What is Special Education?

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Special education is tailored to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The services and supports one child receives may be very different from what another child receives. It’s all about individualization. What’s important is giving kids the resources they need to make progress in school. 

 

If your child qualifies for special education, he’ll receive individualized teaching and other key resources. The specialists who work with your child will focus on his strengths as well as his challenges. And parents/guardian will be an important member of the team that decides what he needs to make progress in school.

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Who qualifies for special education?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that defines and regulates special education. The law requires schools to provide special education services to children ages 3 to 21 who meet certain criteria. (Children younger than 3 can get help through IDEA’s early intervention services.) 

To qualify for special education services, a student must:

• Have a documented disability that is covered by IDEA, and

• Need special education in order to access the general education curriculum (K12)

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How is the Assessment Process? Jumpyard have a process in place to determine which students are eligible for special education. This process involves a comprehensive evaluation that looks at the way your child thinks. It also looks at other aspects of his development. 

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What disabilities are covered by special education?

IDEA covers 13 types of disabilities. These categories include AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER and INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY (which used to be referred to as “mental retardation”). Another category, called “SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY,” applies to many kids who have learning and thinking differences.

 

A specific learning disability most often affects skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning and doing math. Common learning differences in this category include:

• Dyslexia: Difficulty with reading, writing, spelling, speaking

• Dyscalculia: Difficulty doing math problems, understanding time and money, remembering math facts

• Dysgraphia: Difficulty with handwriting, spelling, organizing ideas

• Dyspraxia: Difficulty with hand-eye coordination, balance, fine motor skills

• Auditory processing disorder: Difficulty interpreting what the ear hears (which is different from having a hearing impairment)

• Visual processing issues: Difficulty interpreting what the eye sees (which is different from having a visual impairment)

Specific learning disabilities are very common. This is the largest disability category of students receiving special education.

There’s a separate category called “other health impairment.” It’s defined as having limited strength or alertness, which affects educational performance. Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often covered by this category.

 

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PLACEMENT: What does “least restrictive environment” mean? 

By law, schools are required to provide special education in the least restrictive environment (LRE). This means the starting point for discussion should be the supports your child needs to succeed in a general education classroom.

Schools have a special term for deciding to place a child in one type of classroom rather than another. Schools refer to this as “placement.” General education classrooms are the most common placement for kids with learning disabilities.

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What strategies help special education students in the general education classroom?

Jumpyard use many strategies to help students receiving special education services succeed in general education settings. These strategies include:

• Assistive technology such as providing a laptop to help a student with a writing disability take notes in class

• Accommodations such as seating the student near the teacher (and far from distractions) or allowing him to give oral reports instead of writing essays

• Modifications such as reducing the amount of homework a student is assigned

• Paraprofessionals who serve as teachers’ aides helping students with various tasks such as taking notes and highlighting important information

Other types of classrooms or placements should be considered only if you and the school think your child will not be able to experience success in the general education classroom. There are some important things to consider before changing your child’s placement. For example, it’s important to know that schools can’t use budget issues as a reason to refuse to provide accommodations and services.