Ohio Supports for Individuals with Significant Cognitive Delays and other Low Incidence Disabilities

In addition to OCALI resources, Ohio is home to many agencies that support students with complex and intensive disabilities that may also be rare or otherwise described as low incidence disabilities and also may include significant cognitive disabilities. Statewide services include outreach programs that provide technical assistance, professional development, materials, and resources to families and local school districts serving children who have multiple disabilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments, deaf-blindness, autism, orthopedic impairment, or severe traumatic brain injury.

The Ohio Department of Education oversees the state's public education system, which includes public school districts, joint vocational school districts, and charter schools.

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW)

Learn about education in Ohio. Their parent page will give you information and resources about schools, scholarships, special education and more.

Office for Exceptional Children

The Office for Exceptional Children is a branch of ODE focusing supports and services for Ohio's youth with identified exceptionalities including disability, giftedness, and English language learners.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Resources

Development of an individualized education program (IEP) is a requirement for students found eligible to receive special education services. There are many specific requirements for writing an IEP, and Ohio's IEP forms assist teams in that process. It is important that teams keep the student as the central focus, with the goal of college and/or career readiness. The general education curriculum - standards driven academic programming - is the bar that teams strive for when developing IEP goals. Planning is the basis for delivering high quality instruction to meet those goals, and any instructional goal for students. Resources for developing lesson plans that include IEP integration (goals, supports, services, specialized instruction) are available in the Tiered Planning section of the Planning for Diverse Learners page on the OCALI site.

Ohio Department of Education: Individualized Education Program (IEP)
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Ohio Department of Education: Ohio Required and Optional Forms
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Integration of IEP into Lesson Design - Tiered Planning

IEP aligned supports, services and specially designed instruction can be added to lesson design by integrating goals and objectives that can should be taught, practiced and measured during the lesson at hand. In addition supports, services, assistive technology and specially designed instruction can be added in detail to ensure integration during instruction and assessment. These IEP specific details can be added in the tiered universal tools, differentiation and student specific supports columns and in the lower row titled, Aligned IEP Goals and Objectives.

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State Support Team

The state of Ohio is divided into 16 State Support Team (SST) regions to enable local districts to access personnel close to home. SST personnel can assist with continuous monitoring, professional development, coaching, and dissemination of information and resources across the state. Each SST is staffed with personnel representing a wide range of backgrounds and expertise. Each SST has identified staff members as points of contact across disciplines including, Autism/Low incidence (ASD/LI), Transition, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS), Early Childhood, Parent/Family, Assistive Technology (AT), Assessment, Procedural Safeguards/Monitoring, and English Language Learners (ESL/LEP).

State Support Teams (SST)

Ohio's state support system includes State Support Teams who use a connected set of tools to improve instructional practice and student performance on a continuing basis.

The Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness

The Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness is working to increase access and equity for students, families, and communities through connections, resources, and supports. Building relationships, sharing resources, and reaching the community is instrumental as we strive to support students where they are, with what they need, when they need it - to learn, grow, and experience the good life.

The Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness

The Outreach Center seeks to increase access and equity for students with blindness, visual impairment, deafness, and hearing impairment and their families.

AT & AEM Center

The AT & AEM Center is a centralized, responsive resource center that empowers individuals with disabilities by providing accessible educational materials, access to assistive technologies and highly specialized technical assistance and professional development support.

Assistive Technology And Accessible Educational Materials (ATAEM) Center

The AT and AEM Center is a centralized, responsive resource center that empowers individuals with disabilities by providing AEM, access to AT and highly specialized technical assistance and PD support

Ohio State School for the Blind (OSSB)

Ohio State School for the Blind

Learn more about the Ohio State School for the Blind:

  • Panther News and Activities: calendar, music and athletics.
  • Summer Enrichment Programs: braille; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); expanded core curriculum; residential work and community experiences.
  • School Programs and Academics

For more information please contact:
OSSB at 1-800-310-3317 or 614-995-2183 | Email | www.ossb.oh.gov

Ohio School for the Deaf (OSD)

Ohio State School for the Deaf

Learn more about the Ohio State School for the Deaf:

  • School Programming
  • News and Athletics
  • American Sign Language (ASL) & Interpreting Skills and Knowledge
  • Deaf Culture and Identity

For more information please contact:
OSD at 1-800-310-3317 or 614-995-2183 | Email | www.ohioschoolforthedeaf.org

Ohio Center for Deaf-Blind Education (OCDBE)

Ohio Center for Deaf-Blind Education

OCDBE provides the following services at no cost:

  • Consultation to families and educational teams
  • Training for professionals and parents
  • Resources, including a lending library
  • Referrals to other agencies and service providers
  • Support for parents and educators

Deafblind does not mean completely deaf and totally blind.

For more information please contact:
The Ohio Center for Deafblind Education | 5747 Perimeter Dr., Suite 100A Dublin, Ohio 43017
Phone: 614-785-1163 | Toll-Free: 800-229-0844 | www.ohiodeafblind.org

Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD)

The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) is responsible for overseeing a statewide system of supports and services for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities

Ohio's Educational Service Centers

Ohio's Educational Service Centers (ESCs) provide school districts with professional development, technology, support, planning, and administrative services that help improve student learning, enhance the quality of instruction, expand equitable access to resources, and maximize operating and fiscal efficiencies.

Contact your local ESC

Request Help from the Teaching Diverse Learners Center at OCALI

The Teaching Diverse Learners Center at OCALI provides high quality professional development and education related resources in collaboration with Ohio's 16 State Support Teams and Ohio Department of Education.

To inquire about education related resources and professional development options please contact:

Shawna Benson, Program Director - Teaching Diverse Learners Center
shawna_benson@ocali.org
614-410-0321

Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence
470 Glenmont Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43214