The best way to serve children with disabilities is to create an inclusive learning environment and take a special education masters degree online. While the decision of whether or not to do children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across the special education spectrum is ultimately up to the school district, there are steps parents can take to help their children enjoy the benefits of inclusion. These steps include challenging school officials to decide to serve all students, implementing a multidisciplinary team approach, and incorporating case management and case coordination.
Inclusion is the least restrictive environment for children with ASDs
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) outlines the least restrictive environment requirements (LRE). LRE is the legal requirement that children with ASD receive education with typical peers. It is also a critical component of an IEP.
Inclusion is a great way to promote learning and social interaction. It allows students with disabilities to interact with their peers, which may increase their knowledge. This type of education is only sometimes cost-effective.
However, implementing inclusion is brilliant, especially for children with ASDs. Research shows that it has many positive effects.
The most popular of these is a sense of belonging. Students with ASDs have difficulty socializing with their peers. They may also experience play and communication skills delays. These difficulties can result in the student needing help participating in classroom learning activities.
Speech/language
Speech and language services are designed to meet the needs of children with unique communication challenges. These services are provided in both the public and private sectors. They may be offered in a classroom or a speech and language treatment room. The primary goal of these services is to reduce or eliminate communication disabilities.
Speech and language services can include therapy, counseling, referral, guidance, and support. There are also resources available for families and caregivers. Some services are free, while others can be purchased. Parents are advised to start the referral process as soon as they notice any speech delays or problems with their child’s communication.
Children have a prelinguistic foundational capacity for communicating with their environment. They respond to sounds, and gestures and answer questions. It takes time for them to learn a language. Typically, children will develop language skills around five years of age.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy for children focuses on the skills that are needed in a school environment. This may include fine motor, problem-solving, sensory integration, and social participation. It also addresses physical development. Occupational therapy uses a variety of strategies to enhance these skills.
When a child has a specific learning disability, occupational therapy can play a key role. This type of disability can cause the child to have poor motor skills or an imperfect ability to speak, read, write, or listen. In addition, students with intellectual disabilities may benefit from self-help skills. These include eating with utensils, using the bathroom independently, and opening containers.
Students with autism spectrum disorders, a range of behaviors that includes repetitive hand movements, lack of social awareness, and low anxiety, may also benefit from occupational therapy. A seasoned OT can assess their self-help skills and help them develop new ones.
Case management/case coordination
Case management and case coordination is a program to assist children with disabilities. Children with special needs need various social, educational, and health services. This service is available to children ages birth to 18. To provide targeted and ongoing service coordination, a school official must assign an individual service coordinator. The Service Coordinator may include a physical therapist, speech therapist, school counselor, audiologist, or licensed health professional.
Case Management and case coordination are two-tiered systems of support that help children with special needs. The primary goal of these services is to address the child’s needs. The first step in establishing a coordinated care management program is to conduct a System Coordination Meeting. The child and their family members can identify goals and concerns at these meetings. From here, the team can brainstorm possible solutions to these issues and identify services that can be used.
