Special Education in the US: A History & Systems of Support

SpecialEducationin the U.S. “Understanding the special needs student and how to reach him/her” Stephen D. Luke, Ed.D.Director, National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NDC/NICHCY)FULBRIGHT CLASSROOM TEACHER EXCHANGE PROGRAM IN-SERVICE WORKSHOP – Portland, OROctober 3, 2009

Special Education in the U.S.OUTLINEBrief Historical Overview10 Basic StepsEffective PracticesResourcesIntroduction to OSEP TA&DOverview of NDC/NICHCY

1. Brief Historical OverviewBrief Historical Overview

Brief Historical OverviewEARLY DISABILITY-RELATED LEGISLATION1798, first federal law past concerning the care of persons with disabilities.

Brief Historical OverviewEARLY ATTENTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATIONRhode Island opened the first public special education class in the U.S. in 1896.

Brief Historical OverviewINSTITUTIONAL CONTROLAs was typical of this and previous eras, most people with disabilities were sent to live in institutions of the state.

Brief Historical OverviewPROTECTING SOCIETYA popular textbook from the 1930’s stated that control and confinement of people with disabilities was necessary to protect society.

Brief Historical OverviewSOCIETAL SHIFTS ABROADThe concept of “normalization,” or mainstreaming, takes root in Denmark in the 1950’s.

Brief Historical OverviewCOORDINATED ADVOCACY MOVEMENT GAINS STEAMEunice Kennedy Shriver’s article discussing her sister Rose’s mental retardation and corresponding lobotomy.

Brief Historical OverviewA CHANCE FOR GLOBAL RECOGNITION1968: Special Olympics first take place in Chicago.

Brief Historical OverviewFEDERAL INITIATIVES SPUR FURTHER REFORMHere John F. Kennedy approves the formation of the President’s Panel on Mental Retardation.

Brief Historical OverviewTHEY HAD A DREAMInspired by the broader Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s, people with disabilities and their families ushered in an era of self-advocacy and protest.

Brief Historical OverviewAN ERA OF SELF-ADVOCACYHereJudy Huemannspeaks with reporters about the newly authorized Rehabilitation Act in 1973.

Brief Historical OverviewHOLLYWOOD SHINES ITS LIGHTThe Academy Award win One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest helped to shine a bright light on the horrors of institutionalization.

Brief Historical OverviewLANDMARK EDUCATION LEGISLATIONIn 1975, Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA), Public Law (P.L.) 94-142 was passed. It has since been reauthorized in 1997 & 2004, and together with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), renamed the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) Act of 2001 have dramatically raised expectations and accountability surrounding the education of children with disabilities.

10 Basic Steps in Special Education2. TEN Basic Steps in Special Education

10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 1. IDENTIFICATIONStep 1. Child is identified as possibly needing special education and related services.Child Find - Each state is required by IDEA to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities in the state who need special education and related services. Referral or request for evaluation - A school professional may ask that a child be evaluated to see if he or she has a disability. Parents may also contact the child’s teacher or other school professional to ask that their child be evaluated. This request may be verbal, but it's best to put it in writing.Parental consent is needed before a child may be evaluated. Under the federal IDEA regulations, evaluation needs to be completed within 60 days after the parent gives consent. However, if a State's IDEA regulations give a different timeline for completion of the evaluation, the State's timeline is applied.

10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 2. EVALUATIONStep 2. Child is evaluated.Evaluation is an essential early step in the special education process for a child. It's intended to answer these questions:Does the child have a disability that requires the provision of special education and related services?What are the child’s specific educational needs?What special education services and related services, then, are appropriate for addressing those needs?

10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 3. ELIGIBILITY IS DECIDEDStep 3. Eligibility is decided.A group of qualified professionals and the parents look at the child’s evaluation results. Together, they decide if the child is a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA. If the parents do not agree with the eligibility decision, they may ask for a hearing to challenge the decision.

10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 4. CHILD IS FOUND ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICESStep 4. Child is found eligible for services.If the child is found to be a child with a disability, as defined by IDEA, he or she is eligible for special education and related services. Within 30 calendar days after a child is determined eligible, the IEP team must meet to write an IEP for the child.

10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 5. IEP MEETING IS SCHEDULEDStep 5. IEP meeting is scheduled.The school system schedules and conducts the IEP meeting. School staff must:contact the participants, including the parents;

notify parents early enough to make sure they have an opportunity to attend;

schedule the meeting at a time and place agreeable to parents and the school;

tell the parents the purpose, time, and location of the meeting;

tell the parents who will be attending; and

tell the parents that they may invite people to the meeting who have knowledge or special expertise about the child.10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 6. IEP MEETING IS HELDStep 6. IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written.The IEP team gathers to talk about the child’s needs and write the student’s IEP. Parents and the student (when appropriate) are full participating members of the team. If the child’s placement is decided by a different group, the parents must be part of that group as well.

