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University of Phoenix Material

Part I: Federal Categories of Special Education

Federal Disability Term	Alternative Term(s)	Brief Description
Speech or Language Disability	Communication Disorder (CD)	An impairment that effects the student’s ability to communicate that negatively impacts the student’s academic performance.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)		An injury to the brain that occurred after birth from an outside source.
Visual Impairment	Low vision, blind	An impairment that affects the student’s ability to see even though they have some form of corrective vision help
Developmental Delay (DD)		For students up to age 9, can be used instead of a specific disability label
Learning disability (LD)	Specific learning disability	A disorder related to processing information that leads to difficulties in reading, writing, and computing; the most common disability, accounting for half of all students receiving special education.
Orthopedic Impairment	Physical disability	An Orthopedic Impairment effects a student’s ability to physically body movement.  The impairment can be caused by illness, disease, or birth defect.
Multiple Disabilities		Multiple disabilities is a category that covers students with more than one qualifying disability.  This allows for all of the student’s needs to be met under one category instead of several categories.
Intellectual Disability	Formerly known as Mental Retardation	A child with a low intelligence quotient.
Hearing Impairment	Hard of hearing	An auditory impairment that negatively impacts a child’s academic success due to loss of hearing. The hearing loss can vary over time.
Deaf-blindness		A combination of hearing and visual impairments that negatively impacts the child’s ability to communicate.  The needs of children with this disability are not able to be met solely under the category of Deafness or Visual Impairment.
Emotional Disturbance (ED)	Behavior Disorder (BD), Emotional Disability	A diagnosed mental disorder that negatively impacts a child’s academic success.
Deafness	Profoundly deaf	An auditory impairment that negatively impacts a child’s academic success due to the fact the child cannot process linguistic information with or without the use of an amplification method.
Other Health  Impairments (OHI)		This accounts for diagnosis that limit a student’s stamina, endurance, and/or vigilance.
Autism	Asperger’s Syndrome	A disorder that ranges in severity which effects communication, social skills, and behavior

Part II: Individualized Educational Program (IEP)

IIa. IEP Meeting Participants

An IEP meeting should include, at least, but not necessarily be limited to: • The child's parent(s) or legal guardian(s) • At least one of the regular education teachers of the child • At least one special education teacher • The school principal, assistant Principal, or other representative of the school • The lead Special Education Teacher, or someone with the training to relate the educational implications of the IEP, and anyone else deemed necessary by one of the members of the team.

If it is appropriate, the child with a disability should also attend the IEP meeting.

IIb. Assessments for the IEP Meeting:

Several assessments may be given, depending upon what the suspected disability requires. Typically, parents are asked to complete and inventory of behavioral items, and regular education teachers are asked to complete a similar inventory. Results of appropriate IQ and direct measurements of academic performance are present. Visual and hearing tests are also given. These measures help the team to determine whether or not a covered disability is present, and as such, gives the team a basis upon which to create the IEP.

Ilc. Recommendations to help parents gain a better understanding of the IEP process

The School Psychologist will be able to present a variety of assessment results to help parents understand how the process of creating an IEP goes, with input from the lead Special Education teacher, and other professionals in the meeting. Parents will receive a notice of how the process plays out, and parents are made to feel like valuable members of the team. Parents support is monumental to carrying out the IEP process. Explaining the process will go far in gaining parental support.

IId. Transition planning and career counseling information

IDEA’s provisions requiring transition statements in the IEP are found at §300.320(b) and read as follows:

"Transition services. Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include—

(1) Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and

(2) The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals.¹"

To that end, transition and career planning is a crucial step in an older student's IEP planning. If appropriate, independent adult living needs to be addressed. It is during this process, also, that goals are determined and set per the needs of the individual student. Things to be considered are activities of daily living, possible postsecondary education or technical school. If employment is a goal, the necessary interviewing and responsibility skills need to be address. Career counseling should be provided if appropriate as well.

