EDU 5302
Week 3 Module
Special Education Acronyms
We LOVE acronyms in special education! It can be completely overwhelming for parents and general education teachers to decipher special education vocabulary at times!
Review these two lists of special education vocabulary. (You may want to bookmark them for later reference.)
Disability & Special Education Acronyms - Center for Parent Information and Resources
Common Abbreviations and Acronyms in Special Education
Once you have reviewed the acronym lists, complete these questions.
There is nothing you need to turn in to Canvas for this task.
IEP - IFSP - 504 - So What is the Difference?
Under the umbrella of Special Education federal law (IDEA), we have two plans that children and youth who have disabilities may be eligible for. Click on each acronym to learn about them.
So what is a 504 plan?
#1 Thing to Know - A 504 plan IS NOT special education law, it is a civil rights law. Special education teachers do not work with students who have 504 plans as these students do not need specialized academic instruction, nor can these students be placed in a special education classroom. These TK-12 students only receive accommodations in general education from their general education teacher(s).
A 504 plan is a less structured, less formal plan that may be put in place if a child has a disability, permanent or temporary, but only needs minor accommodations. Read more at this link and this one. It may be a student with ADHD who may need “brain breaks” but is on grade level. Read my own experience as a 504 parent here.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal civil rights law that guides these documents. Section 504 is not exclusive to school age children because it is a civil rights law -there are teachers that use Section 504 accommodations as well! Section 504 came out of the Disability Rights movement of the 1970s - largely in part to discrimination against Vietnam veterans who returned home with disabilities. Read this great article on the sit-ins that occurred to fight for the enforcement of Section 504. Judy Heumann, featured in this article, was an amazing activist and was featured extensively in the movie, Crip Camp (Which I highly recommend!)
Ages 0 through 3
Ages 3 through 21
504 Plans
Watch this video on the differences between 504 plans and IEPs.
Here is a one-pager that describes the differences as well.
Review this sample 504 plan.
You might be asking, if 504 plans are not special education, why are we learning about them? This is because they are another tool we have to address the needs of all students in our classrooms. It also helps clarify your role in each. It’s also important to note that 504 plans are a general education function so the general education teacher is responsible for their implementation.
IFSP
We know from years of research that early intervention is the key to improving outcomes for children with disabilities. Because of this, Part C of IDEA created supports for infants and toddlers ages 0-3.
An Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) is a family support and early intervention plan for children ages 0-3 who have developmental delays or a disability. A referral is made by a medical doctor to a local Regional Center. This is done usually when an infant is not meeting developmental milestones, has been born with a developmental disability, such as Down Syndrome or another chromosomal disorder, blindness, or is Deaf or hard of hearing, or many other reasons. There also may be a suspected speech and language disability (the most common reason for preschool-age children to be receiving SPED services) or suspected autism. The infant or toddler is assessed by Regional Center and if they qualify for services, an IFSP is written that provides services and in-home family supports, usually until the child turns 3. See a sample IFSP: Sample Individualized Family Service Program_1.pdf
Review the differences between an IFSP and an IEP here.
So what happens when the child turns 3?
That’s where we come in as educators!
Before the child turns 3, there is a transition meeting between the IFSP team and the local public school district IEP team. At this transition meeting, it is decided if the child qualifies for preschool special education services. If they do, an IEP is written for them and the school district officially takes over providing interventions for the student. (Some students continue to receive services from Regional Center as well, depending on how extensive their support needs are.)
If you end up teaching in primary grades (TK-3), you will most likely have students that have IFSPs in their files from before they started preschool and you can see how their support journey started.
IDEA Principle 3: Individualized Education Plans
So, we are finally to IEPs! These are the legally binding documents that guide the supports a TK-12 student with a disability will receive. Students who do not qualify for a high school diploma are supported through age 22 in Adult Transition programs.
(1) a student has an IEP developed from the IFSP route, or (2) they can have an IEP based on an evaluation for special education services.
The next slide shows where we are in discussing that process. In your last learning module, you reviewed the first three steps: Pre-referral, referral, and evaluation. This week we will look at the remaining steps and how the IEP is developed for students who qualify for services.
Understanding IFSP, IEP, and 504 Plans
You will select ONE activity to demonstrate your understanding of the differences between IFSPs, IEPs, and 504 plans.
