Teaching Students With Exceptionalities What is an exceptionality

Definitions of Exceptionality Students with disabilities n Covered by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Definitions of Special Education FAPE IDEA LRE Continuum (Cascade) of Services IEP MDT 11/26/2020

Special Education Specially designed instruction that meets the unusual (unique) needs of an exceptional

FAPE Free and Appropriate Public Education n n Guaranteed by IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities

LRE Least Restrictive Environment n Students under IDEA must be provided FAPE w in

Continuum (Cascade) of Services Range of possible settings for service to students with disabilities

IEP Individual Education Plan n n a plan specifically developed for individual students identified

“MDT” (IEP Team) Multidisciplinary Team n n For determining initial eligibility and placement: “a

Who Should be on the IEP Team (after initial evaluation)? (I) The parents of

Who Should be on the IEP Team? (II) An individual who can interpret the

Expectations of Educators General Educators n n n Teach well and appropriately Accommodations Classroom

Make accommodations No such thing as an “average” student No such thing as an

Evaluate strengths and challenges Make legally appropriate assessments n n n Appropriate comparisons Use

Make appropriate referrals Need to demonstrate that n n classroom-based accommodations were unsuccessful all

determining eligibility and instruction A legal requirement of IDEA Requires ability to collaborate and

Communicate with parents/caregivers Special educators must have appropriate skills in communicating their efforts to

Collaboration Educators must work together to ensure classroom placements are appropriate and objectives of

General Education Role in Special Education General Educators are responsible for making referrals n

What Should You Do Before Making a Referral? Talk to the parents Check student

What must be proved in a referral? A convincing case that a problem exists

What must be proved in a referral? A convincing case that the problem is

Special Educators’ Role Do not make referrals Help conduct educational and behavioral assessments Work

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Teaching Students With Exceptionalities What is an exceptionality 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 1

Definitions of Exceptionality Students with disabilities n Covered by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Students identified as “gifted” Other students requiring special help n Section 504 of the Voc. Rehab. Act (1973) 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 2

Definitions of Special Education FAPE IDEA LRE Continuum (Cascade) of Services IEP MDT 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 3

Special Education Specially designed instruction that meets the unusual (unique) needs of an exceptional student/ n n n Materials/Equipment Curricula Instructional methods 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 4

FAPE Free and Appropriate Public Education n n Guaranteed by IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Students identified under IDEA must be provided an education w like everyone else (appropriate) w without undue hardship to the student/family (free) 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 5

LRE Least Restrictive Environment n Students under IDEA must be provided FAPE w in the least physically and academically segregated setting possible w Possibleis not the same as Alwaysor Best 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 6

Continuum (Cascade) of Services Range of possible settings for service to students with disabilities n n General Education classroom to residential/clinical settings. Range of teachers/specialists Range of curriculum Range of instructional methods 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 7

IEP Individual Education Plan n n a plan specifically developed for individual students identified under IDEA the plan must include instruction in all areas of suspected disability with appropriate short and long term goals and objectives. 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 8

“MDT” (IEP Team) Multidisciplinary Team n n For determining initial eligibility and placement: “a group of qualified professionals and the parent (s)” In most cases, this evaluation team is composed of the parent, special education teacher, “interpreter of test data”, district representative, and general education teacher (cf. Sec. 300. 306 Determination of eligibility of IDEA, 2004) 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 9

Who Should be on the IEP Team (after initial evaluation)? (I) The parents of the child; Not less than one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment); Not less than one special education teacher of the child, or where appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child; A representative of the public agency (who has certain specific knowledge and qualifications); 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 10

Who Should be on the IEP Team? (II) An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results and who may also be one of the other listed members; At the discretion of the parent or the agency, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability. In accordance with 34 CFR 300. 321(a)(7), the public agency must invite a child with a disability to attend the child’s IEP Team meeting if a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals for the child and the transition services needed to assist the child in reaching those goals under 34 CFR 300. 320(b). [34 CFR 300. 321(a) and (b)(1)] [20 U. S. C. 1414(d)(1)(B)] 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 11

Expectations of Educators General Educators n n n Teach well and appropriately Accommodations Classroom evaluations Make appropriate referrals Participate in IEP teams Collaborate with parents and teachers 11/26/2020 Special Educators n n n Consult on accommodations and instruction Conduct formal and informal assessments Ensure referrals are appropriate Lead IEP teams Collaborate with parents and teachers Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 12

Make accommodations No such thing as an “average” student No such thing as an “average exceptional student” Teachers are expected to accommodate to the learning needs of the students in front of them. 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 13

Evaluate strengths and challenges Make legally appropriate assessments n n n Appropriate comparisons Use a wide range of assessments Specify difficulties operationally 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 14

Make appropriate referrals Need to demonstrate that n n classroom-based accommodations were unsuccessful all strategies used are documented difficulties are educationally relevant difficulties are not the result of cultural/ethnic, linguistic, or socio-economic in nature 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 15

determining eligibility and instruction A legal requirement of IDEA Requires ability to collaborate and discuss relevant instructional and assessment issues with parents and others. 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 16

Communicate with parents/caregivers Special educators must have appropriate skills in communicating their efforts to serve students on IEPS 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 17

Collaboration Educators must work together to ensure classroom placements are appropriate and objectives of the IEP are being met. 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 18

General Education Role in Special Education General Educators are responsible for making referrals n others include w parents w judges w lawyers w social service agencies 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 19

What Should You Do Before Making a Referral? Talk to the parents Check student records Analyze information Change instruction Document your efforts 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 20

What must be proved in a referral? A convincing case that a problem exists n the problem could not addressed through regular education n the problem is based on a legal definition of disability n 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 21

What must be proved in a referral? A convincing case that the problem is not primarily the result of culture/ethnicity, second language differences, or sociocultural variables n the problem requires special education to address it n 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 22

Special Educators’ Role Do not make referrals Help conduct educational and behavioral assessments Work in teams to determine eligibility and placement Help develop IEPs Implement and evaluate IEPs 11/26/2020 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph. D. 23