What is Special Education?

Special education refers to a range of services that help kids with disabilities learn.
It also refers to a range of services that can be provided in different ways and in different
settings. There’s no “one size fits all” approach to special education. It’s tailored to meet the
needs of students with disabilities.

special education, also called special needs education, the education of children who differ
socially, mentally, or physically from the average to such an extent that they require
modifications of usual school practices. Special education serves children with emotional,
behavioral, or cognitive impairments or with intellectual, hearing, vision, speech, or learning
disabilities; gifted children with advanced academic abilities; and children with orthopedic or
neurological impairments.

IDEA lists 13 different disability categories under which 3- through 21-year-olds may be
eligible for services. The disability categories listed in IDEA are:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 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.

Autism
- means a developmental disability
significantly affecting verbal and
nonverbal
communication and social interaction, generally evident before
age three, that adversely
affects a
child’s educational performance.


- Other characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in
repetitive activities and
stereotyped
movements, resistance to environ-
mental change or change in daily

routines, and unusual responses to
sensory experiences.

- A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately:
autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS),
and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.
Updated criteria for diagnosing ASD include problems with social communication and
interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. It is important to note that
some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms. But for people with
ASD, these characteristics can make life very challenging.
 o Social Communication and Interaction Skills
§ Avoids or does not keep eye contact
§ Does not respond to name by 9 months of age
§ Does not show facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised by 9
months of age
§ Does not play simple interactive games like pat-a-cake by 12 months of age
§ Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age (e.g., does not wave goodbye)
§ Does not share interests with others (e.g., shows you an object that he or
she likes by 15 months of age)
§ Does not point or look at what you point to by 18 months of age
§ Does not notice when others are hurt or sad by 24 months of age
§ Does not pretend in play (e.g., does not pretend to “feed” a doll by 30
months of age)
§ Shows little interest in peers
§ Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about own
feelings at 36 months of age or older
§ Does not play games with turn taking by 60 months of age

o Restricted or Repetitive Behaviors or Interests

§ Lines up toys or other objects and gets upset when order is changed
§ Repeats words or phrases over and over (i.e., echolalia)
§ Plays with toys the same way every time
§ Is focused on parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
§ Gets upset by minor changes
§ Has obsessive interests
§ Must follow certain routines
§ Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
§ Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

o Other Characteristics
Most people with ASD have other characteristics. These might include:

§ Delayed language skills

§ Delayed movement skills
§ Delayed cognitive or learning skills
§ Hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive behavior
§ Epilepsy or seizure disorder
§ Unusual eating and sleeping habits
§ Gastrointestinal issues (e.g., constipation)
§ Unusual mood or emotional reactions
§ Anxiety, stress, or excessive worry
§ Lack of fear or more fear than expected
Deaf-Blindness

Deaf-blindness is a combination of vision and hearing loss, not necessarily complete deafness
and complete blindness. There is a wide range of thinking and developmental ability among
deaf-blind individuals from gifted to profoundly multiply handicapped. Deaf-blindness creates
additional problems in the areas of mobility and communication, as well.

o Characteristics of Students with Deaf-Blindness

§ The student has difficulty with communication
§ The student may have distorted perceptions. It is difficult to see the whole
picture or 
relate one element to the whole.
§ The student may have difficulty anticipating what is going to happen. Clues
from the 
environment or from the faces/actions of others may be difficult
to read.
§ The student-may be somewhat unmotivated. Things may not be seen or
heard enough to 
be desirable.
§ The student needs to learn mainly through first hand experiences.
§ The lack of vision and hearing make it hard to learn through incidental or
group learning 
experiences.
§ Problems communicating
§ Problems navigating the environment 


Deafness

Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing
linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a
child’s educational performance.

Emotional Disturbance

Emotional disturbance means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following

characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a
child’s educational performance:
o An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health
factors.
o An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers
and teachers.
o Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
o A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.
o A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or
school problems.

Hearing impairment

Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that

adversely affects a child’s educational performance but that is not included under the definition
of deafness in this section.


Intellectual disability

Intellectual disability means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing

concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental
period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term “intellectual
disability” was formerly termed “mental retardation.”

Levels of Intellectual Disability

- Mild Intellectual Disability - having an IQ range of 50 to 69

- Moderate Intellectual Disability - generally having an IQ range of 35 to 49
- Severe Intellectual Disability - generally having an IQ range of 20 to 34
- Profound Intellectual Disability - having an IQ of less than 20


Multiple Disabilities

Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as intellectual disability-blindness or

intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe
educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for
one of the impairments. Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness. 


