Individualized Education Programs, Least Restrictive Environment, and Co-Teaching

Once a student with a disability is eligible to receive special education services, these services must be documented in a written plan called an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP then serves as the basis for determining the location where the student will receive these services. The location is commonly referred to as the student’s placement.

This chapter addresses IEPs and matters about the placement of students with disabilities. In addition to explaining features of the various placements that are available to students with disabilities in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this chapter also discusses the roles of a special education teacher and a general education teacher regarding these placements.

Most of this course focuses on preparing preservice special education teachers to present Tier 3 intensive instruction to students with disabilities in either a 1:1 or small group arrangement. Quite often, intensive instruction is provided in a setting located outside of the general education classroom, such as special education settings known as resource rooms and self-contained classrooms. Yet, general education teachers must be prepared to work with special education teachers when students with disabilities are placed in a general education classroom. Consequently, this chapter also addresses the topic of Co-Teaching, which is germane to the circumstance just described.

Chapter Primer

The information presented below serves as an introduction to the content presented in this chapter.

• An individualized education program (IEP) is a written plan that documents a student’s special education services. It serves as a legal document and has many required components.
• The IEP is used to determine the placement of a student with a disability.
• The concept known as free appropriate public education (FAPE) is at the heart of providing proper special education services.
• The IDEA’s general least restrictive environment (LRE) requirement pertains to the placement of a student with a disability. Among other things, the IDEA’s general LRE requirement makes clear the fact that all students with disabilities are not required to be in a general education classroom all day long.
• The term “inclusion,” which has been coined to refer to the placement of students who are receiving special education services in general education classrooms, has led to much confusion regarding whether school personnel are legally required to keep each of these students in a general education classroom at all times.
• The IDEA’s continuum of alternative placements (CAP) requirement addresses the range of locations where it is permissible to provide special education services to the students who are eligible to receive them.
• For this course, Co-Teaching is explained as a model a general education teacher and a special education teacher would use when presenting instruction to a heterogeneous group of students in a general education classroom. One reason this group would be configured as such is that the general education classroom was determined to be the appropriate placement by the IEP teams of the students receiving special education services.
• A special education teacher might function as a consultant for some students with disabilities who are in a general education classroom but functioning in a way that indicates they may no longer have to be provided special education services.
• Students receiving special education services might be provided accommodations or modifications. Quite often, one or the other is provided in support of the placement of a student with a disability in a general education classroom. It is important to distinguish between accommodations, which do not alter a core curriculum standard, and modifications, which alter this standard such that the targeted learning outcome for a student is different.
• A key aspect of characterizing the special education services provided to a student with a disability is whether those services will primarily consist of accommodations or intensive instruction. This distinction not only reflects the special education services a student with a disability will receive but also serves as the basis for the tasks a special education teacher will be expected to perform. Two conceptualizations of the role of a special education teacher are (a) as a provider of accommodations and/or (b) as a provider of intensive intervention (also referred to as intensive instruction).

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives pertain to the sections presented below: (a) The Individualized Education Program (IEP); (b) The IEP Team; (c) Required Elements in an IEP; (d) IEP Determines Placement; (e) Core Vocabulary and Concepts; and, (f) The IDEA’s General Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Requirement. After working through the content , you should be able to

• Identify the name for the document that establishes the school program for a student with a disability
• State the parts of a student’s school program that are accounted for in an IEP
• List the required members of a student’s IEP team
• Discuss the seven required elements of an IEP
• Discuss the meaning of the saying, “IEP determines placement”
• State whether the IDEA calls for only the full-time placement of every student with a disability in a general education classroom
• Explain what is meant by free appropriate public education (FAPE)
• Explain why the term “general education classroom” is used instead of “regular education classroom”
• State the meaning of the core vocabulary and concepts presented below
• Discuss the key points of the definition for the concept “least restrictive environment” that is put forth in IDEA’s accompanying regulations

The Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Once a student is eligible for special education services, an appropriate school-based program must be established. At the heart of this program is a written plan called an Individualized Education Program, or IEP.* By the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a school is required to construct an IEP for each student with a disability annually.

This written plan accounts for both the part of a student’s school program that (a) consists of general education instruction, which is presented to all students, and (b) specially designed instruction that is special education for a student with a disability. The IEP for a student with a disability is a legal document which means, among other things, that school personnel must account for its content as they work with a student with a disability. For this reason alone, it is important that you master the subject matter presented in this module, which focuses on the design and implementation of an IEP.

