Sensory Integration: Education

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2012年9月15日星期六

5 Reasons Why Your Child Receiving Special Education May Be Misbehaving

Does your child with autism have increased behavioral difficulty at school? Do you sometimes wonder, why your child misbehaves at certain times of day at school, or while doing certain activities? To determine what your child is receiving from the behavior a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) must be conducted. But this article, will give you a few things that could be causing your child's behavior.

Reason 1: Your child could be having difficulty with their behavior, due to a health concerns. When my daughter Angelina was younger she would have behavioral outbursts that seemed to be tied to not feeling well. I would take her home, she would go to bed, and wake up and do just fine.

Also if your child has seizures, the behavior could be seizure related. Keep track of the behavior and check with your child's doctor, if you think there could be a health reason for the behavior.

Reason 2: Many children with autism or other disabilities have sensory integration dysfunction; which can negatively affect their behavior. Some children misbehave, because they are wanting, sensory stimulation. Or some children are trying to avoid sensory stimulation.

You can learn more about sensory integration dysfunction, by reading a book about the disorder. Or search the internet for treatments and things that can be done in the classroom to help your child.

Reason 3: Your child could be trying to escape hard academics, or a situation that they cannot handle.

Investigate and make sure that your child is being taught academics at their level so that they do not get frustrated.

Reason 4: Some children misbehave because they are trying to get attention, from other students or special education personnel.

Reason 5: If your child is not receiving an appropriate education in the right type of placement, they may experience a lot of behavioral difficulty.

When my daughter Angelina was younger, she would throw herself on the ground to avoid hard academics. Also if a child is unable to learn academics, it might be time to consider functional skills training. In my advocacy I have seen many children positively respond to functional skills, without behavior. Angelina also responded very well to increased functional skills training rather than a focus on academics.

By learning if any special circumstances are causing your child's behavior difficulties, you will be able to try some different things to see if they help! Good Luck!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com

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2012年7月1日星期日

Lies About Special Education Eligibility and 6 Ways to Overcome Them!

Are you the parent of a young child who thinks that their child may have autism? Do you think your child's reading difficulty may be related to a learning disability? Have you tried to have your child tested for special education eligibility and your school district said no? This article will discuss lies that are related to special education eligibility and 6 ways to overcome the lies for the good of your child.

Lies associated with special education eligibility:

1. We will test your child but we get to pick the tests, and the areas to be tested. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that parents must give informed consent for testing (and to give informed consent the parent must know areas to be tested and what tests are going to be performed), and that the child is to be tested in all areas of suspected disability.

2. You must sign this medical release form so that we can get your child's medical records before we do the testing. Medical records are private under HIPPA and school districts do not have a right to them.

3. Your child is on the waiting list for testing, be patient. IDEA does not allow waiting lists for testing or special education services. Testing must be complete within 60 days after the consent form is signed.

4. Your child has a disability but it does not affect their education. To be eligible for special education a child must have two things: A. A disability, and B. Educational needs; that is it, nothing else.

5. Your child does not have autism but has an emotional/behavior disorder. Many school districts state that a child does not have a particular disability; without even testing them.

6. We do not do those type of tests for initial eligibility. Remember that IDEA requires a child to be tested in all areas of suspected disability.

7. We met and decided that your child does not meet the criteria for special education. Parents must be included in all meetings and receive a 10 day written notice for all meetings for their child. Also, parents are equal members in the team that make any decision about their child, including eligibility for special education.

6 Things that you can do to overcome these lies:

1. Go to wrightslaw.com and educate yourself about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Then you will know when you are being lied to.

2. Anytime special education personnel tell you that they can do something under the law; ask them for written proof of state or federal special education law that says that they can do it. Do this in writing, so that they cannot ignore you.

3. Try and find an advocate or another parent that is familiar with special education to help you navigate the system.

4. Put in writing all areas that you believe need to be tested, and the reason why. Recommend specific tests, if you are familiar with them. For example: If you think your child has Sensory Integration Processing Disorder (SIPT) ask for an Occupational Therapist that is SIPT qualified to test them.

