Related sERVICES and Supports
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines “related services" as any supportive service provided to a child with a disability that helps the child access and/or receive a benefit from special education. Based on your child's evaluation, you and your ARD/IEP team will determine if she needs related services.
Related services can only be offered when students are eligible for special education and need the related service to benefit from their IEP. In other words, they are intended to help your child fully access the other special education services she needs. Related services can never be offered alone, only in combination with one or more instructional services, such as language therapy, for instance.
Related Services May Include:
● Audiology services
● School health services (including assistance with health-related needs during the school day)
● Counseling services
● Medical services (only to diagnose or evaluate a student’s disability)
● Occupational therapy
● Transportation
● Orientation and mobility services
● Physical therapy
● Psychological services
● Interpreting Services
Although IDEA lists speech-language pathology as a related service, in Texas it is considered an instructional service, which means it can be a stand-alone service.