[*Note: An IEP is also referred to as an Individualized Education Plan. However, an IEP will be referred to exclusively as an Individualized Education Program in this course.]

The IEP Team

The IEP is to be constructed through a collaborative effort. Thus, while a special education teacher may be referred to as the person responsible for writing a student’s IEP, know that, in actual practice, the special education teacher will lead a group of people known as the IEP team for a student with a disability. This team will collaborate to construct the IEP.

By the IDEA, the required team members are as follows:

• The parent(s) of the student with a disability (this person may also be a guardian, long-term foster parent, or surrogate parent)
• A representative of the public agency, more commonly referred to as a school district representative
• A general education teacher – if the student participates in general education or may participate in general education
• A special education teacher or special education service provider for the student
• An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results
• When appropriate, the student with a disability
• Other individuals with knowledge or special expertise regarding the student, but only at the discretion of the parent(s) or the local education agency (i.e., the school district).

Required Elements in an IEP

By the IDEA, an IEP must include certain elements. Among these are the following:

1. Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). The first essential requirement and foundation of the IEP is a statement about the student’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). The PLAAFP statement must include how the student’s disability affects the student’s involvement and progress in the general education curriculum. The IDEA emphasizes that this statement must consist of both information about a student’s academic achievement and functional performance. Academic achievement refers to a student’s performance in academic areas such as reading, mathematics, and writing. Functional performance refers to activities not considered academic or related to a student’s academic achievement. Functional activities include, but are not limited to, things such as dressing, eating, performing appropriate social skills, and executing orientation and mobility skills in one’s environment. Once finalized, the PLAAFP statement is used to inform and develop measurable annual goals.
2. Statement of measurable annual goals. Measurable annual goals must be designed to meet the student’s needs that result from the student’s disability (a) to enable the student to be involved and make progress in the general education curriculum and (b) meet each of the student’s other educational needs that result from the disability.
3. Description of the monitoring plan used to measure progress toward annual goals. A student’s IEP team must determine and describe how the student’s progress toward meeting the student’s annual goals will be measured. The description must indicate when periodic reports on the student’s progress will be provided to parents. These reports are to be concurrent with the issuance of report cards and are not a replacement.
4. Statement of special education and aids and services. The purpose of the statement of special education and aids and services in the IEP is to (a) enable the student to advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals, (b) be involved and make progress in the general education curriculum and participate in extracurricular and nonacademic activities, and (c) be educated and participate with other students with disabilities and nondisabled students.
5. Explanation of the educational setting. In a student’s IEP, there must be an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the student will not participate with nondisabled students in the general education class. This explanation must also explain the same concerning the student’s participation in extracurricular and nonacademic activities.
6. Statement of participation in assessment. Each State must ensure that all students with disabilities are included in all general state- and districtwide assessment programs with appropriate accommodations.
7. Projected date, frequency, duration, and location of services. An IEP must include the projected date for the beginning of the services described in the statement of special education and aids and services, and the anticipated date, frequency, location, and duration of the services.

References

Center for Parent Information and Resources. (2022). Contents of the IEP. Retrieved from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/iepcontents/

IEP Determines Placement

Once an individualized education program (IEP) has been developed for a student with a disability, a determination must be made concerning the physical location where the student will receive instruction. This arrangement explains, in part, the reason for the saying, “IEP determines placement.” In other words, a student’s academic and functional needs, as identified and addressed in her IEP, will dictate the location where the student will be educated.

For instance, if a student with a significant disability is to be taught numerous daily living skills that are addressed in the student’s IEP goals, such as how to toilet oneself independently and perform various food preparation tasks, a fifth-grade general education classroom would not be an appropriate full-time placement because the curriculum taught in that setting does not address these goals.

It is critically essential for you to always be cognizant of the fact that, while the IDEA designates the general education classroom to be the default placement for students with disabilities, the law stipulates that it is permissible to educate a student with a disability somewhere other than a general education classroom. It would be against the law to put a student with a disability in a general education classroom if she cannot attain what is referred to as a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in that location. That is to say, putting any student with a disability in a general education classroom solely based on someone’s philosophical belief that this is the location where every student should be educated is not supported by the IDEA.

