Thanks for visiting Pathways to Progress, our class website! I've curated some parent resources that will help you understand more about special education services and teacher resources that will encourage ways to use technology in the classroom.  Feel free to reach out to me at any time if you have questions! 

Special education is a system of education that is designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities or exceptionalities. These students may have a wide range of physical, cognitive, emotional, or behavioral disabilities that can impact their ability to learn and participate in a general education setting. Special education aims to provide these students with specialized services, accommodations, and instructional approaches to help them access a quality education and make progress in their learning.

Key aspects of special education include:

• Individualized Education: Special education is individualized to each student's specific needs. This is typically achieved through the creation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 Plan, which outlines the student's educational goals, the services they will receive, and the accommodations or modifications necessary.

• Specialized Instruction: Special education may involve the use of specialized teaching methods and materials tailored to the student's abilities and challenges. This can include small group instruction, multisensory techniques, and adaptive technology.

• Support Services: Depending on the student's needs, special education may include a range of support services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and more.

• Accommodations and Modifications: Special education provides accommodations and modifications to the general education curriculum. Accommodations are changes that allow students with disabilities to access the same content as their peers, while modifications may involve altering the content itself to better suit the student's needs.

At Northfield Elementary, students who receive special education services for academics or other therapies still spend the majority of the day in the general education classroom.  We have a time set aside called GAPS time where all students are grouped based on individualized needs.  This is a time when special education students receive academic services.