Download - (c) Allyn & Bacon 2004Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2004 Chapter Four Identifying and Programming for Student Needs This multimedia product and its contents

(c) Allyn & Bacon 2004Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2004

Chapter Four

Identifying and Programming for Student Needs

This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:

•any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;

•preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;

•any rental, lease, or lending of the program.


Introduction

For a student to be evaluated to determine if he or she is eligible

for special education services, a comprehensive process must be

in place in every school. All educational procedures must be consistent

with the due-process clause under the United States Constitution.

This process is governed by the IDEA and by regulations developed in each state.


Key Steps in the Special Education Process

Prereferral/Child Study Referral

Assessment

Development of IEP


Key Players in the Special Education Process Special Educators

General Educators Administrative Staff Parents Student

Other Professionals: School Psychologists Speech/Language

Therapists Occupational

Therapists Physical Therapists Social Workers Other, as appropriate


Need for a Team Approach

Consideration of a student’s needs is best accomplished by a team approach.

A team, representing various disciplines and relationships with the student, makes key decisions for the student such as: Eligibility for services Design of the IEP Evaluation of Annual IEP Progress Reevaluation for Eligibility


Guidelines for Teams

The best interests of the student should dictate all aspects of the decision-making process.

Sensitivity to family values and cultural differences must pervade all activities.

Ongoing and effective home-school collaboration efforts should be established.

Parents and students should be given information about educational performance, special education programs and services, and what will happen after formal schooling ends.

Students should be taught and encouraged to participate as an active, contributing member of the team.

Programs and services should be reviewed regularly, and improvements made whenever possible.


Prereferral Intervention

Process designed to address the needs of students who have not yet been referred for special education

Intervention occurs within the general education classroom Assistance is provided to the classroom

teacher and student Goal is to provide solutions without

formally referring a child for a special education evaluation


Phases of Prereferral Intervention

Initial indication that a classroom-based problem exists

Systematic examination of the presenting problem(s)that have been indicated by the referral source

Development of an intervention plan that contains strategies and other suggestions for addressing the problem

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the interventions anddecisions on what to do next if the interventions are ineffective


Functions of the Child Study Team

Review available information provided in the initial referral

Collection of additional information such as school history, previous evaluations, observations, interviews, etc.

Generate suggestions to address student’s difficulties


Prereferral Intervention

Strategies Generally implemented for at least one grading

period (typically 6 to 9 weeks) Evaluated by team to determine if they are

implemented properly and to determine if they are successful

If interventions are unsuccessful, the team may decide to refer the student for a comprehensive special education evaluation.


The Special Education Process

A referral for special education consideration marks the official beginning of the special education process.

Once a student is referred, there are specific timelines and actions that must be followed to comply with federal and state laws.

The first phases of the special education process are: Formal referral Determination of eligibility


Steps in Formal Referral Process

Step One: Completion of a formal referral

Step Two: Decision to complete a comprehensive evaluation

Step Three: Written notice to parents for referral meeting and provision of parental rights

Step Four: Referral meeting with determination made to complete a comprehensive evaluation


Determination of Eligibility

Evaluation process begins with the selection of assessments that are appropriate for a child’s age, grade level, culture, etc.

Evaluation process must be comprehensive and flexible enough to address learning and behavioral difficulties.

General education teacher will provide input as well as complete rating scales and checklists, conduct observations, and provide work samples.


Determination of Eligibility

Eligibility team then examines all assessment data to determine: If a disability exists Whether the student meets state eligibility criteria

for that particular disability Whether the student needs special education

If a student does qualify for special education, then an individualized education program (IEP) must be developed.


IEPs

An IEP is a description of services planned for a student with disabilities.

IEPs must be reviewed at least annually. IEP development must be driven by the

needs of the student. Goals must be written to address each

identified need.


Federal Regulations for IEPs

IDEA Amendments and the accompanying final regulations specify the content of IEPs in general, as well as for: Content for transition services for

students beginning no later than age 14 Special requirements for plans for

young children from birth to age 3


General IEP Requirementsfor Students Ages 3 to 21

Requirement #1:Statement of present levels of performance and how disability impacts the student’s progress in the general education curriculum

Requirement #2:Measurable goals including short-term benchmarks or objectives enabling the student to be involved in and progress in the regular curriculum (as appropriate) and meet the annual goals

Requirement #3:Special education and related services for the student and supplemental aids



Requirement #4: Program modifications or supports for school personnel to help student be involved in, and progress in, the curriculum and extra curricular and non-academic activities

Requirement #5:An explanation of the extent, if any, that the student will not participate in regular education classes

Requirement #6:Modifications to be used in state-or district-wide assessments of student achievement



Requirement #7:Projected dates for beginning of services and the frequency, location, and duration of services and modifications

Requirement #8:How progress toward annual goals and modifications is to be measured

Requirement #9:How parents will be regularly informed (at least as often as nondisabled students) of progress toward annual goals



Requirement #10:For students age 14 or younger, if appropriate, a statement of transition needs that focuses on the student’s course of study

Requirement #11:Beginning at age 16 or younger, if appropriate, a statement of interagency responsibilities or linkages if needed.


Individualized FamilyService Plans (IFSPs)

Written plan for children ages birth to three and their families

IFSPs focus on the family unit and are designed to support the family.


Differences Between IEPs and IFSPs

IEPs contain goals; IFSPs contain outcome statements that reflect the needs of the family and child

IFSPs are family-oriented; IEPs are child-centered IFSPs require a service coordinator who is

responsible for implementation and for coordinating services with agencies

IFSPs require a transition plan to support the child and family when moving to the the next stage of services at age 3


Present Level of Performance

Provides a summary of the student’s current functioning

Serves as the basis for developing annual goals

Must be written in each area of priority

EXAMPLE:“The student can identify 50% of the most frequently-used occupational vocabulary words.”