Orthopedic Impairment

Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s
educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly,
impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from
other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).


Other Health Impairment

Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a
heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to
the educational environment, that is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma,
attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart
condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia,
and Tourette syndrome; and adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Specific Learning Disability;
General. Specific learning disability means 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, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical
calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain
dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

Disorders not included. Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are
primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of
emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.


Speech or Language impairment;

Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired

articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s
educational performance. 


Traumatic Brain Injury;

Traumatic brain injury means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical
force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that
adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Traumatic brain injury applies to open or
closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language;
memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory,
perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information
processing; and speech. Traumatic brain injury does not apply to brain injuries that are
congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.


Visual Impairment (including blindness)

Visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with
correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial
sight and blindness.

Multidisciplinary Team
- The advantages of a multidisciplinary approach includes the ability for the team to
consider complex, multidimensional student needs, as well as interdisciplinary
collaboration. Team members gather information through observing, assessing and
discussing the exceptionalities of the learner through the lens of their various
disciplines. The support is dynamic and includes trialing strategies, modelling, and
adapting and adjusting goals and strategies as the needs of the student and the school
change.

o School Psychologist: The role of the school psychologist on theo MDT involves
the administration of individual intelligence tests, projective tests, personality
inventories, and the observation of the student in a variety of settings.

o School Nurse: The role of the school nurse is to review all medical records,
screen for vision and hearing, consults with outside physicians, and may refer to
outside physicians if necessary.

o Classroom Teacher: Works with the local school based Child Study Team to
implement pre-referral strategies, plans and implements, along with the special
education team, classroom strategies that create an appropriate working
environment for the student.

o School Social Worker: The social worker’s role on the MDT is to gather and
provide information concerning the family system. This may be accomplished
through interviews, observations, conferences etc.

o Special Education Teacher: The role of this individual includes consultation to

parents and classroom teachers about pre-referral recommendations,
administers educational and perceptual tests, may be called upon to observe the
student in a variety of settings, may be involved in the screening of students with
suspected disabilities, writes IEP’s including goals and objectives and
recommends intervention strategies to teachers and parents.
o Educational diagnostician: Administers a series of evaluations including norm-
referenced and criterion referenced tests, observes the student in a variety of
 settings, makes educational recommendations that get applied to the IEP as
goals and objectives.

o Special education supervisor

o Physical Therapist: The physical therapist is called upon to evaluate a child who
may be experiencing problems in gross motor functioning, living and self help
skills, and vocational skills necessary for the student to be able to function in
certain settings. This professional may be used to screen, evaluate, provide
direct services or consult with the teacher, parent or school.

o Behavioral consultant: This individual works closely with the team in providing
direct services or consultation on issues involving behavioral and classroom
management techniques and programs.

o Speech/Language clinician: This professional will be involved in screening for

speech and language developmental problems, be asked to provide a full
evaluation on a suspected language disability, provide direct services, and
consult with staff and parents.

Special Education Needs Teaching Methodologies

Every child has the ability to learn, but the way children learn and how much knowledge they
can absorb can vary considerably — especially for a child with special needs. Yet, as a society
we owe all children a chance to reach their potential, so it is important to create the best
possible learning environment for that to happen. That’s why many people suggest
mainstreaming special-needs children into regular classrooms rather than assigning them
exclusively to special education classes.

With mainstreaming, special education students “earn” the right to be in a regular classroom
for at least one class to see if they are ready for the challenge. Pull out method

Inclusion involves bringing special education services to a child who is in regular classes, rather
than bringing the child to the services (in a special education classroom). It focuses on the
benefits of being in the class, but the requirements for that student are tailored to the child’s
special needs. With full inclusion, all students are brought into the regular classroom, no matter
what their disability might be.

Teaching Strategies for Special Education Needs

Working with short attention spans

• Set clear expectations for all students.

• Break assignments into smaller pieces to work on in short time periods.
• Space breaks between assignments so students can refocus on their tasks.
• Share ideas with parents so they can help with homework.
• Carry out everyday routines consistently.
• Develop a reward system for good behavior, completing work on time and participating
in class.
• Use visual and auditory reminders to change from one activity to the next. This may
need to be done several times before the change is made. An egg timer is a good
auditory tool that indicates a signal to begin or end an activity.