5. Ask for copies of all of the written reports (includes testing and interpretation of testing), 10 days before the eligibility meeting, and ask an advocate or another parent to help you interpret the test results. That way you will understand what the test results say before the meeting.

6. If you are concerned that your child may have autism, ask for a Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). When you request the Cars, tell the school that you will expect them to send you the parent survey for the CARS.

By using these 6 tips you will be prepared for any lies told by special education personnel. Stand up to them because your child is depending on you!

JoAnn Collins is the author of Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game! As an educational advocate for over 15 years she has successfully helped hundreds of parents navigate the special education system. For more advocacy skills and information on special education go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com

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2012年6月30日星期六

Help - I Need a Sample Special Education 10 Day Written Request Letter!

Are you the parent of a child receiving special education services that is considering placing your child in a private program, for denial of a free appropriate public education (FAPE)? Would you like to have a sample letter that will help you in your advocacy? This article will include a sample of a letter that will help you in your fight for an appropriate education for your child.

Mr. Stone

Special Education Coordinator

Seagull School District

1200 Rock Rd.

Seagreen Il. 60902

Date: June 25, 20___

Dear Mr. Stone:

This letter is to notify you that we are placing our daughter Gwen (Date of Birth 06-02-20__) in a private school (called Hope Academy), and will be seeking reimbursement for the placement, due to the fact that the school district is denying my child's disability, and found her ineligible for special education services. This ineligibility is denying our daughter a free appropriate public education!

When Gwen was in Early Intervention we participated in all of the transition meetings. We made sure that the schools representative had copies of all of Gwen's evaluations, that had been done up to that point. A domain meeting to discuss testing was held, which my husband and I participated in. We totally disagreed with the IEP team that Gwen did not need further testing to see if she was eligible for special education services. The IEP team then stated that Gwen was ineligible for special education services; which we also disagreed with. Gwen has now been without her needed special education services for over 6 months and we see regression in what she is able to do and communicate!

Gwen has had several Early Intervention and private evaluations where she was diagnosed with: Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder, Severe developmental delays in several areas, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, and fine motor difficulty. All of the evaluators agree that Gwen has several disabilities and that she requires special education services to benefit from her education! Also, a long list of recommendations was totally ignored by the school district.

In a recent US Supreme Court ruling the justices found that: A reading of the Act that left parents without an adequate remedy when a school district unreasonably failed to identify a child with disabilities, would not comport with Congress's acknowledgment of the paramount importance of properly identifying each child eligible for services.

Because of this ruling my husband and I are eligible for reimbursement of private school expenses because our daughter is being denied FAPE, and because we believe that Hope Academy is an appropriate placement for her. We are enclosing information on the Hope Academy with this letter.

Please let us know if you would like to evaluate Gwen because we would be happy to make her available to you.

Bob and Sara Michaels

123 Cullins St.

Seagreen Il. 60902

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special education system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com

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2012年6月28日星期四

Is Auditory Processing Disorder Affecting Your Child With Autism in Special Education?

Does your child with autism struggle to understand verbal information? Do you sometimes think that your child must not be listening enough, because they always mix up verbal directions? Have you heard of Auditory Processing Disorder and wonder if your child has it? This article will be discussing APD, diagnosis and possible characteristics of this disorder.

It is important to understand that many disabilities have Co Morbid conditions that may occur with them. For example: a child with Autism may also have Sensory Integration Disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities and also Auditory Processing Disorder. By having knowledge of all disabilities that a child has, you will be able to advocate for appropriate needed special education services.

Auditory Processing Disorder is the inability to attend to, discriminate among, or understand auditory information. Language is developed by children by listening. When auditory skills are weak, the child may experience auditory overload; which makes learning much more of a challenge.

Also much of school learning is done verbally, which puts the child with this disorder at a terrible disadvantage!

Here are a few characteristics and symptoms of APD:

1. Has normal hearing but has difficulty in the reception (receiving) and interpretation of auditory information. Trouble making sense of what he or she hears.

