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Lewis Lewis

&. Lewis Lewis. Program for students with disabilities. Lewis & Lewis has the statewide contract t o provide specialist assessments for the DEECD to determine student’s eligibility to apply for the PSD categories of: Intellectual Disability

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Lewis Lewis

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  1. & LewisLewis

  2. Program for students with disabilities • Lewis & Lewis has the statewide contract to provide specialist assessments for the DEECD to determine student’s eligibility to apply for the PSD categories of: • Intellectual Disability • Severe Language Disorder with Critical Educational Needs • The DEECD’s Resource Coordination Group has the responsibility of reading applications and determining eligibility for the PSD

  3. Program for students with disabilities The assessments can be for: • New referrals for currently enrolled students not supported by the PSD (annual round) • Students new to government schools, which includes Preps and transfers from other systems • Year 6 (age equivalent) transition reviews • Time-limited funding reviews

  4. Understanding intellectual disability Intellectual Disability • People with an intellectual disability display significantly below average intelligence (based on an IQ test) • People with an intellectual disability display significant difficulties with everyday living skills (identified before they are 18 years old)

  5. Understanding intellectual disability Definition • intellectual disability is an intellectual, cognitive and developmental disability that profoundly affects an individual’s functioning and adaptation to everyday life • lifelong learning is affected

  6. Understanding intellectual disability • Students with an intellectual disability will be slower to learn because they have difficulties with: • Attention • Perception • Thought processing • Memory • Generalisation • Communication

  7. Understanding intellectual disability Definition • it is not a medical disease or a psychiatric illness but may coexist with these and other conditions • functioning and competency are specific to one’s environment

  8. Understanding intellectual disability Terminology • Mental retardation • Intellectual impairment • Mental deficiency • Mental handicap • Mental sub-normality

  9. Understanding intellectual disability Terminology: Labelling Labels have a function in professional language and for management of resources within schools, but: • labels can be traumatic for families and damaging to individuals • label does not define the student

  10. Understanding intellectual disability The following terminology is often used by specialists but can be misleading: • developmental delay • global developmental delay – suggests that children will ‘grow out’ of problems • learning disability – used for people who have specific issues with reading or literacy etc

  11. Understanding intellectual disability Terminology: Diagnosis • significantly below average intelligence • significant difficulties with everyday living • deficits are present prior to 18 years of age American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (4th ed.). (Text rev.). Washington, DC: Author. (p. 41)

  12. Understanding intellectual disability Diagnosis • some children are diagnosed soon after birth • those with a mild intellectual disability may not be recognised until they begin preschool or later

  13. Understanding intellectual disability Diagnosis Intellect refers to: • mental ability or capacity • thought processes • the ability to reason • the ability to solve problems

  14. Understanding intellectual disability Measuring intelligence • measured by a standardised instrument which compares abilities to same age peers • DEECD require Wechsler tests for assessment consistency • WPPSI-III (4 – 7.3 years) • WISC-IV (7.4 – 16.11 years)

  15. Understanding intellectual disability Normal Curve

  16. Understanding intellectual disability Degrees of severity Category Wechsler IQ Range Mild 69 – 55 89 % Moderate 54 – 40 6 % 39 – 29 Not assessable Severe 39 – 29 3.5 % <25 Profound <25 1.5% Sattler, J.M. (2001). Assessment of Children: Cognitive Applications. (4th ed.)

  17. Understanding intellectual disability Adaptive functioning • how well a person copes with everyday tasks • how well a person meets the standards of independence expected of someone their age (in similar cultural and geographical contexts)

  18. Understanding intellectual disability Adaptive functioning • usually measured with a standardised questionnaire • DEECD require Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales – Teacher Rating Form • 3 – 18.11 years

  19. Understanding intellectual disability Adaptive functioning • Leisure skills • Communication • Social skills • Health and safety • Self direction • Home living • Self-care • Work skills • Functional academics • Use of community resources

  20. STATEWIDE Distribution of IQ scores for students referred for ID assessment- 2010 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% ...0

  21. Three Year Comparison of IQ distribution 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% ...0 2009 2008

  22. Comparison of wisc and wppsi assessments which proceed to application 60% 50% 90% 40% 80% 55% 30% 70% 20% 43% 10% ...0

  23. Severe Language Disorder with Critical Educational Needs 5 Criteria to account for • Language Assessment • Elimination of confounding factors • History and Evidence • Intelligence Testing • Critical Educational Needs

  24. Severe Language Disorder with Critical Educational Needs Issues with referring • Students may be diagnosed with a language disorder but not be eligible for the SLD-CEN program • Only a very small cohort of students throughout the state are supported under this program

