provide help. Having an aid would provide the extra help needed for the students. Other strategies would include modifying the curriculum so that the material taught to the students becomes enhanced. This would include modifying content both visually and auditorally.
Another strategy that may assist students with learning disabilities would include incorporating social activities into the learning process.
For math, the child would be encouraged to implement skills such as writing math sentences to answer questions; computer based programs and use of table toys or other manipulatives to complete the math assignments.
Information that would help to further assist any student with reading disabilities would be to focus on the core skills of reading. These are phonological awareness, rapid naming of alphabetic sounds and letters, and beginning phonics (Smith, 2006, p. 178). It would also be beneficial to consider using the Learning Strategies Curriculum. (Smith, 2006, p. 184) Other information that would help would be to consider that students with reading disabilities would have problems with perception, sequence and comprehension (Silver, 2004). This information should be kept in mind to be used to help determine which strategies would best help the student.
The strategies to use for students with reading disabilities would differ by specific disabilities. Some strategies for a student with dyslexia would include allowing the student to do work in specifically quiet areas, using books on tape and giving the student reading with large font and spacing (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
The strategies for students with reading comprehension would include encouraging the students to persist. It would also be beneficial to try and incorporate peer work and discussions about the reading to encourage the students (Baker & Gerstern, 2008).
The strategies used for a student with aphasia and dysphasia differ and would include using a speech pathologist as well as one-on-one tutoring. Also, drawing attention to main ideas, notes and using graphic organizers for notes would help (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
Strategies for general reading disabilities would include supplemental educational videos and pre-recorded readings (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006). It would also be beneficial to consider using the different specialists within the school to help the students with reading disabilities. Reading specialists and speech pathologists may be helpful for the students.
4. What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child? (This would include websites, agencies, people within your school; a two to three line description is required for each resource.)
There are many resources that can greatly benefit students with learning disabilities. Some general resources that would benefit students with all kinds of disabilities might include assistive technologies. Websites are also a great source to assist students with disabilities. Two websites helpful for students with disabilities include http://www.ncld.org/ the National Center for Learning Disabilities website and http://www.ldonline.org/ the Learning Disabilities Online.
Also, specialists in the school would greatly assist students with learning disabilities. For math related disabilities, a math resources specialist would help and a reading specialist would help students with reading related disabilities.
A specific website that math teachers could use as a great resource is http://www.nctm.org/.
There are many resources available today to assist students with learning disabilities. Technology is one of the most important resources to use to help aid students with reading disabilities. There are many programs and different options in technology to help assist students. One device, the “Quicktionary Reading Pen,” would greatly assist students who need help reading. It pronounces the word and provides the definition as the pen rolls over it. (Smith, 2006, p. 186)
It is also important to also consider using some other assistive technologies in the class to help any student with reading disabilities. Assistive technology is technology that is used to aid people with disabilities so that they can perform tasks easily that they would otherwise have more trouble with (AccessIT, 2008). There are many new assistive technologies that have been designed for people with reading disabilities rather than people with visual impairments. Some include reading (or pronouncing) to the learner, formatted text, converting text to audio (including internet and CD) and more (Tools Life, nd).
Another resource to consider using would include the internet. The internet provides a great amount of information about special education as well as tools. Many different websites are dedicated to special education and learning disabilities.
CITATIONS
AccessIT. (2008). What is assistive technology? Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109
Baker, S. & Gerstern, R. (2008). Reading comprehension instruction for students with learning disabilities. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www.ncld.org/content/view/521/
Federal Register. (2006). Supplemental information. Retrieved January 12, 2008 from http://www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2002-01-04-02-155
Garnett, K. (1998). Math learning disabilities. Retrieved January 12, 2008 from http://www.ldonline.org/article/5896
Learning Disabilities Association of America. (2006). Dyslexia. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/dyslexia.asp
Learning Disabilities Association of America. (2006). Language Disorders: aphasia, dysphasia or global aphasia. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/language.asp
Learning Disabilities Association of America. (2006). Accommodations, techniques, and Aids for learning. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/accommodations.asp
Logsdon, A. (2008). Characteristics of learning disabilities - recognizing learning disabilities. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/whatisld/a/signsofld.htm
Logsdon, A. (2008). Learning Disability – reading comprehension learning disability. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/learningdisabilitybasics/p/rdgcomprhnsn. htm
Silver, L.B. (2004). A look at learning disabilities in children and youth. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs17txt.htm
Smith, D.D. (2006). Introduction to special education: Making a difference. New York City, NY: Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
State of New Jersey Department of Education. (2006) Special education. Retrieved January 12, 2008 from http://www.nj.gov/education/code/current/title6a/chap14.pdf
Tools Life. (nd). Reading problems/disabilities. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://www.gatfl.org/ldguide/read.htm
U.S. Department of Education. (2006). Building the legacy: IDEA 2004. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home
This blog is designed as a resource tool for teacher candidates learning about special education and students with special needs. Small groups within the class will create their own blogs about specific students with special needs, such as children with ADHD, and then link that blog to this central site.Each blog will contain information about the federal and state definition of the disability group, the general physical, social, cognitive, and emotional developments, as well as useful resources for teachers.