Managing constant change

The science behind teaching special education students is not cut-and-dry, and the strategies
that teachers develop for their classrooms shouldn’t be permanent—instead, think scalable and
flexible.

• Design teaching aids and lessons that are flexible.

• Add creativity to lessons and homework.
• Develop easy-to-use monitoring tools that are needs-based.
• Design lesson plans that can be modified to fit each student.
• Develop a set of resources and interventions that work.
Teaching effectively

Being an effective teacher requires many tools, most of which you likely choose through trial
and error. Effective teaching strategies include:

• Use a multiple-scenario approach to developing lesson plans.

• Monitor and verify student responses to lessons.
• Evaluate and adapt lessons as necessary.
• Use peers to review lesson plans and to develop ideas that might be applicable.
• Develop and maintain a pool of mentors.
• Keep a list of resources for teaching, lesson plans, and professional development.
• Set a professional development plan for yourself and track your goals.
• Develop or implement a system that allows for easy and comprehensive data collection
to help monitor and adapt lessons.
• Gather some tricks of the trade from fellow teachers, including those who do not teach
special education.

IEP (Individualized Educational Plan)

The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services
personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results
for children with disabilities. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education for each child
with a disability.

How to Communicate & Interact with Special Education Needs?

Due to the lack of knowledge on the essence of disability, we do not know how to talk to
people with disabilities. This is natural, but it is never too late to learn. As in all other cases,
above all, we should respect each other, be polite and considerate towards one another. When
you want to say something or ask a question to a disabled child or young person, you should
speak directly to them rather than their facilitator or caregiver.

Even if a child or a young person has a speech or hearing impairment, you should give them an
opportunity to decide on the manner to speak or respond to you that suits them best. It is
possible that a disabled person prefers their parent, sister, brother or relative help them
understand our message, and then try to reply themselves or again ask someone for help.

Most importantly, you should bear in mind, that a child with a disability is first and foremost a
HUMAN BEING like you, and you should treat them in a way you would like to be treated
yourself.
Using Person-First Language When Describing People With Disabilities

Person-first language is often considered the most respectful way to talk about disabilities and
differences. It places the focus on the individual and not the issue he or she has.1 For example,
someone might say, "they're ADHD" to describe a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder. Using person-first language, this would change to "the child who has ADHD."

You may have heard and even said things like "they're learning disabled" (instead of "they have
a learning disability") without much thought, but such remarks can be hurtful, especially to
children with special needs.

It may understandably take some time and effort to get used to using person-first language, but
the effort is worth it. Speaking and writing this way communicates that you define an individual
by their whole person, not their disability.2
It also conveys that you understand that someone is living with an issue—not that their
disability or difference is their whole life.

To use person-first language, simply say the person's name or use a pronoun first, follow it with
the appropriate verb, and then state the name of the disability. E.g. Sam has epilepsy (instead
of Sam's an epileptic).

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties
which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated,
as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may
reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming,
substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other
children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention
deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Schools and colleges should have clear processes to support children and young people,
including how they will manage the effect of any disruptive behaviour so it does not adversely
affect other pupils.

The reasoning is that a child’s behaviour is perceived as a communication about the child’s
state of mind and may be caused by a variety of factors such as:

- anxiety
- sensory overload
- anger, including anger about pervasive life situations or undisclosed difficulties
- response to trauma or attachment difficulties
- frustration due to speech and communication difficulties
 - response to the wrong level of challenge in lessons
- grief
- overwhelm
- physical pain or discomfort, such as hunger
- underlying mental health problems
- undisclosed physical, mental or sexual abuse

Cognition and Learning

Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a
slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties cover
a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD), severe learning
difficulties (SLD),where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and
associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to profound and multiple
learning difficulties (PMLD), where children are likely to have severe and complex learning
difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment.

Cognition and learning needs may encompass most of the curriculum, such as for pupils with
MLD or SLD. However, cognition and learning needs may only impact on specific areas such as
reading, writing, spelling and mental calculations. Cognition and learning needs generally
account for difficulties in curriculum-related areas such as:

- reading, writing and spelling

- numerosity
- comprehension
- processing difficulties such as sequencing, inference, coherence and elaboration
- working memory
- short term verbal memory
- other types of executive function difficulties