Arkansas Code
Subchapter 6 - Dyslexia and Related Disorders
§ 6-41-602. Definitions

As used in this subchapter:
(1) “Dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is:
(A) Neurological in origin;
(B) Characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities that typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language; and
(C) Often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities;

(2) “Dyslexia interventionist” means a school district or public school employee trained in a dyslexia program, such as a:
(A) Dyslexia therapist;
(B) Dyslexia specialist;
(C) Reading interventionist;
(D) Certified teacher; or
(E) Tutor or paraprofessional working under the supervision of a certified teacher;

(3) “Dyslexia program” means explicit, direct instruction that is:
(A) Systematic, sequential, and cumulative and follows a logical plan of presenting the alphabetic principle that targets the specific needs of the student without presuming prior skills or knowledge of the student;
(B) Systematic, multisensory, and research-based;
(C) Offered in a small group setting to teach students the components of reading instruction, including without limitation:
(i) Phonemic awareness to enable a student to detect, segment, blend, and manipulate sounds in spoken language;
(ii) Graphophonemic knowledge for teaching the letter-sound plan of English;
(iii) The structure of the English language that includes morphology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics;
(iv) Linguistic instruction directed toward proficiency and fluency with the patterns of language so that words and sentences are carriers of meaning; and
(v) Strategies that students use for decoding, encoding, word recognition, fluency, and comprehension; and

(D)
(i) Delivered with fidelity.
(ii) “Fidelity” means the intervention is done as the author of the program intended;

(4)
(A) “Dyslexia specialist” means a professional at each education service cooperative or school district who has expertise and is working towards an endorsement or certification in providing training for:
(i) Phonological and phonemic awareness;
(ii) Sound and symbol relationships;
(iii) Alphabet knowledge;
(iv) Decoding skills;
(v) Rapid naming skills; and
(vi) Encoding skills.

(B) A dyslexia specialist shall be fluent in the Response to Intervention (RTI) process and provide training in administering screenings, analyzing and interpreting screening data, and determining appropriate interventions that are systematic, multisensory, and evidence-based;

(5) “Dyslexia therapist” means a professional who has completed training and obtained certification in dyslexia therapy from a dyslexia therapy training program defined by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; and
(6) “Dyslexia therapy” means an appropriate specialized reading instructional program specifically designed for use in a dyslexia program that is delivered by a dyslexia interventionist.