IE - Special Education Procedures and Services

Inclusive Education
Special Education Procedures

and Services
Contents
 Special Education Procedures and Services
– Learning Objectives
– Cases Involving Teachers
– Who are Professionals in Special Education?

 General Education Teachers
 Special Education Teachers
 Related Service Providers and Other Specialists
 Parents and Students
– Related Service Providers and Other Specialists
– How Can You Decide Whether a Student Need Might Be a

Disability?
– How Do Students Obtain Special Services?

Special Education Procedures and Services
 Learning Objectives
1. Explain the roles and responsibilities of the individuals who
may participate in educating students with disabilities.
2. Describe the process through which a student may become
eligible to receive special education services.
3. Name the components of individualized education programs
(IEPs) and provide examples of them.
4. Describe the types of services that students with disabilities
may receive and the settings in which they may receive
them.
5. Discuss how parents participate in special education decision
making and what occurs when parents and school district
representatives disagree.
6. Outline the role of general education teachers in the
procedures and services of special education, reflecting on
their critical contributions to positive outcomes for students
with disabilities.
Cases Involving Teachers
 Ms. Kuchta
 MS. KUCHTA continues to worry about Christopher, one of her first-grade
students, and she is preparing for a meeting with her school’s Student
Intervention Team (SIT) to discuss his slow learning progress. Christopher
was identified as being at risk for school failure early in kindergarten. With
intensive instruction and frequent monitoring of his progress, his learning
accelerated. But now in first grade, problems are occurring again. Ms.
Kuchta has been implementing what are referred to as Tier 1 interventions,
research-based reading strategies, but Ms. Kuchta’s data indicate they are
insufficient. At today’s meeting, Ms. Kuchta anticipates that the team—
which includes the school psychologist, the assistant principal, the literacy
coach, and another teacher—will decide to move Christopher to Tier 2. This
means he will receive additional reading instruction three times each week
for 40 minutes. If, after 10 weeks, that intervention is not increasing his
learning rate, he will receive even more intensive interventions at Tier 3.
 The goal, if at all possible, is to address Christopher’s academic deficits
before they become so significant that special education might be needed.
This process of data-driven and increasingly intensive interventions is
referred to as response to intervention.
 What actions do Ms. Kuchta and other teachers take when
their students are struggling?
 How do educators decide whether Christopher’s (and other
students’) learning challenges are so significant that they may
constitute a disability and require special education services?
 Ms. Lee
 Ms. Lee, a high school English teacher, has just pulled from her mailbox
something titled “IEP at a Glance.” As she reads through it, she realizes
that it is a summary of the individualized education program (IEP) for
Jennifer, one of her students.
 The summary includes a list of test accommodations Jennifer should
receive, and it mentions steps being taken to help Jennifer prepare for a
vocational program she will attend after high school. For example, Jennifer
needs to complete unit tests in a small, structured environment.
 That means she will go to the special education classroom on test days
instead of reporting to Ms. Lee’s room. Ms. Lee notes that the speech/
language therapist, the transition specialist, and the social worker are
mentioned in the document, but the special education teacher is listed as
the person to contact to answer questions.
 What roles do general education teachers play in the writing
and implementation of IEPs?
 How are they responsible for ensuring that IEP
accommodations are available in the classroom?
 Who are the other service providers that teachers may work
with as they educate students with disabilities?
 Ms. Turner
 Ms. Turner teaches science to seventh graders. Toward the end of the last
school year, she was invited to become a member of her school’s inclusive
practices leadership team.
 At a summer professional development seminar, she learned that many of
the students in her school still leave general education classes for a
significant part of each day to receive special education services and that
renewed effort is being made to ensure that these students have access to
the same curriculum as other students by receiving more of their core
academic instruction with their nondisabled peers.
 Ms. Turner and her colleagues are charged with planning professional
development for all the professionals at their school on differentiation of
instruction; designing ways to support students with disabilities in general
education classes; and enlisting the assistance of administrators, parents,
and teachers in refining the school’s services.
 What options exist for students with disabilities to receive the
services to which they are entitled?
 To what extent does this occur in the general education
setting?
 How are such decisions made?
 How do general education teachers and other school staff
contribute to the education of students with disabilities?
Who Are the Professionals in Special Education?
General Education Teachers
The general education teacher the person who has the most
detailed knowledge of their day-to-day needs in your classroom
for many students with suspected or documented disabilities.
Your responsibilities span several areas.
You are the person most likely to bring to the attention of other
professionals a student whom you suspect may have a disability
(Egyed & Short, 2006; McClanahan, 2009).
You may encounter
– a student who is reading significantly below grade level,
– a student whose behavior is so different from that of other
