Ever since human beings appeared on this planet one thing has become indisputably evident: we are all different, special in our own individual way and there is not "one size fits all" reality. There has never been. Some of us just need a more specialized approach in order to bloom and put our talents and abilities to practice. So let's start talking about Special Education.
What does Special Education refer to?
Special education refers to a range of services that help kids with disabilities learn.It’s not a “one size fits all” approach — special education is tailored to meet the needs of individual kids.Kids who qualify for special education have an IEP (Individualized Education Program).
Special education refers to a range of services that can be provided in different ways and in different settings. There’s no “one size fits all” approach to special education. It’s tailored to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Special education focuses on helping kids with disabilities learn. But it doesn’t mean placing kids in a special classroom all day long. In fact, federal law says that kids who get special education services should learn in the same classrooms as other kids as much as possible. This is known as the least restrictive environment (or LRE).
The services and supports for one student may be very different from those of another student. It’s all about the individual child and giving them the resources they need to make progress in school.
For example, some students may spend most of the day in a general education classroom. Others may spend just an hour or two in a resource room working with a specialist. And others might need to attend a different school that specializes in teaching kids with learning disabilities.
Kids who qualify for special education have an Individualized Education Program(IEP). They get individualized teaching and other resources at no cost to their families. Specialists work with kids on strengths as well as challenges. And families are key members of the team that decides what kids need to thrive in school.
Who qualifies for Special Education?
Learners have always been different in the way they acquire knowedge and skills. Yet, under the umbrella term "Special Education", there are specific categories in order to include learners who face various types of physical/learning challenges.
1. Specific Learning Disability (SLD) The umbrella term “SLD” covers a specific group of learning challenges. These conditions affect a child’s ability to read, write, listen, speak, reason, or do math. Here’s what could fall in this category:
SLD is the most common category under IDEA. Most of the students who qualify, do so under this category.
2. Other health impairment The umbrella term “other health impairment” covers conditions that limit a child’s strength, energy, or alertness. One example is ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) which impacts attention and executive function .
3. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ASDis a developmental disability. It covers a wide range of symptoms, but it mainly affects a child’s social and communication skills. It can also impact behavior.
4. Emotional disturbance Various mental health issues can fall under the “emotional disturbance” category. They may include anxietydisorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. (Some of these may also be covered under “other health impairment.”)
5. Speech or language impairment This category covers difficulties with speech or anguage. A common example is stuttering. Other examples are trouble pronouncing words or making sounds with the voice. It also covers language problems that make it hard for kids to understand words or express themselves.
6. Visual impairment, including blindness A child who has eyesight problems is considered to have a visual impairment. This category includes both partial sight and blindness. If eyewear can correct a vision problem, then it doesn’t qualify.
7. Deafness Kids with a diagnosis of deafness fall under this category. These are kids who can’t hear most or all sounds, even with a hearing aid.
8. Hearing impairment The term “hearing impairment” refers to a hearing loss not covered by the definition of deafness. This type of loss can change over time. Being hard of hearing is not the same thing as having trouble with auditory or language processing.
9. Deaf-blindness Kids with a diagnosis of deaf-blindness have both severe hearing and vision loss. Their communication and other needs are so unique that programs for just the deaf or blind can’t meet them.
10. Orthopedic impairment An orthopedic impairment is when kids lack function or ability in their bodies. An example is cerebral palsy.
11. Intellectual disability Kids with this type of disability have below-average intellectual ability. They may also have poor communication, self-care, and social skills. Down syndrome is one example of an intellectual disability.
12. Traumatic brain injury This is a brain injury caused by an accident or some kind of physical force.
13. Multiple disabilities A child with multiple disabilities has more than one condition covered by IDEA. Having multiple issues creates educational needs that can’t be met in a program designed for any one disability.