Schools not providing for learning disabled child

[mba761]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL

I have a child with Dyslexia who (according to physicians) needs to have a specialized type of method for reading. They have indicated that traditional methods will not and do not work for dyslexic children. However, the school disagrees and says what they use will work just as good. They are unable to provide me with any documented research that says this method will work for children with dyslexia or even general learning disabilities. It's a method that is used in the general classrooms and my physician (the psycologists who tested my child) has indicated that this will only frusturate him more and it will not work! (There's lots of research to show that it wont work). However, the public school will not provide dyslexic children with the special reading programs they need.

Should they be required to? Dyslexia is defined as a learning disability and from my understanding they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

[lealea1005]

The school system is willing to provide a service (theirs) for dyslexia, just not necessarily the one you or your Physicians want them to provide. Offering a service satisfies their obligation.

 

[mba761]

It's not the service that "I" or my physician wants. The reading program I would like is one that will work for his disability and they're not providing that.
It's kind of like treating all disabilities the same. Would you teach severely handicap child the same as you would a blind child? Would doctors treat all heart conditions with the same medication?
I just think they should provide something that is known to work, regardless of what program it is. They're not doing anything. They're just teaching him like every other child in the school using the same programs that they use in the general classroom and all research and medical professions have indicated that this will not work and it will only further frusturate a Dyslexic child.

 

[ErinGoBragh]

It's not the service that "I" or my physician wants. The reading program I would like is one that will work for his disability and they're not providing that.
It's kind of like treating all disabilities the same. Would you teach severely handicap child the same as you would a blind child? Would doctors treat all heart conditions with the same medication?
I just think they should provide something that is known to work, regardless of what program it is. They're not doing anything. They're just teaching him like every other child in the school using the same programs that they use in the general classroom and all research and medical professions have indicated that this will not work and it will only further frusturate a Dyslexic child.

It is a sad truth that this country's public school system is, in general, not equipped to adequately handle disable students.

The sort of "custom tailored" approach you are speaking of for providing for EXACTLY each student's disability needs is not going to happen. The school is providing adequate programs for disabled students under federal law. My only suggestions would be that you hire a private tutor to use the methods you and your doctor want, home school your child, or perhaps make a request to the school board that they consider utilizing the program. I doubt that the school would spend the time and money to do that though, because in theory if they started a program for dyslexic students specifically, they would have to custom-build programs for all other disabilities. Schools are under-funded as it is, and even though I know it doesn't seem fair, I just don't see your child's school spending money on a program like that that would only benefit a handful of students when they are already meeting legal requirements for the disabled.

 

[lealea1005]

It's not the service that "I" or my physician wants. The reading program I would like is one that will work for his disability and they're not providing that.
It's kind of like treating all disabilities the same. Would you teach severely handicap child the same as you would a blind child? Would doctors treat all heart conditions with the same medication?
I just think they should provide something that is known to work, regardless of what program it is. They're not doing anything. They're just teaching him like every other child in the school using the same programs that they use in the general classroom and all research and medical professions have indicated that this will not work and it will only further frusturate a Dyslexic child.

Hey, I'm not saying I agree with them. I went through the system when my daughter needed accommodations for dyslexia and phonological processing. They fought, tooth and nail, against the program recommended by her therapist and Physician. She was, eventually, permitted to bring an alphasmart into the classroom, but that was all the would make a concession for. We did the best we could by utilizing the suggested methods at home when she had homework or projects due. It was a learning experience for all of us. She is now a successful college student who has learned to make her own accommodations to get through lectures/school work.

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL

I have a child with Dyslexia who (according to physicians) needs to have a specialized type of method for reading. They have indicated that traditional methods will not and do not work for dyslexic children. However, the school disagrees and says what they use will work just as good. They are unable to provide me with any documented research that says this method will work for children with dyslexia or even general learning disabilities. It's a method that is used in the general classrooms and my physician (the psycologists who tested my child) has indicated that this will only frusturate him more and it will not work! (There's lots of research to show that it wont work). However, the public school will not provide dyslexic children with the special reading programs they need.

Should they be required to? Dyslexia is defined as a learning disability and from my understanding they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

**A: I agree that there is protection under ADA.

 

[Rahadvocate]

reading for learning disabled child

Your child is entitled to a multi-sensory research based reading program if she is covered under an IEP (Individualized Education Program) assuming she has been found eligible, under IDEA2004 (Individucal w.Disabilities Education Act) and under NCLB (No child left behind). If your child does not have an IEP , then you need to ask the school for a complete Educational pshycological testing in writing.