An Overview of Special An Overview of Special EducationEducation

Teacher Cadets, D.F.H.S.Teacher Cadets, D.F.H.S.

What is Special Education?What is Special Education?

Special Education is the educational program designed Special Education is the educational program designed to meet the unique learning and developmental needs of to meet the unique learning and developmental needs of an exceptional student.an exceptional student.

It recognizes the unique nature of each individual student.It recognizes the unique nature of each individual student. It is planned specifically to address areas of need for the student It is planned specifically to address areas of need for the student

with disabilities.with disabilities.

What ‘areas of need’ might Special Education programs address?What ‘areas of need’ might Special Education programs address?What similarities/differences do you see between Special What similarities/differences do you see between Special

Education and General Education?Education and General Education?

People First LanguagePeople First Language

Speak of the person first, then the disability.Speak of the person first, then the disability.Emphasize abilities.Emphasize abilities.Don’t label people as part of a disability group Don’t label people as part of a disability group (i.e., “BD kids”)(i.e., “BD kids”)

Why have terms used to describe individuals with Why have terms used to describe individuals with disabilities changed over the years?disabilities changed over the years?

Normalization, Normalization, Deinstitutionalization, InclusionDeinstitutionalization, Inclusion

Wolfsenberger: individuals with disabilities Wolfsenberger: individuals with disabilities should have opportunities to live a ‘normal’ should have opportunities to live a ‘normal’ life.life.

How do we see this principle at work How do we see this principle at work today?today?

What is inclusion?What is inclusion?

Best Practices for InclusionBest Practices for Inclusion

Three assumptions:Three assumptions: Adequate teacher preparationAdequate teacher preparation Students with disabilities are productive Students with disabilities are productive

learnerslearners Students and teachers are provided with Students and teachers are provided with

adequate supportsadequate supports

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

Federal LawsFederal Laws

Section 504Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 1973 of the Rehabilitation Act, 1973PL 94-142PL 94-142 Individuals with Disabilities Act ( Individuals with Disabilities Act (EHAEHA), 1975), 1975PL 101-476PL 101-476 Individuals with Disabilities Education Individuals with Disabilities Education ((IDEAIDEA),1990),1990Americans with Disabilities Act (Americans with Disabilities Act (ADAADA),1990),1990PL 105-17PL 105-17 IDEAIDEA,1997,1997PL 107-110PL 107-110 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 of 2001

What law has had the most profound impact on how What law has had the most profound impact on how students with disabilities receive services? Why?students with disabilities receive services? Why?

IDEA Categories of DisabilityIDEA Categories of DisabilityAutismAutismDeaf-BlindnessDeaf-BlindnessDeafnessDeafnessEmotional DisturbanceEmotional DisturbanceHearing ImpairedHearing ImpairedMental RetardationMental RetardationMultiple DisabilitiesMultiple DisabilitiesOther Health ImpairedOther Health ImpairedOrthopedic ImpairmentsOrthopedic ImpairmentsSpeech or Language ImpairmentSpeech or Language ImpairmentSpecific Learning DisabilitySpecific Learning DisabilityTraumatic Brain InjuryTraumatic Brain InjuryVisual ImpairmentVisual Impairment

Is it necessary to use categories to label individuals with disabilities? Why or why not?Is it necessary to use categories to label individuals with disabilities? Why or why not?

Key Components of IDEAKey Components of IDEA

Zero RejectZero RejectFree Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)Nondiscriminatory EvaluationNondiscriminatory EvaluationDue Process and procedural safeguardsDue Process and procedural safeguardsTechnology-related Assistance & Related ServicesTechnology-related Assistance & Related ServicesParental InvolvementParental Involvement

What do you think is the most critical component of IDEA? What do you think is the most critical component of IDEA? Why?Why?

Educational ProgramsEducational Programs

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)

Individualized Transition Plan (ITP)Individualized Transition Plan (ITP)

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

504/Accommodation Plan504/Accommodation Plan

What is the difference in these plans?What is the difference in these plans?