students that you suspect an emotional disorder, or
– a student who has extraordinary difficulty focusing on learning
You work with special education colleagues and other
professionals to systematically implement interventions in your
classroom to clarify whether the student’s problems need further
exploration (Mercier-Smith, Fien, Basaraba, & Travers, 2009;
Reutebuch, 2008).
General Education Teachers
Ifthe student is referred for assessment for special education, you
contribute:
– Information about his academic and social functioning
– Help identify the student’s strengths, needs, and educational
program components
If special education services are deemed necessary, you participate
in deciding
– appropriate goals
– objectives for some students,
– assisting special services staff members in updating parents on their
child’s quarterly and yearly progress.
– most importantly, working with special services staff to provide
appropriate instruction within your classroom (Carter, Prater,
Jackson, & Marchant, 2009; Munk, Gibb, & Caldarella, 2010).
The most important conditions include having administrative
leadership and staff preparation, sufficient time for teacher
planning, and adequate funding and other resources for program
support (Conderman, & Johnston-Rodriguez, 2009; Elhoweris &
Alsheikh, 2006; Idol, 2006).
Special Education Teachers
Now referred as intervention specialists (Iss), SETs are the
professionals with whom you are most likely to have ongoing
contact in teaching students with disabilities, and these
professionals have increasingly complex roles (Fuchs, Fuchs, &
Stecker, 2010).
They are responsible for
– managing and coordinating the services a student receives,
including writing and implementing the individualized education
program (IEP).
– providing direct and indirect instruction to students who are
assigned to them.
– consulting with you regarding a student suspected of having a
disability and
– working with you to determine whether a referral for assessment for
possible special education is warranted.
SETs may only work with specific categories of students like
students with visual impairments or hearing loss
In states some teachers work with students with high-incidence
disabilities or low-incidence disabilities.
Students with high-incidence disabilities are the most prevalent among children and
youth with disabilities in U.S. schools.
They make up 80% of all students with disabilities.
“High-incidence” disabilities may include:
– Autism spectrum disorders.
– Communication disorders.
– Intellectual disabilities.
– Specific learning disabilities.
– Emotional or behavioral disorders.
– Physical and sensory needs
Students with low-incidence disabilities make up 20% of all students with disabilities.
“Low-incidence” disabilities may include:
– Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH),
– Deaf-Blindness (DB),
– Developmental Cognitive Disabilities(DCD),
– Physically Impaired (PI),
– Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),
– Vision Impairment (VI), and
– Severe Multiple Impairment (SMI).
Special education teachers may work with different types of
professionals like
– consulting teacher or inclusion teacher
This professional might meet with SET regularly to monitor students’
progress, problem solve with you about student concerns and coordinate
students’ services.
– resource teacher
A professional who divides time among directly instructing students,
working with teachers regarding student needs, and co-teaching.
– itinerant teacher
Itinerant teachers often have roles like other professionals, but, in addition,
they travel between two or more school sites to provide services to
students.
– transition specialist
This professional typically works in a high school setting and helps prepare
students to leave school for vocational training, employment, or
postsecondary education (Brooke,Revell, & Wehman, 2009; Hartman,
2009).
He/she may also serve as a job coach, accompanying a student to a job site
and helping her master the skills needed to do the job successfully.
Related Service Providers and Other Specialists
School Psychologists
School psychologists offer at least two types of expertise related to
educating students with disabilities.
– First, school psychologists often have amajor responsibility for
determining a student’s intellectual, academic, social, emotional,
and/or behavioral functioning.
– Second, they design strategies to address students’ academic and
social or behavior problems, whether students have been identified
as having a disability or not (Kaniuka, 2009).
– They also might provide individual assistance to students with
emotional or behavioral problems who are not eligible for special
education.
Counselors
Counselors most often advise high school students and assist
students with disabilities as they transition from school to post-
school options (Milsom & Hartley, 2005).
They work at other school levels and contribute to the education of
students with disabilities (Mitcham, Portman, & Dean, 2009).
Counselors also can provide services to both teachers and
students.
Speech / Language Therapists
Many students with disabilities have communication needs.
Speech/Language Therapists have a tremendously diverse range of
school responsibilities (Harris, Prater, Dyches, & Heath, 2009).
At the early elementary level, they might work with an entire class on
language development.
At the intermediate elementary level, they might work on vocabulary
with a group of students.
At the middle or high school level, they often focus on functional
vocabulary and work mostly with students with low-incidence disabilities.
Social Workers
Their expertise is similar to that of counselors in terms of being able to
help teachers and students address social and emotional issues
(Sabatino,2009).
They may serve as consultants to teachers and also may provide
individual or group assistance to students.
They often are liaisons between schools and families.
They may help other school professionals work with families on matters
such as gaining access to community health services.