As for FAPE, a simple explanation is that it involves (a) adherence to the IDEA’s procedures for developing a student’s IEP and (b) the subsequent proper implementation of the IEP such that it results in a student with a disability making progress appropriate in light of the student’s circumstances. The basic meanings of the specific elements of FAPE are as follows:

Free – Without charge to parents or students with disabilities

Appropriate – In accordance with a student’s IEP (the IEP is the cornerstone of FAPE, as was explained above). Moreover, appropriate means whatever is proper for a student, given that student’s specific strengths and needs, IEP goals, and the supports and services provided to help the student reach those goals. Hence, an appropriate education is unique for each student with a disability because it is based on the student’s circumstances.

Public – At public expense, as well as under public supervision and direction

Education – Provided in preschool, elementary, middle, and high school

Core Vocabulary and Concepts

To fully understand the information put forth throughout this chapter, you must know the definitions of a few core vocabulary and the meaning of a few concepts. Several of both are discussed below.

General education classroom and Regular education classroom. At times, such as in the IDEA or its accompanying regulations, the term “regular education classroom” is used instead of the synonymous term “general education classroom.” The term “general education classroom” is now commonly used to refer to the location where the school’s core curriculum is taught to students who do not have an IEP and to students with disabilities who, in accordance with their IEP, are placed in this location. In an MTSS framework, the general education classroom is where Tier 1 services are provided. The term “general education classroom” has come to replace the term “regular education classroom” after concerns were raised that a student with a disability who was educated in a setting outside of the “regular education classroom” would, using comparable language, be provided an irregular education.

Restrictiveness. Concerning the placement of a student with a disability, restrictiveness refers to access to one’s peers who are not disabled, meaning the peers do not have an IEP. In accordance with this definition, a more restrictive placement allows for more limited access to these peers, whereas a less restrictive placement allows for more access to these peers.

As an aside, note that restrictiveness also refers to a student’s freedom of movement when discussing classroom management and behavior modification matters.

Supplementary aids and services. Supplementary aids and services are defined in the IDEA’s regulations, Section 300.42, as “aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes, other education-related settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with §§300.114 through 300.116.”

Some examples of supplementary aids and services are as follows:

• adapted equipment—such as a special seat or a cut-out cup for drinking;
• assistive technology—such as a word processor, special software such as a speech-to-text conversion program, or a communication system;
• training for staff, students, and/or parents;
• peer tutors;
• a one-on-one aide;
• adapted materials—such as books on tape, large print, or highlighted notes; and
• collaboration/consultation among staff, parents, and/or other professionals.

References

Assistance to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities,  34 C.F.R. Part 300 et seq.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 et seq.

The IDEA’s General Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Requirement

The IDEA’s General Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Requirement is relevant to this course because the placement of a student with a disability will significantly influence the instructional role fulfilled by any general education teacher and special education teacher who works with the student. For example, if a student remains in a general education classroom for the entire school day, this arrangement will likely require that a general education teacher and special education teacher collaborate on behalf of the student.

However, if, for 25% of the school day, a student with a disability is to receive intensive instruction in a special education setting, a special education teacher will be tasked to provide this instruction in a location other than the student’s general education classroom. In particular, the special education teacher may be tasked to design and oversee the operation of what is known as a resource room. This would be a classroom where students with disabilities receive special education services from 21% of the school day up to and including 60% of the school day. During this time, the special education teacher would provide students with the type of intensive instruction which is the primary focus of this course.

So, how does the IDEA define the least restrictive environment (LRE) concept? Section 1412(a)(5) of the IDEA’s regulations state, “To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”

Key points from this definition are as follows:

• References are made to the regular education classroom. However, the accepted practice presently refers to this location as the general education classroom.
• The general education classroom is the default location where students with disabilities are to be educated. That is to say, an IEP team must first consider how a student with a disability can be educated satisfactorily in this location before concluding that this location is an inappropriate placement for the student.
• Students with disabilities can be removed from the general education classroom if they cannot be educated “satisfactorily” in that setting.
• “Satisfactorily” is not clearly, nor well, defined. However, it is fair to say that it refers to whether a student will be provided a free appropriate public education (FAPE) if he is educated in the general education classroom.

A good faith effort must be made to provide supplementary aids and services on behalf of a student with a disability so that the student can be educated satisfactorily in a general education setting. Likewise, accommodations and modifications must be provided in the same way. These are discussed later in this chapter.

References

Assistance to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities,  34 C.F.R. Part 300 et seq.

