Joe Rusek

TE 407
Special Education Assignment
Laws protecting special education are incredibly essential to providing an equal
and fair education to all our students. However, understanding and even just knowing the
actual laws can be hard for many teachers without a special education background.
Ignorance is never a good enough reason to break the law, which makes it crucial for
teachers to have at least base level knowledge of what kinds of laws they have to follow
in regard to special education students. One of the most crucial pieces of legislation to
know about is IDEA or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. According to
Nolo.coms Legal Encyclopedia, IDEA gives families of special needs students the right
to: Have their child assessed or tested to determine special education eligibility and
needs, inspect and review school records relating to their child, attend an annual
individualized education program (IEP) meeting and develop a written IEP plan with
representatives of the local school district, and resolve disputes with the school district
through an impartial administrative and legal process (Nolo.com). Disabilities can be
anything from autism to physical impairment, however; simply having a disability does
not qualify the student for this Special Education. To qualify for IDEA, a student must
have a disability and be able to prove that that disability negatively affects their
educational experience. Once it is determined that a student has a disability that requires
special education, that student will be assessed and given an Individualized Education
Program (IEP). As a social studies teacher, you would look at this IEP, which would have
a break down of the students disability, their strengths/weaknesses, and recommended
classroom settings, and use it to alter your lesson to provide that student a proper chance
at learning. An IEP is meant to inform the teacher on the students condition and how to
best educate them, so as a social studies teacher not only would it be illegal to ignore a
students IEP, but it would also lessen your ability to properly teach that student. Another
law to consider under IDEA is FAPE or, Free Appropriate Public Education. FAPE is
defined as, The provision of regular or special education and related aids and services
that are designed to meet individual needs of handicapped persons as well as the needs of
non-handicapped persons are met and based on adherence to procedural safeguards
outlined in the law (Wikipedia). FAPE guarantees that ALL students, not just those that
are handicapped, have the right to an educational program that makes it possible to
succeed and learn. Both IDEA and FAPE are used as guidelines for a teacher to properly
educate students based on individual needs, and are essential to the successful education
of all students.
Disability Glossary:
ADHD
o A disorder that includes difficulty staying focused and paying attention,
difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity (LDAAmerica.org).
ADHD affects almost 2 million children in America, which means there is
a very solid chance at least one of your students would have ADHD. An
effective way to handle a student with ADHD is to give them some kind
of stimulus at all times in your lesson, whether it be a picture, video,
music, etc. to keep them engaged.
ASD

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o Autism is a developmental disability that typically appears during the first

three years of life and affects a person's ability to communicate and
interact with others (Readingrockets.org). The Center for Disease Control
estimates that 1 in 68 children have a form of Autism. ASD is a social
disorder, so students could struggle in group formats. If a students ASD
is not too severe, putting them in a group with a consistent buddy that
they work well with could help them in a social setting.
APD
o Students with Auditory Processing Disorder will have problems
processing/remembering language related tasks and even just hearing the
teacher. Strategies that could work well for students with APD would be
showing students directions rather than just saying them, ask very specific
questions, and giving a little extra time for the student to think on an
answer (LDAAmerica.org)
Dyscalculia
o Dyscalculia affects a students ability to comprehend math symbols,
memorizing and organizing numbers and other math related problems. If
a student has Dyscalculia, giving them an extra sheet of paper to write out
their problems, a peer assistant to help them with understanding
problems, or even pneumonic devices to help them memorize different
concepts. Dyscalculia occurs in about 3% of children (LDAAmerica.org).
Dysgraphia
o Dysgraphia affects a persons handwriting ability and fine motor skills.
Allowing these students to use a computer for word processing will help
with their usual poor handwriting and spacing issues, and students may do
better in oral exams rather than written ones. Not much data can be found
on Dysgraphia, so there is no set statistic on how common it is
(LDAAmerica.org).
Dyscravia
o Dyscravia is a close cousin to Dysgraphia; it is a writing disorder where
the student will confuse letter-denoting sounds that differ in their voicing
attribute. So a student might write ted when they want to write red.
These students should be given extra time on in class assignments that
involve writing and should be given extra time to read over their
assignment and look for any mistakes they may have made. An
understanding peer that can edit the student with Dyscravias papers or
assignments could also be a great aid (Dyscravia: voicing substitution
dysgraphia).
Dyslexia
o Dyslexia affects a students ability to comprehend and decode reading,
recall from the text, write, and sometimes even speaking. Providing a
student with an audio book would help immensely and this student
probably should not be called on to read out loud as it could be a slow and
painful process for both the student and the rest of the class. Giving this
student a quiet environment for reading intensive activities would help

