| We all remember how it felt to be a child and | | | | special education aids, learning techniques |
| how, as a child, we sometimes felt like | | | | and special education products best suited |
| school is too difficult to handle. Most of us | | | | for that child. From case to case, the child |
| managed to finish it and, as grown-ups we | | | | may be taken to a special education centre |
| don't understand what made it seem so | | | | where he can receive the special education |
| complicated then. But for some children, | | | | aids he needs. |
| school is indeed too tricky and learning | | | | |
| practically impossible. The real problem is | | | | For a child suffering from a learning |
| the fact that there are more than 6 million | | | | disorder, dyslexia or ADD, the traditional |
| children and young persons estimated to be | | | | school system can prove itself to be quite |
| suffering from disabilities and each and | | | | powerless and ineffective. This is why |
| every one of them needs to go through a | | | | children with special needs must be provided |
| special education process. This term, | | | | with special education aids and special |
| "special education" refers to unconventional | | | | teachers. Only trained professionals are able |
| education services and special education aids | | | | to design teaching methods and educational |
| designed to cater for the needs of children | | | | techniques for students of all ages, with |
| suffering from physical and mental | | | | mild to profound disabilities and that may |
| challenges. This includes particular learning | | | | vary depending upon the child's nature, age, |
| techniques, particular education products and | | | | and the extremeness and type of disability. |
| particular lesson plans. | | | | It is very important that the special |
| | | | education aids include learning techniques |
| What can be more disturbing for a parent than | | | | and lesson plans in order to prepare students |
| knowing that his or her child doesn't have | | | | to function independently and to master |
| the same chances for a normal life as | | | | skills, to build and support social |
| everyone else? (And all because they suffer | | | | competence, and to help children and their |
| from a disability of some sort.) Sometimes, | | | | families lead a problem free life. |
| these children and their parents are dealing | | | | |
| with physical and mental drawbacks such as | | | | It is important that the special lesson plans |
| physical handicaps, sensory (visual and | | | | are made for each child separately in order |
| hearing) impairments, intellectual capacity | | | | to suit individuals. The plans are to be made |
| (mental retardation and autism), learning | | | | in consultation with physical therapists, |
| disabilities (reading and writing skills), | | | | counselors, doctors, occupational therapists, |
| speech impairment or even behavior disorders. | | | | psychiatrists, and social workers, all |
| All of these children have few chances to be | | | | professionals that can have the wider |
| integrated in society without special | | | | perspective on the child's situation. Also |
| attention and a lot of effort from parents | | | | very important are the education products |
| who often feel powerless. | | | | chosen to be used in the special education |
| | | | process. There are a lot of special education |
| The special education process has to begin | | | | products that can really simplify the |
| with a request for evaluation from a parent | | | | teacher's work: materials designed to improve |
| or a teacher of the child. This is the first | | | | reading and writing, or certain subjects, |
| step and perhaps the most important, because | | | | such as math, materials designed to improve |
| it means that there could be a problem with | | | | life skills. Books, videos, special needs |
| the child and knowing about it makes it | | | | software and teacher resources are other |
| easier to deal with. The next step is finding | | | | special education products. |
| out the results of the test and either way, | | | | |
| it can only help the child, because if he has | | | | It must be remembered the fact that a child |
| a problem, then a team of professionals will | | | | suffering from a learning disability is not |
| decide which special education aids are best | | | | lost for society and he can lead a normal |
| suited to be used. If the child doesn't have | | | | happy life just like all the individuals of |
| a problem, the evaluation can still provide | | | | his age. With the proper care and attention |
| important information about the child and the | | | | from his family, with the proper instructors |
| ways he learns best. If the result of the | | | | and doctors that use the best special |
| evaluation is that the child suffers from a | | | | education products, almost any child |
| learning disability, then the team of experts | | | | suffering from a learning disability can grow |
| will make up an Individualized Education | | | | up to have a successful life. |
| Program (IEP) which will contain all the | | | | |