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

2. 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.

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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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 Determination of eligibility of IDEA, 2004)
11/13/2018
Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

10. 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.

11. 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 (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 (b). [34 CFR (a) and (b)(1)] [20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(B)]
11/13/2018
Manuel T. Barrera, III, Ph.D.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.