1 comment:
1. How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws?
According to IDEA, the definition of a specific learning disability is “a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations” (U.S. Department of Education, 2006) “including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia” (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
According to the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) all school children were to receive the opportunity to academic success. Major changes to ESEA via NCLBA redefine the federal role in education to better enhance academic performance (Federal Register, 2006).
The NJ special education code says that a student with a disability is defined as “a student who has been determined to be eligible for special education and related services according to N.J. A.C. 6A:14-3.5 or 3.6” (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2006).
A reading disability can be defined under federal and state laws as when reading skills are not met at the sufficient level of achievement. This includes basic reading skills, reading fluency skills and reading comprehension (U.S. Department of Education, 2006).
A math disability “includes persistent trouble ‘memorizing’ basic number facts in all four operations, despite adequate understanding and great effort expended trying to do so” (Garnett, 1998).
2. What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability? (This would include cognitive, social, emotional, and physical, as well as levels of functioning.)
Students with learning disabilities of all kinds share similar developmental characteristics. Many of the developmental characteristics are cognitive in form. The students have more cognitive issues than any other type of developmental characteristics.
Learning disability students may be “hampered by the language aspects of math resulting in confusion about terminology, difficulty following verbal explanations and/or week verbal skills from monitoring the steps of complex calculations” (Garnett, 1998).
Developmental characteristics of people with reading disabilities include “developmental delays” (Logsdon, 2008). The developmental characteristics may vary within the different types of specific reading disabilities. Most students with reading disabilities will have cognitive characteristics. Students with dyslexia, for example, will have problems decoding words, including order of letters and confusion of or substituting words. A dyslexic student may also have trouble remembering known words and with reading and listening comprehension. Dyslexic students will also read slowly (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
Students with disabilities in reading comprehension will have developmental characteristics cognitively. It includes problems with processing the language and visually understanding the reading (Logsdon, 2008).
For students who have aphasia or dysphasia the developmental characteristics differ and can be cognitive and emotional. While most of the disability comes from their lack of speech, it is still associated with reading. Students may have poor reading comprehension, frustration and feelings of sadness (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
Other general characteristics for students with reading related disabilities would include problems with visual perception (Silver, 2004). Most developmental characteristics for students with reading related issues fall under the cognitive category.
3. If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability? This would include academic support as well as social support.
Information that would help to further assist students in class with a learning disability would include understanding that the disability comes from mainly cognitive rather than primarily social, emotional or physical disabilities.
An important strategy to help students with learning disabilities would include having aids in the classroom to assist when the teacher is unable to provide help. Having an aid would provide the extra help needed for the students. Other strategies would include modifying the curriculum so that the material taught to the students becomes enhanced. This would include modifying content both visually and auditorally.
Another strategy that may assist students with learning disabilities would include incorporating social activities into the learning process.
For math, the child would be encouraged to implement skills such as writing math sentences to answer questions; computer based programs and use of table toys or other manipulatives to complete the math assignments.
Information that would help to further assist any student with reading disabilities would be to focus on the core skills of reading. These are phonological awareness, rapid naming of alphabetic sounds and letters, and beginning phonics (Smith, 2006, p. 178). It would also be beneficial to consider using the Learning Strategies Curriculum. (Smith, 2006, p. 184) Other information that would help would be to consider that students with reading disabilities would have problems with perception, sequence and comprehension (Silver, 2004). This information should be kept in mind to be used to help determine which strategies would best help the student.