Center for Parent Information and Resources. (2022). Considering LRE in placement decisions. Retrieved from parentcenterhub.org/placement-lre/

Center for Parent Information and Resources. (n.d.). LRE/Placement. Retrieved from parentcenterhub.org/resourcelibrary/index/I/I1/

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 et seq.

Wrightlaw.com. (n.d.). FAQs: Least restrictive environment (LRE), mainstreaming, inclusion. Retrieved from wrightslaw.com/info/lre.faqs.inclusion.htm

Defining the Least Restrictive Environment Requirement With Dr. Mitchell Yell

View the video “Defining Least Restrictive Environment [in Indiana] with Dr. Mitch Yell.” (Length 3 minutes, 18 seconds; 3:18)

Dr. Mitchell Yell is an expert on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In this video, he discusses the IDEA’s General LRE Requirement. Since he was filmed making a presentation in Indiana, he refers to that state’s regulations regarding the name of the team that decides a student’s LRE, meaning the student’s placement. Among the key points he makes in this video is that the LRE for a student with a disability is based on his IEP (i.e., “IEP determines placement”).

After watching this video, you should be able to

• State whether least restrictive environment is a precise legal term in federal law (i.e., the IDEA)
• State the presumption component of least restrictive environment
• State how often a student’s placement must be reviewed
• Discuss whether all students must first be educated in a general education classroom before they can be placed in another setting identified in the continuum of alternative placements

IDEA Basics: Least Restrictive Environment

View the video “IDEA Basics: (LRE) Least Restrictive Environment.” (Length: 7 minutes, 38 seconds; 7:38)

In this video, the presenters do an excellent job explaining the IDEA’s General LRE Requirement while emphasizing its relationship to IDEA’s continuum of alternative placements. These placements are discussed later in this chapter.

After watching this video, you should be able to

• State whether the term “inclusion” is in the IDEA
• Discuss what is meant by saying the individual needs of the child are always paramount, and that “what is restrictive for one child may not be restrictive for another child”
• State whether “inclusion” is a legal term that can be used interchangeably with the term “least restrictive environment”

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives pertain to the content in each section below: (a) The IDEA’s Continuum of Alternative Placements; (b) The Three Most Common Placements for Students With Disabilities; (c) The General Education Teacher and Special Education Teacher Supporting Students With Disabilities in a General Education Classroom; and (d) Co-Teaching. After working through the content, you should be able to

• List at least three placements put forth in the IDEA
• Discuss how the statement about the continuum of alternative placements must be considered in concert with the General LRE Requirement
• Define the three most common placements for students with disabilities
• Explain how a student with a disability may be educated outside of a general education classroom for part of a school day yet still be counted as a student who is receiving services in this placement
• Discuss three tasks a special education teacher might perform while co-teaching with a general education teacher
• State what Co-Teaching involves
• Describe several scenarios that depict a way that a general education teacher and special education teacher might Co-Teach

The IDEA’s Continuum of Alternative Placements

By its General LRE requirement, the IDEA allows a student with a disability to be removed from a general education classroom placement. This allowance calls into question which alternative placements would be appropriate for educating a student with a disability. These alternative placements are referenced in the regulations that accompany the IDEA.

In the IDEA’s regulations, Section 300.115, titled “Continuum of Alternative Placements,” states:

“Each public agency must ensure that a continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of children with disabilities for special education and related services…The continuum…must…[i]nclude…regular classes, special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions….”

It is important to note that the list of alternative placements is incomplete. This means proper placements exceed those listed in the IDEA’s regulations. One example would be what is called a day treatment facility.

Additionally, the statement about the continuum of alternative placements must be considered in concert with the General LRE Requirement and its stipulation that a student with a disability be provided supplementary aids and services to support a placement in a general education classroom. A student’s IEP team must make a good faith effort to provide a student with a disability with necessary supplementary aids and services to enable the student to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in a general education classroom before concluding another placement along the continuum of alternative placements is what a student needs.

The Three Most Common Placements for Students With Disabilities

It is standard practice for the placement of a student with a disability to be defined in terms of the percentage of the school day the student is educated in a particular placement. Below, the three most common placements for students with disabilities are defined: a general education classroom, a resource room, and a self-contained classroom.

