Explaining it Clearly

Explaining it Clearly

Ashford University: ESE 601

Mr. Franklin,

I am happy to be joining you as co-teacher first things first: As an educator, you are familiar with the Due process, right. Due process being or 14th Amendment being our right as the fair treatment through the judicial system, and especially being Citizens. You following me so far Mr. Franklin? I know you know this, but I am getting to a point to help you understand the rest of the information we spoke about. You see Mr. Franklin in my studies to become the co-teacher you have here today to help us with the special education I have a few things to add to some of your knowledge of the 14th amendment. In my course book Characteristics of and strategies for teaching students with mild disabilities, I learned some interesting facts.

According to Algozzine, Henley, & Ramsey “During the 1970s, concern about the legal rights of students with special needs spurred several significant class-action suits that challenged school evaluation and placement practices” (chap. 1.3, para. 4). During some of these lawsuits that “were classified as mentally retarded” students with a disability within the area benefitted because they won in favor of special education. Now here we are co-teaching in an inclusive environment with 21 to 7 students. Below I have made a list of vocabulary and definitions to help you, starting with the Inclusive Environment in which we will be co-teaching.

Inclusive Environment: An inclusive Environment in this specific definition is an environment in which students of the same age/grade are educated together. In this environment, there are several different types of instruction occurring based on the diversity in the classroom, and for the purpose of the specific individual needs. According to Dr. Kannenberg, “There will be some students who are formally identified as having specialized academic and/or behavioral challenges” (wk. 1, db. Para. 2).

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): The least restrictive environment clause states that students with disabilities should be educated with students without disabilities to the maximum appropriate extent. The inclusive environment and the least restrictive are basically the same.

Students with disabilities work alongside their peer that do not have disabilities.

Benefits of both include, but are not limited to:

*All students disabled or not learn from their peers in ways that the teacher cannot teach.

*Students gain social-emotional skills, such as helping one another

*Mixing diversity into groups allows the more advanced students to become teachers, and their peers to learn. Each student benefits either be it leader skills, social skills, team efforts, and peer instruction that they may not have understood as well from the teacher.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): From 1975 to 1990 (IDEA) started out as the (EHA) Education for All Handicapped Children Act. In 1990, the United States Congress changed the term to (IDEA). IDEA has of six main elements.

These six elements are:

1. Individualized Education Program (IEP)

2. Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

3. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

4. Appropriate Evaluation

5. Parent and Teacher Participation

6. Procedural Safeguards.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP):

An IEP is an Individualized Education Program; each student receiving a Special education must have an IEP. There are many steps to take in processing the IEP. The main step is a special meeting that includes the parent/guardian and several staff members with knowledge of the IEP. Just know that all is in the best interest of the student, and for us as educators. The meeting will have a straightforward set of goals for the student, and in turn, it will let us know what we can do to help them. As teachers we will have goals for the child and for ourselves, this will give us ideas on teaching strategies, what the child already knows, lacks, and wants to know. The IEP paper that comes back to us will be like a mapped out plan for almost all of the student’s educational needs, and some of his/her personal input as well. Here is a list of categories who would need an IEP compiled by Algozzine, Henley, & Ramsey:

“ autism, deafness, deaf, blindness, hearing impairments, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, serious emotional disturbance, specific learning, disabilities, speech or language impairments, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment” (chap. 1.4, tbl. 1.1).

504 Plan:

Algozzine, Henley, & Ramsey, define the 504 plan as “Within the public schools Section 504 of this law is often used to provide support services for students who have a disability that is not included in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), for instance, students with ADHD” (chap. 1.4, para1). The 504 Plan has a very similar meeting to the IEP plan and requires one of us as teachers to attend. We will again receive a copy of the final draft of the 504 plan. We will know what the student excels or lacks in and, needs help or does not need as much help with. We will also get some feedback from the student as well. Once again, this plan will help us as educators help the student reach their goals in their journey in education.

To show the difference between a 504 plan and an IEP Mauro ‘s (2009) study found the following:

A 504 plan, which falls under civil-rights law, is an attempt to remove barriers and allow students with disabilities to participate freely; like the Americans with Disabilities Act, it seeks to level the playing field so that those students can safely pursue the same opportunities as everyone else.

An IEP, which falls under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is much more concerned with actually providing educational services. They generally require more than a level playing field — they require significant remediation and assistance and are more likely to work on their own level at their own pace even in an inclusive classroom. (para. 4)

Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): According to Algozzine, Henley, & Ramsey “By law, a School personnel must prepare an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for every student receiving special education services” (chap. 1.4, para 6). The IEP is required to have certain information as I stated above. Below is the list of required papers in the (IEP) packet.

*Current Performance

*Annual Goals

*Special education and related services

*Participation with students without disabilities

*Participation in state and districtwide tests

*Dates and places

*Transition service needs

*Discipline

References

Henley, M., Ramsey, R. S., & Algozzine, R. (2009). Characteristics of and strategies for teaching students with mild disabilities. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson

Mauro, T. (2009). What is a 504 plan. Accessed at specialchildren. about. com/od/504s/f/504faq1. htm.