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There are 13 disability areas:
There are 13 disability areas:
- Autism
- Deaf-Blindness
- Deafness
- Emotional Disability
- Hearing Impairment
- Intellectual Disability
- Multiple Disabilities
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Other Health Impairment
- Speech or Language Impairment
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Visual Impairment
- Specific Learning Disability
Special Education is not a "place", but rather a different approach to teaching and learning. Students with academic, behavioral, health, or physical disabilities receive special education support because they require alternative approaches to learning in order to meet their needs.
There are federal and state laws that govern special education. These laws determine who should receive special education and how these services should be delivered. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law which regulates special education and protects the rights of students with disabilities. Illinois has also written several mandates that govern special education in addition to IDEA.
Students who receive special education are entitled to a "Free and Appropriate Public Education" (FAPE) in the "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE). This means that students with disabilities are entitled to receive appropriate special education support at no cost to their families. Additionally, they should be educated with their non-disabled peers as often as possible. This LRE mandate ensures that students with disabilities are not separated or unnecessarily excluded from general education.
To ensure that students are receiving a Free and Appropriate Public Education, a team of parents and professionals will meet to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This plan will include the special education program, testing and classroom accommodations, and annual goals for the child. This plan will be reviewed and updated at least annually to ensure that it continues to be appropriate.
IEP Timeline
(This process may slightly differ among school districts)IEP Timeline
Prior Processes*Problem-Solving Team (PST) Meetings*Response to Intervention (RtI) - Reading, Math and SEL (Social/Emotional)
STEP 1: Student is identified as needing servicesSTEP 2: Assessment Plan/Consent for evaluation is signedSTEP 3: Child is evaluated(60 school days allowed for assessment)STEP 4: IEP meeting is held(eligibilty is decided and IEP document written)STEP 5: Services are providedSTEP 6: Progress is measured and reported to parentsSTEP 7: IEP is reviewed (at least annually)STEP 8: Child is re-evaluated(every three years -triennial- or as needed)
Who is involved in an IEP meeting?
-Parents: includes anyone legally responsible for the child. They are a vital piece of the puzzle in understanding the student in need. They have special insight to how school translates at home. This may include how they learn, special interests and important background information that could effect learning. -General Education Teacher: include teachers who teach in the general education population. They have a lot of information to share with the team. This could include: how well the student understands the curriculum, how the student interacts with peers, how the students interacts with authority figures, classroom interests, possible interventions for the classroom, and general classroom behavior. -Special Education Teacher: Special Education Teachers teach children who have special learning needs. They work closely with a team of professionals (such as social workers and speech pathologists) to provide help to each student. They have specialized experience in working with students in need and can contribute a wealth of information to the team. -Person who can interpret what the child's evaluation results mean: often times this is the School Psychologist. Several components make up a multi-disciplinary psycho-educational report. At first glance they can be very overwhelming with vast amounts of numbers, charts, and graphs. Parents often look to the person interpreting the information for clarity and definition to what everything really means. This person must be able to link what the results mean to classroom implications. -School System Representative: This person should know a great deal about the school, staff, and students. They are often times either the Principal, Vice Principal, or other knowledgeable staff member. They have special insight to the school programs, and resources available. They also possess the authority to offer, employ, and enforce such provisions. -Others with knowledge/expertise: The parent may invite whom they wish to participate on the team to provide additional support or insight. They may sometimes include a lawyer, advocate, para-professional, or vocational educator. -Transition Services Agency Representative (as applicable): this person helps facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation.Who is involved in an IEP meeting?
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