Whether you choose to teach young children, adolescents, or those seeking post-secondary education, you will certainly encounter students who struggle to learn. As an elementary educator, you will most likely be the first teacher to provide interventions for a struggling learner, recognize whether they are working, and make a referral for special education evaluation if needed. For this reason, it is important that you understand special education law and be able to explain the federal and state requirements for special education that govern the process involved with determining special education eligibility.
For this assessment, you will research the federal and state legal structures, policies, and principles that govern and guide special education programs and create a reference guide of your findings.
Scenario
Assume you are a veteran teacher in your school district, and you have been asked to attend a career fair and speak with potential new teachers about the requirements for special education and their role in providing special education services.
Preparation
To prepare for this assessment, research the following information related to special education:
Types of services
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Process for determining eligibility
Assessment Deliverable : provide a reference guide paper addressing one through five
1)Special Education Services: Describe the main components of special education services, including:
Specially designed instruction (SDI)
Related services
Supplementary aids and services (include assistive technology tools and programs)
2)Foundation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Explain the intent and purpose of the core principles of the IDEA, including:
Free appropriate public education (FAPE)
Least restrictive environment (LRE)
Individual education program (IEP)
Child Find mandate (does this include migrant, homeless, and other children?)
3)Special Education Process: Explain what occurs during specific stages of the special education process, including:
Universal screening
Intervention (RTI/MTSS) What are the three-tiered levels of intervention?
Referral and evaluation that includes the timeline and process
4)Teacher Expectations and Responsibilities: Explain the expectations and responsibilities of an elementary education teacher for providing the following:
Accommodations
Modifications
Differentiation
Collaboration
5)Cultural competence and ethics: Strategic efforts toward inclusion and equity
Your plan includes ethical actions and collaborations that support diversity and foster inclusion and equity (Do not forget to address this requirement)
Format your references according to APA guidelines. Add citations on key facts and ideas you learned from your research. Comprehensive information will have citations from some scholarly articles you researched or from the textbook used for this course. The rule of thumb is to have at least one citation for every reference you list.