Before the school system may provide special education and related services to the child for the first time, the parents must give consent. The child begins to receive services as soon as possible after the IEP is written and this consent is given.

If the parents do not agree with the IEP and placement, they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to work out an agreement. If they still disagree, parents can ask for mediation, or the school may offer mediation. Parents may file a complaint with the state education agency and may request a due process hearing, at which time mediation must be available.10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 7. SERVICES ARE PROVIDEDStep 7. After the IEP is written, services are provided.The school makes sure that the child’s IEP is carried out as it was written. Parents are given a copy of the IEP. Each of the child’s teachers and service providers has access to the IEP and knows his or her specific responsibilities for carrying out the IEP. This includes the accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided to the child, in keeping with the IEP.

10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 8. PROGRESS IS MONITOREDStep 8. Progress is measured and reported to parents.The child’s progress toward the annual goals is measured, as stated in the IEP. His or her parents are regularly informed of their child’s progress and whether that progress is enough for the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year.

These progress reports must be given to parents at least as often as parents are informed of their nondisabled children’s progress.10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 9. IEP IS REVIEWEDStep 9. IEP is reviewed.The child’s IEP is reviewed by the IEP team at least once a year, or more often if the parents or school ask for a review. If necessary, the IEP is revised. Parents, as team members, must be invited to participate in these meetings. Parents can make suggestions for changes, can agree or disagree with the IEP, and agree or disagree with the placement.

10 Basic Steps in Special EducationSTEP 10. CHILD IS REEVALUATEDStep 10. Child is reevaluated.At least every three years the child must be reevaluated. This evaluation is often called a "triennial." Its purpose is to find out if the child continues to be a child with a disability, as defined by IDEA, and what the child’s educational needs are. However, the child must be reevaluated more often if conditions warrant or if the child’s parent or teacher asks for a new evaluation.

10 Basic Steps in Special Education2 IMPORTANT TERMSFAPE: “Free and Appropriate Public Education.” States must make available to all children with eligible disabilities. LRE: “Least Restrictive Environment.” Children with disabilities must be educated with children without disabilities to the maximum extent possible. “Mainstreaming” and “Inclusion” are two terms associated with this concept.

3. Effective PracticesEffective Practices

Effective PracticesDIRECT (EXPLICIT) INSTRUCTIONStresses clearly defined and prescriptive lesson plans

Opportunities for practiceEffective PracticesDIRECT INSTRUCTION – RESEARCH EVIDENCEEffective instructional method for teaching both math and reading skills to students with learning disabilitiesas well as to those without.

Most effective for high school students and adults.

Direct Instruction has been found to be highly effective for students with LD in the United States as well as in other countries.Effective PracticesDIRECT INSTRUCTION – RESOURCESThe University of Kansas Special Connection Project offers direct instruction information, complete with sample lessons and other useful resources that teachers can download and print.

http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=instruction§ion=main&subsection=di/main

The National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing school districts with a solid training program and approach for the implementation of DI in districts, schools and classrooms.

http://www.nifdi.org/

Visit New Horizons for Learning for "An Overview of Direct Instruction".

http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds/inclusion/teaching/marchand%20martella%20ausdemore.htmEffective PracticesSTRATEGY INSTRUCTIONStrategy Instruction is a powerful student-centered approach to teaching that is backed by years of quality research. In fact, strategic approaches to learning new concepts and skills are often what separate good learners from poor ones. Considering that many students with disabilities struggle with developing strategies for learning and remembering on their own, a parent or teacher skilled in introducing this process can make a world of difference.

Effective PracticesEMBEDDING STRATEGY INSTRUCTIONWhat it looks like for students: Students are introduced to a range of learning strategies designed to develop literacy skills across an entire curriculum.What it looks like for teachers:Teachers first teach a variety of learning strategies directly to students and then embed further strategy instruction when presenting core content. Teachers continue to prompt and model appropriate strategy use and provide opportunities for individual and group practice throughout the year.

Effective PracticesSTRATEGY INSTRUCTION - EXAMPLEAt the start of the school year the teacher explains that being able to paraphrase information about the American Revolution is useful for writing reports, answering questions, and discussing main themes. The teacher then outlines the steps of the Paraphrasing Strategy and models its use for the class. Classroom activities and homework assignments are designed which require students to use paraphrasing strategies, both verbally and in written form. Targeted feedback is given to tailor and encourage strategy use.

Effective PracticesSTRATEGY INSTRUCTION – RESOURCESNICHCY – The Power of Strategy Instructionhttp://www.nichcy.org/Research/EvidenceForEducation/Pages/PowerOfStrategyInstruction.aspx

The The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning:http://www.ku-crl.org/sim/strategies.shtml

IRIS Star Legacy Module: Using Learning Strategies: Instruction to Enhance Student Learninghttp://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/srs/chalcycle.htm4. ResourcesResources

ResourcesORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: U.S. Department of Education

Special Education in the US: A History & Systems of Support

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