2. May have difficulty staying on task.

3. May look around for visual cues, since they do not understand directions.

4. Responds fairly well in quite situations but may have great difficulty listening in noisy environments.

5. May have difficulty telling the difference between words that sound familiar.

6. May have difficulty remembering information in the order it was said?

7. May be visually alert.

8. May perform poorly on tests requiring verbal language information.

9. May have difficulty working independently.

10. Inconsistent performances.

If your child is showing some of these signs, you may refer them to your special education personnel in your school district, for an Audiological evaluation. Most school districts do not have Audiologists on staff, so they would have to pay for the evaluation for you to take your child to a private Audiologist (if they agree of course-though some hearing officers have given parents Independent Educational Evaluations at public expense, if the school district refuses to evaluate a child in all areas of suspected disability).

A complete Audiological evaluation includes all of the following:

1. Referral

2. Case History

3. Complete Audiological Evaluation

4. AP test battery

5. Results of whether the child has the disorder; and any recommendations for needed special education services or equipment.

Use this information to refer your child for an evaluation if you think that your child may have this disorder. Auditory processing Disorder negatively affects a child's education, but with appropriate special education services and equipment, your child can continue to learn and have a bright future!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com.

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2012年6月20日星期三

Categories For Special Education - Which One Fits My Child?

Have special education personnel stated that your child was ineligible for special education, because they do not fit into one of the 13 eligible categories? Does your child have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) but you were told by school personnel that this does not fit into the 13 eligible categories? Has your child been diagnosed as emotionally disturbed and you believe the child has autism? This article will discuss how you can determine what category of classification that your child can receive special education services under. By knowing these categories you can advocate for the one that meets your child's needs.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that every child with a disability must receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Also special education services to meet their unique needs. Labels or classifications do not determine, if a particular child is eligible for a particular special education service, though sometimes special education personnel act like it does.

Categories:

1. Autism: If you suspect that your child has autism ask special education personnel to give him or her, a childhood autism rating scale (CARS). The scale is done by the parent answering 13 questions about their child, and a knowledgeable person giving a score to the scale. The higher the number the more chance that the child has autism. If the scale is positive take your child to a specialized Pediatrician that specializes in autism.

Pervasive developmental disorder is on the Autism spectrum. Autism is one of the eligible categories for special education services. So a child with PDD is eligible for special education services under the category of autism.

2. OHI: For a child to be eligible under this category usually requires some type of documentation from the child's physician. Many children with ADD and ADHD receive special education services under this category.

3. Mental Retardation: Determined by IQ score; a child's IQ score under 75 is considered to be in the mental retardation range. Be careful if your child's IQ is normal and decreases as they grow older, this is indicative of an inappropriate education, not necessarily mental retardation.

4. Emotional Disturbance (ED): Many children with autism are being given an ED label-Why? Because in my opinion special education personnel are reluctant to give a child an autism label due to cost of special education services. For a child to truly be ED, they must have no other disability!

5. Deafness: This is a total loss of hearing and usually requires physician documentation.

6. Hearing Impairment: Not a total loss of hearing as above!

7. Visual Impairment: Severe impairment not fixed by glasses or contacts.

8. Deaf-Blindness: Total loss of hearing and total loss of sight.

9. Specific Learning Disability (LD): Children with reading difficulty despite appropriate instruction, math difficulty despite appropriate instruction, dyslexia, visual processing disorder, sensory integration disorder (SID), auditory processing disorder, all qualify under LD.

10. Multiple Disabilities. Must include another disability and also mental retardation.

11. Orthopedic Impairment: A child with Cerebral Palsy would qualify under this category.

12. Speech or Language Impairment. Includes delayed speech, communication disorder, language disorder such as dyslexia, receptive and expressive language disorder etc.

13. Traumatic Brain Injury: Any injury to the brain either at birth or when the child was older.

By understanding the 13 categories and what is required for each one, you will be able to be an informed advocate for your child. Children who need special education services and do not get them may have their lives ruined forever!