In each instance, these placements are first defined in terms of the percentage of the school day a student is educated in a general education classroom. Immediately afterward, each definition is followed by a related statement concerning what the definition means in terms of the time a student is educated in a special education classroom.

1. General education placement. This placement is defined as a student with a disability spending 80% or more of the school day in a general education classroom. Concerning being educated in a special education classroom, this definition means that a student with a disability can spend up to 20% of their time in a special education classroom. Even when this occurs, a student’s placement is classified as being in the general education classroom, even though he may spend up to 1/5 of his time in a special education setting.
2. Resource room placement. This placement is defined as a student with a disability spending 40%-79% of the school day in the general education classroom. Concerning being educated in a special education placement known as a resource room, this definition means that a student with a disability will spend 21%-60% of their time in this special education placement.
3. Self-contained placement. This placement is defined as a student with a disability spending less than 40% of the school day in the general education classroom. Concerning being educated in a special education placement known as a self-contained classroom, this definition means that a student with a disability spends more than 60% of their time in this special education placement.

Given these definitions, you need to note that when you read statistics about the percentage of students with disabilities placed in a general education classroom, these students may spend up to 20% of the day in a special education classroom known as a resource room. This means that categorizing the placement of a student with a disability as being in the general education classroom does not necessarily mean the student spends 100% of the school day in that setting.

Regardless of where the student is placed, the focus of the student’s instruction will be the school’s core curriculum. Students who exhibit significant and persistent academic achievement deficits and need to receive intensive instruction will work to master content in this curriculum that is well below the content their same-age, grade-level peers are working on mastering.

The General Education Teacher and Special Education Teacher Supporting Students With Disabilities in a General Education Classroom

The remainder of this chapter focuses on the roles of a general education teacher and a special education teacher when students with disabilities are placed in general education classrooms.

When this occurs, a general education teacher and a special education teacher may be tasked to work together to ensure that all students in a general education classroom are provided appropriate instruction. Sometimes, when students with disabilities are taught in a general education classroom, a general education teacher and a special education teacher work together to ensure these students and other students who do not have IEPs receive effective instruction.

The way the general and special education teachers would work together to present instruction can vary markedly. In one instance, how they present instruction might closely resemble how the general education teacher presents Tier 1 services without a special education teacher being assigned to work with the general education teacher. That is to say, in this instance, the special education teacher’s role would be to oversee the implementation of any accommodations and modifications called for in students’ IEPs and not work directly with any students. The special education teacher may only be in the general education classroom sometimes when the general education teacher presents instruction. (Note: Accommodations and Modifications are discussed later in this chapter.)

In another instance, the general education teacher would provide Tier 1 instruction to the whole class. At the same time, the special education teacher oversees the implementation of any accommodations and modifications called for in students’ IEPs and presents Tier 2 and Tier 3 instruction using small group instructional arrangements.

A third way a general and special education teacher might work together would be to function as co-teachers. This arrangement is discussed later in this chapter.

In each working arrangement just described, it is important to note that, by the IDEA, the assignment of a special education teacher to work with a general education teacher is an example of a supplementary aid and support.

References

The 2023 Florida Statutes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=1000-1099/1003/Sections/1003.57.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CResource%20room%E2%80%9D%20means%20a%20classroom,school%20week%20with%20nondisabled%20peers.

Co-Teaching

The term co-teaching can refer to a number of arrangements involving two or more individuals who simultaneously coordinate the presentation of instruction. However, for this discussion, the term co-teaching is used to describe situations involving a general education teacher and a special education teacher presenting instruction to a heterogeneous group of students in a general education classroom.

The specific manner in which this occurs will be arranged between the teachers. Examples of how they might work together to present instruction include the following.

