1. Special Education Policies, Practices, and Programs
Gargiulo Ch. 1 and 2

2. Special Education
Specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings.

3. Special Education
Special Education serves students from birth until age 22
The majority of special education teachers work with student with mild-to-moderate disabilities (ex: learning disabilities.)
These teachers use or modify the general education curriculum to meet the student’s individual needs.
Some special education teachers work with students with moderate-severe disabilities (ex: cognitive disability or severe autism)
For these students there is more emphasis on life skills and basic literacy.

4. Key Special Education Legislation
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Began in 1975 as PL : Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Amended in 1986
In 1990 renamed IDEA
Amended in 1997 and 2004

5. PL 94-142 Considered the most important law in special education
Prior to its implementation children with disabilities could be denied appropriate services in schools or refused schooling entirely
Called the “Bill of Rights” for students with disabilities

6. Key Ideas in PL 94-142 Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Procedural Due Process
Nondiscriminatory Assessment
Parental Participation

7. Changes in the 1986 Amendments
Affected education and services for young children with special needs and their families
Preschoolers (age 3-5)
Early Childhood services
Children from birth through age 2
Part C
Early Intervention services
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)

8. Changes in the 1990 Amendments
Renamed to: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Current language used to describe people with disabilities
Individual Transition Plan (ITP) required
Expanded related services
Added autism and traumatic brain injury as distinct disability categories
States held accountable for implementation

9. Changes in the 1997 Amendments
Disciplinary considerations
IEP changes
Related services expanded for visually impaired
Mediation procedures developed
Expanded category of developmental delay
Evaluation and reevaluation requirements changed
Performance goals/accountability

10. Changes in the 2004 Amendments
Changed to Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) but everyone still uses IDEA
Additional procedures for identifying children with specific learning disabilities (RTI)
Altered requirements for IEP meetings
IEPs must include statement of present levels of performance
Highly qualified special education teachers
New regulations for discipline
All students participate in state and district assessments (or alternative assessments)

11. Other Legislation Impacting Special Education
Two important Civil Rights laws:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Passed in 1990, amended in 1997
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Passed in 1973 (prior to EAHCA)

12. Americans With Disabilities Act
Designed to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities in the pubic and private sectors.
Expanded definitions of eligibility may include people with AIDS, substance abuse issues, or any impairment that limits a major life activity.
Employers, mass transit systems, and companies who provide products and services must make “reasonable accommodations.”

13. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Defines an individual with a disability as one who “has a physical or mental impairment with substantially limits one or more of the major life activities such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, or working.”

14. Section 504 of the Rehab Act
Prohibited discrimination on the basis of handicapping condition in any educational program or activity receiving federal fund financial assistance.
Schools may be required to develop plans to meet the needs of students who require accommodations. Section 504 covers the entire lifespan not just the school years.

15. Section 504 of the Rehab Act
Under Section 504, a student has a disability if that individual has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, working, or learning.

16. Recent Educational Reform
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (PL )
Includes annual testing for schools to demonstrate adequate yearly progress of all students in mathematics and reading

17. Key Components of Special Education Policy
FAPE (free appropriate public education), required for all children with disabilities;
IEP (individualized education program), the written document prepared for each eligible child receiving special education services;
LRE (least restrictive environment), where children with disabilities are to receive their free appropriate public education (FAPE).

18. Key Components cont.
Zero Reject-persons with severe disabilities or complex needs cannot be denied educational services
Necessary Support Services-occupational therapy, speech pathology-are provided
Due Process-one of the primary concepts of IDEA is parental participation. In order to make this a reality, the law provides ways that parents can appeal a decision by school or district personnel

19. Educational Settings

20. Traditional View of Service Delivery Options

21. Disability Categories Under IDEA
Autism
Deaf-Blind
Emotional Disability (Behavioral Disability)
Hearing Impairment (including Deafness)
Mental Retardation (Cognitive Impairment)
Multiple Disabilities
Orthopedic Impairment
Other Health Impairment (can include ADHD)
Specific Learning Disability
Speech or Language Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Vision Impairment
Developmental Delay for children ages 3-9

22. Steps of the Special Education Process
Referral
Child is referred for assessment
Parental Consent/Domain Meeting
Parent/Guardian sign consent
Assessment Domains are determined
Assessment
Evaluation is conducted by a multidisciplinary team to determine if a disability is present
*process may vary if RTI being used

23. Steps of the Special Education Process
Eligibility Meeting
review assessments
determine adverse effects on education
determine needs
determine eligibility

24. Steps of the Special Education Process
IEP Meeting
review needs
determine accommodations/ modifications needed
write goals
determine timeline for meeting goals
determine services needed to meet goals (special education and related services)
determine location for services

25. IEP Components Current performance Goals
Special education and related services
Accommodations and Modifications
Participation with typical students
Participation in state- and district-wide assessments
Dates and locations
Progress measuring
Transition services and Behavior plans as needed

26. Follow-Up Review IEP annually
Re-evaluate eligibility every three years (unless determined unnecessary)
Reconvene multidisciplinary team
Complete assessments
Evaluate eligibility
If student still qualifies, review/rewrite IEP (goals, services, acc/mod, etc.)

27. References
Gargiulo, Richard M. (2011). 4th ed. Special Education in Contemporary Society: An Instruction to Exceptionality, Los Angeles, California: Sage Publications. ISBN