Search

As the parent of a child who has or may have a disability, the federal and state laws give them certain rights--called procedural safeguards. If they would like a more detailed explanation of these rights, they should contact the principal of their child's school, a school administrator, their local special education director, or any of the resources listed on the last page of this notice of procedural safeguards (from this point forward referred to as the Notice). This Notice makes reference to the Division which means the Division of Special Education within the Indiana Department of Education (now called the Center for Exceptional Learners, Office of Special Education). (Contains 1 footnote.)

Response to intervention (RTI) can be both a system for providing early interventions to struggling students and a special education diagnostic tool for evaluating and identifying students with specific learning disabilities. Contributing to the very limited literature on state-level approaches, this report describes how nine states define and support RTI at the state level. Despite the growing attention, little has been published on the state-level approach to RTI. This report expands the limited research base by providing descriptive information on state-level RTI policies and procedures in nine states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington. While the focus is on West Region states: (Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah), RTI practices in five states outside the region (Arkansas, Illinois, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Washington) provide additional insights into state-level approaches to RTI. The study addresses the following research questions: (1) How is RTI defined in the nine study states, and how are RTI efforts supported at the state level? and (2) What considerations do state respondents report about developing state RTI policies and procedures, and how have their states addressed them? Four appendices are included: (1) Profiles of state approaches to response to intervention; (2) Data collection and study methods; (3) Interview protocol; and (4) Documentation review summary sheet. A list of 44 state-specific resources used in document review is also included. (Contains 4 tables, 10 notes, and 3 boxes.) [This report was prepared for the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences (IES) by Regional Educational Laboratory West administered by WestEd.]

In the 1930s, about 2% of San Francisco's children were diagnosed as intellectually disabled and placed in special education or institutionalized. Most of the children were of Italian descent. Teachers, physicians, psychologists and social workers authorized their placement in San Francisco's special education classes, specified the training that the children were to receive, and on occasion, referred children to Sonoma State Hospital for institutionalization. As professionals, they followed State mandates for compulsory education and were influenced by the prevailing philosophies of the time -- eugenics and social Darwinism. Pupils who fell behind in school were sent to a psychologist for individual testing; the child's 1916 Simon-Binet IQ test score was an important part of the diagnosis. The school psychologist, Olga Bridgeman and the head of special education, Louise Lombard had been trained to use the IQ test by Henry Goddard of Vineland School. The Sonoma State Hospital was headed by Fred Butler who took great pride in his sterilization program. A question asked in 1964 was where did they all go as adults? They were no longer considered intellectually disabled. A follow up study in 1984 partially answers that question.

This is a review of the literature that supports content-based language learning. The articles and books reviewed cover recent literature as well as a number of key contributions that date as far back as the late 1980s. There are many commonalities between the earlier works and those of more recent origins since the authors grapple with similar concepts. These early inquiries into content-based language learning offer insights and discuss educational benefits in the areas of learning strategies, thematic teaching, sheltered instruction, collaborative learning, use of comprehensible input and concept development. The foundational literature is preoccupied with identifying areas of interest, while the more contemporary resources approach these issues more pragmatically. More recent texts read as "how-to" manuals for the classroom teacher. A number of additional themes emerge within this body of literature. Common instructional strategies are repeatedly cited as sound practice for the content-based language learning classroom. The development and use of native language is seen as advantageous to both learner and teacher. The learner builds cognitive resources and gains cultural knowledge, while the teacher is able to activate prior learning and build background knowledge. Under the umbrella of comprehensible input, the use of appropriate materials and visuals, modified language and scaffolding are discussed. While commonalities do emerge, the field is divided regarding direct instruction. There are two distinct camps, where one calls for direct instruction in all aspects of language, e.g., vocabulary, structure and concepts, and the other posits that learners will acquire the language when actively engaged in learning the content. While the line between the two approaches has been drawn, both sides do agree that vocabulary development is key to content-based language learning and collaborative active learning is essential in building language and content knowledge.

"Learning disability" is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are: reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math. Following a brief story about a child with a learning disability, Sara's Story, this fact sheet presents information on the following: (1) What are Learning Disabilities?; (2) How Common are Learning Disabilities?; (3) What Are the Signs of a Learning Disability?; (4) About the Evaluation Process; (5) What if the School System Declines to Evaluate Your Child?; (6) The Individual's with Disabilities Education Act's (IDEA) Definition of Learning Disability (LD); (7) Additional Evaluation Procedures for LD; (8) What about School?; (9) What about Home?; (10) Tips for Teachers; and (11) Tips for Parents.

