Severe Learning Disability: (Criteria F)
Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions a perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia. The term does not include children who have problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, or mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. 1
A child/youth qualifies for services via Teacher Staffing Policy 10.1 (F) if s/he meets the following 7 criteria: (For assessment and programming support see Programming for Individual Needs: teaching children with learning disabilities)
1. A comprehensive assessment has demonstrated:
(i) average or above average intellectual ability
(ii) a specific learning disability
(iii) a significant discrepancy between potential and performance, (i.e., >3 yrs.)
(iv) uneven development of skills, and
(v) has ruled out other primary causes for the demonstrated disability, such as visual, hearing or motor disabilities, or mental retardation, or emotional disturbance, or environmental deprivation, or cultural or economic disadvantage
2. Direct instruction has not enabled the student to acquire skills and the discrepancy demonstrated is greater than 3 years.
3. The student is enroled in four or more alternate courses at the high school level/ alternate programs K-9. Each course should require at least 60 minutes teaching per week. The areas addressed include academics; communication; learning strategies; metacognition; organization; perception; sensory/motor; social/adaptive including problem solving. Alternate course/program descriptions are included with the ISSP. If the course is registered for credit it must be at least 55 hours in length for one credit and 110 hours for 2 credits.
4. The student is receiving direct instruction to transfer skills learned in alternate courses to other environments
5. The student is receiving alternate instructional and evaluation strategies
6. The student is using assistive technology to access/demonstrate knowledge. See Using technology to enhance students differing abilities for decision-making framework.
7. The educational component of the ISSP, signed by the team, indicates:
(i) requirements for adapted, supplementary or alternate learning resources
(ii) appropriate assistive technology
(iii) alternate instructional and evaluation strategies
(iv) the needed structures and routines
(v) transitional supports
1 The Council for Exceptional Children