The strategies to use for students with reading disabilities would differ by specific disabilities. Some strategies for a student with dyslexia would include allowing the student to do work in specifically quiet areas, using books on tape and giving the student reading with large font and spacing (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
The strategies for students with reading comprehension would include encouraging the students to persist. It would also be beneficial to try and incorporate peer work and discussions about the reading to encourage the students (Baker & Gerstern, 2008).
The strategies used for a student with aphasia and dysphasia differ and would include using a speech pathologist as well as one-on-one tutoring. Also, drawing attention to main ideas, notes and using graphic organizers for notes would help (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006).
Strategies for general reading disabilities would include supplemental educational videos and pre-recorded readings (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2006). It would also be beneficial to consider using the different specialists within the school to help the students with reading disabilities. Reading specialists and speech pathologists may be helpful for the students.
4. What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child? (This would include websites, agencies, people within your school; a two to three line description is required for each resource.)
There are many resources that can greatly benefit students with learning disabilities. Some general resources that would benefit students with all kinds of disabilities might include assistive technologies. Websites are also a great source to assist students with disabilities. Two websites helpful for students with disabilities include http://www.ncld.org/ the National Center for Learning Disabilities website and http://www.ldonline.org/ the Learning Disabilities Online.
Also, specialists in the school would greatly assist students with learning disabilities. For math related disabilities, a math resources specialist would help and a reading specialist would help students with reading related disabilities.
A specific website that math teachers could use as a great resource is http://www.nctm.org/.
There are many resources available today to assist students with learning disabilities. Technology is one of the most important resources to use to help aid students with reading disabilities. There are many programs and different options in technology to help assist students. One device, the “Quicktionary Reading Pen,” would greatly assist students who need help reading. It pronounces the word and provides the definition as the pen rolls over it. (Smith, 2006, p. 186)
It is also important to also consider using some other assistive technologies in the class to help any student with reading disabilities. Assistive technology is technology that is used to aid people with disabilities so that they can perform tasks easily that they would otherwise have more trouble with (AccessIT, 2008). There are many new assistive technologies that have been designed for people with reading disabilities rather than people with visual impairments. Some include reading (or pronouncing) to the learner, formatted text, converting text to audio (including internet and CD) and more (Tools Life, nd).
Another resource to consider using would include the internet. The internet provides a great amount of information about special education as well as tools. Many different websites are dedicated to special education and learning disabilities.
CITATIONS
AccessIT. (2008). What is assistive technology? Retrieved January 9, 2008 from
http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109
Baker, S. & Gerstern, R. (2008). Reading comprehension instruction for students with
learning disabilities. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www.ncld.org/content/view/521/
Federal Register. (2006). Supplemental information. Retrieved January 12, 2008 from
http://www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2002-01-04-02-155
Garnett, K. (1998). Math learning disabilities. Retrieved January 12, 2008 from
http://www.ldonline.org/article/5896
Learning Disabilities Association of America. (2006). Dyslexia. Retrieved January 8,
2008 from http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/dyslexia.asp
Learning Disabilities Association of America. (2006). Language Disorders: aphasia,
dysphasia or global aphasia. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from
http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/language.asp
Learning Disabilities Association of America. (2006). Accommodations, techniques, and
Aids for learning. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/accommodations.asp
Logsdon, A. (2008). Characteristics of learning disabilities - recognizing learning disabilities. Retrieved January 8, 2008 from http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/whatisld/a/signsofld.htm
Logsdon, A. (2008). Learning Disability – reading comprehension learning disability.
Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/learningdisabilitybasics/p/rdgcomprhnsn. htm
Silver, L.B. (2004). A look at learning disabilities in children and youth. Retrieved
January 9, 2008 from http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs17txt.htm
Smith, D.D. (2006). Introduction to special education: Making a difference. New York
City, NY: Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
State of New Jersey Department of Education. (2006) Special education. Retrieved
January 12, 2008 from http://www.nj.gov/education/code/current/title6a/chap14.pdf
Tools Life. (nd). Reading problems/disabilities. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from
http://www.gatfl.org/ldguide/read.htm
U.S. Department of Education. (2006). Building the legacy: IDEA 2004. Retrieved
January 8, 2008 from http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home
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