Running Head: DISABILITY CATEGORIES & INTERVENTIONS 1

Characteristics of Specific Learning Disabilities and ADHD & ADHD with Inattention

Dora Barnes

Alliant International University

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Table of Contents

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)...3

Defining Specific Learning Disabilities...3

Types of Specific Learning Disabilities...4

Visual Perceptual Deficits....4

Differentiated Instruction and Interventions6

Auditory Processing Deficits...8

Differentiated Instruction and Interventions9

Spatial Awareness Deficits....11

Differentiated Instruction and Interventions..13

Memory Deficits15

Differentiated Instruction and Interventions..16

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)......17

ADHD (3 Types)........................................................................................17

Differentiated Instruction and Interventions for ADHD18

Differentiated Instruction and Intervention for ADHD with

Inattention..18

Differentiated Instruction and Interventions for ADHD combined

types...18

An Understanding of ADHD Medication..17

References..21

Glossary.24

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In a racially segregated educational system students were limited and their educational

success was hindered. Although it was proposed that separate educations for different races were

equal, it was not found to be equal. Instead, constitutional rights were being violated for those

students in non-white schools. Segregated schools denied students of color equal protection

guaranteed to them by the United States Constitution. As a result of this the Brown vs Board of

Education case, schools were desegregated and students were no longer denied enrollment based

on discriminatory actions based on color.

Students with disabilities were still discriminated against. They were denied enrollment

in neighborhood schools and often sent to schools that would charge for education. It took

another 20 years for this ground breaking decision to carryover to students with disabilities. In

1975 President Ford signed a law that would change the lives of students with disabilities. The

law stated that each school receiving federal support must provide students with disabilities a

free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. It is important to place

students in the least restrictive environment as possible to give them ample opportunities for

exposure to mainstream curriculum, electives and social situations. A more restrictive

environment would not allow students with disabilities access to general education. The law is

now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Legal Definition of Specific Learning Disabilities

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act defines a specific learning disability as a

disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in

using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen,

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think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations . This term includes perceptual

disabilities, minimal brain dysfunction, brain injury, dyslexia and developmental aphasia. This

term does not include learning difficulties as a result of visual, motor or visual disabilities. Nor

does it include mental retardation, cultural or economic disadvantages, emotionally disturbed or

culturally disadvantaged (IDEA, 2004).

Prevalence of Specific Learning Disabilities

The US Department of Education reports that students with Specific Learning Disabilities

comprise 43% of students receiving special education services (Turnbull, 2013). Males make up

67% , while females only make up 33% of the special education population according to the U.S.

Department of Education. Specific Learning Disabled make up the highest percent of students in

the total population of students receiving special educational services. This is most likely the

reason it is not considered a low incident disability. Intellectual disabilities, previously known as

Mentally Retarded, is a fairly low incident disability only affecting every 1 in 700 births.

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities can exhibit average to high average

intelligence and may have difficulties with memory, reading and math. Reading is a challenge for

students with dyslexia. Dyslexia is a severe reading disorder. A students executive skills or their

self-management skills can be affected by this disability.

Visual Perceptual Deficits

Each day we read material printed on traffic signs, emails, posters, correspondence and

even text messages. For some of us, reading comes natural and has no stressful strings attached.

Unfortunately, for children with visual perceptual deficits, reading is a challenge. In order to give

describe the deficits related to this disability, I will detail the ability.

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Visual Perception is the ability to demonstrate age appropriate motor skills. An individual

with good visual perception abilities can correctly reproduce numbers and letters without

reversing them. The ability to identify ones position in time and space is a mark of perceptual

skills. Imitation of dance routines, skipping or jumping is not difficult for someone without a

deficit. Visual recall occurs with brief exposure to stimuli. Recall and recognition of objects and

words are consistent from day to day. Now use the previous information presented as attributes

and insert the words has difficulties. Not only will a visual perception deficit have an impact

on learning, it will have an impact on a students quality of life.

