Dyslexia Screening and Intervention
In 2015 the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1108. This law put in place an official definition for dyslexia in Indiana. This definition is based on the International Dyslexia Association’s definition of dyslexia. When referring to dyslexia, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) uses the language from HEA 1108. House Enrolled Act 1108 defines dyslexia as: A specific learning disability that: (1) is neurological in origin and characterized by: difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities; (2) typically results from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction; (3) may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge; and (4) may require the provision of special education services after an eligibility determination is made in accordance with Article 7. Link to House Enrolled Act 1108. Beginning in the 2019 - 2020 school year, Senate Enrolled Act 217 requires schools to universally screen all kindergarten, first, and second-grade students annually to identify and predict students who may be “at some risk” for dyslexia. Link to Senate Enrolled Act 217.VCS will utilize universal screeners approved by the Indiana Department of Education that includes indicators for dyslexia that include:
- Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Sound symbol recognition
- Alphabet knowledge
- Decoding skills
- Rapid naming skills
- Encoding skills
- Explicit, direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative and follows a logical plan of presenting the alphabetic principle that targets the specific needs of the student without presuming prior skills or knowledge of the student;
- Individualized instruction to meet the specific needs of the student in a setting that uses intensive, highly concentrated instruction methods and materials that maximize student engagement;
- Meaning-based instruction directed at purposeful reading and writing with an emphasis on comprehension and composition;
- Instruction that incorporates the simultaneous use of two or more sensory pathways during teacher presentations and student practice; and
- Other instructional approaches as determined appropriate by the educational team.