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Marion County Special Education Cooperative

Traumatic Brain Injury

What is Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain caused by the head being hit by something or shaken violently. (The exact definition of TBI, according to special education law, is given below.) This injury can change how the person acts, moves, and thinks. A traumatic brain injury can also change how a student learns and acts in school.

(from http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/TBI.aspx)

IDEA's Definition of "Traumatic Brain Injury"

Our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines traumatic brain injury as...

"...an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psycho-social behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma." [34 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 300.8(c)(12)]

Helpful Links:

 

Brain Injury Association of America.

This site includes discussion of the causes, treatments, prevention and rehabilitation of brain injuries. It is a good resource for teachers and parents.

http://www.biausa.org/aboutbi.htm

 

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

This site has many publications on a wide range of disabilities, including fact sheets, parent and student guidance, and links. All publications are available in English and Spanish. 

http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/TBI.aspx

 

Traumatic Brain Injury National Resource Center

The mission of the National Resource Center for Traumatic Brain Injury (NRCTBI) is to provide relevant, practical information for professionals, persons with brain injury, and family members.

http://www.neuro.pmr.vcu.edu/

The Traumatic Brain Injury Resource Network for Kansans

Their mission is to provide information and resources about Traumatic Brain Injury and ultimately, contribute to an improved quality of life for Kansans who experience TBI.

http://www.tbikansas.org/

 

The Marion County Special Education Cooperative's TBI team is available to consult with and provide technical assistance to residents of the 5 public school districts of Marion County. This could include attending IEP meetings, hospital discharge meetings, and inservices to school personnel.

For more information, contact one of the team members:

Steve Reiner, Special Education Teacher at Peabody-Burns High School sreiner@usd398.com

Anne Collett, Special Education Teacher at Centre Middle School acollett@mcsec.org

 

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