What is Special

Education?
EDCI 6228
Fall 2020
Dr. Susan Fuller Elder
 What is Special Education ?

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement

Act (IDEIA): Special education means specially designed instruction, at no
cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability
34 CFR §300.39
 What is Special Education ?
• According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
(IDEIA): Special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost
to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including
—
• (i) Instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and
institutions, and in other settings; and
• (ii) Instruction in physical education.
• 34 CFR §300.39
 What does Special Education include?
• Special education includes each of the following…
• (i) Speech-language pathology services, or any other related service, if the
service is considered special education rather than a related service under
State standards;
• (ii) Travel training; and
• (iii) Vocational education.
 Specially designed instruction…
• means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this
part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction
• –To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability; and  
• –To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet
the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to
all children. 
 at no cost…
• means that all specially designed instruction is provided without charge,
but does not preclude incidental fees that are normally charged to
nondisabled students or their parents as a part of the regular education
program.
 Child with a disability…
• means a child evaluated…as having:

• 1. cognitive disability
• 2.a speech or language impairment 
• 3.a specific learning disability 
• 4.a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as ‘‘emotional
disturbance’’) 
• 5.an other health impairment (OHI) 
 Child with a disability…(cont.)
• 6.a hearing impairment (including deafness) 
• 7.a visual impairment (including blindness) 
• 8.an orthopedic impairment 
• 9.Autism 
• 10.traumatic brain injury 
• 11.Deaf-blindness 
• 12.or multiple disabilities 
• 13.Developmental delay (children age 3-9) 
 Child with a disability…(cont.)
• …and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related
services.
 Why do we have special education?

• To provide FAPE (free appropriate public education)

 Continuum of Services and Inclusion
• Continuum of Services and Inclusion
•  
• Key Components of IDEIA
• Child Find 
• Nondiscriminatory Assessment 
• Individualized Education Program 
• Least Restrictive Environment 
• Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Planning 
• Transition 
• Due Process Safeguards 
 Now
• Complete the activities for Module Two
• 1. Read Chapter 1 (provided in module)
• 2. Watch Celebrating 40 years of IDEA
• 3. Read PPT 1-Special Education
• 4. Read PPT 2-What is Special Education
• Complete assignment-An introduction to Special Education