You will be completing an activity off of this Choice Board. This is an example of universal design for learning (UDL) which you will learn more about in a few weeks..
Steps in the Identification Process
9
Pre-referral
Evaluation and Identification
Referral
IEP Development
Eligibility
determined
Implementation
Review (annually) and re-evaluation (3 years)
This week’s focus
IDEA Principles #5 & #6: Procedural Safeguards in the IEP Process
Determining Eligibility for Special Education Services
Once an evaluation is complete, the IEP team determines if a student qualifies for special education services. This team must include:
Determining Eligibility for Special Education Services p. 1
The IEP team must consider several factors when making a determination:
Determining Eligibility for Special Education Services p. 2
The IEP team will typically review the following information to make their determination:
If the IEP team determines that the student meets the criteria for special education services, they will develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to address the student's unique needs. The IEP outlines the student's goals, services, and accommodations.
The 13 disability categories in IDEA include: (Slide 1 of 2)
High-Incidence Disabilities (occurring more frequently in the population of students receiving SPED services and overall school population) Those that are medical diagnoses - the IEP team does not determine a student has one of these disabilities. The family comes to the team with medical information. The identification process is then to ascertain the students strengths and needs and determine what supports they need. |
Specific learning disability (SLD) - determined by the IEP team (including dyslexia!) |
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - medical diagnosis |
Speech or language impairment (SLI) - determined by the IEP team |
Other health impairments (OHI) - medical diagnosis |
Watch this video up to 07:20
The 13 disability categories in IDEA include:
Low-Incidence Disabilities (occurring less frequently in the population of students receiving SPED services and in the overall school population. Each of these disabilities is less than 1% of students receiving SPED services) |
Developmental Delay - medical diagnosis |
Emotional disorder (ED) - medical diagnosis OR determined by the IEP team |
Intellectual disability (ID) - determined by the IEP team |
Visual impairment (VI) - medical diagnosis |
Hearing impairment - medical diagnosis |
Deaf-blindness - medical diagnosis |
Orthopedic impairment (OI) - medical diagnosis |
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)- medical diagnosis |
Multiple disabilities - determined by the IEP team |
Developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
If a student is found to be eligible for SPED services, an IEP is developed by the IEP team. An IEP is a legally-binding document that outlines the specific services and accommodations a student with a disability will receive to help them access education. It is developed collaboratively the IEP team.
Read For teachers: What to expect in an IEP meeting
Review the required components here: The IEP development process.
Read How to read an IEP: 5 things teachers should look for
Review a sample IEP here for a 7th grade student with mild support needs (MMSN) who has a specific learning disability in reading. This student is in general education for 99% of their school day and receives 30 minutes per week of special education support. Note the types of accommodations and goals the student has that general education teachers would use in class. (The IEP Notes pages were removed to protect student privacy.) | Review a sample IEP here for a 9th grade, non-verbal student with autism who has extensive support needs (ESN): Sample IEP 2024.pdf. This student is in general education only 35% of his school day. This is a good example of an IEP for a student who will not be able to earn the credits to graduate high school. He will receive a Certificate of Completion and be eligible for an Adult Transition program from ages 18 through 21. (The IEP Notes pages were removed to protect student privacy.) |
A Reminder for LRE: The Service Continuum
Accommodations
Supported Instruction
Co-Teaching
Specialized Placement
Individualized Interventions
Very Mild Support Needs
Intensive Support Needs
General Education Classroom Supports
(80% of all students with disabilities are served in these areas)
Alternative Placements
This continuum helps visualize what type of supports students may need and where those would occur. We will talk about co-teaching more in a future learning module. Supported instruction may be short periods of assistance from a SPED teacher or paraprofessional (aide). Alternative Placements might mean a special education classroom or school for part or all of the school day. Specialized placements can be home/hospital settings, residential schools, or non-public schools, among others.
Implementing the IEP
Once an IEP is signed by everyone on the IEP team (parents especially, who must give consent to put the plan in place), the IEP services should begin immediately. From referral to this point can take upwards of a whole school year!
