As professionals who work with special needs students, it is important to understand the right each child has to an appropriate education. Not only do we need to address the academic needs of these students, but also their social and emotional well being.
This often means using specific treatments to assist the individual child. Each member of the special education team must be able to document how and why each therapy sessions will works toward a goal or other objective on a child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP)
When working on a child’s IEP and implementing it, it is critical to make sure that several factors are in place.
Proper use of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
This allows special needs students to be with their peers. It does not allow them to be removed from a regular classroom when unnecessary. Special education students are to be integrated as much as possible to avoid overuse of self-contained classrooms with only a special education teacher.
Students have a full spectrum of services to meet their needs.
This can be an occupational therapist pushing into a classroom to assist with fine motor skills during a writing workshop. With this in place, a child can be in a traditional classroom with additional supports. A 1-1 or shared aide may also be within a classroom to assist and model specific tasks for students. Occupational therapists may work with classroom teachers on items to have in their classroom for students have sensory needs.
Resource room or self-contained options are also available.
While some children may need this environment all of the day, others may simply need it part of the time. A space to go back to regroup for a chunk of the day can help many children on the autism spectrum and with other needs that require extra structure and guidance. A resource room is a space where kids who have learning deficits or anxiety about writing or other academic areas may be able to become more independent and confident in their abilities.
Include families in decisions.
Parents or guardians of students must be a part of the team creating their child’s IEP. They have additional knowledge of their child and their learning needs. As a team, everyone can work together to ensure that everyone is working to meet all of the needs of the individual child to be as successful as possible in school.
When a team is working on an IEP for a child, it is especially important to balance the legal requirements, needs of the child, and budgetary restraints. In the end, if all of this is done, all special need students will have their educational needs met.