• The general education teacher presents a whole class lesson while the special education teacher monitors all students to ensure they pay attention. After the general education teacher presents the lesson and assigns students to work in small groups or independently, both teachers circulate the room, providing “just in time” instruction to groups/individual students who request it and ensuring that all groups/individual students remain on task.
• The general education teacher presents a whole class lesson while the special education teacher watches and, at times, supplements the general education teacher’s instruction or trades places with the teacher. The special education teacher may supplement the instruction by offering suggestions for how to present the material in a slightly different manner, such as suggesting that students use a partial sums strategy when solving a double-digit addition problem instead of a standard algorithm that involves beginning in the one’s place and proceeding through the subsequent place values. Or, the special education teacher may replace the general education teacher and present part of the whole class lesson when both teachers have planned for this to occur beforehand. Additionally, a replacement may happen when the general education teacher feels as if she is not making her points clearly with the students and asks the special education teacher if he can try to present the lesson in a slightly different way that may enhance the students’ understanding.
• The general education teacher presents a whole class lesson, and afterward, the class is divided into two groups. The general education teacher leads one of them, while the special education teacher leads the other group. The configuration of the groups can differ markedly. However, a basic configuration would be for the general education teacher to lead the group with the higher-performing students in the class. In contrast, the special education teacher leads the group with the lower-performing students. Most likely, this group will include students with disabilities.
• The general education teacher presents a whole class lesson, and afterward, some students are assigned independent seatwork while others are assigned to work in a small group. The general education teacher would monitor the students completing independent seatwork while the special education teacher would provide the small group instruction. This instruction might focus on a supplemental presentation that pertains to the topic addressed in the whole class lesson, or it might be Tier 2, remedial instruction.
• Both the general and special education teachers plan to work with groups of students during the entire class period.

Cooperative Teaching

Work through the online module from the University of Kansas, Department of Special Education titled Cooperative Teaching.

Before accessing this online module, note that the title – Cooperative Teaching – is a bit misleading since, from the very outset of the module, the term Co-Teaching is used to characterize the information presented. 

Altogether, this module presents a detailed discussion of practical matters about the design and implementation of a Co-Teaching model. While working through this module, remain mindful that it defines co-teaching more broadly than I do for this course. That is to say, this module’s definition of co-teaching covers any arrangement that involves two or more adults working together to present instruction simultaneously. Thus, one such arrangement would include a general education teacher and a paraprofessional. As a reminder, when I refer to co-teaching in this course I am referring to an arrangement that involves a general education teacher and a special education teacher. 

After completing this online module, you should be able to

• Describe the empirical database pertaining to the Co-Teaching service delivery model. Specifically, note whether it can be characterized as “strong.”
• List the common themes that have emerged within the research literature on Co-Teaching that are critical for this model to be successfully implemented
• Identify a barrier to Co-Teaching that exists at all age levels: elementary, middle, and high school
• Describe these three critical issues that teams should address prior to starting the Co-Teaching process: Planning, Disposition, and Evaluation
• Explain the relevance of each of the following barriers to the effectiveness of the Co-Teaching process: Time, Grading, Student Readiness, Teacher Readiness, and High-Stakes Testing

Learning Objectives: Consultation/Instructional Strategies Based on Placement

The learning objectives pertain to the content in the sections below: (a) Consultation and (b) Instructional Strategies Based on Placement. After working through the content, you should be able to

• Explain what Consultation involves
• Describe a situation in which a special education teacher may function as a Consultant

Consultation

Consultation is another working arrangement between a general education teacher and a special education teacher that warrants explanation, given how frequently it is used in many schools. Consultation involves the special education teacher serving in the role of consultant and the general education teacher serving in the role of consultee. In this arrangement, the general education teacher calls upon the special education teacher’s expertise to resolve a situation pertaining to a student with a disability (Vaughn et al., 2018, p. 85).

A particular instance of when a special education teacher may function as a consultant is when a student with a disability is performing well enough in the general education classroom, and her IEP team is considering discontinuing her special education services. I worked in a district where they said that such a student was on a “monitoring IEP” to determine whether the student would eventually “exit” from special education.

References

Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S.  (2018).  Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (7^th edition). Pearson. ISBN 978-0134447261.

Instructional Strategies Based on Placement

A question that needs to be addressed at this point in this course is the instructional strategies a teacher should use given the placement of a student with a disability.

Generally speaking, general education teachers should continue to present high-quality Tier 1 instruction when students with disabilities are included in their classroom. This means the teachers should use the evidence-based practices (EBPs) they learned in their undergraduate methods courses. The teachers should teach mathematics using the EBPs the teachers learned in their mathematics methods courses, teach social studies using the EBPs the teachers learned in their social studies methods courses, and so on.

This circumstance is the main reason why this course does not focus on the types of EBPs just mentioned. Instead, one component of this course is to teach prospective teachers how to employ accommodations that will remove barriers for students with disabilities that hinder their ability to learn from the EBPs referred to above. The other component of this course is to teach prospective teachers how to employ EBPs which are “specially designed instruction” for students with disabilities. These EBPs are based on intensive intervention, a noteworthy focus of many of the subsequent chapters.