Administrators
The school principal, assistant principal, and sometimes a department
chairperson or team leader are the administrators who actively
participate in the education of students with disabilities (Angelle &
Bilton, 2009; Lasky & Karge, 2006).
Their role is to offer knowledge about the entire school community and
provide perspective on school district policies regarding special
education and also to help address parents’ concerns.
In some locales, a special education coordinator or supervisor is part of
the district’s administration.
They help alleviate the pressure on principals and assistant principals
to accurately interpret and follow guidelines.
Paraprofessionals
Individuals who assist teachers and others in the provision of services
to students with disabilities are paraprofessionals (Giangreco, Suter, &
Doyle, 2010).
They may be licensed teachers or have certificate on completing a
community college or similar training program.
Paraprofessionals also might be called paraeducators, instructional
assistants, teaching assistants, aides, or other titles.
Other Specialists
Physical therapist.
Assesses and intervenes related to gross motor skills, that is,
large muscle activity.
Occupational therapist.
Assesses and intervenes related to fine motor skills, that is,
small muscle activity.
Adaptive physical educator.
Designs physical education activities for students with physical,
health, or other special needs.
Nurse.
Key person for gathering needed medical information about
students with disabilities and interpreting such
Bilingual special educator.
Professional trained in both special education and bilingual
education who specializes in serving students from diverse
cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Other Specialists
Mobility specialist.
Helps students with visual impairments learn how to become
familiar with their environments and how to travel from place to
place safely.
Sign language interpreter.
Listens to classroom instruction and relays it to students who
are deaf or hard of hearing using sign language.
Professional from outside agencies.
Provides services away from school (for example, private
school) and serves as the liaison between such services and
school personnel.
Advocate.
Serves as an advisor and sometimes represents parents at
meetings related to their children with disabilities.
Parents and Students
When decisions are being made concerning a student with a disability,
the parents—or guardian or foster parent—have the right to participate
in virtually all aspects of their child’s educational program (Olivos,
Gallagher, & Aguilar,2010; Trainor, 2010).
They are often strong allies for general education teachers because
they can assist them by reviewing what is taught in school, rewarding
the child for school accomplishments, and working with school
professionals to resolve behavior and academic problems.
Students with disabilities should be active participants in decision
making about their own education.
Educators refer to this concept as self-determination (Branding, Bates,
& Miner, 2009).
The extent of student participation on the team depends on
– the age of the student,
– the type and impact of the disability and
– the professionals’ and parents’ commitment.
In general, the older the student, the greater her ability to contribute,
and the higher the value placed on her contribution, the greater the
participation.
How Can You Decide Whether a Student Need Might Be a Disability?
Analyse Unmet Needs
Early in the school year, or several months into it, you might
notice that student’s achievement is not within the typical range
compared to standards at your school, district or state when you
review a student’s academic records.
Before you ask other professionals to assess the student for
interventions, you may ask yourself some questions.
What Are Specific Examples of Unmet Needs?
You may have vague concerns and hunches, but they must be
supported by specific information.
Before you label students with:
– “slow in learning,”
– “poor attitude toward school,”
– “doesn’t pay attention,” and
– “never gets work completed”
yourfirst step is to ask yourself “ When I say the student . . . ,
what examples, supported with data, clarify what I mean?”
Analyse Unmet Needs
Is There a Chronic Pattern Negatively Affecting Learning?
Nearly all students sometimes go through situations outside school that
affect their learning and behavior negatively such as
– parents divorcing,
– the family being evicted from its apartment,
– Elderly grandparents moving in with the family, or
– a family member being injured or arrested
Students with disabilities also may be affected by specific situations
and events, but their learning and behavior needs form a chronic
pattern like difficulty remembering sight words, being withdrawn
whether sitting in a large class or a small group or struggling to
describe or apply abstract concepts after instruction.
Are the Unmet Needs Becoming More Serious as Time Passes?
Sometimes a student’s needs appear to become greater over time.
For example, Karen, who began the school year reluctant but willing to
complete assignments, refuses to do any work during class by
November.
Indications that a student’s needs are increasing are a signal to ask for
input from others.
Analyse Unmet Needs
Is the Student’s Learning or Behavior Significantly Different from
That of Classmates?
It has been demonstrated that students at risk achieve at a
significantly lower level than other students and are more likely to have
serious behavior problems (Hosp & Reschly, 2003).
When many students are experiencing problems, it is important to
analyse the curriculum or teaching method before seeking other
assistance.
Keep in mind that many students have needs that do signal the
presence of disabilities.
Students with disabilities have needs that are significantly different
from those of most other students.
Do You Discover That You Cannot Find a Pattern?
In some instances, the absence of a pattern in students’ learning or
behavior is as much an indicator that you should request assistance as