Impact on Learning

Students with visual perception deficits tend to have poor reading skills, writing skills

and coordination. Assessment results are inconsistent if questions need to be explained in writing

or if letter reversals result in a lower grade on a spelling test. Due to poor visual memory, these

students find it difficult to remember a vocabulary or spelling word that they were recently

working diligently to master. Students with visual perceptual deficits may find penmanship

daunting because they are unaware of their position in space. Their deficits cause them to write

outside the lines and misjudge the size of their characters.

Poor reading skills are another result of visual perception deficits. Reading involves rapid

recall of symbols and an associated sound. Students with visual perception deficits need longer

exposure to each symbol in order to read printed text. These decoding delays leave very little

mental capacity for comprehension. The student may read the text eventually, yet they are unable

to retell what they have read. Most assessments are printed and involve reading to find the best

answers. By the time the student reads the answer choices, he or she may have no memory of the

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question. Even a math test, which involve little to no reading, can be difficult to complete

without reviewing for number reversals.

Visual perception deficits are also characterized by a lack of coordination. These students

tend to be the last ones chosen for the team because they cannot imitate the movements of their

peers. Gross motor skills are not typically taught in the classroom; however, there are learning

opportunities in physical activities.

Methods to Differentiate Instruction

Providing enlarged printed materials can assist with clarity of symbols and allow for

more accurate recognition. Allow students extra time when materials cannot be enlarged. In this

case the student should be provided an individual copy because the work involved in copying or

reading small print leaves very little room for contemplating an appropriate response. Teacher

assessment answer choices should be brief. Avoid placing too much information on one page.

Pages should present information in small chunks so that it is not overwhelming. Instructions

need to be read aloud whenever possible. During independent reading sessions, students with

perceptual deficits need to read to a partner or a teacher. Reading aloud will enhance

comprehension skills. Reading a page with several words can be distracting. The use of a piece

of paper with a window cut out will allow students to track their reading without becoming

overstimulated by the other words on a page.

Writing assignments can be differentiated using different writing tools to accommodate

for visual inaccuracies. It is encouraged to provide writing paper with physical cues like raised

lines can provide structure for a struggling writer. The raised lines on this type of paper remind

students of boundaries that they may not be aware of due to visual perception deficits. Another

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type of writing tool would include visual cues like highlighted lines that distinguish uppercase

and lowercase letters. It is important to introduce and practice proper use of special writing paper

in order for the student to be successful. During math assignments, fold the paper into individual

boxes and instruct students to work on one box at a time. Allow students with visual perceptions

issues to orally answer assessments, thereby establishing a more accurate picture of their

understanding of the subject matter.

The method in which the teacher delivers instructions is also important for the academic

success of students with visual perception issues. Teachers should never force students to rely

only on gaining information through their weakest skill or ability. Information should always be

presented in more than one way. Information written on the board should be read aloud. Teachers

must be familiar with the abilities of their students in order to engage as many of them as

possible.

Therapeutic Interventions

Behavioral, optometric and educational therapy interventions are available for visual

perception deficits. Behavioral therapy involves specific eye movements or exercises to improve

visual acuity. This type of therapy has not been proven to improve attentions span nor the way

the brain processes information.

Optometric visual therapy can help with visual aligning. It does not help with processing

difficulties. Like behavioral therapy, it involves improving the muscle coordination associated

with the eyes. Last, but not least, educational therapy involves teaching students strategies to

avoid frustration and maximize success. Occupational therapist can orchestrate most of these

interventions and will be a valuable member of the IEP team.

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Auditory Processing Deficits

When dealing with the issue of Auditory Processing Disorders (APD), the first thing one

must understand is that there is no one single agreed upon definition among medical

professionals and researchers. But in general, APD is a neurological defect that affects how we

process spoken language and some auditable cues(Moore, 2009). Children suffering with this

disorder have a difficult time in not only filtering out background noise (concentrating), but also

in following instructions given to them in the classroom and other environments(Moore, 2009).

