Other Neurologic Disabilities

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Introduction

A  neurologic disability is not a disease. Rather a neurologic disability is characterized by impairments in brain function. While many neurologic disabilities are genetic in nature or caused by birth trauma, others can be acquired later in life. The severity of symptoms can vary a great deal among those diagnosed with a specific neurologic disability. However students with neurologic disabilities often exhibit a variety of long-term cognitive, behavioral, physical, and psychosocial impairments which can require specialized educational programming.

A lack of awareness and understanding of the unique characteristics and the educational needs of this population often prevent students with neurologic disabilities from receiving an appropriate education. If students with neurologic disabilities are to receive an appropriate education, a system must be in place to ensure that educational personnel serving these students are trained in specific aspects of the student's neurologic disability and have available expert resource personnel to provide technical assistance when needed. The Kansas State Department of Education's Student Support Services addresses these training needs through the services provided by the Neurologic Disabilities Support Project.

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Services

Training opportunities, resource referral, consultation, and technical assistance are available to Kansas school personnel and students with neurologic disabilities. Local education agencies, parents, medical personnel, and others serving Kansas students with neurologic disabilities can request these services.

In addition, the project serves as a resource center for disseminating information about specific neurologic disabilities to school personnel and parents in the state of Kansas. Written materials as well as community and agency resource listings have been developed. Services and resources are free of charge to Kansas educators and parents and are available upon request. To request services for a Kansas student, contact the project director, Janet Tyler, Ph.D.

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History

The Kansas State Department of Education's Student Support Services is dedicated to serving students with neurologic disabilities. Services provided through the Neurologic Disabilities Support Project include technical assistance and consultation throughout the state of Kansas. The development and delivery of technical assistance and consultation, effective resources, presentations, and written materials to educators and parents of students with neurologic disabilities is a goal of the project.

Delivery models which have successfully provided technical assistance, consultation, and resource referral to help assure appropriate educational programming for students with traumatic brain injury and AD/HD were expanded to include students with a wide range of neurologic disabilities in 1997. The funding and expansion of services to students with neurologic disabilities reflects the Kansas Department of Education's continued commitment to providing direct educational services to students with neurologic disabilities.

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Funding

Services for students with neurologic disabilities are provided through a grant funded by the Kansas Department of Education's Student Support Services. These grant funds are administered by the Northeast Kansas Educational Service Center. The project is housed at the Developmental Disabilities Center (DDC) of University of Kansas Medical Center.

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Contact Us

For additional information contact Janet Tyler, Ph.D. or Lee Stickle, M.S.Ed. at:

Neurologic Disabilities Support Project 
Mail Stop 3055
University of Kansas Medical Center
Developmental Disabilities Center (DDC)
3901 Rainbow Blvd.
Kansas City, KS 66160
Email: jtyler@kumc.edu
Email: lstickle@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 588-5943
FAX:  (913) 588-5942

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