It is the responsibility of the parents and teachers to ensure that every student is allowed to learn. Irrespective of the challenges they may be facing, the students are supposed to get what they need concerning their academics. Those with disabilities or who have specific learning difficulties deserve to get special education.
This article will give you detailed information about special education. As a school nurse, you are in a position where you are required to meet the potential and actual needs of all students, especially those with special needs. As part of the multidisciplinary special education team, you need to know about special education. Grab a pen and a piece of paper and let us get right into it! You are in the right place.
What is Special Education?
It refers to different education services provided in different ways and in various academic settings. Children learn differently; hence special education is tailored to meet the needs of students with special needs or disabilities. Providing special education does not mean isolating children with disabilities from the rest.
It is about giving care, support, and all the necessary resources to individual students to help them progress in school. You cannot generalize the needs of all the students because they may vary from student to student. Some students may spend most of the day in a general education classroom, and others might need to attend a different school specializing in teaching kids with learning disabilities. Others may spend an hour or two in a resource room working with a specialist.
Basic Terms used in Special Education
An individualized education program (IEP)
IEP is a written statement by parents and school instructors to help a child with any disability or learning disorder succeed in school. It establishes the child’s position in their learning journey, where the parent would like them to end up at the end of an academic year, and strategies to help them get there. It is like a plan.
Students viable for special education have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). They get specialized and individualized teachings at zero cost to their families. Specialists work with students on their challenges as well as strengths. Families are key members of the team that decide what the special education students need to perform in school.
The function of the IEP Special Education is to ensure that every child receives an evaluation of whether they qualify for extra school support or not. If they do, the Act entitles them to an IEP to fit their needs. This federal law also requires that an IEP contains parts that show key information about the child and details about how and when the team will successfully implement the plan.
Components of an Individualized Education Program
- A statement of the child’s present levels
That comes in terms of functional performance and academic achievement. It entails how the student’s disability affects their involvement and general performance in the special education program.
- Measurable annual goals Statement
Once the needs of the disabled student are identified, the teachers, parents, and the rest of the IEP team work to develop appropriate goals to cater to those needs. Annual goals describe what the child is expected to do or learn within 12 months. That includes both academic and functional goals.
- A Description of Student’s Progress
Short-term objectives are set and required only for students with disabilities to monitor their academic progress. How the child performs toward meeting the short team goals will be progressively measured. The team will be providing the reports periodically.
- A statement of the special education
A statement of special education must be in the IEP. Other resources and special education-related services and resources to be provided to the child to support their learning should be in the IEP.
- A statement of the program modifications
Another support for school personnel is provided to enable the child to move appropriately toward attaining the annual education goals, participate in extracurricular activities, be educated, and interact with other children with disabilities and nondisabled students.
- An explanation of the extent of nonparticipation
In case there is an extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in extracurricular and nonacademic activities, give a detailed explanation in the IEP report.
The IEP should include why the child cannot participate in the regular assessment and took an alternate assessment. Explain why the alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child.
- A statement of service delivery and any individual accommodations
Give a statement of the personal accommodations necessary to measure the child’s academic achievement and functional performance on different level assessments. That includes the state or districtwide assessments.
- Age of Majority and Transition Goals
At least one year before the student reaches the age of majority. The IEP team must include a statement that the student has been told about the transition plan that will transfer to them at the age of majority. What is the “age of majority,” and how does this statement in the IEP look?
Transitional goals and services focus more on support services needed to help the child move from the school environment to something higher, like a vocational program, job, or another program that promotes independent living. If the child wishes to go to college, the IEP must also include strategies to help prepare them for advocating for themselves in a college environment.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
It is a legal right for students with disabilities to access a free appropriate public education. Commonly referred to as FAPE. In this article, we will break down what FAPE means.
1. F is free
Free means the government caters to the academic fees for special education students. Their families incur no cost. However, for other expenditures like club subscriptions or sports, the families cater to them.
2. A stand for appropriate
That means qualified students get an Individualized Education Program (IEP) with services to meet their needs. Other students with disabilities may obtain a plan that gives equal access to learning.
3. P stands for the public
Public means being overseen by the public school. An IEP team is in charge of deciding what support and services the student get. Sometimes, the government may pay for kids with disabilities to attend private school.
4. E is for education
Education can include special education or related services, like counselling, special education quotes, speech therapy, or even transportation. The goal is for kids to progress in school and be well-prepared for the future.
The Student Support Team (SST)
SST engages in a problem-solving process to provide intensive support to students experiencing difficulties in the classroom and their teachers. The primary support services for special education students are accommodations, modifications, and remediations. Many nursing schools offer additional services for special needs students, such as speech-language therapy and occupational therapy. These are often based on alternative learning expectations specified by an Independent Education Plan.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
IDEA Special Education provides certain requirements to assure disabled students in the least restrictive environment (LRE) a free appropriate public education (FAPE). LRE and FAPE are the governed rights of each qualified child in U.S. Territories and states.
Every state is required to issue regulations that govern the implementation of federal law within the state. At the lowest, state regulations must provide all the protections published in IDEA. Some states may have additional requirements that go past federal law.