Although there is no single agreed upon definition, there are certain characteristics that one

would exhibit, such as a noticeable break down in receiving, remembering, understanding, and

using auditory information. But the root cause of this breakdown must be neurologically based

(not emotional), and their hearing (physical ability to hear) is not a factor. Meaning that the

primary issue is the childs ability to listen, not hear(Moore, 2009).

Characteristics of Auditory Processing Disorders

Children with APD will often display some of the same types of behavioral issues and

patterns as children with ADD. (Gillingham, 2001) But utilizing intervention techniques usually

appropriate for children with ADD will not be very effective when used for children suffering

from issues related to APD. Before we begin to discuss intervention strategies that might be

useful in dealing with a child suffering with APD or addressing coping mechanisms that child

might employ to help them better function day-to-day we need to discuss how to properly

identify that the child is dealing with APD and not certain emotional issues that display

symptoms that at times resemble characteristics of APD.

First, when you have a child that is suspected as suffering from APD you need to observe

them in multiple environments if possible, as well as interview each person on the IEP team (if

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available). Then based on your observations and on the observations made by those members of

the IEP team, youll look for answers to the following questions: Does the child exhibit poor

listening skills or abilities during certain parts of the day or during certain activities or stimuli

(Gillingham, 2001)? Does the child frequently mishear or misunderstand questions or answers to

one he or she had asked? Does the child fail to follow directions, or carries them out as if they

misunderstood them? Do they have problems or exhibit difficulties in following oral messages

or conversations, even those in which the child should be interested in? Does background noise

unreasonably distract or annoy the child (Gillingham,2001)? Does the child have difficulty in

remembering multistep instructions, even relatively simple one? Along with all the questions,

you may also notice that the child often appears to be disorganized and messy in their ability to

keep notes, homework and even their desk.

Please keep in mind that a positive answer to any or even a few of the afore-mentioned

questions does not necessarily mean that the child suffers from APD. But, instead, see each

positive or negative answer as being a flag of sorts. These flags are intended to alert you to

the possibility of the child suffering from APD. They may also help you and the rest of the IEP

team recognize other issues, whether emotional or neurological in nature, that the child might

suffering from.

Some of the first people of the IEP team that you should interview are the childs

parent(s), and former teachers. If the child is suffering from APD you will frequently find that

the child exhibits pronunciation problems or delayed speech issues over a long period-of-time. If

you noticed that the childs vocabulary acquisition was lagging and teachers and parents will

often state that the child seems to have difficulty finding the right words. Many of the

sufferers of APD had difficulties in learning rudimentary concepts, like colors, numbers or the

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calendar. And as indicated above, the child has shown that they have a difficult time following

directions, staying focused and even in maintaining interpersonal relationships.

At first physical development, may not seem to be related, but youll often find that the

child was slow to develop fine motor skills, and is often seen as clumsy or accident prone. They

are often ignorant of their physical surrounding and will rely heavily on memory techniques to

help them get by. As the child ages, APD begins in affect others aspects of the childs life.

They become known as being socially awkward and often misinterpret body language and cues.

This will often make them appear as loners as the world now no longer sees the childs

behavior as cute or childish, but strange and unacceptable.

Interventions

Now that weve discussed how to recognize APD, lets look at how we can deal with it.

There are several approaches that might be effective in helping the child deal with APD, though

the titles or categories are universally applicable, they should be tailored to the child specifics

age (physical, educational and emotional). Often, youll find that approaching the challenge of

APD from multiple angles or intervention strategies will often yield the most notable and lasting

effects.

Speech therapy is a common first stop for those looking to help children dealing with

APD, as a qualified speech coach will help the child correct the speech deficits. Auditory

training therapy (sometimes called auditory integration therapy) is another type of treatment for

children with auditory processing disorders, sometimes seen as being alternative and outside

conventional techniques(Celesia, 2013). These auditory training programs are designed to

improve listening comprehension through various activities or games.

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Within the IEP, you should strive in intertwine these games into the lessons so that

learning continues to be the main objective and that educational delays are lessened. There are

now technological aides that may also be of some benefit, such as hearing aids that specifically

block out ambient noises and allow the child to more easily focus on the teacher during

classroom time.