IIe. Information on developing appropriate goals and objectives for the IEP

The process of creating appropriate goals and objectives begins by reviewing, if available, the student's past achievements. In addition, the team will need to review the results of any assessments taken by the student. Goals and objectives must be relevant to the student's academic, social, and vocational needs, considering his or her strengths and weaknesses. They must align with the items outlined by IDEA. They will possibly cover things such as communicating with others appropriately, academic and physical skills, behavioral skills, etc. as appropriate for the student. The objectives and goals must be achievable in one school year.

IIf. Information on how the goals and ovjecties affect the curricular design

IDEA and its inherent markers require that teachers with SPED students plan, implement, and monitor the success of educational plans to aid SPED students' progress and success. Teachers must ensure that students are involved in and make progress in the same curriculum as the non-disabled students. This may take the form of more differentiation in instruction; i.e. fewer spelling words, more time, etc. It may also mean changes to the teacher's delivery plan. It may require more pictures, clearer explanation, preferential seating, etc. As long as the instruction follows the outline of the IEP, it is a teacher's creative choice that would create valuable lessons for the student.

IIg. Service Delivery Models

Delivery Services for students with disabilities must accomplish the following:

Assistance with any required functional behavioral assessments and creating and implementing any behavioral issues necessary to address areas of concern.

The special education teacher must also assist the regular education teacher with strategies for the instruction, management of behavior issues, observing and noting progress, etc., in the general education classroom. This may include more small group interactions, and other modifications of the general education curriculum regarding delivery of the materials.

The general education classroom teacher may need support for some students by the special education teacher with the adapting or modifying of general education curriculum and assessments.

Some students have needs that affect his or her ability to learn within the general education classroom. In this situation, it may be determined that the student needs direct intensive instruction in a small group setting in a self-contained classroom.

More specific skill training in remediating academic skill deficits or in the social, emotional, and behavioral areas.

Students may receive direct service in both the general education and special education classrooms. Students may also benefit from a co-teaching model where the SPED teacher enters the classroom with the general education classroom teacher.

¹Center for Parent Information Resources. (2016). Transition planning. Retrieved from the world wide web September 28, 2016, from http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep-transition/#idea

Part III: Instructional Implications of Special Education Categories, Lesson Planning, and Instructional Strategies

Every educator knows the importance of "meeting a student where they are..." and this very necessary component of pedagogy has become common practice in the classroom. There are many components that intersect the needs of the Special Education student, but there are also those that may vary in their application.

Special Education students are as diverse as their "regular ed" counterparts. They come from many ethnic, social/economic, education leveled parents, and traditional and non-traditional families. They are equally as diverse in their intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, learning styles, experiences, and interests, as they are in their personal level of ability. It is important to keep each of these differences in mind when working with this special population. Doing so will build trust and confidence. Trust and confidence are major contributors to success.

One important, but often overlooked, difference is their level of motivation. Many SPED students (SPecial EDucation) are perceived as not caring, lazy, and undisciplined. This misconception occurs when the student's failure to turn in assignments is characterized as laziness (Levine, 2003). Often, this could not be further from the truth. Many of them feel as if outside circumstances are to blame for their lack of performance, and as such, external rewards are best not used with SPED students. When they can feel they are in control of their own circumstances, they are more likely to feel successful, and therefore more likely to be motivated to do so in the future (Hallahan & Kaufman, 2006). It can be challenging to find ways to help such a student feel successful; however, a teacher's creativity and genuine praise when the student makes progress, no matter how small, will go a long ways toward having a positive impact on the student.

As regards learning styles, SPED students have varied learning styles. The key to helping a SPED student to perform is not much different than helping any student - help them to help you figure out what their learning style is (David A. Kolb). Any student will experience far more success when they are allowed to express their understanding in a way that is compatible with their learning style. That is not to say, however, that a student should not be encouraged to experiment with various learning styles, as they may discovery they enjoy other ways of expression, and should gain experience in as many as possible learning style presentations as is reasonable, given the student's needs. Learn more about Kolb's learning styles here.

