September 30, 2016
by: LeafBridge Services Contributor
Independent Educational Evaluations for the Child with Complex Learning Needs
This month’s expert article was written by Laurene Sweet, PT, ATP, MEd, DPT who has 23 years of experience in outpatient clinics, schools, hospitals, autism specialty programs, and functional skills programs. Laurene is the Manager of Specialized Services in the pediatric department at LeafBridge. Specialized services include an alternative school program, serial casting, assistive technology assessments and Independent Educational Evaluations. Laurene has a special interest in interventions for children with complex learning needs, behavior challenges, and Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI.)
According to the Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CLDD) Project (Carpenter et al, 2011), children and young people with complex learning needs have more than one condition that interlocks and co‐exists with other conditions. Their learning needs are very unique and layered. Their difficulties affect mental health, relationships, behavior, movement, physical health, sensory processing, vision, communication, cognition, self-care and other areas. These students require very specific strategies to participate and learn in the classroom setting. Without appropriate interventions, complex learners may disengage and show limited or no progress.
Research shows that complex learners benefit from a transdisciplinary model of intervention (Ciccarelli, 2015). The transdisciplinary approach requires team members to share roles and cross train in each area of need. Professionals from different disciplines teach, learn and work together to accomplish a common set of intervention goals for a student and family. There is a distinct characteristic of the transdisciplinary model as compared to other models. In the transdisciplinary model, the assessment, intervention, and evaluation are carried out jointly by designated team members. The team works together to form shared goals that reflect the student as a whole person rather than a child with fragmented needs. This is in contrast to other models where each individual therapist or teacher focuses on a part of the task that relates to their specific field which translates to fragmented service delivery and problems with generalization of skills. A major barrier to the transdisciplinary approach is that it is time consuming and it requires advanced expertise (Ciccarelli, 2015). It is easy to recognize when a student has not received a transdisciplinary evaluation because he or she will have separate evaluations for each discipline (vision, behavior, speech, PT, OT, academics, etc.). The following is a simplified example of a transdisciplinary approach:
Billy has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and he often becomes upset surrounding toileting in the school environment. In a transdisciplinary model, the team jointly evaluates the entire process of toileting including communicating the need in the classroom, movement to and around the school restroom, management of the sensory environment, motor skills for self care, behavior, and comprehension for steps in the task. The team collaborates and designs a program that involves cross teaching among team members as they share the responsibility for goals and objectives. The entire team facilitates use of a communication system or device, provides sensory supports, teaches movement strategies, and instructs in the steps to completing a toileting routine. Billy generalizes the skills across people and environments while becoming more independent. As a result, he maintains greater self control and increases his level of engagement in the classroom.
Sometimes a parent may feel that the results of individual evaluations do not accurately describe the child or address the child’s unique and complex learning needs. When a parent disagrees with the school district’s evaluation, it may be possible to obtain an independent educational evaluation (IEE) at public expense (meaning at no cost to the family). There is no requirement that the parents specify areas of disagreement with the district’s evaluation as a prior condition to obtaining the IEE. Independent Educational Evaluations are conducted by qualified professionals who are not employed by the district. A parent is entitled to only one independent educational evaluation at public expense each time the school district conducts an evaluation with which the parent disagrees. Typically, a parent may select independent evaluators even if the school provides a list of recommended providers. The district may have certain criteria for independent evaluators and parents may request such details in writing. Parents should submit requests for Independent Educational Evaluations in writing to an appropriate school district representative, specifically indicating each evaluation (PT, OT, Academic, behavior, etc.) where there is disagreement.
LeafBridge is one of the few agencies in Northeast Ohio that provide transdisciplinary Independent Educational Evaluations. The LeafBridge team may include a speech language pathologist (SLP), physical therapist (PT), occupational therapist OT), assistive technology professional (ATP), and intervention specialist (IS). The LeafBridge team specializes in serving children and adolescents with the most complex and overlapping needs from a range of disabilities such as autism, genetic disorders, cerebral palsy, cortical visual impairment, syndromes related to premature birth, Down’s syndrome, and many other disorders. The LeafBridge staff prioritizes cross training in other disciplines as well as advanced training within individual fields of practice. The team is often asked to conduct transdisciplinary Assistive Technology (AT) Evaluations according to best practice standards by Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology (QIAT). The result is a highly individualized, comprehensive and focused evaluation that addresses the whole child and his or her unique needs.
For more information on obtaining an IEE from LeafBridge’s interdisciplinary team, call 216-791-8363 ext. 1250 or email leafbridge@ucpcleveland.org.
*This blog is intended to provide broad and general information and is not intended to provide legal advice. Before applying this information to a specific legal problem, parents are urged to seek advice from an attorney.
Ciccarelli MR, Gladstone EB, Armstrong Richardson EA. Implementation of a Transdisciplinary Team for the Transition Support of Medically and Socially Complex Youth. J Pediatr Nurs. 2015 Sep-Oct; 30(5): 661-7.
Carpenter, B., Egerton, J., Brooks, T., Cockbill, B., Fotheringham, J. and Rawson, H. (2011) The Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Research Project: Developing meaningful pathways to personalised learning (final report). London: Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (now The Schools Network). http://complexld.ssatrust.org.uk
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