There are also other alternative techniques that may prove useful, such as meditation

and conditioning. Meditation can sometimes help the child learn to focus better, while tone

conditioning can help the child develop certain habits based on sounds heard even on the

subliminal level that may help the child feel less stressed and more in control of their own mind

and body(Celesia, 2013). Please understand that those techniques noted as being alternative

only means that these methods may not be widely acceptable or cannon, and there may only be

limited research showing positive results however extreme or marginal.

Spatial Awareness Deficits

Spatial Awareness is the ability to distinguish distance, volume and the physical interaction of

objects or one's body parts in a specific space. Spatial awareness deficits are characterized by the

inability to judge the distance between objects in relationship to one another. For example, if a

student with spatial awareness deficits is playing catch with a friend, it may be demanding for

the student to determine whether to move closer or step back in order to catch the ball. Another

physical characteristic of Spatial Awareness deficits is bumping into objects or people due to

poor awareness of proximity. A crowded space may be difficult to navigate especially if rushed

for time. Those demonstrating visual deficits will appear uncoordinated and have difficulties

reproducing a dance routine after watching others perform. As students age, spatial awareness

deficits can affect driving skills necessary to judge safely merging into traffic, parking between

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cars and even remaining in their own lane.

Impact on Learning

Spatial Awareness deficits can negatively affect a student's reading and math

achievements. In reading, students may have trouble making sense of letters (Kelly, 2014).

Single letters, words and sentences maybe hard to read when the space between them are

misunderstood. If words seem to form a continuous string or sentences appear to be a collection

of individual letters, reading can become daunting. Reading a letter or number backwards or

upside down can change the meaning of the word or problem. Writing assignments using pencil

and paper may also pose a problem. Motor planning is the ability to judge whether a letter or

number will be large enough to reach the top line or long enough to extend past the bottom line is

a tricky skill. Without visual cues the student's penmanship will suffer.

Spatial Awareness deficits can effect math scores if a division, addition, subtraction or

multiplication problem is not properly lined up (Kelly, 2014). For example, it is important to line

up a double digit multiplication problem; if this step is performed improperly the first portion of

the problem will be incorrectly calculated. Once the top portion of the problem is incorrect, the

addition problem to follow will also be incorrect. Students with spatial perception deficits may

also confuse the direction in which to calculate a math problem. They may start forget to start on

the right and move towards the left, which would not be the proper sequence.

Mathematical measurements of volume, number of surfaces and comparing distances can

also be challenging. Estimation skills will be compromised when ask to guess how many marbles

can one jar hold. Jigsaw puzzles and visual puzzles maybe arduous to reproduce for a student

with spatial awareness deficits. The mental manipulation of objects like cubes and prisms can be

strenuous to perform without purposeful practice. For a student with spatial awareness deficits,

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cutting on the line means judging distances between the blades and the line.

Differentiated Instructional Strategies

Instructional strategies to support reading and writing deficits should include using graph

paper when writing. The graph paper will distinguish each letter and a space can be provided

between words. This will visually help the student to understand and recognize the difference

between single letters and words. Paper with raised lines can provide barriers and reminders to

stay within the borders while writing. Some students may even benefit from paper with bright

colors. For example, there would be a yellow highlight between the bottom and the middle line.

Most of the lowercase letters will be written on the highlighted portion. Students must be

instructed on proper placement of letters and numbers before beginning assignments. You can

also allow students to use a word processor when appropriate. Word processing will remind the

student of errors in sentences and words. It will also give the student some time to think critically

about the task at hand instead of their penmanship.

Instructional strategies to support math challenges should also include graph paper. Graph

paper is especially useful for computations. If lined up within the boxes of the graph paper the

likelihood of miscalculations will dramatically decrease. Students should be instructed to only

place one number per box and should be given ample time to practice positioning problems

correctly.

In order to adjust for sequencing issues place an arrow on the student's desk (Harwell &

Jackson, 2014). Make a blue arrow pointing to the left and label it math. Make a green arrow

pointing right and label it read. Engage in activities that ask students to use their right and their

left. Simon Says or Teacher Says games are fun ways to review right and left body parts or

directions.