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2012年5月5日星期六

School Refusal Behavior and Special Education - Does Your Child Have It?

Do you have a child that receives special education services and seems reluctant to go to school? Do you have a child that comes home from school upset, and now is having physical or emotional symptoms, around school attendance? Would you like to know what symptoms may be associated with school refusal behavior? This article will help you understand possible signs and symptoms and also reasons that this may be occurring to your child.

School refusal behavior can happen at any age but the most common age that this occurs is between ages 10-13. Long term studies indicate that if this behavior is not addressed it could lead to serious problems such as academic regression, family conflict, and difficulties with peers.

Some of the common emotional symptoms are:

1. Depression

2. Fatigue and tiredness

3. Panic attacks

4. Social Anxiety

5. Worry

6. Aggression

7. Noncompliance and defiance

8. Refusal to get up in the morning

9. Running away from home or school

10. Crying and Temper Tantrums.

Some of the common physical symptoms are:

1. Diarrhea

2. Headaches/stomachaches

3. Nausea and Vomiting

4. Recurrent abdominal pain or other types of pain

5. Shaking

6. Sleep Problems

If your child has any of these signs and symptoms related to school attendance you need to get to the bottom of what is causing this school refusal behavior.

Below are a few reasons that your child may have developed this behavior:

1. To avoid academics that they cannot do! Many schools continue to give children with disabilities school work that is too hard for them. The child becomes anxious and may either develop negative behavior or school refusal behavior.

2. Your child may not be getting appropriate special education and related services that they need to benefit their education.

3. Your child may be experiencing issues with sensory integration difficulty, and may be sensory overloaded. Addressing these issues that occur in the classroom can be helpful.

4. The child may be being bullied at school by peers, and may not have told anyone. It is amazing to me the amount of children that are getting bullied at school nowadays. Some children are even going to the extraordinary and committing suicide due to the bullying. Check with your child and their friends to see if they are being picked on, perhaps due of their disability.

5. The child may be being bullied by a teacher or school personnel. A recent widely televised case occurred where a teacher beat up a child in the classroom, and the only way anyone knew about the incident is that another student video recorded, it with their cell phone. Parents need to visit their child's school unannounced and see what is truly going on in their child's classroom.

6. The child may have developed tangible rein forcers outside of the school such as sleeping late, watching television, or playing with friends.

How is the diagnosis made? There is a School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised that a professional can use to determine if your child has school refusal behavior. The scale has 24 questions which are easy to understand and quick to answer. For more information on this scale go to: http://www.jfponline.com/Pages.asp?AID=4322&UID

By having this scale filled out and trying to get to the bottom of what is causing this behavior, you will well be on your way to helping your child getting an appropriate education and being willing to go to school!

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2012年3月16日星期五

Special Education - How to Use an Independent Educational Evaluation to Benefit Your Child

Do you have a child with a learning disability or with autism that is

not making academic progress, even though they are getting special

education services? Would you like to know what educational and

related services your child needs in order to learn how to read, or do

other academics? This article will discuss what an Independent

Educational Evaluation (IEE) is, and how you can use one to benefit

your child with a disability.

The definition of an Independent Education Evaluation (IEE) is:

An independent educational evaluation is an evaluation conducted by a

qualified person, who does not work for the school district. Parents

of children with a disability often get IEE's so that they understand

what educational needs their child has and what services they require.

Most independent evaluations are parent initiated and paid for by the

parent.

Once you have decided to get an IEE, there are several things to

consider about the evaluator:

a. Make sure that they are qualified to perform the educational

evaluation. For Example: a registered Occupational Therapist could

conduct an Occupational Therapy evaluation. If sensory processing

disorder (used to be called sensory integration disorder) is an issue,

make sure that you find a registered Occupational Therapist who is

SIPT certified. If your child has autism, make sure the evaluator

specializes in educational evaluations for children with all types of

autism.

b. Whether this person is now, or ever has been an employee of

your school district. Talk to the person, and make sure that they do

not have a relationship with your school district. Be careful, even if

they used to work for another school district, make sure they are

truly independent, and willing to make recommendations for what your

child needs.

c. Make sure that the evaluator is willing to write a detailed

report, to include recommendations for related and educational

services. Ask the evaluator if they are willing to recommend specific

amount of minutes of service and specific methodology for educational

and related services. If they are not, consider going to a different

evaluator.

