SECTION 4: DISABILITY AND THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM Itis difficult to overstate the importance of the nation’s edueational system for children with disabilities and their families. Education is important for all children, of course, but for those with disabilities or special needs it can mean the difference between a socially fulfilling, intellectually stimulating, and economically productive life and a future with fow of these qualities, Education also has the potential to affect children’s health by influencing their ability to advocate for themselves, manage chronic health conditions, and navigate complex medical, insurance, and social service systems during childhood and later in life. ‘An early childhood or preschool program or a child’s elementary school is often the first regular contact a family has with a professional child-serving system, While children with obvious eongenital, physical, or sensory disabilities are likely to have been identified and served within the health care system before starting school, many disabilities (particularly learning disabilities and behavioral disorders) and developmental delays are not: identified or may not emerge before a child begins school. Many disabilities, moreover, are actually manifestations of physical or mental limitations within specific social or environmental contexts, and of the behavioral or performance expectations of socially defined roles within those contexts. In these cases, school represents a new and changing context within the life of a child, so new approaches and accommodations may be needed even for children whose conditions and limitations have been long known. Disability profiles vary with students’ age ~ speech or language impairments and developmental delays are common among preschoolers, while elementary school students are most commonly diagnosed with speech or language impairments and specific learning disabilities, Students aged twelve and older are most often diagnosed with learning disabilities, and they are less likely than their younger 26 counterparts to be diagnosed with speech and language impairments and more likely to have mental retardation or an emotional disturbance. The limitations and service needs of children vary greatly depending on the types of disabilities involved. In 2001 Wade Horn and Douglas Tynan proposed segmenting the special education student population into three distinct subgroups: children with significant developmental disabilities and sensory and physical impairments; children with milder forms of neurologieal conditions, such as learning disabilities and attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder; and those with conduct or behavioral problems (the groups can and do overlap with one another) ‘The educational environments of students also vary by their age and type of disability. Regular classrooms are the most common setting for special education students in all age groups, but older students are more likely than their younger counterparts to spend portions of their school day away from their regular classrooms, often going to separate classrooms for specialized instruction. Similarly, students with speech or language impairments, developmental delays, visual impairments, and specific learning disabilities are much more likely to spend large shares of their day in a regular classroom compared with students with mental retardation, multiple disabilities, or deaf-blindness. Once a child is deemed eligible for special edueation services, a toam that includes the child's parents and representatives of the public ‘education system is charged with developing an individualized edueation program that outlines academic goals and incorporates all the services and supports necessary to meet the child’s unique needs. Services and supports can include transportation; speech-language pathology and audiology services; psychological services; physical and occupational therapy; therapeutic recreation; counseling services including rehabilitation counseling, orientation, and mobility services; medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes; school health services; social work services in school; and parent counseling and training. Within schools and classrooms, special education students can benefit from a variety of approaches and supports, including curriculum modification, small-group or individual instruction, and teachers who are especially skilled in motivating students, adapting instructional materials, teaching reading skills and language arts, and managing student behaviors, 27Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Can and should students with behavioral problems and other disabilities be disciplined? This question has been a major focus of special education law and regulations, in part because schools are struggling with how to manage disciplinary problems, which appear to be increasing among students with disabilities, and in part because these students are most likely to be negatively affected by zero-tolerance discipline policies and other high-stakes testing and accountability ‘measures. Schools must conduct functional behavioral assessments and ‘use positive behavioral supports with students who are at risk for expulsion, alternative school placement, or suspension of more than ten days. To reduce inappropriate behavior, schools must teach more appropriate behavior, and provide supports necessary for successful ‘outcome, Adapted from Disability and the Educational System by Aron, Pamela, 2012 TASKS (i) Answer the following questions. 1. Why is education so important especially for the children with disabilities or special needs? 2. What kind of disabilities are usually identified and served within the health care system before starting school? 3, What disabilities may not be identified or may not emerge before a child begins school? ‘What types of disabilities are common among preschoolers? What types of disabilities are common among elementary students? 6. What disabilities are students aged twelve and older most often diagnosed with? 7. What distinct subgroups did Wade Horn and Douglas Tynan divide the student population into? 8, What classrooms are the most common setting for the older students and for the ones with mental retardation, multiple disabilities, or deaf-blindness? 9. What services and supports does the educational program for students with disabilities incorporate? 28, 10. What approaches and supports can special education students benefit from? 11. What must the schools do to reduce inappropriate behavior among students with disabilities? (ii) What words do the following definitions describe? Write the Polish translation next to each definition. zaburzenie / zespét_nadpobudliwosei psychoruchowej / chroniczny / uposledzenie, np. wzroku / ezuciowy / niepemosprawnosé / ograniczenie / gluchoslepota / niepelnosprawnoéé intelektualna / sprawnosé rachowa 1. a physical or mental handicap, especially one that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or from holding « gainful job-d_a____y( ) 2. having long had a disease, habit, weakness, or the like - ene) 8. the term actually describes a person who has some degree of loss in both vision and hearing ~ d__ 4, relating to the senses ~ s__s__y ( 5. a disturbance in physical or mental health or functions; malady or dysfunction — ad. __r__r ( ) 6. a limiting condition; restrictive weakness; lack of capaci inability or handicap ~ a L__t____n (. ) 7. the state of being damaged, especially mentally or physically ~ een ) 8. a developmental disorder characterized in varying degrees by a subnormal ability to learn, a substantially low 1Q, and impaired social adjustment —am____Ir___r a) 9. the quality of being mobile - m. ~¥( ) 10.a condition, usually in children, marked by inattentiveness, dreaminess, and passivity—a____t._d._e don ) (iii) Choose one of the options given. 