A SPED student's experiences may be similar in some ways to a traditional student, but it is likely that their experiences may also be somewhat different. They may have grown up with peers who often dislike "differences," or the student may be perceived as "weird," "funny-looking," "strange acting," or any combination of unkind attributes, none of which are likely of the student's choice or doing. Children are just less practiced than adults at keeping their feelings inside when confronted with someone who does not match what they consider, in their experience, as "normal." These tendencies to be "made fun of" often harm the self-esteem and confidence of the SPED student. That lack of confidence may express itself by lack of performance, lack of caring, and even lack of motivation to perform. The student may also have been pitied by well-meaning adults, but by such things, the SPED student may suffer from "learned helplessness," defined by Brittanica.com: "Learned helplessness, in psychology, a mental state in which an organism forced to bear aversive stimuli, or stimuli that are painful or otherwise unpleasant, becomes unable or unwilling to avoid subsequent encounters with those stimuli, even if they are “escapable,” presumably because it has learned that it cannot control the situation." (https://www.britannica.com/topic/learned-helplessness) Students who experience this state are far less likely to try a task that has frustrated them multiple times in the past. They just realize that they "just can't do it," and refuse to try. If a student's disability is physical in nature, they may experience pain when attempting tasks, and to avoid the pain, they may fail to do the task.

Interests of a SPED student will be diverse as well. Students love to talk about what interests them. Teachers should take the time to ask, and then incorporate as many of those interests as possible in the students' learning experiences. It can be something as simple as, "one Stegosaurus dinosaur plus 3 Brontosaurus dinosaurs equal how many dinosaurs all together?!" or as complex as allowing the student to experience learning and working on a computer website relating to their interest.

Level of ability is a complex set of definitions. federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines 13 specific areas of disability that requires children with disabilities receive special services designed to meet their unique needs. It is important for general education teachers to pay close attention to the IEP goals and objectives, and work closely with the SPED teacher to ensure the student(s) affected experience a sense of trust, and succeed to the best of their ability. He or she must realize that there will be a definite difference between the delivery method of curriculum between the general ed students and the special ed students. Special ed students may also need modifications to the curriculum, such as fewer problems or different spelling words. Some tips for teaching this population from Teacher Vision may be seen by clicking here. This is a website chock full of information for teachers who are new, or are just new to having a special education student in the classroom.

Part IV: Classroom Organization and Management and Crisis Prevention

Every teacher wants his or her classroom to be a welcoming place where all students feel accepted, valued, and important. Beside providing classroom rules or a "class constitution," it may become important to slightly modify the way a classroom is managed when one or more special education students are present.

While it is always important to have a behavior plan, structure especially helps the SPED student. The teacher knows his or her class would benefit from procedures and the constant practice of those procedures; again, this is especially important with students with special needs. They all feel more secure and safe when a routine is practiced and enforced consistently. Rules may need to be on a student's desk, along with a timer to keep him or her on task, and other small accommodations may make the student feel comfortable. Be sure to have jobs for as many students as possible, or alternate them on a frequent basis. Have books at varied levels so that each child may have a book on the current subject of study. Many libraries will loan boxes of books to teachers free of charge making it affordable as well. In younger students, practice holding books the correct way, and review how books are treated. Ask for student volunteer helpers from a group of your choosing, to help the SPED student with his or her work.

Be aware of the culture of your classroom. Have a rule that while everyone is required to participate, on occasion, a student may use a "pass" if he or she is stumped or it would cause embarrassment to answer. Review rules such as how we treat others; no put-downs, no laughing or comments, everyone has different gifts and talents; take suggestions from your class to make this list theirs in order to increase the students' buy-in.

Assistive technology may be needed for a student's success. Be open to wearing a microphone for a student who is hard of hearing. Other students may be curious or even envious of the SPED student who uses a tablet. Be sensitive to all children, and explain how the tool helps the student with a disability to hear what the teacher is saying or to make it possible for the student to write papers or notes.