Dyslexia is a term that has been applied since the early part of the 20th Century to many students with reading difficulties. The term comes from medicine, but its broadest application is within education. Many educators, however, remain confused about the term in spite of the fact that major advances in the understanding of dyslexia have been made through scientific research over the past 40 years. The purpose of this technical assistance paper is to briefly describe what is currently known about dyslexia, focusing particularly on methods of early identification, prevention, and remedial instruction.

Students with specific learning disability ("SLD") account for approximately half of all students that districts have determined to be eligible for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA"). Since the late 1970s, the IDEA regulations have required states to use severe discrepancy--based on a comparison of the child's academic achievement, typically based on a standardized test, with the child's intellectual ability, typically based on an IQ test--as the primary but not exclusive criterion for determining SLD. The new regulations, issued in August 2006 to implement the 2004 amendments to the IDEA, provide significant changes in the determination of SLD eligibility. One of the new provisions concerns responsiveness to intervention ("RTI"), which is an alternate approach that starts with scientific, research-based instruction in general education and offers increasing levels of intervention based on continuous progress monitoring. Pending new state laws and published case law, this overview provides a user-friendly guide to the provisions in the 2004 amendments and the new IDEA regulations pertinent to SLD eligibility, including the role of RTI. (Contains 11 notes.) [This document was produced by the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities.]

Are students who attend full-day kindergarten better prepared for future academic success than their peers who attend half-day kindergarten programs? Much of the current research on full-day kindergarten programs suggests they are. Researchers cite gains such as increased academic achievement, lower grade retention rates, improved attendance, and improved social skills experienced by full-day kindergarten students at the end of the kindergarten year. This research has led to increased program and funding support by legislators around the country. Yet, there has been relatively little evaluation or discourse regarding the impact of full-day kindergarten on students' performance in subsequent grades. The research that has been conducted is far from conclusive. This Education Policy Brief will provide an update on full-day kindergarten in Indiana and examine what the existing, albeit limited, research says about the magnitude and duration of long-term benefits experienced by students who attend full-day kindergarten (FDK). (Contains 2 figures.) [This report was published by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, Indiana University.]

Model checking is a crucial part of any statistical analysis. As educators tie models for testing to cognitive theory of the domains, there is a natural tendency to represent participant proficiencies with latent variables representing the presence or absence of the knowledge, skills, and proficiencies to be tested (Mislevy, Almond, Yan, & Steinberg, 2001). Model checking for these models is not straightforward, mainly because traditional X[superscript 2]-type tests do not apply except for assessments with a small number of items. Williamson, Mislevy, and Almond (2000) note a lack of published diagnostic tools for these models. This paper suggests a number of graphics and statistics for diagnosing problems with models with discrete proficiency variables. A small diagnostic assessment first analyzed by Tatsuoka (1990) serves as a test bed for these tools. This work is a continuation of the recent work by Yan, Mislevy, and Almond (2003) on this data set. Two diagnostic tools that prove useful are Bayesian residual plots and an analog of the item characteristic curve (ICC) plots. An X[superscript 2]-type statistic based on the latter plot shows some promise, but more work is required to establish the null distribution of the statistic. On the basis of the identified problems with the model used by Mislevy (1995), the suggested diagnostics are helpful to hypothesize an improved model that seems to fit better. (Contains 5 tables and 12 figures.)

Indigenous engagement with vocational education and training (VET) has improved significantly, but successful Indigenous completion rates are lower nationally when compared to the overall population. This report, based on an action research project, examines intra-institutional factors at four Queensland TAFE (technical and further education) institutes to better understand and take action on issues affecting Indigenous completion rates. At policy level, the authors conclude mainstream programs require examination at three levels--intellectual, cultural and social--to develop effective responses to facilitate successful Indigenous completion rates. At organisation level, the authors recommend examination of organisational culture for consistency of values and beliefs, and practices in terms of content, teaching, support, and collaboration. Appended are: (1) Action research for change; (2) Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE case study; (3) Central Queensland Institute of TAFE case study; (4) Mt Isa Institute of TAFE case study; (5) Tropical North Queensland TAFE case study; and (6) Interview schedules. (Contains 7 tables.) [This study was made possible by the cooperation of the action research team members and management of the Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE, the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE, the Mt Isa Institute of TAFE and Tropical North Queensland TAFE.]

