Online Courses

Developmental Delay Resources

IDEAs That Work. Learning to Communicate: Strategies for Developing Communication with Infants Whose Multiple Disabilities Include Visual Impairment and Hearing Loss

IDEAs That Work. Tangible Symbol Systems: Making the Right to Communicate a Reality for Individuals with Severe Disabilities.

ThoughtCo. – Teaching Students with Downs Syndrome

Developmental Delay. Relates to students, age 3-8, who experience developmental delays that adversely affect the student’s educational performance as demonstrated on a standardized norm referenced test, with a test-retest or split-half reliability of .80 that is at least

Developmental Delay ages birth to three years ­ meet the eligibility criteria established by the state lead agency under Part C of IDEA; and are in need of early intervention services under Part C of IDEA. Infants and toddlers who qualify for early intervention services must be evaluated prior to age three in order to determine eligibility for special education and related services.

Students who qualify under the developmental delay eligibility category must be re­evaluated before the age of nine and determined eligible for services under one of the other eligibility categories.

(A) Two standard deviations below the mean in one or more of the five developmental areas; or
(B) One and one-half standard deviations below the mean in two or more of the five developmental areas:

  1. Cognitive development: Comprehending, remembering, and making sense out of one’s experience. Cognitive ability is the ability to think and is often thought of in terms of intelligence;
  2. Communication development: The ability to effectively use or understand age-appropriate language, including vocabulary, grammar, and speech sounds;
  3. Physical development: Fine and/or gross motor skills requiring precise, coordinated, use of small muscles and/or motor skills used for body control such as standing, walking, balance, and climbing;
  4. Social/Emotional development: The ability to develop and maintain functional interpersonal relationships and to exhibit age appropriate social and emotional behaviors; and
  5. Adaptive development: The ability to develop and exhibit age-appropriate self-help skills, including independent feeding, toileting, personal hygiene and dressing skills.