Joe Rusek
TE 407

immensely. It is estimated that between 5-10% of the population has a

form of Dyslexia (LDAAmerica.org)
Language Processing Disorder
o Students with LPD will have trouble attaching meaning to sound groups
that form words, sentences and stories. LPD can be very similar to APD,
so using similar strategies like talking slowly, writing concepts on the
board, and aid from a speech pathologist can help the student learn much
better (LDAAmerica.org).
Visual Motor Deficit
o VMD affects a students ability to understand information that they see
and/or the ability to draw or copy. Many of these students will need
alternatives to written assignments; so providing them various options for
assignments and projects will help. A teacher of this student should also
try and limit activities that involve the student having to copy down
information or take notes, or the student should be provided with an
outline of the notes so that they have the information they need
(LDAAmerica.org).
Dyspraxia
o Students with dyspraxia have difficulties with movement, coordination,
language and speech. It is important that the class is aware of a student
with dyspraxia, as loud or unexpected noises or surprising touches can
severely startle someone with dyspraxia, so giving the student a warning
when the bell is about to ring will help lessen the fear that comes from the
unexpected noise. Students with dyspraxia also do much better with quiet
testing areas so they are not bothered when trying to concentrate
(LDAAmerica.org)
Memory Disabilities
o A student with a memory disability will have trouble storing and/or
retrieving information that they are giving in a classroom. Giving student
extensions on when they can take a test or allowing them small Cheat
Sheets for tests will help erase some of their deficit. Also allowing the
student to take a test not just based on recalling information from
memory, like an essay or a project, would allow them to still show their
knowledge without struggling with memory issues (LDAAmerica.org)
Angelman Syndrome
o Often-severe developmental or intellectual disability, jerky hand
movements, frequent laughter or smiling and sometimes seizures
characterize Angelman Syndrome. Students with AS will often only
develop about 5-10 words in their lifetime and would usually only be in a
classroom for socialization purposes. People with AS are often eased by
social interaction with others, so involving them in a class of mature,
patient students could do wonders for the disabled student. Only about 1
in 20,000 people will be diagnosed with Anglemans Syndrome (Levels of
Cognitive and Linguistic Development in Angelman Syndrome: a Study
of 20 Children).

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Tourette Syndrome
o Students with Tourette syndrome will have various forms of ticks that can
be in both verbal and physical form. A class should be briefed that a
student in their class has Tourette syndrome so that they can be prepared
for the ticks and do not react negatively to them. A safe, comfortable
environment is essential for a student with Tourette syndrome, as it can
often cause social anxiety. It is estimated that about 6 of every 1,000
children will have Tourette syndrome (Tourette.org).
Nonverbal Learning Disorder
o Students with a Nonverbal Learning Disorder have trouble interpreting
facial expressions and body language and may also have poor
coordination, which could affect things like writing. A teacher of a
student that has a Nonverbal Learning Disorder should avoid assuming
the student can generalize instructions, should minimize movement in the
classroom to help the child avoid embarrassment, and should visually
point out similarities/differences that you would like them to notice
(LDAAmerica.org).
Emotional Disturbance
o IDEA gives the lengthy definition of Emotional Disturbance as:
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 childs educational performance:
(A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual,
sensory, or health factors.
(B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal
relationships with peers and teachers.
(C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal
circumstances.
(D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.
(E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated
with personal or school problems.
The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to
children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that
they have an emotional disturbance.
o Many of the strategies used for students with Emotional Disturbance
involve positive reinforcement when the student meets behavior
expectations. Collaborating with other professionals in the building can
also be a huge help with students with Emotional Disturbance. Allowing
the student to go to a Safe Spot that is secluded from others can help
avoid classroom disturbance and outbreaks from the student
(Specialeducationguide.com)

Instructional Differentiation, Modification, and Accommodations

Autistic Student:

Joe Rusek
TE 407

o For this student, I would use the political cartoon featuring Hitler and
Emperor Hirohito: https://apusb.wikispaces.com/file/view/20305%5B1%5D.jpg/197234468/20305%5B1
%5D.jpg . I would have the student, accompanied by their assigned
Buddy for the classroom, sit in a small group for a group discussion on
this cartoon. I would not grade the group on participation, as the student
with Autism may struggle to get in good points because of their social
disorder. However, hopefully having their class buddy and being in a small
group setting will help the student feel comfortable. At some point, I
would probably step in and ask the student a question if they are not
participating to try and get some kind of input from them. If the student
gives little to no feedback, I will have a second question prepared for the
rest of the group to keep the discussion going. My hope is to try and get
the student with Autism to become comfortable enough in group settings
to add any little piece to the discussion, which could also depend on the
severity of the students Autism.
Student with Reading Disability:
o For this student, I would have them use the Interactive World War II map I
found at: http://www.history.com/inside-wwii-interactive. I believe that
this map would allow the student to use visualization to make connections
between the different campaigns of World War II. I would also probably
assign this in a small group, which would allow group discussion. My
belief is that hearing different perspectives from students that can read
deeper into the descriptions that are given at the different map points will
allow the reading-impaired student to experience different ideas than the
ones they got from just the visuals. The student may also feel more
comfortable giving input on something that they can actually talk about
because of the visual information that is given on the map, rather than
struggling to form opinions and get ideas on a difficult reading.
Student with Emotional Disturbance:
o For this student, I would have them look at the alternative text from
Howard Zinn:
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinnpeopleswar.html. There is
potential for this student to get frustrated and have a blow up in class
pretty much every day, so I would make sure I have the Safe Place set
up before class with one of the teachers just in case the student is in need
of it. I chose this assignment for this student because a writing assignment
on this chapter of Zinns textbook will allow the student to work at their
own pace, which will hopefully minimize chances for frustration. I will
make sure I stay close to the student during in-class work time so I can
answer any questions they may have and also be able to observe the
student to make sure they are not getting frustrated. I will also make sure I
make myself available at lunch or after school so the student can receive
any help they may need. Hopefully the relaxed pace and availability of
myself for questions will allow the student to work with a clear head.
Student with limited English Experience:

Joe Rusek
TE 407
o For this student, I would use the YouTube clip I recommended of the DDay scene from Saving Private Ryan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mT3q8tba_lw. This video clip is perfect for students with limited
English experience because the point I am trying to get across with it is
not driven by the language, but rather the images in the scene. Bloodshed
is a grim reality of war that students often do not understand, and the
images in this scene are incredibly powerful, no matter what language you
speak. I would have to watch how I grade the writing assignment that
would go along with this scene, as the student will probably still not be up
to grade level on their English writing ability. Based on the students
skills, I could even grade them on a verbal discussion of the scene, if they
feel more comfortable speaking English rather than writing it. This
assignment would likely be an individual assignment to allow the students
to really soak in the scene and get their true feelings out, which I think
would be great for an ESL student, as they will not have to worry about
other students judging their ability to use English.