Firstly I want to explain the categories of disabilities briefly. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) covers 13 disability categories. To be covered, a child’s school performance must be “adversely affected” by a disability in one of the 13 categories below.
1. Specific learning disability (SLD)
The umbrella term “SLD” covers a specific group of learning challenges. These conditions affect a child’s ability to read, write, listen, speak, reason, or do math. Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Auditory processing disorder, Nonverbal learning disability could fall in SLD category. SLD is the most common category under IDEA. In 2018, 34 percent of students who qualified did so under this category. (Lee, 2019) The objective rate of prevalence in Turkey, unfortunately somewhat difficult because there are more things to do in diagnosis and diagnostic field. Yet, even class teachers, even special education teachers, do not have enough information on this subject.
2. Other health impairment
The umbrella term “other health impairment” covers conditions that limit a child’s strength, energy, or alertness. One example is ADHD, which impacts attention and executive function.
3. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
ASD is a developmental disability. It covers a wide range of symptoms, but it mainly affects a child’s social and communication skills. It can also impact behavior.
4. Emotional disturbance
It means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics (Weidenthal, 2012, March) over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance:
- An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
- An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.
- Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
- A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.
- A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.
Various mental health issues can fall under the “emotional disturbance” category. They may include anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. (Some of these may also be covered under “other health impairment.”) The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.
5. Speech or language impairment
This category covers difficulties with speech or language. A common example is stuttering. Other examples are trouble pronouncing words or making sounds with the voice. It also covers language problems that make it hard for kids to understand words or express themselves.
6. Visual impairment, including blindness
A child who has eyesight problems is considered to have a visual impairment. This category includes both partial sight and blindness. If eyewear can correct a vision problem, then it doesn’t qualify.
7. Deafness
Kids with a diagnosis of deafness fall under this category. These are kids who can’t hear most or all sounds, even with a hearing aid.
8. Hearing impairment
The term “hearing impairment” refers to a hearing loss not covered by the definition of deafness. This type of loss can change over time. Being hard of hearing is not the same thing as having trouble with auditory or language processing.
9. Deaf-blindness
Kids with a diagnosis of deaf-blindness have both severe hearing and vision loss. Their communication and other needs are so unique that programs for just the deaf or blind can’t meet them.
10. Orthopedic impairment
An orthopedic impairment is when kids lack function or ability in their bodies. An example is cerebral palsy.
11. Intellectual disability
Kids with this type of disability have below-average intellectual ability. They may also have poor communication, self-care, and social skills. Down syndrome is one example of an intellectual disability.
12. Traumatic brain injury
This is a brain injury caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma. (Weidenthal, 2012, March)
13. Multiple disabilities
A child with multiple disabilities has more than one condition covered by IDEA. Having multiple issues creates educational needs that cannot be met in a program designed for any one disability.
Reflective Note
It is not possible to see all of these categories in the classrooms where we are teachers or students. This is not due to the prevalence of disability groups, but unfortunately there are difficulties in accepting students with disabilities at public schools. Inclusive students are usually educated in a separate classroom at the school, not in the same class as other students. Families of individuals with disabilities in Turkey are not very conscious about it. Unfortunately, there are many who think that disabled people will harm their own children, who see disabled people as a threat, and who have no knowledge about the type and characteristics of children with the disability. As a result, students with disabilities are expelled from school or class as a result of pressure on the school principal. Unfortunately, we come across this kind of news in the media and unfortunately most of them cannot even get news. Thus, the necessary response is not given and such problems for everyday life is growing. Of course, despite all this, good things happen. Special education courses are now becoming widespread in universities. Mass media, in which individuals with disabilities defend their rights, are increasing and thanks to the development of technology, rights of individuals with disabilities are restored in many areas. For example, I take two courses on special education this semester. One is this course and the other is ED200.
This learning environment encourages me to do things. One of them is to learn about associations working with individuals with disabilities. There are many associations that operate in this way and continue to multiply in Turkey. One of them is TSCV (Spastic Children’s Foundation of Turkey). Me and my two friends went to visit this association and learned a lot about both the association and cerebral palsy.
Special Kids 