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Introduce students to tangrams. Tangrams are different shapes that arrange in a particular

fashion to resemble something like a boat or a rabbit. Exploring with tangrams will help improve

mental planning and spatial relationships (Kelly, 2014).

Therapeutic Interventions

One of the first suggestions given to improve a child's spatial awareness is physical

contact with 3-D objects. Babies spend a lot of time exploring and touching objects, by nine

months some babies have the ability to rotate objects in their mind, while others without real

world experiences are lagging behind (Dewar, 2016). Students should be given ample

opportunities to touch, explore and create three dimensional figures.

The second therapeutic intervention involves engaging students in spatial conversations.

Ask questions about everyday situations that involve spatial relationships (Dewar, 2016). How

many kids can one bus seat hold? What is the best arrangement for tables in the classroom? How

much room is needed between desks for passing purposes? Questions like these spark spatial

awareness conversations and students began to think critically about space. Use spatial

relationship language or terminology such as over, under, corners, bend, cube and prism.

The third therapeutic intervention involves challenging the student to match a design or

structure. As the student attempts to recreate the structure or design, spatial awareness skills will

be employed and practiced. Research has proven marked improvements in these skills after five

30 minutes sessions. Building is exciting and they won't realize they are learning new skills.

Another therapeutic intervention to assist with orientation of surroundings is to practice

using visual cues to help familiarize different areas, whether at school or in the community.

Instruct the student to create a map of the classroom, playground or neighborhood (Harwell &

Jackson, 2014). The addition of landmarks or other objects will help the student orient

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themselves to their environment.

Memory Deficits

Memory is the key to learning new concepts and recalling them when necessary. The World

Book Encyclopedia defines memory as the ability to remember something that has been learned

or experienced(Loftus, 2010). Typically children with memory deficits rarely complain about

memory problems likely acquired in infancy because unlike adults, children do not recognize the

signs of failing memory. Unlike adults they have nothing to compare to. Adults with memory

deficits recognize that their memory is not what it once was.

Parents and teachers usually notice characteristics and symptoms of memory deficits.

One characteristic of a memory deficit is having difficulties remembering the sequence of

directions given. When given more than one instruction, the child may only recall the first or the

last set of instructions. They will often confuse the sequence of instructions.

Another characteristic of an individual with memory deficits is the presence of poor

receptive and expressive language skills. Receptive language is the ability to understand and

comprehend what others are saying, while expressive language is an individuals ability to convey

a point or idea through language (Watson, 2015). Individuals with memory deficits tend to make

the same mistakes because they do not remember their previous actions.

A possible cause of memory deficits is damage to areas of the brain associated with

memory, tumors, atrophy, inflammation, epilepsy and cerebral hemorrhage (Baddeley, Kopelman

& Wilson, 2004). In some cases where there no documented neurological history then

psychological issues may be to blame. Children suffering from anxiety and/or depression are

noticeably distracted and preoccupied. If psychological issues go untreated then learning can be

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delayed and they may frequently forget things they have been taught. Another possible cause of

memory deficits is Post Traumatic Stress disorder. The age in which the memory deficits are

acquired is vital to understanding the specific needs of the individual.

Impact On Learning

Studies have shown a correlation between working memory and overall academic success

(Vanderlaan, 2012). Teaching students with memory deficits means that the educator has to keep

in mind that often times teaching foundational concepts will prove to be a challenge. This is

because the students will have difficulties in remembering portions of the lessons taught forcing

the educator to continually review and check for understanding. Most educators recognize that

educational concepts are taught to students in pieces and at the end of a series of lessons the

student can gather and assemble the pieces to obtain the educational goal. Students with memory

deficits find that at the end of the lesson their picture is incomplete.

A student with a memory deficit may become frustrated because they are not learning at

the same speed as their peers. Therefore, not only will their academics suffer, so will their

behavior. In the attempt to avoid embarrassment, students may misbehave.