IEPs are required to be reviewed annually with the IEP team, with progress on goals discussed and new goals created and a new IEP is written. Placement changes can also be discussed at these meetings. Achievement tests are generally given for annual reviews by the SPED teacher, but not cognitive assessments as these are very time-consuming and should only be given in longer intervals. This meeting is called an “annual” IEP.
Every three years the student must be re-assessed for eligibility. This includes all the assessments that were completed when the student was found eligible for SPED services originally. The IEP team then meets, reviews placements, progress and assessments, and if the student continues to qualify, creates new goals and a new IEP for the student. This meeting is called a “triennial” IEP. (There are times when a student does not qualify again for special education for a variety of reasons and the team may discuss exiting them from special education services.)
One Important Point
An IEP is considered a living, fluid document. While there are requirements that it be reviewed annually and triennially, anyone on the IEP team can call an IEP team meeting at any time.
If the parent has a concern, they can request an IEP team meeting. If there are considerations for a new placement or program, the SPED teacher can call an IEP team meeting. If new behavior supports are needed, an IEP team meeting can be called….you get the idea - anyone, anytime, including the general education teacher.
What is my role as the General Education Teacher? | |
Role in IEP Development | Member of the IEP Team
|
Role in Implementation of the IEP | Provide content area instruction in general education classroom |
Behavior support implementation | |
Collaborate with SPED teachers to ensure students have access to general education curriculum with supports
| |
Work with paraprofessionals assigned to your classroom to maximize their time with you. | |
What is your role in IEP implementation?
What is my role as the Education Specialist? | |
Role in IEP Development | Member of the IEP Team
|
Role in Implementation of the IEP | May provide content area instruction, provides intervention instruction |
Behavior support planning, training other team members, and implementation | |
Collaborate with general education teachers to ensure students have access to general education curriculum through supports
| |
Manage paraprofessionals: scheduling, evaluation, services, planning. Case management of students who have special education supports; ensure students' overall well-being and educational success. | |
Communicate with parents, including on progress towards IEP goals (legally required) | |
Case Management of all students on caseload - ensuring their IEPs are implemented properly | |
What is your role in IEP implementation?
Collaborative Task for Learning Module 3
As future general education teachers, you may have questions about implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in your classrooms. As special education teachers, you may have questions about your role in IEP implementation for students who are placed in general education classrooms. This discussion board is an opportunity to share your questions and learn from the experiences of your peers.
Consider the following questions:
By engaging in this discussion, you'll gain valuable insights and address your concerns about IEPs, helping you become better prepared to support students with disabilities in your future classrooms.
Additional Notes:
For this week, you will be completing a discussion board post in Canvas. Your initial post is due Thursday by 11:59 PM. You will respond to two peers by Sunday at 11:59 PM.
Other Personnel:
Who provides services to students with disabilities?
We have lots of professionals that assist our students with their goals and development. Here is a list of just a few possibilities. Many districts contract these positions out since there are only a small number of students that may need these services. These people are brought in as part of the IEP team and provide input on the supports they can provide the student.
Speech and Language Therapist | Behavioral Therapist | Counselor |
Occupational Therapist | Psychologist | Nurse |
Adapted PE Teacher | Special Education Teacher | Interpreter |
General Education Teacher | Physical Therapist | |
Hard of Hearing Specialist | Vision or Hearing Specialist | |
IRIS Module: Related Services
You will complete an IRIS module on the different types of related service providers for students with disabilities.
Complete the IRIS module at the link below, and be sure to click all links and watch all video or audio clips. You will answer the assessment questions on a Google form. You will not turn anything in to Canvas for this task.
Ethics in Special Education: Confidentiality and Beyond
What is Ethics in Special Education?
Ethics in special education refers to the moral principles and standards that guide the behavior of educators, administrators, and other professionals working with students with disabilities. It involves making responsible decisions that prioritize the well-being, rights, and dignity of students with disabilities.
While you explore the next 4 slides, you will be answering the questions on this Google form. There is nothing you need to turn in to Canvas for this task.
Key Ethical Principles in Special Education
Confidentiality: A Cornerstone of Ethics
Confidentiality in special education means protecting sensitive information about students with disabilities. This includes:
Click here to listen to an explanation of this information. There may be a lag after you click the button.
Maintaining Confidentiality: Best Practices
Click here
Ethical Dilemmas in Special Education
Educators often face challenging situations, such as: