Teaching Students With Exceptionalities What is an exceptionality 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Definitions of Exceptionality Students with disabilities Covered by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Students identified as “gifted” Other students requiring special help Section 504 of the Voc. Rehab. Act (1973) 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Definitions of Special Education FAPE IDEA LRE Continuum (Cascade) of Services IEP MDT 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D. Special Education Specially designed instruction that meets the unusual (unique) needs of an exceptional student/ Materials/Equipment Curricula Instructional methods 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D. FAPE Free and Appropriate Public Education Guaranteed by IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Students identified under IDEA must be provided an education like everyone else (appropriate) without undue hardship to the student/family (free) 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D. LRE Least Restrictive Environment Students under IDEA must be provided FAPE in the least physically and academically segregated setting possible Possible is not the same as Always or Best 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Continuum (Cascade) of Services Range of possible settings for service to students with disabilities General Education classroom to residential/clinical settings. Range of teachers/specialists Range of curriculum Range of instructional methods 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D. IEP Individual Education Plan a plan specifically developed for individual students identified under IDEA the plan must include instruction in all areas of suspected disability with appropriate short and long term goals and objectives. 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D. “MDT” (IEP Team) Multidisciplinary Team For determining initial eligibility and placement: “a group of qualified professionals and the parent (s)” In most cases, this evaluation team is composed of the parent, special education teacher, “interpreter of test data”, district representative, and general education teacher (cf. Sec. 300.306 Determination of eligibility of IDEA, 2004) 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Who Should be on the IEP Team (after initial evaluation)? (I) The parents of the child; Not less than one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment); Not less than one special education teacher of the child, or where appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child; A representative of the public agency (who has certain specific knowledge and qualifications); 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Who Should be on the IEP Team? (II) An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results and who may also be one of the other listed members; At the discretion of the parent or the agency, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and Whenever appropriate, the child with a disability. In accordance with 34 CFR 300.321(a)(7), the public agency must invite a child with a disability to attend the child’s IEP Team meeting if a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals for the child and the transition services needed to assist the child in reaching those goals under 34 CFR 300.320(b). [34 CFR 300.321(a) and (b)(1)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(B)] 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Expectations of Educators General Educators Teach well and appropriately Accommodations Classroom evaluations Make appropriate referrals Participate in IEP teams Collaborate with parents and teachers Special Educators Consult on accommodations and instruction Conduct formal and informal assessments Ensure referrals are appropriate Lead IEP teams Collaborate with parents and teachers 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D. Make accommodations No such thing as an “average” student No such thing as an “average exceptional student” Teachers are expected to accommodate to the learning needs of the students in front of them. 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Evaluate strengths and challenges Make legally appropriate assessments Appropriate comparisons Use a wide range of assessments Specify difficulties operationally 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Make appropriate referrals Need to demonstrate that classroom-based accommodations were unsuccessful all strategies used are documented difficulties are educationally relevant difficulties are not the result of cultural/ethnic, linguistic, or socio-economic in nature 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Serve on teams for determining eligibility and instruction A legal requirement of IDEA Requires ability to collaborate and discuss relevant instructional and assessment issues with parents and others. 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Communicate with parents/caregivers Special educators must have appropriate skills in communicating their efforts to serve students on IEPS 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D. Collaboration Educators must work together to ensure classroom placements are appropriate and objectives of the IEP are being met. 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

General Education Role in Special Education General Educators are responsible for making referrals others include parents judges lawyers social service agencies 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

What Should You Do Before Making a Referral? Talk to the parents Check student records Analyze information Change instruction Document your efforts 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

What must be proved in a referral? A convincing case that a problem exists the problem could not addressed through regular education the problem is based on a legal definition of disability 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

What must be proved in a referral? A convincing case that the problem is not primarily the result of culture/ethnicity, second language differences, or socio-cultural variables the problem requires special education to address it 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

Special Educators’ Role Do not make referrals Help conduct educational and behavioral assessments Work in teams to determine eligibility and placement Help develop IEPs Implement and evaluate IEPs 11/13/2018 Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.