Services

Audiology services include identification of children with educationally significant hearing loss, birth through high school graduation, residing within our participating school districts. Audiological evaluations are completed to determine the range, nature and degree of hearing loss, with referrals made for medical follow-up and treatment as well as appropriate educational intervention. Our audiologist participates in the process of obtaining personal hearing instruments, individual and group FM systems and other assistive listening technology, and evaluates and monitors the effectiveness of those devices. Additionally, our audiologist provides counseling and guidance for children, parents and teachers regarding hearing loss. Our audiologist participates in consultation regarding classroom acoustics, hearing and hearing disorders.

All services are provided by our licensed audiologist, Dr. Karin Zylka. The Audiology office is located at 2801 Eastgate Parkway in Kankakee. Dr. Zylka can be contacted by calling 815-401-7460 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

KASEC contracts with two Autism Consultants to provide services to its member districts.

Dr. Marrea Winnega is a licensed clinical psychologist and board certified behavior analyst from Autism Home Support Services. She is available to KASEC once a month to provide school personnel with ideas, strategies, and techniques that are beneficial for students on the Autism Spectrum.

Jessica Schultz, M.A. is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Autism Consultant at the University of Illinois at Chicago. At UIC’s Developmental Disabilities Family Clinics, Ms. Schultz participates in diagnostic evaluations for individuals with suspected autism spectrum disorders and provides consultation to school districts, training to parents and professionals, and social skills instruction to individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Behavior Intervention Services provide in-service trainings for staff with topics including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), legal issues in Special Education with regard to behavior, the process of Functional Behavior Assessment, and the development of Behavior Intervention Plans.

The Behavior Intervention Services staff meet individually with a school team to strategize behavior management techniques specific to individual students or groups of students. Observations, identification of function of behaviors, and recommendations for individual students demonstrating behavioral issues are provided in attempts to provide students with the appropriate intervention needed for their academic success. These services assist and communicate with staff to problem solve and provide creative solutions to difficult student situations.

Occupational Therapy (OT) services assist students with a disability to benefit from special education. These disabilities include sensory, postural, and/or motor needs which prevent or significantly limit the student’s ability to benefit from educational opportunities.

OT staff operate under the educational model where the focus of therapy is on building skills and making modifications to support the student in the learning environment. Direct therapy is conducted, along with an emphasis on indirect services, which include the training of educational team members working daily with the student to assure that OT interventions are ongoing.

KASEC provides Vision services on an itinerant basis in a school setting to students who are blind or visually impaired. Students with direct services will receive 1:1 instruction; consultation services are provided to parents, students, and staff members, addressing Individualized Education Program needs.

Students benefitting from these services vary from totally blind to those with low vision. These students require a variety of instructional assistance including: Braille instruction, daily living skills, large print books, audio books, assistive technology, multi-sensory instruction, efficient use of vision, and vision stimulation. Referrals for evaluation are made through the KASEC office and are conducted at the school sites.

KASEC works with its high schools to determine appropriate vocational and academic programs to help 14-21 year old students with disabilities to achieve independence through fulfilling and meaningful employment. A major emphasis is to assist students in their transitions from school, to work, to life as independent functioning adults. To this end, students are provided counseling, job training, coaching and placement, interpersonal skill development, career awareness, educational planning assistance, and transitional linking.