Child Development Network

Special Education Services (Jason McGowan)

Learning and developmental disabilities is a large and complex field. In almost all cases an accurate diagnosis (What's wrong) and prognosis (What can be done about it) requires a number of professionals from various disciplines. The following information specifically explains the role of the Education Specialist at the Child Development Network. For more information please see Dr McGowan's Literacy Care website.

Philosophy and Mission

We believe that literacy skills are a basic educational right rather than the exclusive property of a select few. Reading, writing and spelling are precious and indispensable commodities. Despite the arrival of the computer revolution and the ease and convenience that such technology affords, fundamental literacy skills remain a vital ingredient for life.

Our mission as a team of carers is to diagnose and then treat the Learning Disabled using a multisensory, multidisciplinary yet coordinated plan that is administered with professionalism and care. We strive to lift our children to where they become permanent possessors of quality education. We desire to put back into their hands the power to lead a productive and accomplished life.

PLEASE NOTE: We neither support nor deny complimentary or 'alternative' treatments. Instead, we strive to always present to each child, methodologies and resources that are the proven products of rigorous and scientific investigation. We believe our advice and treatment processes are scientific and evidenced based.

What We Can Offer

• Assessments
• Reports
• Treatment Plans
• Interventions
• The Educational Therapy
• School Visits
• Correspondence
• Study/Organizational Skills

The Assessment Interview

The assessment interview is the most important appointment of all. For most of our children it involves a two hour consultation. The Doctor of Education will usually discuss the referral information with the Paediatrician or other specialist before the assessment. During the assessment interview it is important that the following is established:

• The child's reading age in years and months? This is necessary so we know the extent of the learning delay. Other important statistical data such as comprehension age and reading rate is also established.
• The child's visual and auditory processing ability? This is essential in determining the areas of greatest need and thus necessary in the formulation of a treatment plan.
• What is the root cause of the child's learning problems? Some diagnostic testing will provide information about why the child gets so frustrated when attempting reading tasks or why they simply give up and don't want to try. This is necessary so we know what kind of treatment process the client needs.
• When possible a diagnosis is made. It is not always possible to diagnose in exact terms what type of learning problem the child has. However, even if an actual term cannot be definitely ascribed to the condition it doesn't mean that the child cannot be effectively treated or the condition adequately managed.
• Does the child have a Learning Delay, a Learning Difficulty or a Learning Disability? These terms are often used interchangeably but they actually have different meanings and when used correctly they are helpful in understanding the child's problems as well as planning the intervention.

The Diagnostic Literacy Report

After the assessment interview the various tests are formally scored. The various pieces of qualitative information including comments and observations are also officially recorded. From this information conclusions and summaries are written. This then allows the doctor to prepare an official Diagnostic Report. Such a report represents the official views and opinions of the testing administrator. The report is especially useful to other professionals including guidance officers, counsellors and learning support teachers. The report is often around 10 - 12 pages and includes extensive information about literacy interventions. Such reports have been used as supporting documentation in the ascertainment or appraisal processes. However, the report is not generated automatically after every assessment. It is only written at the request of the child's carer.

The Intervention

The term intervention is used to describe the processes and methodologies chosen to remediate and support the learning disabled child. It is a term that embraces the general way that professionals need to collaborate in order to best support the learner as well as being a much more definitive term that describes the principles and practices of the various programs used.

Why So Many Literacy/Reading Programs?

There are literally hundreds of reading programs available to specialists and to the public either commercially or from other sources. The questions most asked are, what are the differences and which one is best for the child? Unfortunately, because of the tremendous marketing opportunities available today many people (and schools too) end up purchasing programs because they have been convinced by powerful marketing strategies that the program is the 'best' available. The reality is that many such programs do not end up producing the results that the purchasers thought they would. This could be because the program was not implemented correctly, which is of course important, but most of the time it is because the tenets of the program do not adhere to basic fundamental researched supported principles. Programs that research supports are known as scientifically evidenced based interventions.

So What Does the Term 'Scientific Evidenced Based' mean?

Programs that can lay claim to being scientific and evidenced based are those that have been subjected to the rigours and probings of scientific methodology. Such methodologies are designed to scrutinize the workings and test the claims of the program so that it can be proven in a quantitative sense just how effective or otherwise the intervention really is. This usually involves the implementation of the program under strict and controlled conditions. The results of the research are then subjected to the scrutiny of experts who are given opportunity to critically comment on the research presented to them. If the research holds up under such scrutiny it is then published for the wider public to review. Interventions that survive this process are considered to be research supported and thus scientific and evidenced based.

The Educational Therapy

Educational Therapy (See Section on Professions) is mainly concerned with the training and development of visual and auditory perception. It consists of a range of challenge activities that are designed to enhance underlying cognitive functions and processing speed. Often referred to as "Brainskills"or PACE (Perceptual and Cognitive Enhancement) the program serves as a preparation stage to the main literacy intervention. The resources and program used are researched supported and scientifically based.

The School Visit

In order to provide appropriate advocacy services and support the child's submission for accommodations it may be necessary to arrange a school visit. To make the school visit as profitable as possible it is best to have all interested parties in attendance. Thus, a typical meeting would involve the child's carer, classroom teacher, Learning Support Teacher, Guidance Officer/Counsellor, other informed specialists, possibly a school administrator and the specialist from the CDN. The meeting usually takes the format of an open discussion around a series of predetermined issues. Such issues often include accommodations - how to 'level the playing field' for the student, explanation of conditions, explanation of recommendations, advice on implementation of interventions and liaison with external practitioners.

The Guided Teaching (Semi Correspondence) Course

Because a large number of our children live a considerable distance from the CDN it is difficult to implement an intervention on a weekly or even fortnightly basis. In order to overcome the tyranny of distance it may be possible to implement the treatment process via correspondence. This means that the child will be given all the materials that they will need in one complete package. Instead of weekly visits the child may only see the specialist every four or six weeks. In order to compensate for the lack of contact time with the practitioner a weekly phone consultation is arranged at a mutually convenient time. Naturally not all children can do the correspondence course because it is not the best option for them. But in most cases the course works very well and achieves the goals set out in the treatment plan.

The StudySkills and Organization Course

This intervention is particularly useful for those who are having difficulty with time management, exam preparation and general organizational skills. All students can benefit from help in these areas but this course has been especially designed with the senior high school student in mind. It covers such areas as: goal setting, study methodologies, self motivation, summarising techniques, referencing, essay construction critical essay analysis, time management and exam preparation.

Measuring Progress

We measure progress in two ways:

Test and Re-Test:

This means that achievement is both specific and measurable according to standardized benchmarks

Observation:

Both the child and those that work with them, including teachers, friends and family members will see for themselves a noticeable and observable improvement.

General Features

• Provide All Materials
• Scientific Evidenced Based Literacy Interventions
• Weekly, fortnightly or monthly One on One Tuition
• Correspondence Programs
• Multidisciplinary Treatment Plans
• School Visits

Who are We Helping

The people who visit our rooms are generally between the ages of 6 and 18. All experience different levels of difficulty and frustration when it comes to reading, writing, spelling and other literacy skills. Every person that makes contact with us is invited to meet with us individually to discuss their needs and goals. We usually ask that each child participate in an assessment interview in order to establish the exact level of need and support required. We can then show them the step by step process necessary to repair their difficulties and to reach their goals.

Fees

For further information about services and fees, please contact the Child Development Network