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What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

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 Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004

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 Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004

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This document describes the special arrangements for the education of children with special educational needs

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Special education programs in the U.S. serve a wide variety of students. Students with minor learning disabilities as well as those with debilitating physical or intellectual handicaps are all educated in special education programs.

If you are interested in becoming a special education teacher, you should know what types of disabilities you will be working with.

To help, we put together a list of common disabilities so you can make an informed decision.

Learning Disabilities in the Classroom

In the U.S., learning disabilities are regarded as a group of disorders that affect a student's ability to learn at a regular pace. Learning disabilities are not indicative of low IQ; however, people with learning disabilities do have difficulty receiving, processing or communicating information. So, working with them to discover and overcome those difficulties can often improve their functionality on many levels.

Nearly half of all students served in special education programs suffer from one of the following types of learning disabilities:

Auditory - Difficulty processing auditory information.

Physical - Difficulty with motor skills and/or spatial relationships. Dyspraxia is a common form.

Numerical - Difficulty with quantity, value, time, sequence and other mathematical concepts. Dyscalculia is a common form.

Verbal - Difficulty reading in the areas of word recognition, decoding or comprehension, either silently or out loud. Dyslexia is a common form.

Written - Difficulty with written expression including spelling, handwriting, organization and/or composition. Dysgraphia is a common form.

Students with learning disabilities in primary and secondary special education programs often spend much of their time in mainstream classrooms. They often need one-on-one therapy sessions to work on improving their comprehension and practicing specific skills with a specially trained and certified teacher. They may also need specialized attention during the classes in which they struggle or the opportunity to participate in special education classes or self-paced learning environments.

Special Ed Learning Disabilities

Over half of the students in special education programs are classified with disabilities that are not included in our definition of learning disabilities. These students fit into one of the following categories:

The Physically Disabled

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes the following physical impairments in their list of covered disabilities:

Hearing impairment

Visual impairment

Speech or language impairment

Traumatic brain injury

Deafness and blindness

Intellectually Disabled Students

Intellectually disabled students account for less than 10 percent of all students in special education programs. However, they require much more assistance, cost more money per student, and most often require self-contained classes and/or full-day special programs to ensure an appropriate, beneficial education.

Students with an IQ below 70 are considered intellectually disabled; however, children with mild intellectual disability (IQ 60-70) may not be recognized as disabled until poor academic performance is recognized.

Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and Fragile X syndrome are the most common forms of intellectual disability in schools today. However, a number of other more rare, genetic and developmental disabilities are represented in our school systems as well.

Autism is a common developmental disorder that is often associated with intellectually disability, but actually falls under a separate classification. Anywhere from 25% to 70% of autistic people also qualify as intellectually disabled.

Other Learning Disabilities

Other less-common disabilities treated in special education programs include developmental delays, various health impairments and emotional disturbance.

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Types of Learning Disabilities in the Classroom | All Education Schools

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Here are the different types of learning disabilities you could find as a special education teacher in the public and private school systems. Is this the right teaching career for you?

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Some amount of struggle in school is expected. As a parent, how do you know when it's time for your child to receive additional support?

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Tips for Parents Heading into Their Child's IEP Meeting

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Tips for Parents Heading into Their Child's IEP Meeting

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I remember walking into my first IEP meeting for my daughter before she entered kindergarten six years ago. It was a small room filled with many unfamiliar faces around a large conference table. I took my seat feeling anxious and unsure amongst the administrators, supervisors, therapists, and teachers that sat around me.

When the meeting began, my husband and I listened to a group of strangers talk about our daughter. We heard phrases like "below average" and "very low." We listened to a slew of numbers detailing how standardized assessments rated our "non-standard" child. We listened to all the ways she was not keeping up with her same-age peers.

I was caught off guard by how hard it was to listen to the IEP team members talk about the evaluation results. I didn't recognize the little girl they described. It was gut-wrenching. The little person that was being explained with scores and percentile rankings was not the little person I knew. I was shocked at how these reports could be missing so many of her strengths and the wonderful characteristics she possessed. Things like her emotional intelligence with an innate ability to understand how anyone was feeling. Like the fact that she was able to communicate her needs and wants effectively despite her significant language delays. Like how she loved people and worked hard and wanted to make others proud.

