Lifelong Learning

Lifelong Learning Phetric H. Jones Grand Canyon University Educating the Exceptional Learner SPE 226 Star Smith March 10, 2013 There are many different procedures that students with disabilities must go through. Each procedure is a different step in making sure that these students have the necessary tools to promote lifelong learning. Early Intervention is a process used to service students who might be at risk of not reaching or maintaining at academic grade level. Students receive services that are designed for their special need.This program ensures that students are given an equal chance at receiving the best education that is right for them. One of the first steps that must be done is diagnosing what the developmental disability might be. A developmental disability means that a child is delayed in some area of development (Overview of Early, 2012). A developmental disability can occur in one of five areas, cognitive, physical, communication, social or emotional and adaptive. An example of developmental disability could be a language delay.This would mean that the child has problems processing information. This process could be either receptive or excessive. Another disability would be autism. A student that has autism has problems with communication or socialization. Some of these disabilities are diagnosed early in life from birth to age 2, while others are not noticed or diagnosed until they reach school during the ages of 3 to 5. Once the developmental disability is diagnosed then the next step can begin.Early intervention is a system of services that helps babies and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities (Overview of Early, 2012). Once a child enters schools they are set up on an Individualized Education Plan. However before a student can be set up on an IEP, it must be determined if they qualify for special education services or not. If it is determined that the student is eligible for services then the team of professionals including the general education teacher and special educator teachers get together to devise an educational plan that will best help the student.An IEP or Individualized Education Plan is a set of written plans developed by the special education team with input from the parent and specifies the student’s academic goals and the methods used to reach this goal (Individualized Education Plan, 2013). Things that might be included in an IEP could be that a student be given frequent breaks, extra time or information could be read to them. An IEP also identify things such as transitional arrangement as well as provide a focus for student’s learning and specific timeframes (Individualized Education Plan, 2013).Each student is different therefore making each IEP different as well. Just like with any other assessment, there are many strengths and weaknesses to assessments and interventions used in special education. Some of the assessments that are used in special education are screening tes t, adaptive behavior scales, individual academic achievement test, curriculum based test, test given at the end of a chapter and even standardized test. Some of these assessments use different data sources. These sources can be from observations, reports from parents or students, progress monitoring or response-to-intervention (RTI).One of the main strengths is that with these assessments the teacher can create lessons that are tailored to the needs of the student. Also, assessments helps to give them an early initiative into academic success. The weakness is that these assessments cannot pinpoint very specific curriculum needs (Mooney, 2013). The assessments are too broad they just provide an overview. Also, they can restrict opportunities for these students by denying them access to private or charter school and even certain enrichment programs.There are many transitional programs for students with special needs. These services are used to prepare children as they enter into the w orld of adulthood. One program that is available in Fayette County is Bridging the Gap to Success. This program provides schools the necessary infrastructure needed to provide transitional services to students with intense training and transition. Youthood. org is an online program that helps students decide what they want to do when they get older.Also, Start Early focuses on preparing and elementary and middle students for their transition to post-school activities (Dragoo, 2013). The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities formerly known as National Information Center for Handicapped Children and Youth (NICHCY) is a national information resource center that will provide information on different transitional programs. Families and older students can always check with their state’s transition coordinator to see what other programs are available.People expect for these programs to help, guide and assist them into the next area of their life. That step can be to the next grade level or into the world of adulthood. The key is for each process to be as simple and easy as possible. Each student should be able to transition from one process to another with no problem. This helps people to adjust in a timely manner. No matter what type of special need a student has, there are always programs and services available to assist with learning.Teachers must work together to provide meaningful information that will help these students overcome whatever disability they might have. By diagnosing the disability and creating a plan, students with disabilities will received the services needed reach the next level in life. We want to make sure that these students maintain and reach academic success. The ultimate goal is to provide these students with a meaningful and productive education that they will be able to use throughout life. References Dragoo, K. 2013) Transition Services for Children with Disabilities Retrieved March 12, 2013 from http://ww w. education. com/reference/article/Ref_Transition_101/ Individualized Education Plan (n. d. ) Retrieved March 8, 2013 from http://specialed. about. com/od/specialedacronyms/g/iep. htm Mooney, L. (2013) The Strengths and Weaknesses of Assessments for Early Special Education Retrieved March 11, 2012 from http://www. ehow. com/info_12158052_strengths-weaknesses-assessments-early-special-education. html What is a Developmental Delay (2012) Overview of Early