Addressing Learners’

Individual Needs

Students Vary in Ability Students Vary in Ability and Disability:and Disability:• Exceptional learners (Special

Needs Learners): • abilities or disabilities that

distinguish them from other students

Learning Disability (LD): students with specific deficits in reading, math, writing, listening, and other abilities (organization, etc.)

“Definitions for disability categories change, in part, as a result of cultural perceptions of normalcy.”

Increased percentage of students participating in federal programs for students with disabilities — Fourteen (14) federal categories of disability: IDEA, Part BIDEA, Part B

• Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD/LD)• Speech or Language Impairments• Mental Retardation• Emotional Disturbance (EBD)• Multiple Disabilities• Hearing Impairments• Orthopedic Impairments• Other Health Impairments

(i.e.ADD/ADHD)• Visual Impairments• Autism• Deaf-blindness• Deafness• Traumatic Brain Injury• Development Delay (i.e. Children: ages 3-

9) (2004: U.S. Dept. of Education)

2. Lack of agreement regarding definition of learning disability (LD)

• Teachers - often recognize the possibility a learning disability

• Learning disabilities - most common disability– (ADHD) attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder (predominately hyperactive or inattentive)

– www.amenclinic.com (prescreening for ADD download for $29.99)

P.L. 95-561, Title XIV, sec. 902The term The term ““gifted and talented gifted and talented childrenchildren”” means children and, means children and, whenever applicable , youth, who whenever applicable , youth, who are identified at the preschool, are identified at the preschool, elementary, or secondary level as elementary, or secondary level as possessing demonstrated or possessing demonstrated or potential abilities that give potential abilities that give evidence of high performance evidence of high performance capability in areas such as capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, specific intellectual, creative, specific academic or leadership ability or academic or leadership ability or in the performing and visual arts in the performing and visual arts and who by reason thereof require and who by reason thereof require services or activities not ordinarily services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school.provided by the school.

C. Many forms of giftedness

1. Challenge through:• Enrichment• Acceleration• Novelty

2. Several forms of giftedness • Woolfolk’s definition of giftedness

as combination of:– above-average general ability– high creativity– high task commitment & motivation

• Approaches: accelerationself-directed or independent studyindividual education programs

(GSSP--special or magnet schoolsweekend and summer programs

What Are Special Education, What Are Special Education, Mainstreaming, and Inclusion?Mainstreaming, and Inclusion?

A. Special Education—Educational services to meet the needs

of exceptional students, ranging from special provisions made by regular teachers to around-the-clock care.

•Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) replaced PL 94-142 in 1990.

•Education for all Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) passed in 1975

•IDEA 97: Amendments to IDEA 90•IDEA 04: Reauthorization to IDEA 97

Mainstreaming

Inclusion

Full Inclusion

Special Education:

DefinitionsA. Mainstreaming— Process of

integrating students with disabilities into regular classrooms

B. Inclusion—integrates all students with disabilities into regular classrooms, with the support of special education services as necessary.

C. Full Inclusion—integration of students with disabilities in general education classrooms at all times regardless of the severity of the disability

A. Responsibility of teachers to create

“inclusive classrooms”

B. Collaborative consultation, an arrangement whereby regular classroom teachers collaborate with other education professionals to meet needs of exceptional students.

How Can You Teach All How Can You Teach All Learners in Your Learners in Your

Classroom?Classroom?

– Collaborative consultation based on mutuality and reciprocity. All participants assume responsibility for meeting students’ needs.

D.Assistive technologies and resources (e.g., speech synthesizers, television captioning, etc.) available to help exceptional students learn and communicate in “inclusive classrooms”-ABLEDATA.COM

C.Effective relationships with parents of exceptional students enable teachers to acquire valuable information and support.

Curriculum