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives pertain to the two sections below: (a) Introduction to Accommodations and Modifications and (b) Accommodations and Modifications: The Details. After working through the content in both sections, you should be able to

• Define the term adaptation
• Define the term modification
• Explain how a modification differs from an accommodation
• Describe an example of a modification

Introduction to Accommodations and Modifications

This part of the module addresses a topic you were introduced to: the provision of accommodations and modifications to students with disabilities. Both accommodations and modifications are a type of supplementary aid and service. They are often provided to enable a student with a disability to be placed in a general education classroom.

However, a noteworthy distinction exists between the two. This distinction is that accommodations enable a student with a disability to work toward attaining the same academic achievement standards that students without IEPs are working to achieve in the general education classroom, whereas a modification changes this standard. Specifically, a modification changes the standard to address content at a lower level than the focus of instruction in the general education classroom. An example of a modification would be when a student with a disability works to solve addition basic facts with addends of 0 or 1 while the rest of the class works to solve addition problems involving two double-digit numbers, with and without regrouping.

Both general and special education teachers need to know about accommodations and modifications that may be provided to students with disabilities. However, special education teachers need to develop expertise about this topic since it is likely they will be tasked to lead a student’s IEP team in the identification of appropriate accommodations and modifications to list in a student’s IEP, and then subsequently monitor their provision in the student’s school program.

Accommodations and Modifications: The Details

The term adaptation is an umbrella term that encompasses the terms accommodation and modification. However, given the noteworthy distinction between an accommodation and a modification, it is critically important for educators to be clear about whether an adaptation employed on behalf of a student with a disability is an accommodation or a modification. Additionally, it is important to note that both types of adaptations can be applied to classroom assignments and tests.

Regarding an accommodation, it is necessary to note – first and foremost – that when a student is provided an accommodation, she is expected to master the same academic achievement standard as all students without IEPs who are being educated in a general education classroom. In other words, an accommodation does not alter an achievement standard or what a test measures concerning an achievement standard. Accommodations are provided when a student with a disability is expected to reach the same level of proficiency as all of the students who do not have IEPs.

An accommodation allows a student to complete the same assignments and tests that pertain to an academic achievement standard but with individualized changes to the conditions under which the work is completed. These changes to the conditions may involve altering (a) the way the material is presented, (b) how the student responds, (c) the setting where the work is completed, and (d) the time allotted for completing the work.

For instance, a student with a physical disability that does not enable him to produce legible text by using either a pencil or a standard keyboard can, with an accommodation that involves the use of a speech-to-text software program that converts the student’s speech-to-text, produce “written” answers on assignments and to test questions that demonstrate the student has reached the level of proficiency that has been established for an academic achievement standard (i.e., the student can demonstrate he possesses the knowledge that is the focus of the academic achievement standard).

A modification differs markedly from an accommodation because a modification involves a change to the academic achievement standard that is the focus of instruction in a general education classroom, such that a student with a disability is working to master lower-level content that pertains to that standard. Thus, a modification is provided when a student’s circumstances indicate that he will not be able to achieve the academic achievement standard – at least at the point in time when the student is provided the modification. That is to say, at a later point in the student’s school career, he may work to attain the academic achievement standard, but he is not in a position to do so when the modification is provided.

An example would be when a student with a disability works to say the most common sound a letter represents. In contrast, the other students work to master reading consonant-vowel-consonant words (CVC words).

State departments of education and test publishers provide what they refer to as lists of “allowable accommodations.” These are the accommodations that may be provided to a student with a disability on tests, particularly annual state-level tests of academic achievement. By extension, these would be the types of accommodations provided on classroom assignments since a student must be provided the accommodations before tests so that the student becomes familiar with the accommodations.

Modifications, on the other hand, are highly individualized and most often provided so that a student with a disability can participate in the instruction presented in a general education classroom. Thus, no official list of allowable modifications exists.

Understanding the differences between accommodations and modifications presents a challenge to most educators and parents of students with disabilities. You should make an effort now to establish a solid foundation of knowledge about them and then build upon this knowledge throughout your career as an educator. Planning for and providing accommodations and modifications to students with disabilities in a general education classroom is a noteworthy task addressed by nearly every general education teacher and special education teacher who work together on behalf of these students.

