1. Understanding Each Child’s Exceptionality and their Accommodations
Christina Ritter, MS
Raecheal Vizier, M Ed
Special Education Program Effectiveness Liaisons
Lafourche Parish Schools

2. Welcome
In an effort to better support our special education students in both the resource and inclusive setting, this module will focus on disability awareness and the individual needs of students with exceptionalities.

3. Outline Bulletin 1508 Thirteen Exceptionalities
Defining Accommodations
Review

4. Bulletin 1508 Provides guidelines for classifying students
Criteria for Eligibility
Child Find Guidelines
Pupil Appraisal Services
Qualified Examiners
Parental Participation
Interventions and Screenings
Evaluation Responsibilities
Evaluation Timelines
Determination of Eligibility

5. Exceptionalities Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction.
Deaf-Blindness
Is a concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental & educational problems.

6. Exceptionalities Developmental Delay Emotional Disturbance
Is a disability in which students ages 3-8 are identified as experiencing developmental delays in one or more areas.
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 student’s educational performance. (inability to learn that can not be explained, inability to build or maintain satisfactory relationships, inappropriate types of behaviors and feelings, general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression and tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems)

7. Exceptionalities Hearing Impairment Mental Disability
An impairment of hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a student’s educational performance.
Mental Disability
Significantly sub average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period.

8. Exceptionalities Multiple Disabilities Orthopedic Impairment
Concomitant impairments (combination), which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments.
Orthopedic Impairment
Caused by congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease, bone tuberculosis, cerebral palsy, etc.

9. Exceptionalities Other Heath Impairments
Having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in limited alertness with respect to educational environment (chronic health problems, ADHD, ADD, Asthma, etc).
Specific Learning Disabilities
A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, written or spoken that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations. (oral expression, listening comprehension, written comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading fluency skills, reading comprehension, math calculations, math problem solving)

10. Exceptionalities Speech or Language Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
A communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a students educational performance.
Traumatic Brain Injury
An acquired injury to the brain caused by external physical force resulting in total or partial functional disability, psychosocial impairment or both.

11. Exceptionalities Visual Impaired
An impairment in vision that even with corrections adversely affects a student’s educational performance.

12. Accommodations
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004, all students with an exceptionality will receive accommodations to address their individual needs for both classroom instruction and testing.
Accommodations are checked off on each students’ IEP and all stakeholders (teachers, paras, test coordinators) are given the documentation of accommodations
Most common accommodations will be reviewed as follows:

13. Accommodations
Copy of Notes- for students who have a physical impairment or for students who have an illegible handwriting.
Preferential Seating- for students with visual impairment or lack of focus, it is specific to students as to best place for seating.
Breaks between Tasks- for students who are easily distracted or frustrated…based on needs of individual students and should not used excessively.

14. Accommodations
Large Print- provides an enlarged version of standard print.
Answers Recorded- if a student is unable to write due to disability, the student can dictate answers and someone (teacher/para) will write answers exactly as the student dictates.
Assistive Technology- includes but is not limited to calculator, word processor, key board, computer, communication device, spell checker etc.
Extended Time- students must be given sufficient time to respond to every item or sufficient time to complete task.

15. Accommodations
Transferred Answers- if a student recorded answers on a test or separate sheet, then his/her answers must be transferred.
Individual/Small Group Instruction- reteaching/reviewing within a small group (8 or less) can be done within the classroom or in another setting. Individual means one-on-one instruction.
Individual/Small Group Testing – for students who require more attention (for tests read aloud) and includes a group of 8 or less. Individual means one-on-one testing.

16. Accommodations
Tests Read Aloud- (except for reading comprehension) read all directions and test questions and answer choices exactly as written. DO NOT PROVIDE ANSWERS OR HINTS!

17. Review Bulletin 1508 Criteria for Eligibility Child Find Guidelines
Pupil Appraisal Services
Qualified Examiners
Parental Participation
Interventions and Screenings
Evaluation Responsibilities
Evaluation Timelines
Determination of Eligibility

18. Review Exceptionalities Autism -Deaf-Blindness
Developmental Delay -Emotional Disturbance
Hearing Impairment -Mental Disability
Multiple Disability -Orthopedic Impairment
Other Health Impairment -Specific Learning Disabilities
Speech or Language Impairment -Traumatic Brain Injury
Visual Impairment

19. Review Accommodations
Each students accommodations can be found in each students IEP.
Students should receive the same accommodations daily for classroom instruction/materials as they do on regular tests and state assessments.
Accommodations:
Copy of Notes
Preferential Seating
Breaks between Tasks
Large print
Answers Recorded
Transferred Answers
Individual/Small Group
Tests Read Aloud
Assistive Technology

20. Closure
We “Thank You” for listening and hope that you’ve gained a better understanding of the exceptionalities of special education students and their accommodations.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Liaison assigned to your school.