Overview
DCIU Preschool Special Education is designed to help children with special needs before they enter Kindergarten. We provide free screening and developmental assessments for children whose families, pediatricians, or others who have concerns. A multidisciplinary team of certified/licensed early interventionists assesses each child’s learning strengths and needs and makes recommendations about eligibility. An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is then developed for children found to be eligible for special education services.
Preschool children can receive many types of services if they have an identified disability, or a developmental delay in at least one of the following areas of development: communication, motor, cognition, social/emotional, and/or adaptive. The IEP that is developed for each child includes services tailored to meet individual needs. The following services could be provided, based upon the needs of the child: special instruction, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, vision services, hearing services, audiological services, psychological services, family training, assistive technology and transportation.
Preschool special education services are free to eligible children. The process begins with a simple telephone call from the child’s parent or legal guardian to the DCIU Preschool Special Education Department (610-938-2830 ext. 6503). A secretary will record some basic information and ask about specific learning concerns. A screening packet will then be sent to the family in the mail, to be completed and returned to our office. Based upon this screening information, the family will then be contacted regarding further assessment.