Methods of Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instructions for students with memory deficits should include written and

verbal instructions. Instructions given should be repeated before proceeding. Numbering

instructions can allow students to count the number of steps completed to check for possible

missing steps.

Presenting small chunks of information is essential to assisting students with long term

retention. A brief introduction of prerequisite skills should take place before each lesson to

ensure that certain skills were not forgotten. For example, if a teacher was to teach prime and

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composite numbers, they should review for knowledge of multiplication facts.

Repetition and rehearsal is another strategy for improving the memory of students with

deficits. It is important to repeat and rehearse in surroundings similar to what the student will

actually encounter. If the student is learning to play baseball, practice or rehearsal should take

place on a baseball field. This will help build muscle memory. The brain will associate a certain

environment with certain actions.

Therapeutic Interventions

Mnemonic devices can help a child with memory deficits. An acronym is an example of a

mnemonic device that can help students remember things like the order of colors in the rainbow

(RG BIV) or the five great lakes (HOMES). Each letter represents a word and helps to reinforce

a concept or idea being studied. Rhymes like when two vowels go walking, the first one does

the talking is another way to remember important information.

Another therapeutic intervention is the key word strategy. By matching key words with

pictures it allows the brain a backup source. The word is written and pictures are included which

satisfies visual needs, while saying the words satisfies auditory needs.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

There are three types of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The first type is

predominantly inattentive. The second is predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and is less

common than the predominantly inattentive form. The third is a combination of the first and

second types. Individuals with the predominantly inattentive type often forget details from their

daily schedule and may appear disorganized (McClure, 2008). Individuals with type one may

have a difficult time completing tasks and a hard time following directions. They are easily

distracted during conversations or lectures.

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An individual with the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type will exhibit the

inability to sit still. Instead they will want to be in motion during most of their day. They may

grab things from others, blurt out answers or interrupt while others are still speaking. Those with

this type of disorder have difficulties creating reason or logic through self-talk and frequently act

without thinking (Kuts18cher, 2006). They may talk excessively and have a difficult time

waiting their turn. It is more difficult for them to wait their turns because they experience a poor

sense of time. Time can lapse extremely slow or extremely rapid. The ability to learn from past

mistakes or hindsight is less likely to be employed by individuals with predominantly

hyperactive- impulsive disorder. Often they will continue to repeat the same mistakes time and

time again. An individual with the third type will equally exhibit the characteristics of both type

one and type two. The combined type of ADHD is the most common form (Kutscher, 2006).

Causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are not known and affects about 6%

of the population. However, there is a prevalence of the disorder among offspring of parents who

exhibit the symptoms described above. There is also a link between ADHD and low birth weight

in newborns. Other biological factors can include chemical imbalances, lead poisoning and

neurological issues (Cates, Harvey, Olson & McCormick, 2005). Studies have found gender and

ethnicity factors with related data evident of higher rates of ADHD in certain groups. For

instance, boys are more likely than girls to be identified as ADHD. African Americans are more

likely than Caucasians or Latinos to be identified with ADHD.

Teachers participating in this study believed that the best intervention was behavior management

and medication(Cates, Harvey, Olson & McCormick, 2005).

Differentiated instruction

Educators should instruct students with ADHD to clear their desk of all distractions

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before beginning a lesson or giving instructions. Material presented needs to grab and maintain

the audience. It should be stimulating and relevant in order to keep the students engaged

(Kutscher, 2006). Chunk information and work given as well as directions to ensure the learner

has time to process. Then you should check for comprehension by reviewing key points or ideas.

Use highlighters or colored pencils to mark key points in text whenever possible.

Another strategy for improving the overall academic success of students with ADHD is

teaching organizational skills. Use a daily planner and check it often (Kutscher, 2006). Plan for

daily recording. For instance, try first thing in the morning or before dismissal. Avoid rushing

students because students with ADHD will simple fail to record important notes and become

distracted by the next part of their schedule. Teach self-monitoring skills. Students should be

provided calendars in order to mark of days as they pass. This will help them to visually prepare

of tomorrows activities and structure their thoughts accordingly. Be sure to have important

school wide events listed.