Once you have answered these questions, make an appointment and take

your child. Bring up any concerns that you have, and make sure that

you understand what tests will be conducted on your child. When the

report is finished, have the evaluator mail a copy to you. If you have

concerns about what is written, you may contact the evaluator and tell

them your concerns. Make sure recommendations are specific for

minutes, #of times per week, goals, methodology, etc.

Call the school district and set up an IEP meeting to discuss the

results of the IEE. If they request a copy up front, you can give it

to them. If possible, set up with the evaluator, a time that she or he

can participate in the IEP meeting by telephone. By having the

evaluator participate, special education personnel will have a harder

time not including the evaluators recommendations.

At the IEP meeting, if the school personnel will not put the

recommendations in your child's IEP, they must give you prior written

notice (PWN), as to why they are not willing to accept, the evaluators

recommendations. This notice must include the reason that they are not

accepting the recommendations, and what evaluations they are using to

refuse. If at the IEP meeting the school personnel do include the

recommendations, ask for reimbursement of the independent educational

evaluation.

An independent educational evaluation can be invaluable to your child.

By understanding what your child's educational and related needs are,

you may be a more effective advocate, for needed educational and

related services. If your child does not receive an appropriate

education their future may be in jeopardy!

JoAnn Collins is the parent of two adults with disabilities, has been an educational advocate for over 15 years, an author, as well as a speaker. JoAnn's recently released book: Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game helps parents develop skills to be an assertive and persistent advocate for their child. For more free articles, press release, upcoming speaking engagements, go to http://www.disabilitydeception.com Can be reached at Phone Number 815-932-9263

You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as you include my full signature file, and my Web site address in hyperlink for other sites. Please send a courtesy E-mail to JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com.

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2012年3月11日星期日

Special Education Acronyms - What Do All Those Letters Mean?

Do you sometimes wonder what some of the Acronyms in special education mean? Do the acronyms make your head spin? This article will discuss common special education acronyms and what they mean. This will make it easier for you to actively participate in your child with disabilities education.

1. FAPE: stands for Free Appropriate Public Education. Each child has the right under IDEA to receive a free appropriate public education.

2. IDEA: stands for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; which is the federal law that applies to special education.

3. IDEA 2004: This is the federal law that was reauthorized in 2004. If you see this in an article, it usually means that something was changed in IDEA, by the reauthorization in 2004.

4. LEA: stands for the local educational agency, which is your local school district.

5. SEA: stands for the state educational agency, which is your states board of education.

6. IEP: stands for the Individual Educational Plan, which must be developed for every child that receives special education services.

7. LRE: stands for Least Restrictive Environment. LRE means that children with disabilities need to be educated in the least restrictive environment, in which they can learn. LRE starts at the regular classroom, and becomes more restrictive.

8. NCLB: stands for the No Child Left Behind Act.

9. IEE's: stands for an Independent Educational Evaluation. These are initiated and paid for by parents, to help determine their child's disability or educational needs.

10. IEE's at Public Expense: stands for an IEE where the school district pays for it. There are rules that apply to this, that you must learn before requesting an IEE at public expense. Many special education personnel try and do things that are not allowed under IDEA, so you need to educate yourself.

11. ASD: stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder, which some school districts use in their paperwork.

12. ADD: stands for Attention Deficit Disorder.

13. ADHD: stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

14. PWN: stands for Prior Written Notice. Parents must be given PWN when the school district wants to change things in the child's IEP. (such as eligibility, change services, refuse to change services etc.).