is a distinct pattern.
Becka, who learns science with ease but is failing English, according to
a colleague on your seventh-grade team. You are not sure why her
learning is so different in the two subjects.
Communicate Your Observations and Try Your Own Interventions
Contact the Parents
One of your first strategies should be to contact the student’s family
(O’Connor, 2010).
Parents or other family members often can inform you about changes
in the student’s life that could be affecting school performance.
Parents also are your partners in working to resolve some student
learning problems (Benner & Mistry, 2007; Hughes & Kwok, 2007).
Contact Colleagues
Especially if you are a new teacher, you will want to discuss your
concerns with other professionals to gain additional perspectives on the
student’s needs.
In many schools, there are several professionals that can provide
assistance such as
– a special education teacher,
– assistant principal,
– Department chairperson,
– literacy coach, or
– other professional
Communicate Your Observations and Try Your Own Interventions
Try Simple Interventions
Your responsibility as a teacher is to create a suitable learning environment
where students can succeed.
In order to achieve this, you can go ahead and make simple changes in an
effort to address a student’s unmet needs.
Here are some examples:
Have you tried moving the student’s seat?
Have you incorporated teaching strategies that help the student actively
participate in lessons?
Have you thought about ways to make your tests easier for the student to
follow?
Document the Unmet Need
If you have implemented a plan to improve student behavior, keep a record
of how effective it has been.
If you have contacted parents several times, keep a log of your
conversations.
Documenting student needs serves two main purposes.
– First, it helps you do a reality check on whether the problem is as serious as
you think it is.
– Second, the information you collect will help you communicate with other
professionals.
How Do Students Obtain Special Services?
 The majority of students who receive special education have high-
incidence disabilities that you may be the first to recognize.
 However, there are exceptions; students may be found eligible for
special education at any time during their school years.
 As a teacher, you always have the option of asking a team of
professionals to consider whether one of your students should be
considered for special education services.
Initial Consideration of Student Problems
 General education teachers, principals, special services personnel,
parents, physicians, and social service agency personnel all may
initiate the process of determining whether a student’s needs
constitute a disability.
 Depending on the policies, there are two ways that the process of
addressing student learning and behavior concerns can begin:
– accessing an intervention assistance team or
– using response-to-intervention procedures
Intervention Assistance Team
One way to begin the process of helping a student suspected of having
a disability is to bring the problem to the attention of a team (Friend &
Cook, 2010).
This team, often called an intervention assistance team, usually
includes general education teachers, special services personnel, and an
administrator.
The process works in the following way:
– Teacher who seeks special education services complete a
referral form
– He/she meets with the team
 to discuss the written information,
 consider alternative strategies for assisting the student, and
 determine whether the student should have a detailed
assessment for potential special education services.
The unifying characteristic of this type of team is an emphasis on
problem solving among all members.
Response to Intervention
A more clearly data-driven and structured procedure for analyzing
students’ learning problems is called response to intervention (RtI).
Currently authorized by federal law, response to intervention calls for
the systematic use of increasingly intensive, research-based
interventions as a means for deciding whether a disability exists (Colvin,
Flannery, Sugai, & Monegan, 2009).
It is based on the assumption that
– approximately 75 to 80 percent of students will be able to learn
if they receive high-quality instruction,
– that approximately 15 to 20 percent will benefit from moderately
intensive instruction, and
– that the remaining 5 to 10 percent will need highly intensive
instruction and possibly special education services.
Although RtI is most likely to be implemented at the elementary level,
it can occur whenever professionals determine a student is experiencing
learning problems that are significant and interfering with achievement
(National High School Center, National Center on Response to
Intervention, and Center on Instruction, 2010).
Links to Related Video Clips
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYlZDTru55g
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbGo5plo2cY
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMbWP9ozt2A
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1FgZCnCjww
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiKYD9TSDhk
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3RH1Lm5YBk
Useful Websites
 http://www.beachcenter.org
 http://www.rtinetwork.org
 http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/OSE/PP
 https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Special-Education-
Programs.aspx

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IE - Special Education Procedures and Services

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Inclusive Education

Special Education Procedures

– Cases Involving Teachers

– Who are Professionals in Special Education?

 Special Education Teachers

 Related Service Providers and Other Specialists

 Parents and Students

– Related Service Providers and Other Specialists

– How Can You Decide Whether a Student Need Might Be a

– How Do Students Obtain Special Services?

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