The Special Education Process For Special and General

The Special Education Process For Special and General Educators

What Teachers Need to Know § § § Most parents have little or no knowledge of Special Education prior to having their child identified as at risk or having a disability. Parents will inevitably feel confused, scared, frustrated, and angry when they find out that their child may have a disability. Handing them a pamphlet from the district does not feel helpful to most parents. They are not in the mood to read pamphlets at this point. Parents need guidance and support from the educators they know best -their child’s teacher's) and other professionals at their child’s schoolwhen they first discover that their child may have a disability. How educators handle the initial meetings with parents during the special education process can set the tone for the future relationship between the school and parents of children with special needs.

The Legal Basis for Special Education § § § Section 504: Vocational Rehabilitation Act -1973 Public Law 94 -142 - 1975 Americans with Disabilities Act - 1990 Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)1990 No Child Left Behind Act -2001

Who Receives Special Education Services? · · · · Categories of Disability under IDEA Speech or language impairment Specific learning disabilities (LD) Emotional disturbance (ED) Mental retardation (MR) Autism Hearing Impairment Visual Impairment Deaf-blindness Orthopedic impairment (OI) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Other Health Impairment (OHI) Multiple Disabilities Developmental Delay (DD)

Special Education Professionals § § § § § General Education Teachers Special Day Class Teachers Resource Specialists Consulting Teachers Inclusion Specialist Transition Specialist School Psychologists Counselors Speech/Language Therapists Social Workers Physical Therapists Occupational Therapists Adaptive Physical Educators School Nurses Administrators Paraprofessionals Other Specialists

The Special Education Process When a Problem is identified –Before Referral • Intervention Assistance Team • Screening • Diagnostic Teaching (Response to Intervention)

The Special Education Process The Special Education Referral and Assessment Process • • • Referral for Assessment Development and Implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP)

The Special Education Process The Multidisciplinary IEP Team § § § Parent Administrator Teacher Student (if appropriate) Other professionals involved in the assessment process Other individuals whom parents choose to invite (advocate, attorney, therapists, etc. )

The Special Education Process What is included in the IEP? § Present level of functioning § Annual goals and short-term objectives § Extent of participation in general education § Services and modifications needed § Behavior intervention plan § Date of intervention and frequency and duration of service and anticipated modifications § Strategies for evaluation § Transition plan (before age 14)

The Special Education Process IEP Review Annual Review Three-Year Review Additional Reviews Due Process

Least Restrictive Environment n n n General Education Class Resource Program Separate Class (Special Day Class) Residential Facility Separate School (Non-Public or Private) Home or Hospital

Parent’s Rights in Special Education § § Right to receive written notice regarding assessment, identification, or placement of their child Right to consent to activities involving their child Right to access to their child’s educational records Right to disagree with their child’s educational program or placement § § § Independent educational evaluations Mediation Due Process Local Complaints State Complaints