15. ABA: stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis that is an educational treatment for Autism.

16. SID: stands for Sensory Integration Disorder. A lot of children with Autism have difficulty with sensory integration.

17. SPD: stands for Sensory Processing Disorder which is the same as above, but some people in the special education field, call it different names.

By understanding the acronyms used by special education personnel, you can be a better advocate for an appropriate education for your child.

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2012年2月6日星期一

5 Areas of Special Education Testing and Test Recommendations to Help Your Child

Do you have a child with autism or a learning disability that will be receiving special education testing from your school district's school psychologist? Would you like to know what areas should be covered, as well as a small list of tests, that may help determine your child's educational needs? Then this article is for you, because it will be discussing areas that children in special education need to be tested in, and particular tests that you could ask for.

Area 1 and test recommendations: Occupational Therapy: A VMI should be done on any child with fine motor issues. VMI stands for Visual Motor Integration and deals with eye hand coordination. A Bender Gestalt Visual-Motor Integration test or the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration could be used.

Also if your child has issues with sensory integration they should receive a Sensory Integration Praxis Test by a qualified Occupational Therapist who has successfully completed a USC/WPS Comprehensive Program on Sensory Integration.

Many school OT's are not specifically trained in the area of sensory integration, and cannot make a diagnosis of Sensory Integration Dysfunction. If you are offered a sensory profile for your child, say no and ask for a SIPT test by a qualified Occupational Therapist. The sensory profile is for screening only not as a diagnostic tool.

Area 2 and Test Recommendations: Speech and Language: CELF test is the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals and tests the child in all areas of language development. The areas of Receptive, Expressive, Language Structure, and memory are tested. The Goldman Fristoe test is used for articulation. Make sure that your child's language ability is tested not just their speech ability. Lack of language can affect your child's ability to learn to read.

Area 3 and Test Recommendations: Central Auditory Processing Disorder can affect children's ability to learn to read. The Reading Reflex can be used to determine an auditory processing deficit. The TOVA can also be used to help diagnose a central auditory processing disorder.

Area 4 and Test Recommendations: Testing for Dyslexia. Many children who struggle with reading have undiagnosed Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. Dyslexia results from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to the child's ability.

The CTOPP which is the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing can be used in this area. This test assesses phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming.

Other areas to be tested include letter knowledge, reading comprehension, reading fluency, and spelling. For these the Reading Comprehension subtest of the Wechler Individual Achievement Test could be used.

Area 5 and Test Recommendations: Every child with a disability should be tested for adaptive skills and functional skills. Many school districts us a Vineland to test for adaptive skills, which is appropriate for younger children. For older children over 11, I would recommend the Scale of Independent Behavior because it addresses adaptive areas, that apply to older children including job readiness.

The tests mentioned in this article are only recommendations. Check on the internet for other tests that may test the same areas. An independent evaluator can also help in this area, as they probably will be aware of different types of testing. Stand up for your child and make sure that every area of educational need is tested and educational services offered.

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special education system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com

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2012年2月5日星期日

Is There an Oversight That Autistic Children With a General Education May Experience Setbacks?

While many schools try to integrate children with learning challenges into the mainstream classroom, autistic children with a general education could experience setbacks because of the environment in school. A classroom not suited to autistic behaviors and teachers or students not understanding disorder characteristics could hinder the learning ability of an autistic student.

An inclusion school environment can be successful if teachers have experience and training in autistic education. Not having the proper training could lead to setbacks in an autistic child's verbal and nonverbal communication development, sensory processing, social interaction and imaginative or creative play.

Because autism affects non disordered pupils with habits stressful to others, teachers need to help all students adapt by using different techniques based on the needs of the autistic child. Because autistic children have habits, such as repetitive behavior or sudden outbursts for no reason, a classroom needs to be flexible in order to conform to an individual's learning needs and be capable of addressing behavioral issues in a calm and understanding, yet disciplinary, manner.