1, Classroom, assignment, and examination transportation / accommodations may be recommended for a student with a learning disability. 2. Therapeutic disturbance / recreation uses treatment, education and entertainment services to help people with illnesses, disabilities and other conditions. 298. We need effective measures to adapt / affect human society to new living conditions. 4. If you experience back pain or social / sensory abnormalities, please inform your physician as soon as possible. 5. There are also some children who are born without arms. These children suffer from congenital / eligible limb deficiency. (iv) Match the following questions (1-5) with the answers (a-e). 1, What causes mental retardation? 2. Is mental retardation hereditary? 8, Is mental retardation curable? 4. How common is mental retardation? 5. Can a person with mental retardation vote? a) No, but appropriate intervention can help the mentally retarded person to learn several skills. b) The common reasons are: genetic conditions (abnormal genes inherited from parents, errors when genes combine), problems during pregnancy, problems at birth, exposure to some diseases or toxins. ©) If they have not been legally, through a probate court of jurisdiction, declared unable to make decisions for themselves, they have all their rights and may do it just as any other citizen, 4) Itisnot always. However, where the cause of mental retardation is genetic then it is. In such case parents are advised to go for genetic counseling before they plan for another child. e) As many as 3 out of every 100 people in the country have mental retardation. (v) Match the beginnings of the sentences 1-5 with the endings ae. 1, Education has the potential to affect children’s health by 2, Once a child is deemed eligible 3. The limitations and service needs of children vary greatly depending 4, Special education students can benefit 5. Students aged twelve and older are most often diagnosed 30 a) on the types of disabilities involved. b) with learning disabilities. ©) for special education services, a team (.) is charged with developing an individualized education program. 4) from a variety of approaches and supports. ) influencing their ability to advocate for themselves, (.), and social service systems during childhood and later in life. GLOSSARY accommodation — a process of mutual adaptation between persons or groups, usually achieved by eliminating or reducing hostility (preys- tosowanie) adapt - to make suitable to or fit for a specific use or situation (dostosowaé) advocate ~ to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly (popieraé) affect - to act upon or influence, especially in an adverse way; to move or disturb emotionally or mentally (oddziatywaé; uszkodzié) audiology - the study of hearing disorders, including evaluation of hearing function and rehabilitation of patients with hearing impairments (audiologia) combine - to join together (taezyé) condition ~ an ailment or physical disability (schorzenie) congenital ~ of or pertaining to a condition present at birth, whether inherited or caused by the environment, especially the uterine environment (wrodzone) counseling - professional guidance in resolving personal conflicts and emotional problems (doradztwo) counterparts - a person or thing closely resembling «nother, especially in funetion (odpowiednik) curriculum - all the courses of study offered by an educational institution (program nauezania) distinet — distinguished as not being the same; not identical; separate (r6iny) disturbance ~ a mental or emotional disorder (zaburzenie) eligible ~ meeting the stipulated requirements (spelniajacy warunki) emerge ~ to come up to the surface (pojawié sie) a1hyperactivity —a general restlessness or excess of movement, as that in children with minimal brain dysfunction or hyperkinesis (nadpobudliwos6) incorporate - to form or combine into one body (wigezaé; zawieraé) manifestation ~ an indication or sign (przejaw) mild - gentle; not acute or serious (lagodny) mobility - the quality of being mobile (ruchowosé) neurological - relating to the nervous system or neurology (neurologicany) occupational therapy - a form of therapy in which patients are encouraged to engage in vocational tasks or expressive activities, as art or dance, usually in a social setting (terapia zajgciowa) overstate ~ to state too strongly; exaggerate or overemphasize (przeceniag; wyolbrzymiaé) segment ~ to separate or divide into segments (dziclié) setting ~ the surroundings or environment of anything (otoczenie) significant — important; notable (istotny) therapeutic recreation — a treatment service designed to restore ‘and rehabilitate a person’s level of functioning and independence in life activities, to promote health and wellness as well as reduce the activity limitations caused by an illness or disabling condition (rekreacja terapeutyezna) transportation - the means of transport or conveyance (érodek transportu) 32 SECTION 5: PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS: AUTISM To be officially diagnosed as autistic, a child must show symptoms of abnormal linguistic, cognitive and social development before the age of 3 years and must meet at least 6 of 12 criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2000). The manual delineates in detail the key areas of abnormal development believed to be typical of children with autistie spectrum disorders. Some students with mild autism are close to normal in many facets of their behaviour, but others with more severe autism are very low-functioning in terms of cognition, self-regulation and social development. Some children with moderate to severe degrees of autism often sit for hours engaging in unusual repetitive behaviours such as spinning or flicking objects, flapping their fingers in front of their eyes, or just staring at their hands. Some autistic children exhibit self-injurious behaviour such as biting or scratching their arms or hands. It is believed that these stereotypic behaviours may be triggered by anxiety or by a need for additional sensory stimulation. It is generally agreed that children with autism spectrum disorders tend to exhibit higher than normal levels of anxiety, particularly when faced with changes to normal routines. Autistic children have been identified in all parts of the world and the disorder does not appear to be culturally determined. Although autism has been found in individuals at all levels of intelligence, 75 per cent of children with autistic disorders have 1@ scores below 70 and require ongoing intensive special education and behaviour management. Children with autism remain among the most difficult students to place in mainstream classrooms. Although there is no cure for autism, individuals can be helped to perform at a higher level if provided with high quality intensive teaching and management. However, progress is usually very slow. Children with mild forms of autism can often be accommodated in mainstream classrooms with support; but children with more severe 33