Disability refers to mental or physical conditions which hinder an individual's mode of movement, sense, or the state of activeness. There are different types of impairments, and they include; visual impairment, hearing impairment, language or speech impairment, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, autism, deaf-blindness, orthopedic impairment, and traumatic brain injury. Below is a discussion of speech or language impairment, as shown by studies from IDEA and Wisconsin State Legislature.
Speech or language impairment
Both IDEA and Wisconsin State Legislature have defined speech or language impairment. It was described as impairment or disability of speech or producing sound, stammering, voice production, or a language that can affect performance in education. Speech impairment can also affect social, vocational, or emotional development (IDEA, n.d.; Wisconsin State Legislature, n.d.).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The similarity between IDEA and Wisconsin discussion on speech impairment
There are a few similarities that are seen between the two IDEA and Wisconsin State Legislature studies. They include the following;
Both studies define speech impairment as a communication disorder. Both reviews say that it is communication disorder or language impairment. Both studies give similar examples of communication disorders such as stuttering, voice impairment, poor articulation, and poor language (IDEA, n.d.; Wisconsin State Legislature, n.d.). An individual or a child with language impairment cannot express himself or herself adequately since word articulation will be reduced. Communication is a crucial element of education and interaction in society.
Both studies conclude that language impairment affects education performance. The foundation of academic achievement is communication skills. It is an essential tool for children when interacting among themselves or peers as one actively participates. Problems associated with language impairment include; listening difficulties, difficulties, reading problems, and writing problems (IDEA, n.d.; Wisconsin State Legislature, n.d.). Therefore, young children with a language disorder can perform low since they struggle a lot with reading. Also, they have difficulties in understanding and expression of language, thus leading to school dropout, poor test performance, and low self-esteem from peers.
Differences between IDEA studies and Wisconsin studies
Wisconsin studies have discussed the communication disorder into details than the IDEA studies.
The following are the differences between IDEA studies and Wisconsin Legislature studies on language impairment.
The following criteria for identifying a child with language disorder are discussed in Wisconsin studies, but they are not mentioned in IDEA studies.
Intelligibility in conversation
Based on the phonology test, a child with language impairment will score a minimum of 1.75 standard deviations beneath the mean of her or his chronological.
A child with language impairment shows frequent errors in producing sounds when speaking beyond the period when 90 percent of the children who are developing have developed the sound (Wisconsin State Legislature, n.d.).
The signs as mentioned above will help an individual to point out a child whose intelligibility in conversation is affected.
There is a sign of voice impairment in a child when there is no respiratory infection, an acute, puberty, or voice impairment through allergies. An individual or child can have some pitch quality or loudness concerning age and gender.
When the child receives or expresses language, it affects or hinders oral communication and even the principal mode of communicating.
The child may have a challenge in communicating fluently. It may be through stammering when a child utters one or two words with difficulty hence affecting deliverance of the message.
On the other hand, Wisconsin studies give the following signs in children, which can make it difficult for the IEP team to identify language impairment they are having. They include;
Children are having auditory processing problems with no conjoining documented oral language disorder.
Individuals with speech problems that accrue from being taught English as the second language affect children.
Mild transitioning of speech in children at different developmental periods also hinders communication in children.
Presence of a tongue thrust that exists when conjoining problems in sound production is absent, thus affecting communication.
Lastly, Wisconsin studies give solutions on how to authenticate language impairment, and they include;
The IEP team should consider information on how the child communicates orally in natural environments.
Normative data that is based on referenced data should be put into consideration
Language measures such as the development checklist, the ratio of intelligibility, and minimum core competency should be set to consider.
Conclusion
Language impairment is a critical disease. People, especially parents, should put measures to ensure that their children have a smooth transition when communicating through their developmental stages. Low-grade level teachers also have a more significant role to play to help the young children in developing their communication skills.
References
IDEA. Sec. 300.8 Child with a disability - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Retrieved 11 October 2019, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Legislature: PI 11.36. Retrieved 11 October 2019, from http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/pi/11/36/