  25. Severe Language Disorder with Critical Educational Needs • The majority of students with language disorders are assisted through the Language Support Program (resources in the school’s budget) • Language test results for the SLD-CEN need to be at least 3 standard deviations below the mean

  26. Understanding intellectual disability Normal Curve 3sd 2sd 1sd 0.13% 50 60

  27. Severe Language Disorder with Critical Educational Needs In addition to language difficulties students must also demonstrate critical education needs in order to attract at least level three funding

  28. Severe Language Disorder with Critical Educational Needs In order to meet CEN criteria, the student must demonstrate high ratings on several scales listed on the Educational Needs Questionnaire. Supporting evidence can include: • Current descriptive reports from the teacher outlining support or modifications required in specific areas of difficulty such as learning needs, mobility or fine motor skills • Examples of incidences that have or are occurring during the day relating to behaviour or safety concerns

  29. Severe Language Disorder with Critical Educational Needs • Support programs (e.g. Psychology intervention for behaviour) and/or Individual Learning Plans currently in place • Details of supervision or assistance the student requires in specific areas such as self care • Current reports from specialists such as Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Medical specialists, Mental Health Workers, Psychiatrists, Audiologists etc

  30. Childhood apraxia of speech - dyspraxia • CAS in children may be known by various names: Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia; Verbal Apraxia; Apraxia of Speech; Apraxia • CAS is a childhood speech sound disorder in which children have difficulty programming, sequencing and initiating movements required to make speech sounds. • Although characteristics may overlap, CAS is a motor speech planning disorder and should not be confused with other speech sound disorders. Due to the complexity of its nature diagnosing CAS can be very difficult and requires a very detailed assessment that includes analysing speech movements, sounds, patterns and rhythms

  31. Referral issues Screening for appropriate referrals • Due to the increase in inappropriate referrals to Lewis & Lewis in 2010 the DEECD is encouraging more rigorous screening of referrals in 2011

  32. Referral issues Common referral reasons • “Sarah was tested two years ago and there has been no progress. It’s time for her to be tested again” • “It’s been two years since John’s last assessment, he just missed out last time, we want to have another go”

  33. Referral issues Common referral reasons • “My SSSO has been through the files and there are three students who are all due for an assessment” • “I know that Chris is not going to be eligible but the teacher/parents want an assessment anyway”

  34. Referral issues Common referral reasons • “I just want to rule out ID” • “Jaihden failed reading recovery so we need an assessment”

  35. Referral issues Common referral reasons • “The speechie has done an assessment and has recommended a cognitive assessment” • The paediatrician has recommended a cognitive assessment • The student has siblings with an ID • Our SSSO has done a KBIT/Ravens and the students score was in the extremely low range

  36. Referral issues Completion of referral forms • All referral forms are expected to be completed and signed • Before allocation to a psychologist or speech pathologist we will be looking for evidence of ongoing ‘severe difficulties’

  37. Referral issues Completion of referral forms • Forms with ‘no’ or ‘n/a’ or ‘fine’ written in questions asking about a students adaptive ability do not support an intellectual disability and in the absence of supporting documentation may be screened out • Do not write ‘refer’ to speech pathology assessment report when discussing language difficulties

  38. Referral issues Completion of referral forms • Lewis & Lewis does not have access to DEECD files • Please always attach copies of all previous assessment reports • At busy times of the year, anything that delays the process will hold up your assessment

  39. Referral issues Completion parental consent form • It is important that parents are aware of the true purpose of the referral to Lewis & Lewis and the potential outcome of diagnosing their child with a disability • Lewis & Lewis through their contract with the DEECD do not conduct assessments for learning disabilities

  40. Referral issues Completion of the Vineland • Must be completed by a teacher only • Teacher must know the student well • Is a professional assessment tool and needs to be completed responsibly

  41. Referral issues Completion of the Vineland • Is not just a screening tool. Is required for the diagnosis of an intellectual disability

  42. Referrals received per week throughout 2010 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 ...0

  43. Referrals received per week throughout 2010 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 ...0

  44. Referral Procedure

  45. www.lewisandlewis.com.au

  46. Main points • Lewis & Lewis is contracted to provide assessment for the categories of ID and SLD-CEN only • To make a referral, call us • When you call, make sure you know the student and their relevant details

  47. Main points • Diagnosing a student with a disability is significant • Last year the number of inappropriate referrals increased • This year we are aiming for better screening of referrals

  48. 9380 5742 9380 6883 info@lewisandlewis.com.au  www.lewisandlewis.com.au

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