Special Education

Historical Development of Special Education  

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA-1965). Provided a comprehensive plan for readdressing the inequality of educational opportunity for economically underprivileged children. It became the statutory basis upon which early special education legislation was drafted.

 

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965): Authorized grants to state institutions and state operated schools devoted to the education of children with disabilities. It was the first Federal grant program specifically targeted for children and youth with disabilities.

 

The Education Amendments (1974): Two laws where established. One was the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1974, which was the first to mention an appropriate education for all children with disabilities. It also reauthorized the discretionary programs. The second law, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, gave parents and students over the age of 18 the right to examine records kept in the student's personal file.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975): Mandated a free appropriate public education for all children with disabilities, ensured due process rights, and mandated IEPs and LRE. As such, it is the core of Federal funding for special education. This law was passed in 1975 and went into effect in October of 1977 when the regulations were finalized.

The Education of the Handicapped Act (1990): Renamed the law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It reauthorized and expanded the discretionary programs, mandated transition services, defined assistive technology devices and services, and added autism and traumatic brain injury to the list of categories of children and youth eligible for special education and related services.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1992): Primarily addressed  Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities to have a Program.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1997): The reauthorization of IDEA was viewed as an opportunity to review, strengthen, and improve IDEA to better educate children with disabilities and enable them to achieve a quality education.

Source: http://www.parentsunitedtogether.com/page15.html

 

Types of Disabilities

Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: is a biological, brain based condition that is characterized by poor attention and distractibility and/or hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. It is one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children.

 Autism: Developmental Disability that affects verbal and nonverbal  communication and social interaction.

Deafness/Blindness: Hearing or visual impairment in which can cause communication, physical and educational problems.

Mental Retardation: Significantly sub average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period. Which negatively  affects a child's educational performance.

Multiple Disabilities: A combination of impairments that causes severe  educational problems that the child cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. Example: mental retardation and blindness.

Orthopedic Impairment: A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. This could be for a absence of a limb or body part, diseases, or other causes.

Tourette Syndrome: A neurological disorder that includes repetitive, stereotyped involuntary movement or tics. Vocal tics include sniffing, snorting, or barking. Involuntary movements would be self-harm to oneself. 

Specific Learning Disability: A disorder in one or more of the basic physiological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken, or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

Speech/Language Impairment: A communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment, or voice impairments. This may affect the child's educational performance.

Traumatic Brain Injury: An injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that effects performance. the term does not include brain injuries that are congenital/degenerative, or injuries from birth.

Assessment & Evaluation

If a parent, guardian, or faculty member feels the student or child needs assistance with their schooling an evaluation needs to be done. There are a few steps in this process of assessing and evaluating the students. First, parents of the student must give their consent to have the evaluation performed. The child then is assessed in areas they suspect a disability the student may have. A team of qualified professionals and parents review the data collected and classify what special education the child needs. Then and IEP is made by the team that they feel will be best for the students performance. The team then places the student where they feel is best for that student. The team then needs to make sure at least yearly that they evaluate the progress of the child with the parents.

Development of an IEP

What is an IEP?

An IEP stands for "Individualized Education Program". It  is a written document that's developed for each public school child who is eligible for special education. The IEP is created through a team effort and reviewed at least once a year.

                     Who is part of the IEP Team?                     

Parents- you know the child's strengths and weaknesses. This will help for enhancing the  education                            

General Education Teacher- can share classroom expectations and information on the child in the classroom.                           

Special Education Teacher- trained and experiences in education students with disabilities.                                             

  Interpreter- this person can interpret the results of the child evaluation and plan the appropriate program for the child.              

 Representative- represents the school system who knows about special educational services and can authorize different resources.       

Expert- is able to be beneficial for he/she has expertise on the subject at hand.

     What are the IEP Steps that need to be taken?

Step 1. Child is identified as possibly needing special education and related services.

 Step 2. Child is evaluated.

 Step 3. Eligibility is decided.

  Step 4. Child is found eligible for services.

 Step 5. IEP meeting is scheduled.

 Step 6. IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written.

 Step 7. Services are provided.

  Step 8. Progress is measured and reported to parents.

  Step 9. IEP is reviewed.

 Step 10. Child is reevaluated.

Teaching Methodology

Tips:

♦ Allow students to process the material.

♦ Follow procedures for any children with a disability(IEP).

♦ Always be patient with the students. Each student learns differently.

♦ Learn the students strengths and weakness.

♦ Provide healthy learning. Be a movement educator.

♦ Understand and accept diversity.

♦ Enjoy teaching your students.

Parents Rights

Important key is you as a parent should be given a copy of the procedural safeguard so that you know what his happening in the classroom. Parts the to the safeguard that parents need to know is below:

Prior written notice: District needs to provide a written notice before proposing to change procedures in your child's education.

Parent Consent: Parent needs to give their consent  to the changes that are going to happen with their student. This means parents need to be fully informed of the changes and understand all the information given to them. If students needs a service or reevaluation done the parent must give consent for that as well.

Independent Education Evaluation(IEE): you as a parent have a right for an independent evaluation of your child at the publics expense.

Education records and Confidentiality: Information on the child should be kept confidential. Only individuals working with the student needs to know the child's records. Also parent can have full access to any records of the child.

Amendment of records: If you feel any records on your child is inaccurate you then may request the district to amend the information.

Private schooling:  School districts are not required to pay the cost of education if you feel it is necessary to send the child to a private school. Free Appropriate Public Education is provided in public schools but not private.

Placement: Parents need to be informed if changing of placement of the child needs to happen. If parents disagree with any decision regarding placement or procedures they may request a hearing by filing a due process complaint.

Eligibility: Child who has not been determined eligible for special education and engaged in behavior that violate code of conduct, then school district may assert any protection provided for under this part if the district had knowledge about the child before hand.

As a parent you need to have an idea of what is going on in your child's classroom. You should be provided with your rights as a parent and if you have any question about the rights feel free to ask a member of the school faculty.

Support Links

http://ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html                              

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/legal-rights/what-is-an-iep.gs?content=513

http://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/

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