Definition of Special Education NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

What is Special Education? Under IDEA, special education is defined as: “ Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.”

What is Special Education? IDEA, is the abbreviation for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It is the federal law that ensures that the rights of children and youth with disabilities and their parents are protected

What is Special Education? (1) “ Specially designed instruction ”- It’s a customized instructional program (2) “ at no cost to parents ”-It’s free, regardless of the disability (3) “ to meet the unique needs of a child ”-Each individual receiving special education is different and has different needs.

Disability (4) “ with a disability ”-Children in special education have “disabilities” Disability-- An inability or a reduced capacity to perform as other children do because of some impairment in sensory, physical, cognitive or other areas of functioning.

Exceptional Exceptional-- A term describing any individual whose physical, mental, or behavioral performance deviates so substantially from the average (higher or lower) that additional support is required to meet the individual’s needs.

Categories Under IDEA In special education, we categorize children with exceptionalities. Category-A label assigned to individuals who share common characteristics and features Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-there are 13 categories of disability:

Categories Under IDEA Autism Deaf-Blindness Developmental Delay Emotional Disturbance Hearing Impairments (including deafness) Mental Retardation Multiple Disabilities Orthopedic Impairments Other Health Impairments Specific Learning Disabilities Speech and Language Impairments Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairments

Categories Under IDEA T: Traumatic Brain Injury H: Hearing Impairment E: Emotional Disturbance M: Mental Retardation O: Orthopedic Impairment M: Multiple Disabilities L: Learning Disabilities O: Other Health Impairment V: Visual Impairment S: Speech and Language Impairment D: Developmental Delay A: Autism D: Deaf-Blindness

Categories Under IDEA Notably absent is Gifted and Talented but **gifted and talented children are viewed as exceptional. Gifted and talented students are not included in IDEA.

Final Key Point Key Point Regarding Communicating about Individuals with Disabilities Put people first: Say “The child with a learning disability” NOT “The Learning Disabled Child.” This puts the focus on the individual, not the particular functional limitation