Demographic Factors Associated With the Early Identification of Children With Special Needs

Abstract

Early and accurate identification of special needs, coupled with an appropriate course of treatment and educational plan, is important to academic progress, in particular for economically disadvantaged children with fewer family resources to catch up if they fall behind. A first step in improving mechanisms to promote early identification is to uncover factors influencing the timing of identification. This study investigates how early identification-defined as identification prior to kindergarten entry-varies by demographic characteristics. Using data from the California Department of Education, the authors find systematic differences in the timing of identification, even after adjusting for disability and other factors. Girls are less likely to be identified with special needs prior to kindergarten entry than boys. African Americans are less likely than children of other races to be identified early, despite disproportionately high overall identification rates. English learners are less likely than non-English learners to be identified early.

Who Is Centered? A Systematic Review of Early Childhood Researchers’ Descriptions of Children and Caregivers From Linguistically Minoritized Communities

“…The other languages specified were Mixtec, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Tagalog, American Sign Language, Russian, and French Creole. Only four studies (13%) included specific terms to refer to the monolingual English-speaking participants, such as “non-English learners” and “English-speakers” (i.e., Greenwood et al, 2010; Guarino et al, 2010; Jackson & Callender, 2014; Peredo et al, 2020). Authors in 25 studies (83%) included racial/ethnic backgrounds (e.g., Carta et al, 2014; Olmsted et al, 2010).…”

The Use of Web Based Expert System Application for Identification and Intervention of Children with Special Needs in Inclusive School

“…Identification is a process to discover information about problems faced by children to arrange suitable education intervention covering class placement and curriculum (Lebeer et al, 2010). Suitable identification is useful to provide learning interventuin choices according to characteristics, abilities, and disabilities of children with special needs (Guarino, et al, 2010). Steps in performing identification are (Direktorat PSLB, 2007): a.…”

Parent and teacher perceptions of emerging special health care needs

“…In addition, children's behaviour can differ markedly across these contexts. For example, the increased social and cognitive demands of the classroom environment often highlight children's need for greater support, while the dynamics of family relationships may influence children's behaviour in the home setting …”