During test allow students to cross-out wrong answers so that they do not spend extra

time on wrong answers. Teach good test taking strategies like elimination, thoroughly reading

each question/answer, and carefully change answers if needed. Some answers may seem the

same so teach students to record the best answer and not so much the right answer. Consider

pretesting students to determine which concepts may need to be reviewed. This also gives the

student time to reflect on the aspects of the test he or she is most unfamiliar with.

Use timers for work sessions or subjects. Timers help students to adjust the speed in

which they are completing a task. Remember that most have a poor concept of lapsed time. Set

guidelines for late work that coincides with the desired outcome for each student. If the

deduction of points does not motivate the student to turn in work on time then try another

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method.

Medical Treatment for ADHD

Medication as a treatment for this disorder is available. Not all are in agreement with the

side effects, monitoring or prescribing of medication by doctors. There is concern that the

medical professionals are failing to monitor medications such as Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall.

Prescriptions seem hasty or with very little evidence to warrant medication. Children prescribed

these sedatives or stimulants need to be closely monitored for adverse effects like drowsiness or

over medicating. Follow up visits with a medical practitioner are required. It has also been found

that children on stimulants and/or sedatives are at higher risk of drug dependency in the future.

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Appendix

IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act Enacted by Congress in 1975 to

ensure free and appropriate education for all students with disabilities.

Parental Rights These rights along with procedural safeguards protect the parent and

their child from mistreatment and neglect when dealing with special education programs.

Zero Reject IDEA ruled against the discriminatory practice of not allowing certain

disabilities to enroll in nearby schools.

Non-discriminatory evaluation schools must perform culturally sensitive evaluations

for each student.

IEP Individual Education Plan written plan to help meet the educational and

functional needs of an individual.

Appropriate education education that accommodates for an individual's special needs.

LRE Least Restrictive Environment Allows student's with disabilities to be educated

along side their peers to the maximum degree possible.

Procedural due process a system of checks and balances holding members of an IEP

team accountable for appropriately educating.

Parent and student participation Parents and students must be involved in the individual

education plan and its process.

ESEA Elementary and Secondary Education Act Originally President Johnson's

response to the War on Poverty, rewritten as No Child Left behind in 2001

Section 504 The Rehabilitation Act Protects against discrimination of individuals with

disabilities due to their disability.

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Accommodations affects the process or mode in which the student learns the material.

Supplementary aids and services services provided by the general education teacher

which gives the individual with disabilities access to the same material as their peers.

Universal design learning designed to cross racial, social and economic barriers.

Inclusion educational settings with varying levels of ability and disabilities included.

RTI Response To Intervention systematic approach to serving educational needs using

small group review, ongoing assessments and other practices to strengthen skills or

eventually refer a student to special education.

Positive behavior support identifies troubled behavior and devises a plan to eliminate

such behavior and replace it with more desirable behaviors.

Multiple disabilities more than one learning disability

SLD Specific Learning Disability deals with a misfiring of the psychological process

dealing with written or spoken language.

Autism a disorder with onset prior to 5 years of age that affects an individuals

communication, social skills, education and non-verbal communication.

ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder a disorder that causes an inability to

sustain attention for long periods of time.

OHI Open Head Injury Injury to the skull allowing bacteria to make contact with the

brain.

Orthopedic impairment an impairment affecting an individuals mobility

SLP Speech & Language Pathologist Professionals that collaborate with parents and

teachers to correct or initiate communicative skills of students.

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Intellectual Disabilities inability to learn at the same speed as others or an intellectual

capacity well below their peers.

Emotional Disturbance individuals without control of their emotions can negatively

impact their educational experience

TBI Traumatic Brain Injury can cause forgetfulness as well as diminished mental

capacity

Visual Impairments such as blindness, or an impairment that influences the child's

education

Hearing Impairments an impairment of hearing that negatively impacts education

Blindness Inability to see

Deafness Inability to hear

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1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points 5 points

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