This paper is intended to promote discussion among professionals, policymakers, employers, parents, and individuals with disabilities concerning current and future challenges facing secondary education and transition services nationally. The issues identified and discussed should not, however, be viewed as inclusive of the full range of possible challenges needing to be addressed. This paper (1) presents findings from research identifying key issues influencing the implementation of federal legislation relating to transition services at state and local levels; (2) examines the impact of national organizations, government reports, policy groups, and the courts on secondary education and transition services; and (3) presents the major challenges that the Center must begin to address immediately. These challenges have broad implications for special education and its relationship with general education and community agencies and organizations responsible for supporting youth with disabilities as they make the transition from high school to postsecondary education, employment, and other aspects of adult life. [This paper is based, in part, on a synthesis of research funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to the National Transition Network at the University of Minnesota and prepared by the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition for Youth with Disabilities.]

Individuals traditionally have been diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by using a combination of rating scales of criteria that describe symptoms of the disorder and case histories. Cut-off points are suggested in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) for the number of criteria above which individuals are considered to have the disorder. An alternative approach would be to use Rasch scaling to determine the relative frequency of each behavioral symptom. The cut-off points used at the present time imply that the more symptoms an individual shows, the greater will be their impairment. The possibility that some of the criteria might be more indicative of the severity of impairment than other items and more predictive than others of learning difficulties of young children was explored in this study. Data came from schools that were part of a study of performance indicators in elementary schools in England. Participants were 1,821 children from 70 schools. Principal components analysis was used to explore in detail the separate dimensions of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The less frequently met items of the behavior rating scale did not appear to indicate a more severe level of impairment in terms of academic achievement . The total number of criteria met appeared to be more important than their frequency, and items related to inattention were more strongly related to achievement than criteria relating to hyperactivity/impulsivity. The highest correlation between behavior and achievement was found when a combination of a few behavior items were used. These items were within the attention subscale, but did not form a specific factor in the analysis. An appendix contains the Behavior Rating Scale used. (Contains 2 tables, 10 figures, and 19 references.) (Author/SLD)

At least 20 percent of students in the Baltimore City Public Schools and other large urban districts are "invisible dyslexics" (children whose academic futures are doomed because their problems in learning to read are diagnosed too late and treated too little or not diagnosed and treated at all). Delay in early diagnosis and treatment has disastrous academic consequences. Baltimore City's flawed system reflects another discrimination in diagnosing and treating early reading difficulties: under special education laws, children must present a large discrepancy between measured intelligence and reading achievement in order to be entitled to special instruction. Children with low IQ scores are much less likely to receive help for similar reading difficulties. This report, based on an analysis of research and practice literature on early reading difficulties and on interviews with researchers and practitioners, recommends specific steps to uproot and remedy this hidden discrimination against poor and minority children. It examines research that overturns long-held beliefs about the causes and cures of reading difficulties and highlights the reasons educators have been slow to respond to the new research consensus (e.g., lack of teacher training and awareness, low expectations, and lack of money for early intervention in impoverished districts). After summarizing the budding evidence on best practices in early identification and intervention beginning in kindergarten, the report illustrates the plight of invisible dyslexics and calls for national, state, and local action. (Contains 48 endnotes.) (SM)

This paper first offers a rationale for the construction of a protocol for school-based assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and then presents a proposed diagnostic procedure. Guidelines were developed in the context of the definitional language regarding ADHD from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition as well as recommendations regarding the evaluation of ADHD made by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the National Institutes of Health. To effect a more comprehensive and systemic process, the proposed process is both "multi-source" and "multi-modal." The six components of the assessment process are: (1) a thorough review of the child's school records; (2) a complete developmental questionnaire and social-history form completed by the parent; (3) a review of medical records, a general measure of cognition, and an interview with the child; (4) a series of four behavioral observations of the child in various settings; (5) completion of the Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale; and (6) and completion of the "Components of ADHD Assessment Summary Sheet." Data on application of the protocol in the Bethlehem (New York) Central School District are summarized and implementation guidelines are offered. (Contains 18 references.) (DB)

In the rush to implement world-class standards supported by systems of accountability in public schools, education leaders have compromised the educational future of Hispanic students by making high-stakes decisions based on inaccurate and inadequate testing information. State policies often require that Hispanic students be assessed in English with tests they don't understand or in Spanish with alternative but less rigorous tests, whether or not they are receiving instruction in Spanish. Neither approach produces accurate information about student learning, but the results are often used to hold students, rather than educators or the public school systems accountable. Where exemptions from testing exist, Hispanics disappear from accountability systems. This report aims to bring attention to the growing crisis of "invisible" Hispanic students and provide guidance on rectifying the conditions that allow Hispanic students to be wrongly measured and unaccounted for in their own schools. Chapters cover: (1) basic questions about cultural and linguistic influences on test scores; (2) historical context of educational and psychometric testing of linguistic and cultural minority groups; (3) standards for educational and psychological testing and Office for Civil Rights guidelines; (4) six sources of test bias with Hispanic test-takers; (5) Hispanic performance on achievement tests and efforts by the National Research Council to address the testing of English language learners; (6) diagnostic testing for special education; (7) other types of testing; and (8) a summary of 7 options for the testing of Hispanic children, followed by 18 recommendations to the Office for Civil Rights, educators, and researchers. An appendix contains standards for testing individuals of diverse linguistic backgrounds. (Contains approximately 180 references.) (SV)