Service DeliveryService Delivery Regular classroom with no supportsRegular classroom with no supports Inclusion with supportsInclusion with supports

Full inclusion or pull-in programmingFull inclusion or pull-in programming Team teachingTeam teaching Co-teachingCo-teaching Consultation/collaborative teachingConsultation/collaborative teaching

Resource room (up to 3 hours per day)Resource room (up to 3 hours per day) Self-contained special education class (most or all of Self-contained special education class (most or all of

one’s day)one’s day) Separate day schoolSeparate day school Residential settingResidential setting

Learning Environments for Learning Environments for Exceptional ChildrenExceptional Children

Placements (1997-98)Placements (1997-98)

Individualized Education Individualized Education ProgramsPrograms

Required by PL 94-142 (IDEA) and require Required by PL 94-142 (IDEA) and require plans for transition services by age 16 for plans for transition services by age 16 for all students all students Specifies plans for services, placement, Specifies plans for services, placement, transitional planning, and other assurancestransitional planning, and other assurancesDesigned after careful examination and Designed after careful examination and assessment by a number of assessment by a number of multidisciplinary specialistsmultidisciplinary specialists

Purposes of IEPsPurposes of IEPs

Instructional direction–Remedy to the Instructional direction–Remedy to the ‘Cookbook approach’‘Cookbook approach’Form the basis for evaluation–learning Form the basis for evaluation–learning objectives determine effectiveness and objectives determine effectiveness and efficiency of instructionefficiency of instructionImproved communication–facilitate Improved communication–facilitate interaction and reference between school interaction and reference between school staff, teachers, parents, and studentsstaff, teachers, parents, and students

IEP team membersIEP team members

Parents of the studentParents of the student

Special education teacherSpecial education teacher

General education teacherGeneral education teacher

Local education agency representativeLocal education agency representative

Person to interpret evaluation resultsPerson to interpret evaluation results

Student (when appropriate)Student (when appropriate)

Other persons invited by parents or schoolOther persons invited by parents or school

IEP componentsIEP components

Present Level of Present Level of Performance (PLOP)Performance (PLOP)

Annual goals/short-term Annual goals/short-term objectivesobjectives

Related servicesRelated services

Program modifications or Program modifications or supportssupports

Modifications to Modifications to assessmentassessment

Start date for servicesStart date for services

Frequency, location, and Frequency, location, and duration of servicesduration of services

How progress to annual How progress to annual goals will be measuredgoals will be measured

Procedures for informing Procedures for informing parents of progressparents of progress

Transition services Transition services (age 14)(age 14)

Transfer of rights before Transfer of rights before reaching age of majorityreaching age of majority

PLOP and Annual goalsPLOP and Annual goals

PLOP – Provides basis PLOP – Provides basis for subsequent goal for subsequent goal settingsetting

Should be viewed as Should be viewed as summaries of strengths summaries of strengths and weaknessesand weaknesses

Can take a variety of Can take a variety of formsforms

Annual Goals – predict Annual Goals – predict long-term goals that can long-term goals that can be evaluated clearlybe evaluated clearly

Make the IEP Make the IEP measurablemeasurable

Common features?Common features?

Should be positive, Should be positive, precise, and relevant to precise, and relevant to student needsstudent needs

Short Term Objectives (STO)Short Term Objectives (STO)

Serve as stepping stones toward annual goalsServe as stepping stones toward annual goals

Specific representations of the skills to be learnedSpecific representations of the skills to be learned

Should be specific, observable, measurable, Should be specific, observable, measurable, student-oriented, and positivestudent-oriented, and positive

Must reflect major instructional achievements Must reflect major instructional achievements between current performance level and ultimate between current performance level and ultimate goalgoal

Typically 3–8 objectives per IEPTypically 3–8 objectives per IEP

504 or Accommodation Plans504 or Accommodation Plans

Accommodation plans are a direct result of Section 504 Accommodation plans are a direct result of Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Actof the Vocational Rehabilitation ActStudents must have an impairment that significantly Students must have an impairment that significantly limits one major life activitylimits one major life activity

WalkingWalking SeeingSeeing HearingHearing SpeakingSpeaking BreathingBreathing Learning Learning WorkingWorking Caring for oneself Caring for oneself

The school must provide “reasonable accommodations” The school must provide “reasonable accommodations” comparable to those provided to their peers.comparable to those provided to their peers.