It was in this meeting that I realized what an important job I had moving forward. I would need to be the one to fight for my child to make sure that the people around every table really knew her. I would need to use my voice to educate others about who my child is and of all the things that she is capable. I would need to work diligently as part of the IEP team to make sure my daughter received what she needed.

An IEP, or Individualized Education Program, is a plan created for a child with disabilities to ensure they have the instruction, supports, and services they need to succeed in school. (Note that IEPs only apply to public schools; they do not cover private schools). IEPs are covered under the federally-mandated Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( IDEA), which is a "law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children." Children must be evaluated to see if they are eligible for an IEP.

My daughter was born with multiple medical issues which led to developmental delays. These things make it necessary for her to receive certain educational accommodations, modifications, and services (such as speech therapy) to allow her to have the same access to educational materials and instruction as other students. These things help "level the playing field" between her and her typically developing peers.

Note that children born with medical issues that lead to developmental delays under the age of 3 qualify for a federally-mandated program called Early Intervention. Early Intervention provides special education services to infants and toddlers.

IEPs are necessary for some children with disabilities to ensure that they are successful in school, but for parents of children with IEPs it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Along with the emotional toll the process can take on parents, there is so much to learn about special education and what rights families have when it comes to their child. It can be stressful and confusing.

Based on my experience of attending years of these meetings and reading countless evaluation reports, here is my advice for parents heading into an IEP meeting:

Take deep breaths.

The IEP team is made up of educators and the parents. It can be intimidating to sit across from so many teachers, administrators, and school representatives, but your part in this meeting is equally-if not more-important than theirs. Never underestimate the value of your role on your child's IEP team. The IEP team is also known as the school-based support team (SBST) and can involve an occupational therapist, speech therapist, physical therapist, school psychologist, social worker, and special educator.

Be prepared.

Know what you want for your child and what questions you have. What would you like to see when it comes to your child's education? What goals do you have for them? A short-term goal could be anything from mastering a certain math concept to being able to pack and unpack their book bag independently. Long-term goals could include where you would like to see your child after high school. Nothing is too big or too small for discussion. This is your chance to address your concerns.

You know your child best, and no one knows the ins and outs of their capabilities like you do. Advocate for them. Let the people around the table see what you see in your child.

Most people at the IEP meetings will be well-meaning. It is so easy to get caught up in an "us vs. them" mindset, especially if you have had bad experiences at IEP meetings in the past. Try to go in with an open mind. This will help you, too. I promise.

Stand your ground.

You will never regret advocating too hard for your child, but you will regret agreeing to something that you're not comfortable with. Trust your gut as a parent. Remember, IEPs can be amended at any point. If something is not working for your child, the team can meet again at your request to discuss changes.

Bring support.

As I mentioned, meetings can sometimes feel confusing or overwhelming. You have the right to bring a special education advocate to help figure out what your child needs if something is not working or if you feel your voice is not being heard.

It's OK to cry.

There's no shame in letting your humanness show. You are discussing big issues regarding your child's schooling and future. You are hearing things that may be difficult to hear and fighting for your child with all your heart. Tears may come. Feel your feelings and keep moving forward.

Take care of yourself.

IEP meetings are emotional roller coasters. You will probably be exhausted afterwards. Remember this is a normal response to a stressful situation. Take some time for yourself, call a friend to debrief, and be kind to yourself. You have a hard job, and you are doing great.

Above all, remember that you are the expert on your child. I would argue that you are the most important person sitting at their IEP meeting. Feel confident in knowing that your input is invaluable in creating the best program for your child.

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Tips for Parents Heading into Their Child's IEP Meeting

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The IEP process can be stressful and overwhelming for parents of children with disabilities. Here are some tips on how to effectively handle meetings.

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Students who require extra help and support might be eligible for special services that provide individualized education programs (IEPs) in public schools, free of charge to families. Understanding your role in educating a student with an IEP will benefit both you and the student.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) makes teachers of students with special needs responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring educational plans to help the students succeed in school. The IEP describes the goals set for a student for the school year, and any special support needed to help reach those goals.

The IDEA requires states to provide free appropriate public education to students who are eligible for special education from ages 3 to 21, in the "least restrictive" environment. This means that kids with disabilities should learn alongside their classmates who don't have disabilities as much as possible.

Who Needs an IEP?

