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American Academy

Special Education (SPED)

Special Education

At American Academy we typically provide special education services for Specific Learning Disability, Speech Language Impairment, and other mild to moderate disabilities. Our Special Education team consists of full- and part-time specially trained and licensed support staff serving students at each campus, including learning specialists, speech-language pathologists, school psychologist, social worker, occupational therapist, and educational assistants. For additional information around the disability categories outlined by the Colorado Department of Education, please visit the Colorado Department of Education website. Our Student Support Services staff works closely with families of students with more significant disabilities in order to determine FAPE.
 

What is a Specific Learning Disability (SLD)?

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. Specific Learning Disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of: visual impairment, including blindness; hearing impairment, including deafness; orthopedic impairment; intellectual disability; serious emotional disability; cultural factors; environmental or economic disadvantage; or limited English proficiency.
 
Formerly, the SLD construct of “unexpected underachievement” was indicated by low achievement as compared to a measure of the child’s ability (IQ/achievement discrepancy). Revisions made in 2008 redefined the SLD construct of “unexpected underachievement” to indicate low achievement and insufficient response to empirically validated instruction/intervention that works with most students, even struggling ones (MTSS). For more information on the criteria for determining a Specific Learning Disability, please visit the Colorado Department of Education website.
 
Learning Specialists:
CP- Sallie Callahan and Tara McMahon
 
 

What is a Speech or Language Impairment (SLI)?

A child with a Speech or Language Impairment shall have a communicative disorder which prevents the child from accessing and receiving reasonable educational benefit from general education.
 
The following is a list of common speech and language disorders with a brief explanation of each.
  • Articulation - the way we say our speech sounds
  • Phonology - the speech patterns we use
  • Apraxia - difficulty planning and coordinating the movements needed to make speech sounds
  • Fluency - stuttering
  • Voice - problems with the way the voice sounds, such as hoarseness
  • Receptive Language - difficulty understanding language
  • Expressive Language - difficulty using language
  • Pragmatic Language - social communication; the way we speak to each other
  • Deafness/Hearing Loss - loss of hearing; therapy includes developing lip-reading, speech, and/or alternative communication systems
  • Oral-Motor Disorders - weak tongue and/or lip muscles
  • Swallowing/Feeding Disorders - difficulty chewing and/or swallowing
 
 
Speech Language Pathologists:
 

Progress Reports

Progress reports come out at the same time as general education report cards. Please let your student's learning specialist or service provider know if you have any questions or concerns!