What is Least Restrictive Environment?
IDEA defines Least Restrictive Environment as "to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily" (Sec. 612 (a)[5]).
When a new student with a disability enters the district, an IEP team is formed to determine the most appropriate plan for the student. IEP required team members include the parent/s, special education teacher, general education teacher, a person to interpret instructional implications, and an LEA (person, usually an administrator, that has the power to make monetary decisions.) Other professionals typically involved in IEP’s are an adapted physical education teacher, hearing and vision specialists, nurse, occupational therapist, physical therapist, psychologist, speech and language therapist, and others at the request of the parents or school district.
IDEA identifies and defines 13 disability populations between the ages of 3 and 21 that are eligible for special education services in the least restrictive environment; those populations include the following: autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, learning disability, speech and language impairment, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment (including blindness). There is also a 14th disability category in IDEA (developmental delay). However, the student must be reevaluated prior to his or her 10th birthday, as the district will not receive funding for a developmental delay category once a child turns 10-years-old. Students with disabilities should be educated with their typically developing peers unless it would not be beneficial to do so (Lieberman, Houston-Wilson, 2010). Students with disabilities should be removed from the general education class only when the student needs additional one-to-one services (Yell, 1998); when the placement has a negative impact on the other students in the class; when the inability to perform physically is deemed significant enough to warrant alternative placements or when the student is not receiving educational benefit from the regular class placement (Block, 2007; Friend, 2005).
Inclusion is defined as serving all students in the general education program (Auxter et al. 2001). When students with disabilities are provided with specialized instruction in physical education to meet their unique needs, they are receiving adapted physical education (Lieberman, Houston Wilson, 2010). Every effort should be made to educate students with disabilities in the general education setting by providing the necessary accommodations and modifications, so success can be achieved. However, this is not always possible and not in the best interests of the special education student and his/her peers. Consequently, a continuum of service model should be made available to special education students, which ranges from full inclusion with no supports to a fully segregated setting away from general education environment.
Lieberman and Houston-Wilson Model of Continuum of Supports and Placement Options in Physical Education
A. Inclusion Options
1. Full inclusion with no adaptations or support (no IEP needed)
2. Full inclusion with curriculum adaptations and modifications
3. Full inclusion with trained peer tutors
4. Full inclusion with paraeducators
5. Full inclusion with specialists
B. Part-Time Segregated and Part-Time Integrated Placement Options
1. Split placement without additional support
2. Split placement with additional support
C. Community-Based Options
1. Part-time community-based, part time school-based
2. Full time community-based
D. Full-Time Segregated Placement Options Within Regular School District
1. Reverse integration: typically developing peers attend class with peer with a
disability.
2. Specialist-directed
E. Segregated Placement Options
1. Day school for specific disabilities
2. Residential school for specific disabilities
3. Home schooling
4. Institution
5. Hospital