Students who are eligible for special education services require an IEP. Students could be eligible for many reasons, such as if they have:

Students might have a learning disability if they are consistently unable to meet standards that are normal for their age range. Some common signs of a learning disability can include:

trouble mastering tasks or applying academic skills to other tasks

trouble with communication and language processing, as well as expressive and receptive language

a lot of frustration with school and homework

having strong general knowledge, but not being able to read (dyslexia), write (dysgraphia), or do math (dyscalculia) at that level

needing ongoing, step-by-step guidance for tasks

poor grades despite a lot of effort

poor memory of spoken or written material

not being able to remember problem-solving steps if they don't understand the tasks or the logic behind them

not being able to remember skills and facts over time

How Are Services Delivered?

Usually, the services outlined in an IEP can be provided in regular education classrooms. In other cases, they might be given in separate classrooms or even separate schools, depending on the students' needs. Some students may have an IEP for one subject area only, while others may have one for all academic subjects and for social skills instruction.

Students with IEPs can participate in all subject areas, especially classes like science, social studies, art, music, library, gym, and health. It is critical for regular classroom teachers to read students' IEPs and be familiar with the services and monitoring required by the plan.

Services can also be provided in a separate supported environment within the school. In this setting, groups of students with similar needs are together for small-group instruction. A certified special education teacher is the instructor and other school personnel (aides or support teachers) help with teaching.

Students who need intense intervention, though, may be taught in a special school environment. These schools have fewer students per teacher, allowing for more individualized attention. Teachers in these schools usually have specific training in helping students with special educational needs.

How Are Students Evaluated?

The referral process generally begins when a teacher, parent, or doctor is concerned that a child may be having trouble in the classroom.

The first step is to gather specific data regarding the student's progress or academic problems. This may be done through:

a conference with parents

a conference with the student

observations of the student

analysis of the student's performance (attention, behavior, work completion, tests, classwork, homework, etc.)

This information helps teachers and school personnel decide on the next step. Strategies specific to the student could be used to help them be more successful in school prior to any formal testing. If this doesn't work, the child can receive an educational assessment, which could identify a specific learning disability or other health problem.

Note: The presence of a disability doesn't automatically guarantee a child will get services. To be eligible, the disability must affect how the child does at school.

To decide on eligibility, a team of professionals will consider their observations, as well as how the child does on standardized tests and daily work such as tests, quizzes, classwork, and homework.

Who's on the Team?

The professionals on the evaluation team can include:

classroom teachers

occupational therapist

physical therapist

psychologist

special educator

speech therapist

vision or hearing specialist

others, depending on the child's specific needs

If more testing is needed, parents will be asked to sign a permission form that details who is involved in the process and the types of tests they use. These tests might include measures of specific school skills, such as reading or math, as well as more general developmental skills, such as speech and language.

After the team members finish their assessments, a comprehensive evaluation report is developed. It includes an educational classification and outlines the skills and support the child will need.

The parents can review the report before the IEP is developed. If they disagree with it, they will have the chance to work with the school to come up with a plan that best meets the child's needs.

How Is the IEP Developed?

The next step is an IEP meeting, during which the team and parents decide what will go into the plan. Also, a regular classroom teacher should attend to offer suggestions about how the plan can help the child's progress in the standard education curriculum and how it can be used in a regular classroom setting, if that's appropriate.

At the meeting, the team will discuss a student's educational needs - as described in the evaluation report - and develop specific, measurable short-term and annual goals for each of those needs.

What Does the IEP Include?

The cover page of the IEP outlines the related services and supports students will get and how often they will be provided. These can include many different things; for example, transportation; speech-language pathology and audiology services; psychological services; physical therapy and occupational therapy; recreation, including therapeutic recreation; social work services; and medical services (for diagnostic and evaluation purposes only).

If the team recommends several services, the amount of time they take in the child's school schedule can seem overwhelming. To ease that load, a professional may talk with a child's teacher to come up with ways to help but won't offer hands-on instruction. For example, an occupational therapist may suggest accommodations for a child with fine-motor problems that affect handwriting, and the classroom teacher would incorporate these into the handwriting lessons taught to the entire class.

Other services can be delivered right in the classroom, so the child's day isn't interrupted by therapy. The child who has trouble with handwriting might work one-on-one with an occupational therapist while everyone else practices their handwriting skills. When deciding how and where services are offered, the child's comfort and dignity should be a top priority.