Annual Goals

Must be based on the unique needs of the student

Should be reasonable projections of what the student can be expected to accomplish in a year

Should be measurable, positive, student-oriented, and relevant

Should be broken down into short-term objectives


Short-Term Objectives Should be written in a logical and

sequential series that reflect the annual goal

Can be derived based on a task analysis process

Should be obtained from the general education curriculum

EXAMPLE:“Given 20 multiplication facts using numbers1-5, John will give correct answers for 15 facts.


Role of the General Education Teacher in

the IEP Process

General educators aren’t always actively involved in the IEP process even though the IDEA mandates it.

General educators must, to the maximum extent, participate in the development, review, and revision of the student’s IEP.

A copy of the IEP should be readily available to general educators throughout the school year.


The IEP and Instructional Planning

The content should be reflected in the teacher’s instructional plans.

Well thought-out IEPs should form the foundation for an individually designed educational program.

Teachers should make efforts to include parents in the implementation and evaluation of the IEP.


Behavior Intervention Planning

First introduced in the 1997 IDEA Amendments.

Behavior intervention plans are required for: Students whose behavior impede their learning or

that of others Students who put peers at risk because of their

behavior Students with disabilities for whom serious

disciplinary action is being taken.


Steps in the Behavior Intervention Planning Process

Collect background information on presenting problems

Conduct a functional behavioral assessment of target behaviors

Determine whether behavior is related to the student’s disability

Determine specific goals that involve either increasing or decreasing the target behavior

Develop intervention strategies (preferably positive ones)

Implement the plan and evaluate its effectiveness

Revisit assessment information to design further interventions


Transition Services

1990 IDEA Amendments mandated transition services.

“… a coordinated set of activities for a student, designed within an outcome oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living or community participation.”


Essential Transition Elements

The student and his/her family need to be actively involved in the process.

Planning activities must begin early in a student’s school career.

The complexity of adult life needs to be recognized and planned accordingly.

A closer link between transition services and IEP goals should be made.


Role of the General Education

Teacher in the Transition Process

Classroom teachers can integrate real-life topics of current or future importance into existing curriculum. This will make instruction meaningful and relevant.

Classroom teachers can participate in contributing information to the transition assessment process.


Extended School Year Services

Some students with disabilities are eligible for these services.

These services are provided beyond the normal school year.

These services are provided to ensure continued educational progress.

The IEP team determines if these services are needed on a case-by-case basis.


Review and Dismissal

Two additional critical features of the special education process are: the ongoing monitoring of a student’s progress in

special education. the determination of a continued need for special

education services. A student’s IEP must be reviewed and revised on at

least an annual basis. Every three years, a comprehensive reevaluation must

be undertaken.


Section 504 Eligibility &

Planning

Section 504 consideration should be given to any student who is referred for special education services but does not qualify under the IDEA.

Every public school should have a committee and process for handling Section 504 eligibility and planning activities.


Reasonable Section 504 Accommodations

If a student is determined to be eligible for Section 504 services, reasonable accommodations must be provided.

A written Section 504 accommodation plan is required.

This plan specifies the nature and scope of the accommodations to be implemented.


Assessment and the Special Education Process

Assessment is the process of gathering relevant information to use in making decisions about students. Assessment should be a continuous, dynamic

process that guides and directs decisions about students with suspected or known disabilities.


Assessment Phases

Screening Phase

Eligibility Phase

Program Planning Phase

Monitoring and Evaluation Phase


Approaches to Assessment

Observation

Recollection

Record/Portfolio Review

Testing


Testing

Testing may be formal or informal.

Testing is the process of presenting challenges or problems to a student and measuring the student’s competency, attitude, or behavior by evaluating his or her responses.


Formal Assessments

Contain detailed guidelines for administration, scoring, and interpretation as well as statistical data.

Most are norm-referenced because they compare an individual’s performance to that of his or her norm group.

Most useful when making eligibility and placement decisions


Informal Assessments

Informal tests and measurements are more loosely structured than formal assessments and are more closely tied to teaching.

Their key advantage is a direct application of assessment data to instructional programs.


Types of Informal Assessments

Criterion-Referenced Tests

Curriculum-Based Assessment

Ecological Assessment

Alternative Assessment Authentic

Assessment Portfolio

Assessment


Legal Requirements for Assessment

Nondiscriminatory evaluations Administration in native language or other means

of communication Validation of assessment measures Multiple assessments required for determining

eligibility Required assessment in all areas of suspected

disability Must address how to enable the student to

participate and progress in the general education curriculum


Trends in Assessment

More focus on informal assessments to produce more relevant, functional information

Increase in the importance of parental input in the assessment process

Inclusion in state- and district-wide assessments With accommodations, if needed Provision of alternate assessments, if appropriate

Increased emphasis on participation in the general education curriculum


Bias in Assessment

The number of students from diverse cultures is expected to increase by 37% by 2010.

This increase presents a great challenge in terms of accurately assessing culturally and linguistically diverse students.

IDEA mandates nondiscriminatory assessment. Relevant Litigation:

Larry P. v. Riles Diana v. State Board of Education Hobson v. Hansen


Suggestions for General Educators

Ask questions about the assessment process.

Seek help in conveying information to parents.

Observe assessment procedures.

Consider issues of possible bias.

Avoid viewing assessment as a means of confirming a set of observations or conclusions about a student’s difficulties.

Download - (c) Allyn & Bacon 2004Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2004 Chapter Four Identifying and Programming for Student Needs This multimedia product and its contents

Top Related