Children who fully qualify may receive early childhood special education services in various settings, such as in community settings, pre-kindergarten classrooms, and the home. That is to help parents understand these policies and procedures given by the state and participate in designing a special education curriculum.
Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
FBA Special Education is a process used by schools to find out what’s causing some students to struggle to learn. When the challenging behaviours are assessed, the team comes up with strategies to improve this behaviour to enable students to perform well in school.
Special Education Programs
- Public or Private Schools
Choosing a school that provides special education will be the first step to helping the child. Students can get the most out of their capabilities in public or private schools while accessing education. The parents, teachers, and other IEP team members should create an IEP program that fits the child’s needs and addresses its challenges.
The IEP program should include a plan for admitting them to public or private schools. Choose a school that will care for the child’s needs and helps them to succeed.
- Team of Advocates for Special Kids
That is one of the special education programs that provide community links to programs that help children with special needs. They give referrals for education, health, and financial resources and sometimes organize activities for community support and awareness.
- National Organization for Rare Disorders
The function of this organization is to collect data and disseminate information about rare disabilities in society. Their information is fit for helping people with rare disabilities find services relating to their disabilities, health resources, and information from the government.
- Special Needs Scholarship programs
Some states have several funding programs in place. They help eliminate the burden of academic costs on families with special education students. Alaska provides one of the best special education programs in the U.S. Similar programs exist in other states like Mayland and Oregon, among other states.
- 3E Love
The 3E Love program helps children with disabilities have high self-esteem and feel included despite their challenges. Its aim is to help individuals celebrate their unique journey to acceptance. The program fosters self-love, community education and awareness, and empowerment. Their community-building efforts help children with disabilities embrace the diversity they bring to the world and find others like them.
- Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program
Healthcare expenses can be an enormous burden for families with children with disabilities. Luckily, there are programs in place to help families get help in covering medical costs. The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program helps individuals with special needs understand the nature of healthcare coverage and allows them to find resources to help them cover their healthcare expenses. The counselling centre provides informational pamphlets, consultations, and knowledge about health insurance and the health care system.
- Center For Emerging Leadership
There are a lot of programs at regional and local levels to assist students with special needs in developing their leadership skills and higher functioning. One of these programs is the Center for emerging leadership. It helps students with disabilities develop their leadership abilities and general life skills. Parents can learn how to nurture these qualities in their children daily.
Activities for students with special education needs
Here are some of the Special Education ideas that special education teachers can apply to open students’ potential by taking care of their special needs through engagement in a range of classroom activities. Some of these activities aim to make the students proactive and improve their classroom performance.
- Puzzle games
In this game, students do word fishing. They have to make words by putting syllables or individual letters in the correct form. Word fishing helps to form new connections within the brain cells, improving short-term memory. The difficulty levels will automatically move up or down depending on the student’s performance.
- Correct Image and Word Matching
Correct Image Name is a worksheet in which students must determine which word matches the image indicated.
- Who raised their hand?
In this activity, special education students have to learn and master the order in which the rest raise their hands to ask for a turn to speak.
- Pack your Backpack
This everyday activity involves packing the school backpack by selecting only the necessary things for that day. The game aims to ensure that children with special education needs remember everything but don’t have to pack unnecessary items.
- Odd and Even number game
This game consists of categorizing numbers as even or odd. It is an activity for early childhood special education students to become familiar with numbers before learning to do the actual counting.
What is the Latest Innovation in Special Education
- Technology
Using tablets, computers, and custom-made apps for special education students is changing the lives of students with disabilities. Currently, special education students use these tools for everything from text dictation, closed captioning of audio apps, or even interactive boards on their virtual reading and writing.
As special education teachers are busy attending to the needs of every student, technological advances help include more students in daily lessons and give a more resourceful way of spending downtime between more challenging duties.
- Parental Involvement
Parent involvement in designing a special education curriculum will help to maintain consistency between nurturing the special needs students at home and programming at school. Teachers and parents should participate in the planning process to ensure that they cater to the unmet needs of the students.
- Student Collaboration
As a student grows, they learn how to communicate their needs. Involving students in setting goals, finding solutions, and measuring outcomes will help them learn how to advocate for their own needs when they get to the real world.
- Inclusive Classrooms
Educators today take a more inclusive approach to teaching using methods for students of varying ability levels in more integrated classrooms. Several separate instructions are done in a shorter period, as are sessions with behavioural, speech, or occupational therapists.
How Can Special Education Improve a Child’s Life?
Special education gives students with learning disabilities an opportunity to get a good education and reach their full potential despite their challenges. The earlier the parents and teachers notice the kids with special needs and intervene, the better for the student’s performance in the long run.
Early intervention helps to improve a special need student’s emotional, cognitive, social and emotional development.
Special Education Teacher Assignments
An IEP is crucial in the special education process and should be written with care. If an IEP is required for a child, take your time to understand what it should include and why. Attention to detail can be the key to the student’s success. We offer special education assignment help to students taking special education as a unit. We also help educators and parents learn how to access and use Frontline Education. Contact proscholarly.com today for assistance.