If a child has academic needs and is working below grade level, services may be offered outside the regular education classroom. Students might get small-group instruction in a particular subject area (usually language arts or math) by a special education teacher along with other students who have similar needs.

How Often Should the IEP Be Updated?

The IEP should be reviewed annually to update the goals and ensure the levels of service meet the student's needs. During the school year, progress monitoring is done often to make sure the student is achieving goals set in the IEP. IEPs can be changed at any time on an as-needed basis.

Specific timelines ensure that the development of an IEP moves from referral to providing services as quickly as possible. Be sure to ask about this timeframe and stay informed.

If parents disagree with any part of the evaluation report or the IEP, mediation and hearings are options.

It is important for teachers to understand the IEP process and their role in delivering instruction to students who have an IEP. Any questions related to an IEP can be directed to the team or the case manager assigned to a student.

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Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): Tips for Teachers

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IEPs make teachers of students with special needs responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring educational plans to help the students succeed in school. This article is for educators.

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Students speaks about ups and downs of ieps

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Students speaks about ups and downs of ieps

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I was diagnosed with dyslexia at the end of 1st grade-they called it a reading disorder.

Nothing much changed at first except for some one-on-one time with my teacher. Then in 2nd grade I got an individualized education program and started getting pulled out for special education classes in reading and writing. Things kind of got better because I had a patient teacher.

In 3rd grade I went to a new school, and it was too loud and I didn't get help in other classes, but my special education teacher was one of the best teachers I ever had. She was helpful, attentive, and open to new ideas. I took breaks and played games, which I think is age-appropriate for 3rd grade. I still left at the end of the year because of the school environment and changed to another school in the district.

This new school's climate was way calmer, but then I encountered a special education teacher who did not work well with special ed kids. She would constantly say "you can do it," which actually can be harmful to kids with dyslexia, because instead of changing the way she was teaching something (that didn't work) she kept encouraging us to try harder, even though I learn differently. I started rejecting going to school because, frankly, the work environment was becoming toxic for me. My parents pulled me out, and I was home-schooled for the second half of the year.

In 5th grade we moved to a new state and another new school. Overall the school was different to me. An assistant teacher kept breaking my IEP and did not listen to my polite suggestions about how I could learn better.

Middle school was another new school, and 6th grade was great. The whole school had a policy that helped out 6th graders more than any other grade, so I got more help in each of my classes, and I was being pulled out constantly for special education. The teacher was very caring and always attended to my emotional needs before my academic needs, which actually helped me academically.

But in 7th grade the help was lacking, and I did not want to go to school again. I was struggling in all the subjects, so I was pulled out and home-schooled again for the second part of the year. And now I am in 8th grade in another new school that is an alternative school. That is working wonderfully for me because I get one-on-one tutoring, creative classes such as 3D printing, screenwriting, and Psychology 101. The school only has 45 kids, and I feel I will stay here because of the calm environment, constant attentiveness, and classes that stimulate my brain.

Since I was diagnosed at a young age I always knew I had dyslexia, but it still affects me. I think that dyslexia is more than the definition, because how people react shapes how you react to your own dyslexia.

In the past, my main problem in classes was that I only get accommodations in reading and math. I feel that reading pops up everywhere-in social studies we constantly read history books, and sometimes my school would have an assistant teacher to help me read with a group.

I wish when I told teachers that I was dyslexic they would not change their voice tone-or make a face or seem to pity me-because I learn differently. It is not like it is stopping me from learning anything, and if it does I will find a way. And it is part of their job to help me find those ways and not cast off the ways that seem odd, like doodling or taking breaks, not wanting to read out loud, etc.

The people who tested me would tell me what I needed to learn-methods-but when I translated this to teachers, they made me feel like I was asking something extra of them. It made me feel that my needs were petty in that I was putting too much on the teachers around me. But, I learn how I learn. Don't compare me to how another dyslexic kid learns because each one of us is different. It is not just black or white, and make sure you ask me, "Will this work for you?" when it is something new.

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A Special Education Student Speaks: Dealing With the Ups and Downs (Opinion)

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Ella Griffith-Tager says the support she's received in coping with her disability has varied year by year and school to school.

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how a primary teacher works on IEPs goals in their classroom

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how a primary teacher works on IEPs goals in their classroom