Learning Disabilities

General Teaching Principals Utilized Throughout the District

As a partner in implementing the Learning Services mission the Instructional Support Services Department of Douglas County schools supports building level administration and building level teams in producing high quality learning for students who need additional resources to be successful in the classroom.

Students within Douglas County Schools will, whenever appropriate:

• Attend the same schools as siblings and neighbors.
  
  
• Be in general education classrooms with chronological age-appropriate classmates.
  
  
• Have individualized and relevant learning objectives as needed.
  
  
• Be provided with the necessary support to allow for meaningful participation in classroom learning.

However, this does not mean students:

• Must spend every minute of the school day in general education classes.
  
  
• Never receive small-group or individual instruction, and
  
  
• be in general education classes to learn the core curriculum only.

Decisions regarding characteristics of programming and placement will be made based on a comprehensive analysis of the students' individual learning needs.

Educationally Handicapped (E.H.)
Perceptual / Communicative Disorder (P.C.D.)
Grades K-6

This programming located in each school assists the student in developing skills and learning behaviors which enable him/her to benefit from the general education program despite learning difficulty in the cognitive and/or language processing area which makes learning in the conventional sense difficult. Delivery of service is through integration (team teaching), consultation, differentiated instruction, materials modification, and pull out.

Located in all schools.

Significant Support Needs (SSN)
Programming for children ages 5-12/13

This programming is for children ages 5-12/13 with severe/profound disabilities. Children in this program have two or more significant handicaps in the cognitive, speech/language, or motor areas. Teacher/pupil ratio is low. The goals for the children include adapted living skills. Many neighborhood schools have "in-house" non categorical and/or multiple disability programming.

The Definition and Criteria for a Specific Learning Disability is found in Federal Law - The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Perceptual/Communicative Disabilities

Services are provided for our perceputually/communicatively disabled students under their 504/IEP plans.

A “Specific Learning Disability” is a term defined by federal law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The acronym LD is frequently used in schools to describe significant learning differences. The Colorado state adopted criteria for a Perceptual/Communicative Disorder or “PCD" is described below.

The definitions and criteria for the two terms differ slightly:

LD verses PC – What is the Difference?

The Definition and Criteria for a Specific Learning Disability is found in Federal Law - The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The definition provided in US federal code (Section 300.7(c)(10) of 34 CFR Parts 300 and 303):

(i) General. The term means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

(ii) Disorders not included. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

The criteria for determining a specific learning disability follows:

Sections 300.541 and 300.542

(i) Oral expression
(ii) Listening comprehension
(iii) Written expression
(iv) Basic Reading skill
(v) Reading Comprehension
(vi) Mathematical calculation
(vii) Mathematical reasoning

State Law:

State law protects your student's rights for an appropriate education based on their individual disabilites & needs.
The Definition of a Perceptual/ Communicative Disability is found in the Exceptional Children’s Education Act (ECEA) (PCD) Section 2.01 (6) 2.02 (6) (b) (i) A disorder in the psychological process which affects language and learning consisting of:

1. Significant discrepancy between estimated intellectual potential and actual level of performance.
   
   
2. Difficulty with cognitive and/ or language processing.
   
   

• 2.02 (6) (b) (ii) And significantly impaired achievement in one or more of the following areas:
  Pre-reading and/ or reading skills.Reading comprehension.
  
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  Written language expression, such as problems in handwriting, spelling, sentence structure and written organization.
  
  
• Comprehension, application and retention of math concepts.

Whether we call them learning disabilities or perceptual communicative ones, these differences are generally considered to have a neurobiological basis. Recent research and brain imaging technology indicates physical differences in the structure or pathway operations within the brain of those with identified disabilities. These differences interfere with a child’s ability to process information, and may affect his or her ability to speak, listen, read, write, spell, reason, recall and organize information, or perform mathematics, none of which are not the result of mental retardation, physical disabilities, emotional problems or autism.

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