References

The IRIS Center. (2010, Rev. 2018). Accommodations: Instructional and testing supports for students with disabilities. Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/acc/

Accommodations: Instructional and Testing Supports for Students With Disabilities

Complete The IRIS Center’s module, “Accommodations: Instructional and testing supports for students with disabilities.” (Estimated time to complete: 2 hours)

The IRIS Center has created this online module dedicated to the topic of accommodations for students with disabilities. As the module’s title indicates, the module discusses accommodations that pertain to providing instruction and testing.

After working through all of the content in this module, you should be able to

• List four issues, or matters, that barriers to learning can be related to. As you create this list, remain mindful of the fact that students with disabilities often face challenges or barriers that inhibit or restrict their ability to access and demonstrate learning.
• Describe instructional accommodations and testing accommodations
• List examples of each of the following types of accommodations: (a) Presentation, (b) Response, (c) Setting, and (d) Timing and Scheduling
• List the common barriers that might necessitate each of the following types of accommodations: (a) Presentation, (b) Response, (c) Setting, and (d) Timing and Scheduling
• Explain the steps a teacher can take to ensure that students receive the maximum benefit from their required accommodations
• Discuss three responses teachers should avoid with respect to the effective and efficient implementation of accommodations
• Explain the steps a teacher can follow to evaluate the effectiveness of a student’s accommodation(s)

No Cost Resources Pertaining to This Topic

Each item below is a no cost resource that presents information about some aspect of this chapter’s focus, which is “Individualized Education Programs, Least Restrictive Environment, and Co-Teaching.” To access a resource, use the link provided.

Path to PROGRESS: Developing and Implementing High-Quality Educational Programs This is a course from the PROGRESS Center. The center states that the course is intended to encourage reflection on the larger purpose of ​the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and provide a brief introduction to the PROGRESS Center’s approach to promoting progress for students with disabilities by developing and implementing high-quality educational programming that meets procedural, substantive, and implementation requirements and ensures that students with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment as outlined by IDEA.

IEPs: Developing High-Quality Individualized Education Programs According to the IRIS Center, which developed this online module, it details the process of developing high-quality individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities. The module discusses the requirements for IEPs as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (Estimated completion time: 3 hours). Moreover, the IRIS Center notes that the content addressed in the module is based on federal law and regulations, which means that state and local education agencies may have additional requirements.

IDEA and the IEP: From Compliance to Progress This online course from the PROGRESS Center provides an overview of the seven required components of the individualized education program (IEP) as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The course explains how the required components of an IEP are interconnected and critically important for developing high-quality educational programming for students with disabilities, provides tips for developing IEPs that promote progress, and shares resources to learn more

Accommodations: Instructional and Testing Supports for Students With Disabilities This online module is available from the IRIS Center. According to the center, this module overviews instructional and testing accommodations for students with disabilities, explains how accommodations differ from other kinds of instructional adaptations, defines the four categories of accommodations, and describes how to implement accommodations and evaluate their effectiveness for individual students (Estimated completion time: 2 hours).

Related Services: Common Supports for Students With Disabilities This online module is available from the IRIS Center. While the center writes that this module offers a description of related services and an overview of the benefits they provide to students with disabilities in the general education classroom, the module actually explains how these benefits apply to the students regardless of their placement. The module highlights five commonly used related services (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology Services, Social Work Services, and Psychological Services) but also does the same with respect to many of the other related services identified through IDEA 2004 (Estimated completion time: 1 hour).

Defining Least Restrictive Environment [in Indiana] with Dr. Mitch Yell (Length 3 minutes, 18 seconds) Dr. Yell is an expert on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In this video, he discusses the IDEA’s General LRE Requirement. Since he was filmed making a presentation in Indiana, he refers to that state’s regulations with respect to the name of the team that decides a student’s LRE placement. A key point you need to take away from this video is that the LRE for a student with a disability is based on his IEP (i.e., “IEP determines placement”).

IDEA Basics: (LRE) Least Restrictive Environment (Length: 7 minutes, 38 seconds) In this video, the presenters do an excellent job of explaining the IDEA’s General LRE Requirement while emphasizing its relationship to IDEA’s continuum of alternative placements.

Cooperative Teaching This is an online post available from the University of Kansas, Department of Special Education and attributed to Lisa Dieker, Ph.D. University of Central Florida. Before accessing this post, note that the title is a bit misleading since, from the very outset of the post, the term co-teaching is used to characterize the information presented.