“The Foundation for Educating Students with Special Needs”

“The Foundation for Educating Students with Special Needs”

Special Education: Designed instruction provided by the school district or other local education agency that means the unique needs of students identified as disabled according to federal and state eligibility criteria.

• Instruction in general education or special education.
• Education in the community for students who need to learn life and work skills.
• Specialized assistance in areas with physical education and vocational preparation.

Related Services: Assistance required to enable students' to benefit from special education assistance.

·         Speech/ Language Therapy.

·         Transportation to and from school.

·         Physical Therapy.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) The law: Provision in the federal law that guarantees a student’s right to be educated in the setting most like that for peers without disabilities in which the student can be successful with appropriate supports provided.

• Identifying an LRE other than a general education setting is a serious decision that usually is made by a team of professionals and students’ parents only after intensive supports have been provided in the general education classroom without success.

Mainstreaming: Involves placing students with disabilities in general education settings only when that can meet academic expectations with minimal assistance or when those expectations are not relevant.

• When students with learning disabilities are permitted to participate in general education. Presently is now considered inclusive practices.

Inclusive practices: Founded on the belief or philosophy that students with disabilities should be fully integrated into their school learning communities, usually in general education classrooms, and that their instruction should be based in their abilities, not their disabilities

There Dimensions:

Physical: Placing students in the same classrooms as non disabled peers is very important.

Social: Relationships should be nurtured between students with disabilities and their classrooms and peers as well as adults.

Instructional: Most students should be taught in the same curriculum used for students without disabilities and helped to succeed by adjusting how teaching and learning are designed and measured.

Section 504: One of the outcomes of the civil rights movement as legislation designed to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities, whether children in schools or adults in the workface. Ensures “Equal” opportunity for participation in the full range of school activities

ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act: Protects all individuals with disabilities from discrimination, and it requires most employers to make reasonable accommodations for them.  

IDEA: The term Handicap was removed from the law in 1990, the word disability became the preferred term.

• Individuals with Disabilities are entitled to attend public schools and receive the educational services they need.
• Least Restrictive Environment: Students with disabilities must be educated in the least restrictive environment in which they can succeed with appropriate supports provided. General Education Classroom.
• Nondiscriminatory Evaluation: Students must be assed using instruments that do no discriminate on the basis of race, culture, or disability. Eligibility cannot be decided on the basis of only one test.
• Due Process: If a disagreement occurs concerning a student’s eligibility for special education placement or services court can intervene if a parents decline.
• Zero reject-child Find- No student may be excluded from public education because of a disability. Each state must take action to locate children who may be entitled to special education services.

Why inclusive practices are essential:

Improving student outcomes/

Respecting parent/students rights and views.

Considering complexities of inclusion in your thinking but flexible in your approach to educating students with disabilities.

Categories of Disability in Federal Law:

·         Learning Disabilities

·         Speech or Language Impairments

·         Mental Retardation

·         Emotional Disturbance

·         Autism

·         Hearing Impairments

·         Deaf Blindness

·         Orthopedic Impairments

·         Traumatic Brain Injury

·         Other Health Impairments

·         Multiple Disabilities

Cross Categorical Approaches

High Incidence: Specific learning disability, speech or language impairments, mild intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance. Together these disabilities 80%  percent of disabilities.

Low Incidence: Severe mental retardation, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, developmental delays, Autism, Traumatic brain injury.

Websites:

www.seriweb.com/specialeducation

www.inclusin.com

www.ed.gov/ncib