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| |    How Schools Approach Learning Disabilities by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. Schools have official definitions for learning disabilities (LD) and official policies for dealing with them. The more you know about these definitions and policies, the more effective you'll be in getting help for your child. Federal law: a good IDEA Since the 1970s, there have been a string of federal laws that spell out the responsibilities of schools for teaching children with disabilities and special needs. The most recent version is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997. The IDEA law covers children with the full range of medical and developmental problems. It covers children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, dyslexia, and speech and language problems, all of which are very common. It also covers less common conditions, such as severe vision and hearing impairments and neurological problems such as cerebral palsy, as well as many mental and emotional problems. Virtually any problem that makes it impossible for a child to function successfully in a typical classroom is covered. All states have adopted these rules for children in the usual school age range (6-18), and down to children as young as 3. (In many states, children with developmental or physical problems are eligible for special services starting at birth, under the Early Intervention system.) What IDEA-97 says The main principle of the IDEA law is that every child has a right to a "free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment." It's useful to take a close look at this sentence: "Free" means that the county, state, or federal government pays for the education. Often it is some combination of the above. "Appropriate" means that the child gets what he needs in order to be able to learn. If he needs an expensive hearing aid, he should get that. If he needs a special chair that supports his body while he learns, he gets that. If he needs an aide in order to function in the classroom, the law says that the school has to provide one. "Least restrictive environment" means that children should not be segregated from others just because they have a disability. It used to be common practice, for example, to have one "special needs" classroom for all the children who were not "normal." That might include a child with severe cognitive impairment (mental retardation), as well as a child who was extremely intelligent but wheelchair-bound because of spina bifida. Today, that would be considered a violation. The child with spina bifida would learn in a typical classroom, and the school might provide an aide to help with getting from class to class. (You might see these abbreviations in information from the school: FAPE is "free and appropriate public education"; LRE is "least restrictive environment.") For much more information about IDEA, and LD in general, see LD Online Next: Getting a Learning Assessment for your Child
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