8. Eligibility for Special Education Services A
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8. Eligibility for Special Education Services a. Fact Sheets on i. ADHD Fact Sheet on Disabilities from NICHCY (http://nichcy.org/disability) ii. Autism Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet iii. Blindness/Visual Impairment Fact Sheet iv. Cerebral Palsy Fact Sheet v. Deaf-Blindness Fact Sheet vi. Deafness and Hearing Loss Fact Sheet vii. Developmental Delay Fact Sheet viii. Down Syndrome Fact Sheet ix. Emotional Disturbance Fact Sheet x. Epilepsy Fact Sheet xi. Intellectual Disabilities Fact Sheet xii. Learning Disabilities Fact Sheet xiii. Other Health Impairment Fact Sheet xiv. Traumatic Brain Injury Fact Sheet b. Disability Worksheets for Eligibility for Special Education (from OSSE/DCPS) i. Other Health Impairment Disability Worksheet ii. Specific Learning Disability Worksheet iii. Emotional Disturbance Disability Worksheet Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder NICHCY Disability Fact Sheet #19 Updated March 2012 break down his lessons into gets to choose something fun several parts. Then they have he’d like to do. Having a him do each part one at a child with AD/HD is still a Mario’s Story time. This helps Mario keep challenge, but things are his attention on his work. looking better. Mario is 10 years old. When he was 7, his family At home, things have learned he had AD/HD. At changed, too. Now his What is AD/HD? the time, he was driving parents know why he’s so everyone crazy. At school, he active. They are careful to Attention-deficit/hyperac- couldn’t stay in his seat or praise him when he does tivity disorder (AD/HD) is a keep quiet. At home, he something well. They even condition that can make it didn’t finish his homework have a reward program to hard for a person to sit still, or his chores. He did scary encourage good behavior. He control behavior, and pay things, too, like climb out of earns “good job points” that attention. These difficulties his window onto the roof they post on a wall chart. usually begin before the and run across the street After earning 10 points he person is 7 years old. How- without looking. ever, these behaviors may not be noticed until the child is Things are much better older. now. Mario was tested by a trained professional to find Doctors do not know just out what he does well and what causes AD/HD. How- what gives him trouble. ever, researchers who study the brain are coming closer His parents and teachers is the came up with ways to help to understanding what may National Dissemination Center cause AD/HD. They believe him at school. Mario has for Children with Disabilities. trouble sitting still, so now that some people with AD/ HD do not have enough of he does some of his work NICHCY certain chemicals (called standing up. He’s also the 1825 Connecticut Avenue N.W. neurotransmitters) in their student who tidies up the Washington, DC 20009 brain. These chemicals help room and washes the 1.800.695.0285 (Voice / TTY) the brain control behavior. chalkboard. His teachers 202.884.8200 (Voice / TTY) [email protected] http://nichcy.org Disability Fact Sheet #19 (FS19) Parents and teachers do not cause AD/HD. • get distracted easily; Still, there are many things that both can do to and help a child with AD/HD. • lose things such as toys, How Common is AD/HD? school work, and books. As many as 5 out of every 100 children in (APA, 2000, school may have AD/HD. Boys are three times pp. 85-86) more likely than girls to have AD/HD. Hyperactive-impulsive type. Being too active What Are the Signs of AD/HD? is probably the most visible sign of AD/HD. The hyperactive child is “always on the go.” (As There are three main signs, or symptoms, of he or she gets older, the level of activity may go AD/HD. These are: down.) These children also act before thinking (called impulsivity). For example, they may run • problems with paying attention, across the road without looking or climb to the top of very tall trees. They may be surprised to • being very active (called hyperactivity), and find themselves in a dangerous situation. They may have no idea of how to get out of the • acting before thinking (called impulsivity). situation. More information about these symptoms is Hyperactivity and impulsivity tend to go listed in a book called the Diagnostic and together. Children with the hyperactive-impul- Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), sive type of AD/HD often may: which is published by the American Psychiatric Association (2000). Based on these symptoms, • fidget and squirm; three types of AD/HD have been found: • get out of their chairs when they’re not • inattentive type, where the person can’t seem supposed to; to get focused or stay focused on a task or activity; • run around or climb constantly; • hyperactive-impulsive type, where the person • have trouble playing quietly; is very active and often acts without think- ing; and • talk too much; • combined type, where the person is inatten- • blurt out answers before questions have tive, impulsive, and too active. been completed; Inattentive type. Many children with AD/ • have trouble waiting their turn; HD have problems paying attention. Children • interrupt others when they’re talking; and with the inattentive type of AD/HD often: • butt in on the games others are playing. • do not pay close attention to details; (APA, 2000, p. 86) • can’t stay focused on play or school work; Combined type. Children with the com- • don’t follow through on instructions or bined type of AD/HD have symptoms of both finish school work or chores; of the types described above. They have prob- lems with paying attention, with hyperactivity, • can’t seem to organize tasks and activities; and with controlling their impulses. NICHCY: http://nichcy.org 2 AD/HD (FS19) Of course, from time to time, all children What About School? are inattentive, impulsive, and too active. With children who have AD/HD, these behaviors are School can be hard for children with AD/ the rule, not the exception. HD. Success in school often means being able to pay attention and control behavior and These behaviors can cause a child to have impulse. These are the areas where children real problems at home, at school, and with with AD/HD have trouble. friends. As a result, many children with AD/HD will feel anxious, unsure of themselves, and There are many ways the school can help depressed. These feelings are not symptoms of students with AD/HD. Some students may be AD/HD. They come from having problems eligible to receive special education services again and again at home and in school. under the Individuals with Disabilities Educa- tion Act (IDEA). AD/HD is specifically men- How Do You Know if a Child tioned under the category of “Other Health Impairment” (OHI). We’ve included the IDEA’s Has AD/HD? definition of OHI in the box below. When a child shows signs of AD/HD, he or Despite the fact that AD/HD is specifically she needs to be evaluated by a trained profes- mentioned in IDEA’s definition of OHI, some sional. This person may work for the school students will not be eligible for services under system or may be a professional in private IDEA. Many factors go into determining eligi- practice. A complete evaluation is the only way bility, including state policies and definitions to know for sure if the child has AD/HD. It is and the fact that a student’s educational perfor- also important to: mance must be adversely affected. However, students who are found not eligible under • rule out other reasons for the child’s behav- IDEA may be eligible for services under a ior, and different law, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. • find out if the child has other disabilities along with AD/HD. What About Treatment? Definition of “Other Health Impairment” There is no quick treatment for Many students with AD/HD may qualify for special education AD/HD. However, the symptoms of services under the “Other Health Impairment” category within the AD/HD can be managed. It’s impor- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA defines tant that the child’s family and “other health impairment” as... teachers: “...having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a • find out more about AD/HD; heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environ- • learn how to help the child ment, that— manage his or her behavior; (a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as • create an educational program asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyper- that fits the child’s individual activity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemo- needs; and philia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and • provide medication, if parents and the doctor feel this would (b) adversely affects a child’s educational performance.” help the child. 34 Code of Federal Regulations §300.8(c)(10) NICHCY: http://nichcy.org 3 AD/HD (FS19) Regardless of the eligibility determination, Yes, it can be very helpful to read more the school and the child’s parents need to meet about AD/HD. This has been just a brief over- and talk about what special help the student view. The Resources for You section (beginning needs. on the next page) includes a range of materials you might explore—which will, of course, lead Most students with AD/HD are helped by you to still more! supports or changes in the classroom (called adaptations).