My son receives speech language therapy for language delays. He is weak in auditory processing skills, language processing and problem solving. We are currently modifying his IEP to include classroom strategies such as reduced workload, preferential seating, etc.He has CAPD, ADHD, and dyspraxia in addition to his language based weaknesses. I was wondering if I should also get a 504 plan for modifications for his ADHD and dyspraxia. It seems that the IEP is centered around his CAPD weakness. They don’t want to include anything else that isn’t related to language and CAPD. Should I go for this is will it be too redundant since many of the modifications are related to both CAPD and ADHD. WHat would be some appropriate modifications for dyspraxia and dysgraphia? Is dysgraphia and dyspraxia a 504 type condition, too?Jackie
Re: IEP and 504 questions
Jackie - Having been there myself with my daughter, who has ADHD and dislexia, I found that our school district did virtually nothing to assist my daughter that was not listed in the IEP. A section 504 plan does not provide for measurable goals, which are your way of making sure that there is adequate help for you child in the areas of difficulty. Additionally, an IEP offers a lot more in the way of enforcement, should a difference of opinion arise.This year was my daughter’s 3 year reevaluation for her original IEP, which was for Specific LD in the area of reading. Now, since her performance scores have gone from the .02 percentile to the 89th in Broad Reading, it would be a bit of a challenge to continue her IEP for Reading. Last year, she was also classified as “Other Health Impaired” because of her ADHD. It hadn’t been as much of an issue since we started her on medication but her last observations showed us that things, they are a’changing. In one 20 minute observation, half of which was small group direct instructional time during which she was attentive, she was on-task for 63% of the entire period. If there were not a direct instruction time, she would have been on-task for less than 35% of the observation. This is a recent thing but it’s obvious that she cannot function and continue to learn if this continues. The Woodcock-Johnson that showed her reading scores so much higher does not tell the complete picture and since she was reclassified, we are able to request that there be goals for helping her learn to use some technology and to try other methods until we find some tools to help her to stay on-task and cope with her disability. She continues to have a disability that limits her ability to benefit from her education, so the IEP is justified. I have serious doubts whether the district would have kept her on an IEP had we not gotten her classification changed.I guess what I am saying is that if there are factors that limit your childs ability to benefit from their education and your child is on an IEP, you have every right to have goals and services included in that IEP rather than a 504 with no teeth to it. If they give you any trouble, you might remind them that there is really no reason they shouldn’t be included and the law states that your child has the right to have anything that is causing problems for your child’s learning in that IEP as well as additional help in any other area in which they are struggling, whether they would have qualified for that condition as a seperate IEP or not.: It appears that you have several diagnoses. All of these are IEP
: eligible if the interfere with your childs ability to learn or
: your childs ability to demonstrate what he/she has learned. It may
: be time for a reevaluation especially if some of the conditions
: were diagnosed seperately.: If you have a professional diagnosis of ADHD, dysgraphia and
: dyspraxia have the doctor or other professional write what the
: specific weaknesses are and what skill level the child should be
: performing at (age/grade appropriate). Then call a meeting and
: have these needs written into the IEP. Bring in articles that
: address these issues and have the rest of the team work out
: modifications. Remember as your childs advocate you are the expert
: on the child and his abilities. Make the occupational therapist do
: their part too just ensure that the level of services is going to
: bring your child up to par, wherever that is.: Modifications for dysgraphia. Here are two wonderful references on
: dysgraphia classroom modifications.
: http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/writing/dysgraphia.html
: http://www.shianet.org/~reneenew/Edu563.html use of a computer,
: voice recogition software, or having the child speak into a tape
: recorder are appropriate assistive technology strategies. Another
: is workload reduction.: Students with handwriting difficulties (dysgraphia) are eligible for
: special education services under R340.1713-SLD-Specific Learning
: Disability in Handwriting, in other words IEP eligible and
: typically are referred to the occupational therapists in the
: school setting.: Dyspraxia mods: If the dyspraxia is fine motor skills oriented and
: not verbal it should be included with the dysgraphia mods
: (handwriting disability), again IEP eligible.: Best of luck.
It appears that you have several diagnoses. All of these are IEP eligible if the interfere with your childs ability to learn or your childs ability to demonstrate what he/she has learned. It may be time for a reevaluation especially if some of the conditions were diagnosed seperately.If you have a professional diagnosis of ADHD, dysgraphia and dyspraxia have the doctor or other professional write what the specific weaknesses are and what skill level the child should be performing at (age/grade appropriate). Then call a meeting and have these needs written into the IEP. Bring in articles that address these issues and have the rest of the team work out modifications. Remember as your childs advocate you are the expert on the child and his abilities. Make the occupational therapist do their part too just ensure that the level of services is going to bring your child up to par, wherever that is.Modifications for dysgraphia. Here are two wonderful references on dysgraphia classroom modifications. http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/writing/dysgraphia.html http://www.shianet.org/~reneenew/Edu563.html use of a computer, voice recogition software, or having the child speak into a tape recorder are appropriate assistive technology strategies. Another is workload reduction.Students with handwriting difficulties (dysgraphia) are eligible for special education services under R340.1713-SLD-Specific Learning Disability in Handwriting, in other words IEP eligible and typically are referred to the occupational therapists in the school setting.Dyspraxia mods: If the dyspraxia is fine motor skills oriented and not verbal it should be included with the dysgraphia mods (handwriting disability), again IEP eligible.Best of luck.