Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1, 2024
(1) Definition of "Speech or Language
Impairment": For early childhood and school age special education, "Speech or
Language Impairment" means the impairment of speech articulation, voice,
fluency, or the impairment or deviant development of language comprehension
and/or expression, or the impairment of the use of a spoken or other symbol
system that adversely affects educational performance. The language impairment
may be manifested by one or more of the following components of language:
morphology, syntax, semantics, phonology, and pragmatics.
(2) Comprehensive Evaluation: If a child is
suspected of having a speech or language impairment, a comprehensive evaluation
for early childhood or school age special education services must be conducted,
including the following:
(a) Speech-language
assessment. A speech and language assessment administered by a speech and
language pathologist licensed by a State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language
Pathology and Audiology or the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission,
including:
(A) When evaluating syntax,
morphology, semantics or pragmatics, a representative language sample and
comprehensive standardized tests that assess expression and
comprehension;
(B) When a voice
disorder is suspected, a voice assessment scale; and
(C) When a fluency disorder is suspected, an
observation in at least two settings;
(b) Medical. For a child suspected of having
a voice disorder, documentation of a medical examination by an otolaryngologist
licensed by a State Board of Medical Examiners. For other than a voice
disorder, if a medical information is needed, documentation of a medical
examination as defined in OAR 581-015-2000 describing relevant medical
issues;
(c) Hearing evaluation or
screening. An evaluation or screening of the child's hearing acuity and, if
needed, a measure of middle ear functioning;
(d) Other.
(A) An evaluation of the child's oral
mechanism, if needed;
(B) Any
additional assessments necessary to determine the impact of the suspected
disability:
(i) On the child's educational
performance for a school-age child; or
(ii) On the child's developmental progress
for a preschool child; and
(C) Any additional evaluations or assessments
necessary to identify the child's educational needs.
(3) Eligibility Criteria: To be
eligible as a child with a specific speech or language impairment for early
childhood or school age special education services, the child must meet the
following criteria:
(a) Voice disorder:
(A) The child demonstrates chronic vocal
characteristics that deviate in at least one of the areas of pitch, quality,
intensity or resonance;
(B) The
child's voice disorder impairs communication or intelligibility; and
(C) The child's voice disorder is rated as
moderate to severe on a voice assessment scale.
(b) Fluency disorder:
(A) The child demonstrates an interruption in
the rhythm or rate of speech that is characterized by hesitations, repetitions,
or prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases;
(B) The child has a fluency disorder that
interferes with communication and calls attention to itself across two or more
settings; and
(C) The child
demonstrates moderate to severe vocal dysfluencies or the child evidences
associated secondary behaviors, such as struggling or avoidance as measured by
a standardized measure.
(c) Phonological or articulation disorder:
(A) The child's phonology or articulation is
rated significantly discrepant as measured by a standardized test;
and
(B) The disorder is
substantiated by a language sample or other evaluation(s).
(d) Syntax, morphology, pragmatic or semantic
disorder:
(A) The child's language in the area
of syntax, morphology, semantics or pragmatics is significantly discrepant as
measured by standardized test(s) or other evaluation data; and
(B) The disorder is substantiated by a
language sample or other evaluation(s).
(C) For a child to be eligible with a syntax,
morphology, pragmatic or semantic disorder, the disorder is not the result of
another disability.
(4) Eligibility Determination: For a child to
be eligible for early childhood or school age special education services as a
child with a speech or language impairment, the eligibility team must also
determine that:
(a) The child has a speech or
language impairment as defined in this rule; and
(b) By reason thereof, the child requires
early intervention (OAR 581-015-2780), early childhood special education (OAR
581-015-2795), or school age special education (OAR 581-015-2120)
services.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS
343.035(1),
343.045,
343.146 &
343.157;
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS
343.035(1),
343.045,
343.146,
343.157,
34 CFR
300.8 &
300.306
