Imagine your colleagues, Mr. Richards, Mrs. Hernandez, and Dr. Carter ha ve

asked to meet with you regarding concerns they have with a few of their

students. They know that your job is not to diagnose the students, but they

would like to know what they can do in the classroom and the next steps to take

to ensure that the students' needs are met.

Evaluate the following three case studies these educators have presented.

identifying IDEA disability categories where applicable. In 200-250 word

responses for each student, classify the IDEA disability category the student may

fall under. Provide a rationale for your identification choice that takes into

consideration each student's developmental milestones. Discuss strategies for

your colleagues to promote and advocate for the learning and well-being of each

individual. Additionally, is there more information you would like to have

regarding the student in order to further assist the teachers in meeting the

students' needs? Include in-text citations to justify each response.

Case Study 1: Tomas, Kindergarten

Tomas entered Mr. Richards' kindergarten classroom at the beginning of the

school year with great excitement! He showed interest in learning and being in

the classroom with other students. As the school year progressed, however,

Tomas' excitement quickly turned into frustration. He struggled with recognizing

the letters in his name, identifying different shapes, and consistently could not

follow two-part instructions. He also was dramatically less able than his peers to

focus on a task. His frustrations have led to impulsive actions.

Case Study 2: Harper, 3rd grade

Harper attends Sunset Elementary School and has been placed in a class with 25

other third graders. Harper lo ves her teacher Mrs. Hernandez and struggles when

a substitute takes her place. She excels in math and tends to get bored when the

other kids in her class struggle. Harper also loves reading about the weather,

some what obsessively, and can share weather facts and details for hours. She

enjoys going to school but does struggle with the loud noises a school brings. In

assemblies, for instance, she becomes overly upset about the noise level and

tends to rock back and forth to calm herself.

Case Study 3: Austin, 5th grade

Austin is nine years old and was recently hit by a car while riding his bike on the

side walk. He broke his arm and leg and also hit his head very hard. When he

came home from the hospital he looked just fine, but he needed a tremendous

amount of help. Now back in school, there are changes in Austin that are hard to

understand. It takes Austin longer to do things and he has trouble remembering.

He cannot always find the words he wants to use. Dr. Carter's math class is

difficult for him now, but it was his strongest academic area before the accident.