A child with special needs and learning disabilities is someone who is different developmentally and formatively from normal children. This is either due to a physical, mental, or emotional handicap, a formative delay, or a particular learning disability.
Nowadays, a lot of educational allowances are accessible to families in order to assist them with the extraordinary costs of giving special educational or related services to children with special needs. This, very often could include a very gifted child with certain physical and mental disabilities.
Assessment of developmental problems
Kids with developmental problems are entitled to educational evaluations as part of the medical clearance process. No sooner has it been suspected than parents ought to describe the child’s developmental problems on their medical history form.
This is so that evaluation and treatment plans of the childs educational needs may be devised early in the child’s life. Experts, with special education degrees, in the field emphasize the importance of early intervention.
Children with learning problems ought not to be considered abnormal. They just have a different way for handling information. The solution lies in parents and teachers finding out what the childs processing system is as it helps the kids compensate with their strengths. Since developmental problems affect several aspects of a child’s physical and psychological health, oftentimes the assessments are extensive.
The assessment of a child having trouble in school could include an educational evaluation as well as the special needs of a child such as speech, hearing, and neurological examinations, plus a series of psychiatric interviews.
Processing a childs developmental problem
If developmental problem is suspected when parents are abroad, the family should have the child examined by a Regional Medical Officer, Regional Psychiatrist, or Nurse Practitioner. Parents also ought to get written reports from a school so that the problem can be fully understood.
It is unlikely that a full assessment will be completed immediately. The complications of the issues often call for a multi-specialty approach. This is why evaluations are usually done. However, a medical evacuation is not normally required.
After the assessment is done, the child will be cleared to return to post. Then the school at post will have the benefit of the childs specific educational recommendations in trying to develop a program for the child. However, before the child is cleared for an onward post, a letter from the proposed new school will is required.
When making a clearance decision for the child, assessors and the Medical Division often consider the appropriateness of boarding school placement or home study options or online special education courses.
By: Kevin Pederson
Posts Tagged ‘Educational Evaluations’
Education Options for Children With Special Needs
December 29th, 2009Posted in Article
Tags: Children With Special Needs Education Degrees Education Options Educational Evaluation Educational Evaluations Emotional Handicap Gifted Child Importance Of Early Intervention Learning Disabilities Learning Disability Medical Clearance Medical History Medical Officer Neurological Examinations Nurse Practitioner Parents And Teachers Physical And Mental Disabilities Processing System Psychological Health Trouble In School
5 Reasons Why your Child in Special Education May Not be Getting FAPE, and How You Can Help
November 18th, 2009
Does your child receive special education services and you wonder if
they are receiving an appropriate education? This article, will
discuss 5 reasons why your child may not be receiving a free
appropriate public education. And also, what can you do about it?
There is a lot that you can do to ensure a free appropriate public
education for your child.
Reason 1: Many special education personnel have extremely low
expectations, for children with disabilities. You must have high
expectations for your child, just because they are not learning, does
not mean that they can’t. They may need to be taught a different way.
Reason 2: Some special education personnel limit or refuse to provide,
educational and related services that children with disabilities need.
Some special education personnel will even deny that a child has
autism, so that they do not have to provide more intense special
education services. It is your job as a parent to fight for the
services that your child requires. Try to meet other parents, of
children with disabilities, in your school district. Help each other
advocate, and attend each other’s IEP meetings. Together you will be a
strong group.
Reason 3: The curriculums, that some school districts use to teach
children with disabilities, do not work. Special education personnel
are often reluctant to change methodology, even if the child is not
learning. Investigate different curriculums, for your child’s
disability. Join disability organizations and meet other parents. This
will allow you to share information with each other, what works.
Reason 4: Parents, are often forced to pay for independent
educational evaluations (IEE’s), to prove that their child needs
certain special education services. If a parent must pay for an IEE,
to ensure that their child receives a free and appropriate public
education, then the education is no longer free. If your school
district evaluates your child, and you disagree with the evaluation
(or the way it is interpreted), then the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), gives you the right to have an Independent
Evaluation at Public Expense. My book Disability Deception has an
entire chapter on IEE’s that will give you more information on this
subject.
Reason 5: Many school districts suspend children with disabilities,
for behavior that is part of their disability. Educate yourself on
what IDEA requires as far as behavior/discipline. Special education
personnel can suspend a child up to 10 days.
Within 10 days of a decision to change a child’s placement they must
convene a manifestation determination meeting. This meeting is being
held to determine if the behavior is part of your child’s disability.
If it is, they must do certain things to include developing a positive
behavior plan. If they determine that the behavior is not part of your
child’s disability, then they can discipline them as they would a non
disabled child. You can file for a due process hearing, if you
disagree with the school districts manifestation determination
decision.
By knowing why most children do not receive FAPE, you can advocate
hard for your child. They are depending on you, because they may not
be able to stand up for themselves.
By: JoAnn Collins
Posted in Article
Tags: Advocate Appropriate Education Appropriate Public Education Child Autism Children With Disabilities Curriculums Disability Organizations Education Personnel Educational Evaluations Fape Free And Appropriate Public Education Free Appropriate Public Education High Expectations Iee Low Expectations Methodology Parents Of Children With Disabilities Related Services School Districts Special Education Services
Special Education – How to Use an Independent Educational Evaluation to Benefit Your Child
November 6th, 2009
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!
By: JoAnn Collins
Posted in Article
Tags: Academic Progress Academics Child Autism Education Evaluation Educational Evaluations Educational Services Evaluator Iee Independent Education Independent Educational Evaluation Independent Evaluations Learning Disability Occupational Therapist Occupational Therapy Qualified Person Related Services Sensory Integration Disorder Sensory Processing Disorder Special Education Services Types Of Autism
