Problem:
Mario, a 6-year-old student, was evaluated for developmental disabilities at the age of 3. At that time, it was difficult to determine specific strengths and weaknesses. Mario was provided with support services through a special education early childhood classroom. Mario was with the same teacher for 3 years and, at the age of 6, he was re-evaluated to determine a more exact picture of the types of support he would need in school and at home. After the evaluation, the following information was provided to the individualized education program (IEP) team as they met to plan Mario's next year in school.
Mario's cognitive ability was found to be approximately 75, with strength noted in visual-spatial skills (standard score of 95) and weakness noted in verbal comprehension and oral language areas (standard scores ranged between 70 and 78).
The Vineland-3 was administered, and the results indicated that Mario demonstrated weakness in Communication and Social Skills, with scores ranging between 68 and 71. Examination of communication indicated that his relative strength was in receptive language, with significant weakness in expressive language skills. Daily Living Skills and Motor Skills scores were found to represent relative strengths, with standard scores of 82 and 88. Within the Daily Living Skills Domain, it was noted that Interpersonal Relationships were a weakness. Need Assignment Help?
Case Study: Taylor
Mrs. Umeki received a new student, Taylor, in her fifth-grade class. Taylor's record included educational testing data. Because of difficulty in reading, Taylor had been assessed in the previous school using a brief reading screening test that assessed all reading levels by using a simple list of the most common words. Taylor's scores did not indicate any reading difficulty, yet Mrs. Umeki noticed that Taylor was struggling with the fifth-grade reader. MTSS strategies have been employed for the past six weeks, and no significant improvement has been seen with these interventions. Taylor's parents have requested their child be referred for testing for special education services.
Case Study: Chasha
Chasha entered the fourth-grade class during the middle of the school year. Her parents were suddenly killed in a tragic car accident, and she moved to a new town to live with her grandmother. Her teacher noticed right away that Chasha was very adept in reading and writing. Chasha completed assignments before the other students in the class and was eager for each next assignment. She read one book after another. The grades from her previous school were exceptional in every area except math. Chasha's teacher used many evidenced-based strategies within the classroom, such as peer tutoring, extra manipulatives, and computer-assisted learning, and Chasha continued to struggle. Chasha's grandmother arranged for Chasha to have after-school tutoring. At the end of the grading period, Chasha made little progress.