Sample Case Study Susan

Sample Case Study – Susan
SPE/574 Version 3 / 1

University of Phoenix Material

Sample Case Study – Susan

Demographics

Name: Susan

School: Valentin Cruea Elementary

Grade: 2

Age: 9

Intellectual Disability:Down syndrome

Family Background

Susan is a 9-year-old girl with Down syndrome. She lives with her mother, father, and two siblings—one older and one younger than she. Susan is the only child who has a disabilityin the family. The family has recently moved to the district as the father was transferred in his job. The parents are very active in Susan’s education and have high expectations for her.

She is attending secondgrade in a categorical special education program. She is in the categorical classroom 100% of the time. She is nonverbal and has been using a mixture of sign language and a Picture Exchange Communication System(PECS) to communicate. The parents have been teaching Susan some sign language at home, but the school has not been consistently using the signs with her.

Susan is a wonderful, friendly student. She is personable and likes being in the classroom. She seems to pick up using the PECS quickly and uses itto meet her needs. She is cooperative and persistent in getting her needs met. She knows what she wants and will not give up until the other person also knows.

It has been observed that Susan will sign with people if they know sign language.Sheis receiving speech and occupational therapy (OT) at this time.

Overall, Susan functions within the mild to moderate range of Intellectual Disability. There is a potential that she also has a secondary hearing impairment(HI) disability. It is difficult to get an accurate assessment of her abilities due to her communication difficulties (nonverbal) and distractibility. She has been tested by an audiologist a number of times (at 6-month intervals). The results have varied but show less hearing loss each time as Susan learns what is expected and is cueing in to the sounds around her.

Testing Results

Receptive One-WordPicture VocabularyTest –standard score of 32, receptive language at an age equivalent of 3.4 years

Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation – Susan was given a portion of this test and was able to produce some sounds (mainly vowels), but no words.

Peabody Developmental Motor Scales – raw score of 201, age equivalent of 4.3 years

Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration –raw score of 8, age equivalent 3.3 years

Assistive Technology

Observation and targeted activities with the student indicated that she uses gestures, some signs, and picture communication symbols augmented by vocalizations to communicate. A brief time of trials on a voice output communication device indicated that she was able to learn to navigate the basics of the system. It is recommended that trials using various communication modes during structured therapy activities are continued as this would provide more data to help discover Susan’s best mode of communication.

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)

After reviewing Susan’s progress in the general education curriculum, any prior special education goals, and Susan’s daily work, she is functioning at a kindergarten level in some areas. She can pick out her name, but cannot write it. She knows the coins and can identify by pointing numbers to 10 and even into the teens. She knows her colors and shapes.

Susan does not count objects and then identify the amount. She cannot tell time and does not identify common signs. She has trouble following directions given to a group and also directions given directly to her.

Susan’s level of functioning falls below that of peers the same age as she who are also in the second grade. Second graders are expected to sit at desks, read books, write paragraphs, and do mathematical calculations in their head. She also has significant delays in fine motor skills and, therefore, needs additional assistance to access the curriculum.

Individual Education Plan

Goal 1: Susan will use American Sign Language(ASL) and Picture Exchange Communication Symbols(PECS) to communicate basic needs.

Objective 1:When shown the corresponding PECS pictures, the student will be able to correctly sign 15 basic words to aid in communication with 100% accuracy.

Objective 2:When shown either a PECS picture or given the ASL sign, the student will be able to accurately perform the desired action with 100% accuracy. Examples are “sit down”, “wash hands”, “line up”, and other classroom specific words and phrases.

Objective 3:During snack or free time, Susan will be able to communicate her wants and needs by using either PECS pictures or ASL signs correctly 100% of the time. The expected communication symbols will have been previously taught.

Goal 2:Susan will use one-to-one correspondence to compare and order sets of objects to 20.

Objective 1:When given sets of objects with different amounts, Susan will be able to place them next to numerals of the same number with 85% accuracy.

Objective 2:When given cards with numbers on them, Susan will be able to place the cards next to sets of objects with correct number of objects with 85% accuracy.

Objective 3:Susan will be able to count from 1 to 20 using the correct ASL sign when the teacher points to a corresponding number with 85% accuracy.