What does special education really mean?
I realize that sometimes those of us that are immersed in the special education process may take for granted what special education is and how all of its processes work. However, I realize that those that are new to what special education is or have not had much experience with the process may need a little bit of an overview.
We also may have a skewed perception of what special education is based on what our own experiences were as children in school and I am willing to bet that it looks quite different. I venture to say that the process is much improved from when I was in grade school and while not perfect, it continues to improve and refine itself.
Special education is designed to meet the unique and individual needs of students with disabilities. This can, of course, be done first by trying to meet the needs in the classroom using some simple teaching strategies. However, if progress is not being made or new challenges and a student is still struggling, then parents and/or teachers can make a referral for a student to be evaluated through the school to determine if there is a learning disability and thus eligible for special education. A team is formed consisting of a variety of people depending on the child but could include students teacher(s), a psychologist or social worker, a speech pathologist, an occupational therapist, a special education teacher and perhaps other specialists like and autism consultant. There may be several evaluations performed on the student to determine if there is a disability and the type.
A reminder here is that while the school is required to conduct an evaluation because of the referral, a school CANNOT diagnose a student. So, sometimes families will seek additional evaluations in parallel with the school evaluations to see if there is a diagnosis that needs to be addressed. Also, these school requests for an evaluation can happen at any time during the child’s school career beginning at age 3. Prior to age 3 there is an early intervention process that is separate from this process.
After the evaluations are complete then an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is created and implemented. The IEP is a legal document that lists out what a student's educational needs are and how they will be met. This document could include most or all of the following:
Evaluation Results and Recommendations
Student Goals
How these goals will be achieved and by whom
Modifications
Accommodations
Specific Teaching Strategies
Environmental needs
Behavior Plans
Assistive Technologies
All of this should take place in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for a student. The idea is to try to have students needs met in the general education classroom so that they can be with their peers as much a s possible. This is where you may see an additional teacher come into the classroom to support a student or a teaching assistant. A speech or occupational therapist may also come into the classroom to support a student for specific assignments as well. If the needs of the student cannot be met participating full time in the general classroom then there may be a hybrid situation where the student may be in the general classroom for part of the day and then the special education classroom for part of the day. This could include leaving the classroom for speech therapy, occupational therapy and/or counseling with the school psychologist, social worker or adjustment counselor.
Again, if needs are not being met in this manner, a student may then be placed in a special education classroom full time. Finally if a school does not have the ability to meet the needs of a student, then the student may be placed in a school that is specifically for students with disabilities perhaps even for their specific disability. This is called an “out of district” placement.
None of these decisions are taken lightly and are made as a team effort that included the IEP and the student’s family. The family/school relationship is of utmost importance to this process as they both need to act in the best interest of the child. Families are entitled to understand the entire process. In addition to the usual forms and mailings, there needs to be phone calls and meetings set up all along the way so that families know what is happening with their child and can make informed decisions that work for them and their child. As such, these meetings and communications need to be in the language and a manner that the family is most comfortable with. In some cases a translator may be needed for meetings, forms may need to be translated into the preferred language and someone may need to help the family understand the types of evaluations being completed and what they are for. This type of support for families is extremely important to build trust and rapport. If there is open and fluid communication with the family, IEP meetings and the child’s progress should never be a mystery. Remember, special education is meant to help the child not be a barrier.