Nonverbal learning disorders are less common than the typical language-based learning disabilities identified by school staff. Appropriate intervention is highly dependent on the accurate diagnosis of this disorder. Emphasis on performance and behavior management often obscures the etiology of a child's difficulties and leads to ineffective treatment approaches. The differential diagnosis can be confusing. As a result, many children do not receive adequate intervention and teachers are unable to develop appropriate techniques for their education and management. It is important to understand the cognitive, academic, and neuropsychological characteristics of students with non-verbal learning disorders and how these attributes translate into behavior and performance in the classroom. The focus of this paper is to clarify the diagnosis of nonverbal learning disorders, differentiate them from other learning disorders, and introduce effective educational intervention strategies. The acquisition of this knowledge will enable school psychologists, teachers, parents, and clinicians to understand the characteristics of a child with a nonverbal learning disorder, identify these children earlier, and initiate effective remedial programs. (Author/JDM)

This paper reviews issues surrounding Hispanic students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Research indicates that Hispanic deaf and hard of hearing students generally have lower academic success than their deaf or hearing peers. In addition, they are more likely to drop out of school or be tracked into vocational programs and less likely to attend college. The most prominent characteristic of Hispanic deaf students is language option and choice. Language options include spoken English or Spanish, various sign languages, or an invented system of home signs. Cultural considerations are also important. Hispanics are family-oriented, mothers and fathers often follow traditional roles, and strong religious beliefs may influence family attitudes toward disabilities. Evaluation teams must collect sufficient data on the student's language use at home to ensure learning in school. The evaluation team should include family members, an audiologist, a speech-language pathologist, an ESL/bilingual teacher, a teacher of the deaf, a general educator, Spanish and sign language interpreters, and paraprofessionals. School personnel must encourage families to participate and take specific steps to avoid communication barriers and breakdowns. A comprehensive naturalistic assessment will provide a wealth of information for academic placement and social support. Rural school districts may pool resources to form a regional assessment team and regional learning centers. (Contains 19 references.) (SV)

This report quantitatively shows the progress of students in the area of general education development at College of DuPage (Illinois). The aims of general education are to promote students' understanding and appreciation of their culture and environment; to develop a system of personal values based on accepted ethics that lead to civic and social responsibility; and to attain skills in analysis, communication, and quantification, leading to development of lifelong learning. In response to assessment challenges, and to provide a means of comparison, the college randomly selected students to take one of the six College Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) area tests. A total of 1154 tests were administered to students at the beginning and towards the end of their studies. Slightly more than half of the examinees identified themselves as female, 76 percent were enrolled full-time, and roughly half of the students indicated that their primary goal was transferring to a four year university. Compared with national community college norms, the freshman appeared to be significantly higher in general education skills of essay writing and mathematics, but no different in writing, reading, critical thinking and science reasoning skills. DuPage sophomore students score significantly higher in mathematics and science reasoning but lower in reading than community college students nationally. Statistical tables and test models are included. (AF)

As the population of minority pupils continues to increase, the need for special education personnel to identify and educate culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students will also rise. Continuing shortages of qualified personnel in special education have been declared a national emergency, with "diagnostic staff" ranked as the fourth highest area of need. Shortages are particularly severe along the Texas-Mexico border, where a 1997 needs assessment predicted a need for 41 diagnosticians, preferably bilingual, within the ensuing 5 years. This paper describes initial steps in the development of Project DEED (Distance Education for Educational Diagnosticians), a federally funded distance learning program to provide courses in special educational diagnostics to rural border communities far from higher education institutions. The closing of one of the four university-based special education programs in the south Texas border corridor exacerbated an already serious situation. At about the same time, T-1 fiber optic telephone lines were extended to all rural schools in the area. This, coupled with other technological advances, made it feasible to offer multimedia-based presentations accompanied by videoconferencing. Steps in program development included choosing software, establishing 8-10 distal sites, acquiring sufficient space to accommodate hardware and work space, building technological infrastructure, developing staff within a team approach model, keeping costs down, and selecting each distal-based cohort. Contains 26 references. (SV)