Student Support Services
Adapted from: Disability Awareness and Universal
Design by Dr. Ellen Stoltz, Chief Academic Officer
Director: Dr. Deirdre J. Osypuk
Assistant Director: Beth M. Goldsnider
Who do we Supervise?
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Special Education Teachers
School Psychologists
Social Workers
Guidance Counselors
Speech Pathologists
Nurses
Occupational Therapist
Physical Therapist
Behavior Analyst
Special Education Instructional Assistants
Special Education Tutors
Applied Behavior Analyst Assistants
What District Wide Student
Populations do we Serve?
Special Education
 504
 Homeless
 English Language Learners
 B-3 Transitions
 Child Find
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What is our Department’s
Mission?
To provide the supports necessary for
all students to be successful in the
academic, social, emotional, and
behavioral realms.
 To educate all students in the Least
Restrictive Environment (LRE) to the
maximum extent that is appropriate.
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Why do we Promote Inclusion?
Develops tolerance for individual
differences
 Positive academic and behavior role
models
 Students with disabilities achieve at
higher levels when educated with their
non-disabled peers.
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Evidence to Support Inclusion
Role of General Education
Teacher
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Review and implement 504 Plans and Individual
Education Plans (IEP)
 Actively participate in Planning and Placement Team
(PPT) and 504 meetings
 Differentiate your instruction to meet the needs of all
learners
 Modify lesson plans, tests/quizzes per IEP, 504 Plan
 Collaborate with special education teacher, related
service staff
 Refer students to Special Education or 504 if they
have not made progress during the 3rd tier of SRBI.
Criteria for Special Education
1 of 14 educational disabilities
 Adverse impact on educational
performance AND
 Disability requires specialized
instruction
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Criteria for 504
Mental or physical impairment AND
 Impairment substantially impacts a
major life activity
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Characteristics of Students with
Learning Disabilities
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Achievement is above  Instructional Strategies:
average in some areas -pair verbal w/written
and deficient in others
directions
despite average to
-manipulatives
above average
-check-in/check-out
cognitive ability
-opportunities for independent
Disorganized
Short-term + Long-term practice
memory deficits
Characteristics of Students with
Intellectual Disabilities
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Deficient intellect (IQ < 70)
AND adaptive skills (< 78)
Significant deficit in
adaptive functioning
(communication, social,
self-help skills) across
settings
Socially: naïve; follower;
easy target
Flat profile academically
with exception of rote
skills
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Instructional Strategies:
-direct instruction
-repetition
-concrete examples
-relate to prior knowledge
-manipulatives
Characteristics of Students with
Speech and Language Impairments
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Impaired articulation,
expressive language,
receptive language
Limited vocabulary,
simple grammar and
sentences, unusual
word order, slow
speech, word retrieval
difficulties;
circumlocutions
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Instructional Strategies:
- ask students to paraphrase directions
- pair with peer language
role
Characteristics of Students with
Other Health Impairments
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limited strength, vitality or
alertness, including a
heightened alertness with
respect to the educational
environment
attention deficit
with/without hyperactivity
disorder, tuberculosis,
rheumatic fever, nephritis,
asthma, sickle cell anemia,
hemophilia, epilepsy, lead
poisoning, leukemia, or
diabetes
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Strategy:
Specific to impairment
Characteristics of Students with
ADD or ADHD
ADD/ADHD
-Not a skills deficit, but a
performance deficit
-Average to above
average cognitive ability
-Task dependent
ADD-inattentive, lacks
follow-through, difficulty
following multi-step
verbal directions, lacks
organization
ADHD-interrupts, blurts out
answers, finishes assignments quickly but incompletely
impulsive, hyperactive
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Instructional Strategies:
-visual timer
-preferential seating
-step by step directions
written out
-frequent feedback
-token reinforcement
system
-response cost
-Differential Reinforcement
of Incompatible
-movement breaks
Characteristics of Students with
Autism
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Impaired
pragmatic/functional
language
Restricted repertoire of
activity and interests
Impaired joint focus of
attention
Difficulty holding
reciprocal social
exchanges
Difficulty understanding
others emotions
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Instructional Strategies:
- picture schedules
- posted routines
- advanced notice of
change
- social stories
- Picture Exchange
Communication Systems
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Discrete Trial Instruction
Characteristics of Students with
Emotional Disturbance
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Typically average to above
average cognitive ability
Difficulty managing
emotions, mood swings
Anxious, depressed,
fearful
Difficulty building
relationships with adults
and peers
Pervasive across settings
and persons
Instructional Strategies:
-consistency
-non-emotional response
-present choices
-extended time;
-pair w/positive social,
emotional peer models
Characteristics of Oppositional
Defiant Disorder
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Non-compliant
 Argumentative
 Weighs costs of
behavior
Instructional Strategies:
-Precision Requests
-do not negotiate
-lay out consequences
if chooses to behave
vs misbehave
-find carrot
-Behavior Intervention
Plans
Precision Requests
Variables that Affect Compliance