Children and Teens with Disabilities

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Toolkit Table of Contents

Definition(s)
Quick Tips
Overview
Data
Trends
Resources for Librarians
Resources for Patrons
References

Definitions

  • Disabilities in children and teens can affect the ability to learn, process information, interact with the environment, self-regulate, understand, process or use spoken, written or nonverbal language, regulate attention, complete mathematical calculations, interact with their environment, navigate the physical environment, make coordinated movements process thoughts and emotions and manage their behavior.
  • Disabilities in children and teens include vision, hearing, speech, sensory and mental health issues, physical disabilities and differences, and communication disabilities.
  • Disabilities in children and teens may include conditions such as Intellectual Disabilities, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Diabetes, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Learning Disabilities, Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), sensory processing disorder, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, and many other diagnoses. Children may have multiple conditions.

Tips

  • Examine your library from the perspective of the social model for disabilities and from the perspective of the child or teen.
  • Expect every child and teen to learn according to their ability.
  • Look for the child or teen’s strengths.
  • Approach each child and teen with an open mind and treat each patron as an individual.
  • Communicate directly with the child or teen rather than the caregiver, teacher, aide, or interpreter.
  • Defer to the child’s or teen’s preferred communication method.
  • Ask, “What was the last book you read and liked?” Don’t rely on the child or teen’s age or grade to determine reading level.
  • Curate collections with large-print and Braille editions, graphic, hi/lo1, audio formats, and digital collections with read-along or speech-to-text capabilities.
  • Curate print and digital collections with age-appropriate materials on various reading and interest levels.
  • Support the child’s or teen’s choice of book.
  • Be specific and concrete about behavioral expectations.
  • Count silently to seven before expecting a response to allow the child or teen time to process information.
  • Allow the child or teen to finish thoughts. Do not interrupt.
  • Simultaneously, combine verbal and visual information (show and tell).
  • Respect the child’s or teen’s feelings and include the child or teen in your conversations.
  • Encourage attendees to feel comfortable at programs. Allow participants to hold toys, walk around, slump in a chair, stim (aka stim)2, have preferential seating, or have a parent present.
  • Encourage children and teens with disabilities to volunteer.
  • Assess the child’s or teen’s needs, but do not inquire about the specific disability's name.
  • Parents, caregivers, and siblings also have informational and emotional needs.
  • Observe and learn from those persons interacting with the child or teen.
  • Program activities for all of the children or teens at any given school. When working with schools, ask to work with students receiving special education services.
  • Reach out to children and teens who are homebound and to children and teens in institutions.
  • Avoid using ableist language or terms or phrases that can be interpreted as being ableist. Avoid using the term “special needs.”

Overview

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 14% of American school children aged three to twenty-one received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-I) during the 2019-2020 school year. Because most disabilities are not immediately apparent, children with disabilities are likely already using your library. Children with disabilities are entitled to a free, appropriate education from birth through age twenty-one, by the (IDEA-I). In keeping with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, children may receive reasonable accommodation at school, such as elevator access, increased test-taking time, and the right to carry an asthma inhaler. Many children attend schools in self-contained classrooms with other children with disabilities. Some children attend inclusion classes; others are mainstreamed into general education settings. Some children may be home-schooled. School libraries are required to follow Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and 504 accommodations.

Data

Over 14% of American school children and teens from the age of three through twenty-one met at least one of the thirteen criteria for being disabled outlined in the IDEA-I3. This percentage reflects a significant increase over the previous decade and will likely continue to grow.

  • The Federal Department of Education classifies children and teens into 13 disability categories. Below are the categories and the percentage of students who receive special education in each. It must be noted that these are imprecise categories and are generally considered to be a significant undercount. For example, most schools only acknowledge dyslexia under specific learning disability and do not test for dysgraphia, dyscalculia, or non-verbal learning disabilities. It should also be noted that this data has a significant racial skewing. For example, black male students with unusual behavior are much more likely to be classified as Emotionally Disturbed than Autism Spectrum Disorder or Other Health Impaired, a category that includes ADHD.
    • Specific Learning Disability--33%
    • Speech or language impairment--19%
    • Other health impairment--15%
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)--11%
    • Developmental Delay--7%
    • Intellectual Disability--6%
    • Emotional Disturbance--5%
    • Multiple Disabilities-2%
    • Hearing Impairment--1%
    • Orthopedic Impairment--1%
  • An additional 2.3% of students receive services, usually called 504 accommodations, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These students require a medical diagnosis and often have food allergies, diabetes, anxiety disorders or ADHD.4

Trends

  • The phrase “special needs” has fallen out of favor. A video from the advocacy group Not Special Needs outlines why this phrase is considered offensive by many:
  • “Neurodiverse” and “Neurodivergent” are umbrella terms encompassing ASD and learning and attention issues. Intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and mental health issues are often included under this umbrella. “Neurotypical” is its antonym.
  • The percentage of disabled children and teens who qualify for special education services through IEPs and 504s will likely to continue to increase as educators, physicians, and caregivers become more aware of disabilities and children's mental health issues are more widely understood. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic saw a marked increase in the number of children experiencing trauma reactions, anxiety, and PTSD.
  • Adaptive technology, greater awareness of learning disabilities/differences, and a better understanding of the needs the neurodiverse community will inform and improve collections, outreach, services and programs offered by libraries.

Resources for Librarians

  • includes a helpful discussion about language in the seventh edition of their publication manual.
  • (PDF) at Arizona State University has a comprehensive guide to over 200 words and phrases.
  • has a series of three articles illuminating the pros and cons of “person-first” and “identity-first” language.
  • --a great guide for learning differences
  • (PDF) from the Stanford Disability Initiative
  • What not to say about people with disabilities and learning differences and what to use instead.
  • provides information about inclusion i learning environments and Universal Design for Learning.
  • ALSC (Association for Library Services to Children) has a Toolkit for Underserved Children and their Caregivers that includes several sections on youth with disabilities.
  • out of Syracuse University provides self-paced, in-line learning modules and resources that focus on the needs of children with disabilities in public and school libraries.

Resources for Patrons

  • has easy-to-understand guidelines for writing about people with disabilities.
  • is a helpful resource with a guide on common terminology, with a special focus on young people.
  • provides information at appropriate levels for children, teens, and adults on a variety of medical conditions and disabilities.
  • has hard-to-find information and resources on sexual health for youth with developmental disabilities.
  • has resources for youth 14-21 on the transition from IEP services and school to adult life, including self-advocacy and dealing with the police.

References

  3. National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Students With Disabilities. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from .
  4. Lee, Andrew M I. 2018. “Thousands of Public Schools Aren't Using 504 Plans, New Analysis Suggests.” Understood. Retrieved November 6, 2022.