Special Education Program Descriptions
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
ECSEC services for students with Autism are highly structured and focus on the academic, social, emotional, and vocational areas. Programs for these children are very individualized. Students are placed with their general education peers to the greatest extent possible. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time support.
LANGUAGE OR SPEECH IMPAIRMENT
The Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative provides services for individuals ages 3 through 21 with communication disabilities. These services include diagnostic evaluation and therapy for articulation, language, voice, fluency, and other severe communication deficits.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Programs for three, four, and five-year-olds with disabilities are offered throughout Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative. The focus of the early childhood program is social/emotional development, as well as communication, cognitive, adaptive, and physical development. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.
EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES (Strive)
The program for students who have emotional disabilities is highly structured and focuses on the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students, as well as academics. Students are taught to evaluate the effectiveness of their behaviors and to develop skills to meet their psychological needs. By developing more responsible coping behaviors they can have more control over their lives. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.
DEAF/HARD of HEARING
ECSEC provides educational programs for students with hearing impairments aged 3 – 21. These programs focus on increasing student independence and communicative abilities in social/emotional development, physical development, and cognitive/academic learning. The programs are designed to implement teaching procedures that are individualized to the unique needs of each student while emphasizing academic, communication, and personal strengths. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY
Students with learning disabilities are provided with a continuum of services available in each of the six corporations. An emphasis is placed on meeting student needs in the least restrictive environment.
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
Services for students with mild mental disabilities emphasize services in the least restrictive environment with a major focus on academics, social, behavioral, and vocational areas. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.
Services for students with moderate, multiple, and severe mental disabilities are located throughout Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative in age-appropriate public school settings. Emphasis at the elementary level is primarily focused on activities to support life skills. The middle and high school level continues to emphasize life skills with an additional component of community-based instruction. Vocational activities help to promote a successful transition to the work environment. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.
ORTHOPEDICALLY IMPAIRED
ECSEC provides services for students with orthopedic impairments that focus on academic, social, emotional, and vocational areas. Programs for these children are very individualized. Students are placed with their general education peers to the greatest extent possible. A continuum of services is offered from consultation to full-time and self-contained classes.
BLIND AND LOW VISION
ECSEC provides educational services for students with visual impairments ages 3 through 21. Emphasis is placed on increasing student independence in cognitive/academic learning, social/emotional development, physical development, and mobility. Services are designed to meet the individual needs of each student in the least restrictive environment. A continuum of services is offered ranging from consultation to full-time support.
