Category: ADHD
Posted by Dr. Daniel Klein on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 8:44 AMParents can work with schools to make accommodations for ADHD
Kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can face many challenges and many have to do with school and education. One of the many ways we try to help these students is through environmental accommodations.
Using environmental accommodations, teachers and parents make changes in some of the ways the student is taught. For example, some students with attention difficulties may do better sitting closer to the teacher and/or in the front of the class. This is called preferential seating. In other cases, a behavioral modification plan might be needed to encourage positive behavior.
In some situations, a parent can ask the teacher to help make some of these changes. In many cases where the ADHD is having an impact on the child's ability to learn, the parent can request an evaluation by the school to determine if the child would qualify for formal accommodations. The way this process usually begins is by a parent putting in a written request asking for an evaluation to be completed. In some cases, the school may initiate the process with the parents. If the primary diagnosis is ADHD, a written letter from the diagnosing physician is also helpful. This gets the ball rolling and will lead to an invitation for a parent meeting at school to discuss the request or to sign forms to begin the evaluation process. Once the school has agreed to complete the evaluation, it has 30 school days to complete its work (in other states they may have up to 60 days).
There are two main types of plans a parent and/or school can seek, either a Section 504 plan or an individualized education plan (IEP). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. ADHD is included as a disability if the impairment substantially limits a major life activity such as the child's education. An IEP is rooted in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which was written to ensure all children receive a "free and appropriate education" while meeting some of the unique needs of children.
To receive formal accommodations, the child has to be qualified by the school through documentation at the school. A request by a parent does not guarantee qualification nor can a school qualify a student without permission from the parents. Evaluations can vary from some observations and behavioral data to more formalized psychological testing to determine if there are learning problems. Once the process is underway, the school's team of professionals should work with you to determine what tests are necessary.
In general, I find most schools to be cooperative in working with the parents I see in seeking the accommodations for their child. The best approach is to maintain a positive working relationship. If a parent is experiencing difficulty with the process, he may choose to find an educational advocate who can help navigate the system and look out for what is in the child's best interests. Some great educational resources in this area include the Citizens Alliance to Uphold Special Education (CAUSE), which offers classes for parents on school advocacy and other great resources and bridges4kids.org. On the national level, Pete Wright, one of the nation's leading experts on educational advocacy, has a Web site, Wright's Law, that is full of very helpful information.
Once the child has qualified for services, a variety of accommodations can be explored to help the child. For kids with ADHD who are chronically disorganized, an extra set of books for home can be provided, modification on assignments, tests administered orally or in small groups, copies of teacher notes and study skills classes are just a few examples. In my next blog post, I will go into much more detail on possible school strategies and interventions for kids with ADHD and learning differences.
Family conference on Nov. 8
There is also a terrific speaker coming to town in November whose expertise is in providing practical strategies in helping kids in this area. Sandra Rief, M.A. will be highlighting this year's Anita Naftaly Jewish Family Circle Conference on Nov. 8 in Southfield, which is open to the public. Rief has written several extremely helpful books including a bestselling ADHD book called, How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD. If you have a child who is challenged in school due to ADHD, I encourage you to consider attending the conference.