Mainstream schools with successful autism inclusion rely on visual aids, structure and routine to ensure that there are no setbacks later in life for an autistic student. In addition, by pairing an autistic child with a traditional student, an autistic student's socialization improves through peer interaction and anxiety is reduced. With a well rounded education, the autistic student will be able to conduct daily living needs and function in society as an adult.

While most people rely on two or three learning styles, autistic students use only one style of learning. Because autistic children have different learning styles than traditional students, a dual curriculum is necessary in certain general education areas. Otherwise, the autistic child will be unable to process the information being taught. Autistic children whose learning style is not being met can cause disruptive behavior, such as running around in the classroom or not listening to the teacher. In these situations, a classroom may not be suited for autistic learning.

If teaching styles in a mainstream school cannot be adapted, then a school that is tailored towards the autistic student is the best option. The school environment and teachings will be better geared to the student and there will be no issues with not understanding the behaviors of the disorder.

However, there are pros and cons when comparing an inclusion school to an autistic needs tailor made school. While autistic students can learn from other students, a general education could cause setbacks if educators fail to modify their teaching styles to accommodate autistic students. However, a school tailored only to autism shelters autistic children and prevents them from learning societal challenges among others without the disorder.

While the debate continues to ask whether a general education can cause setbacks, it is known that a proper education for an autistic student requires a nurturing environment that allows the individual to feel comfortable in learning. By doing so, autistic students will be able to find their talents and succeed in life.

It is critical, if there are any concerns, regarding your child with autism or signs of it, to get the information you need to help you understand the difference between general education for autistic children that they could experience setbacks. Isn't your child worth it? If so, Bonita Darula, at http://www.autismintoawareness.com can help you. I would highly recommend you visiting her website.

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2012年1月30日星期一

5 Effective Special Education Methodologies For Children With Autism

Do you have a child with autism, pervasive developmental disorder, or Aspergers Syndrome? Have you been searching for specific methodologies that could benefit your child's education? This article will discuss 5 that are proven to help children with autism learn.

Curricula that are used to teach children are required by law to be research based which means that they are proven to work to teach children. The problem is that many school districts are sticking to antiquated curricula and methodologies, rather than looking for research based ones.

Below is a list of 7 that you can ask for to benefit your child's education:

1. Applied Behavioral Analysis has been researched since 1987 and is proven to help children with disabilities learn. ABA is intense 1-1 from 25-40 hours per week. Children are taught skills in a simple step by step manner such as teaching colors one at a time. ABA is extremely expensive; between $35,000 and $50,000 per year. For maximum benefit the child should start as close to age 3 as possible and continue for at least 4 years. Many states are beginning to cover autism treatment, so check and see if your state is one of them.

2. Reading should be taught using a multisensory reading instruction that is Orton-Gillingham based. Make sure that any teacher that teaches your child has received the appropriate amount of training. Also make sure that they are giving your child direct instruction, for the amount of time that the reading system prescribes. Many school districts may use a good multisensory reading program, but do not train the teachers, and do not give the child direct instruction for the prescribed amount.

A few names of multi sensory reading programs are: the Barton Reading and Spelling System, Lindamood Bell system, and the Wilson reading program.

3. Social Skills can be taught by using the SOS system (Social Skills in School) by Dunn. Also Building Social relationships by Bellim, or Social Skills interactive software. A new method for teaching children how to develop relationships is called the Relationship Development Intervention.

4. For Central Auditory Processing disorder there are several effective methods available; Fast ForWord, Earrobics, and Berard Auditory Integration Training (called Berard AIT). Also make sure that the method used is used for the correct amount of time, or progress may be minimal.

5. For children with sensory integration disorder there is a program called the Alert Program: How Does Your Engine Run? Occupational therapy is also used for children with sensory integration dysfunction (SID-which most children with autism have). If your child is receiving occupational therapy for SID, make sure that the schools OT has the correct training, to deal with sensory integration issues. Ask for proof that they are SIPT qualified, before they are allowed to work with your child.

By knowing these 5 methodologies you will be well on your way to helping your child with autism learn. The internet can be used to find more information on those methods that you feel will help your child. Good Luck!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com

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