Skills Differences in Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities and Assessment for Special Education Eligibility
Overview
This paper examines the distinct skill deficits exhibited by students with mild to moderate disabilities compared to general education peers across language/communication, cognitive processing, social interaction, and academic mastery. It also describes the assessment processes and RTI approach used to establish eligibility for special education services.
What this coursework covers
- Part 1: Comparative analysis of language/communication deficits, cognitive and information processing challenges, social interaction difficulties, and basic academic skill gaps in students with mild to moderate disabilities
- Part 2: Overview of the assessment process preceding special education eligibility determination and description of Response to Intervention (RTI) approach
Preview
Question A
Part 1: Describe differences in the skills of students with Mild to Moderate disabilities versus students in general education. Provide basic information on established differences in skills or function of students with Mild to Moderate disabilities in the areas of:
• Language/Communication
• Basic cognitive and information processing skills (or intelligence)
• Social interaction skills with peers
• Mastery of basic academic skills (e.g. math and reading)
Many students experience mild to moderate disabilities while in the classroom. There several kinds of disabilities that these individuals experience, which include particular learning struggles, challenges in reading or mathematics, impairment of speech, and other intellectual problems. There are several aspects that children with disabilities experience difficulties, which include communication or language deficits. It has been established that students with mild to moderate disabilities have challenges with language and communication. These issues manifest in form of mechanical and social utilization of linguistic abilities. There are three core areas that communication or language difficulties can manifest, which include syntax, semantics, and phonology. Other communication problems include oral language problems, listening and comprehension, and challenges with pragmatics.
Another major problem with students with Mild to Moderate disabilities is cognitive and information processing skills. Because of the poor ability to process information, the students experienced challenges with reading comprehension, inferential comprehension, as well as critical comprehension. Cognitive challenges also manifest as problems with handling intellectual problems such as mathematics and word recognition. Social interaction is another major challenge for individuals experiencing mild to moderate disabilities.