ERIC Number: ED394751
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1996-Mar
Pages: 6
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Getting Disability-Specific Resources to Teachers in Rural Georgia.
Dirst, Stephanie
This paper describes efforts to address the shortage of special educators in rural Georgia by supplying regular education teachers with information and resources to teach disabled students. Since 1969, the Georgia Center for Students with Disabilities (GCSD) has provided yearly comprehensive medical and psychoeducational evaluations to approximately 100 children from birth to 21 years of age who have low-incidence or multiple disabilities. In order to assure equal access to GCSD diagnostic services, all referrals are processed through 17 regional sites of the Georgia Learning Resources System (GLRS), a support system for special education. At the conclusion of a 4-day evaluation conducted by professionals in various disciplines, an exit conference is held at GCSD with the child's family and school representative. In addition, a written report is compiled and sent to the family, the local school system, and the local GLRS. This report includes findings and recommendations in the areas of behavior, vision, auditory reception, speech and language, motor, activities of daily living, cognition, and academics. Each GLRS regional office has materials available for loan to teachers, including a collection of films, records, books, videos, kits, and equipment. GCSD and GLRS collaborate in connecting teachers to the materials and resources that they need to teach children with low-incidence or multiple disabilities and to implement recommendations in the written diagnostic report. GCSD writes a request that GLRS provide a list of materials and local resources specific to the recommendations of the GCSD diagnostic report to the teacher of the evaluated student. In addition, during the student's 4-day evaluation period, the local teacher is contacted by GCSD staff to collect more data and to further discuss the needs of the student. Both classroom teachers and GLRS staff have reacted positively concerning the collaboration between GCSD and GLRS in meeting the needs of disabled students. (LP)
Descriptors: Cooperative Programs, Education Service Centers, Educational Diagnosis, Educational Resources, Elementary Secondary Education, Information Sources, Low Incidence Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Program Descriptions, Rural Education, Shared Resources and Services, Special Education, Student Evaluation, Teacher Shortage
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Georgia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A