Physical layouts may want to include a large table where each member has a fair amount of space, so each student is comfortable and feels safe. Wide aisles and strategic placement of exit paths are something to be considered as well. Clutter should be kept to a minimum, always providing a consistent place for back packs and jackets as well as water bottles.

Providing a safe, warm environment with high expectations typically provides for a far lesser chance of student failure.

Part V: Communication, Collaboration, and Ethical Practices

Regarding co-teaching, Friend and Cook, et al, have this to say about Co-teaching in general:

"Although collaboration among service providers has been a hallmark of special education almost since its inception, co-teaching, the sharing of instruction by a general education teacher and a special education teacher or another specialist in a general education class that includes students with disabilities, is a relatively recent application. As a result of recent federal legislation and related policy changes, co-teaching has evolved rapidly as a strategy for ensuring that these students have access to the same curriculum as other students while still receiving the specialized instruction to which they are entitled.

Despite considerable enthusiasm expressed by those who write about co-teaching and those who implement it, co-teaching illustrates the complexity of conceptualizing and studying collaboration in special education. Most inquiry on co-teaching has emphasized co-teachers' roles and relationships or program logistics rather than demonstrating its impact on student achievement and other key outcomes, and far more literature exists describing co-teaching and offering advice about it than carefully studying it.

Contributing to the admittedly equivocal evidence base for co-teaching are factors such as the still emerging understanding of this special education service delivery vehicle, inconsistencies in definitions and implementation, lack of professional preparation, and dilemmas related to situating co-teaching in a supportive, collaborative school culture. The future of co-teaching may be dependent on increasing the quantity and quality of research on it and placing co-teaching in the larger context of school reform and improvement." ³

It appears that the theory is a bit easier than the execution of co-teaching. If collaboration and communication between the SPED teacher and the general ed teacher, the success will be much higher. It is good if the two teachers can sit together and write lesson plans, bouncing ideas off each other and coming up with ideas and compromises.

Various Service Delivery Models for Co-Teaching

Friend and Cook outline the different service delivery models for keeping the SPED student within the least restrictive environment, per the law outlined in IDEA, as follows⁴:

1. One teach, one observe:one teacher delivers instruction while the other observes student learning and assesses student understanding and academic functioning
2. One teach, one assist:one teacher will take the lead in providing instruction while the other moves around the classroom and assists students who may be struggling
3. Parallel Teaching:The class is divided in half and the same material is presented at the same time by both teachers
4. Station Teaching:Both teachers are actively involved in instruction and the students rotate from one station to the next, learning new material
5. Alternative Teaching:One teacher takes a small group of students and provides instruction that is different than what the large group is receiving
6. Team Teaching:Both teachers instruct on the same lesson with all students present

Multiple approaches may be the best combination for teaching SPED students within the general ed classroom. However, each approach has its inherent pros and cons. For instance, in a case where one teacher delivers instruction and the other observes and assess, more and better data may gathered by the observing teacher, however, that may be done by the assistance of a para-professional with specific training in observing and note taking. The same applies when one teacher teaches while the other assists struggling students. While this is a great model for any classroom setting, it would appear that SPED students may not be able to receive enough attention from his or her teacher.

Parallel teaching can be confusing and unclear for students who have a difficult time concentrating, however, if it is done well, it can benefit all students by virtue of the fact that it allows for smaller small group numbers and easier management of a smaller number of students all together.

Station teaching can allow the students to be a bit more active, walking to and working at different learning stations at different times. This model requires much creativity and energy from the two teachers, as well as much collaboration between the two.

Alternative teaching is good in a situation with SPED students with higher disabilities who require closer to one-on-one teaching, but are not severe enough to require a more restrictive environment. Assuming, again, that the two teachers can teach differently, simultaneously and the students can stay focused on their intended teacher, this model will highly benefit the SPED students, as well as any struggling students in the class.

