Learning Disabilities

You, your parents, and the school team must decide where the IEP will be carried out.

For a student with a mild learning disability, like Rafael, only a little extra help in his home or school may be needed. This student may spend a small part of the day getting extra help. He may get help within a regular classroom from an extra teacher or aide. This is called inclusion because the student with special needs is “included” in the general education classroom.

For a moderate disability, a student like Sam may spend part of the day in a class with small groups of students with special learning needs. This student could also get special help in an inclusion class.

A student like Kris, with a severe disability, may move to a private school or a special program in a public school. Kris would be part of a self-contained class. A self-contained class is a special classroom, usually within a school building, where students with special needs spend most of the school day. There, a trained staff structures every part of the day to meet each student's individual needs.