Team teaching is a model used frequently in lower grade classrooms. Teachers may divide by subjects, time of the day, etc. in order to best serve their students. If the teachers don't allow themselves to get caught up in "getting caught up" while the other teacher is teaching, this model has many benefits. It is similar in fashion to the one teach, one assist model.

Communication and Collaboration with Colleagues and Other Staff

Planning for Effective Communication and Collaboration 

Collaboration between teachers and staff must be supported by school administrators. It will involve more meeting time, resources, and persistence; above all, the staff involved must be highly motivated to successfully implementing the sharing of the various responsibilities involved in a classroom. They will need to be flexible with their wants and needs, and open to suggestion by other members of the team. SPED teachers are specialized in the areas of special education, while classroom teachers may bring much experience in teaching large groups; those will be issues to put on the table immediately, listing each member's preferences, strengths, and weaknesses.

Collaboration and communication with the students' parents must also be clear, frequent, and informative. Seek input from parents with issues relating to their child, and ask for their experience with situations relating to their student's behaviors as well. Parents who feel empowered and helpful are more likely to support teachers in their goals for their child.

Professional and Ethical Practices for Special Educators

Special Education professionals are guided by the CEC professional ethical principles, practice standards, and professional policies which always respect the diverse characteristics and needs of students with special needs and their families. They must:

• Collaborate and consult with colleagues and other members of the school staff and community in support of students' needs and benefits
• Respect the privacy of all students and their families
• Provide challenging materials for the highest possible outcomes in all areas of learning; not just academic, but also psychological, social-emotional, and physical learning
• Make data-driven decisions for the best practices in educating this population of students
• Respect the diversity and cultures of the students and their families
• Advocate for improvement in education at all levels
• Protect and support the needs of students
• Promote the involvement of students in school and community activities and events
• Maintain high levels of learning for selves for professional growth
• Be committed to the teaching and education of colleagues as well as other staff

³Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2016, from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10474410903535380

⁴ H. (2013). The Benefits of Co-Teaching for Students with Special Needs - Friendship Circle - Special Needs Blog. Retrieved October 9, 2016, from  http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/03/25/the-benefits-of-co-teaching-for-students-with-special-needs/

Part VI: References

10 Items That Can Make Your Classroom More Inclusive - Friendship Circle - Special Needs Blog (2014). Retrieved September 27, 2016, from http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2014/02/21/10-items-that-can-make-your-classroom-more-inclusive/

Callahan D. and Kauffman, J. Exceptional Learners: introduction to special education; p 147. Houghton Mifflin Co. 2006

Center for Parent Information and Resources. Retrieved September 25, 2016, from http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/transition-goals/#first

http://www.spedforms.com/goals/criteria.htm

Delivery Models of Service for Special Education. (2011, May 11). Retrieved October 4, 2016, from - http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/hr/employeerelations/pass/Documents/Performance Evaluations/8-11-2011/Supplement - Models of Service.pdf]

Effective Crisis Intervention Strategies in Special Education. (2015). Retrieved September 30, 2016, from http://education.seattlepi.com/effective-crisis-intervention-strategies-special-education-2552.html

Ethical Principles and Professional Practice Standards for Special Educators. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2016, from https://www.cec.sped.org/Standards/Ethical-Principles-and-Practice-Standards

Hallahan, D. P., & Kauffman, J. M. (2000). Exceptional learners: Introduction to special education. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2016, from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10474410903535380

Levine, M. D. (2003). The myth of laziness. New York: Simon & Schuster.

NASET.org Home Page. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2016, from https://www.naset.org/2444.0.html

News & tips. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2016, from http://lessonplanspage.com/lesson-plan-modifications-teaching-diverse-learners-in-your-classroom/

Saul McLeod published 2010, updated 2013. (1970). Kolb - Learning Styles. Retrieved October 13, 2016, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html

Special Education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2016, from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/techassist/QI-smallgroup.htm

Vaughn, S. R., & Bos, C. S. (n.d.). Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Problems (9th ed., Chapter 1). Retrieved October 2, 2016, from https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323200483/cfi/6/24!/[email protected]:0