Week 1 Part 2 - Summative Assessment: A Study of IDEA, Rights, and Responsibilities

1. Rights,
Responsibilities,
and Standards of
Practice
BY: KATIE COLLINS

2. Laws and Rights for Special Learners
Federal and State Laws
 Education for the Handicapped Act.
 Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA).
 The Assistive Technology Act.
 The Handicapped Children’s
Protection Act.
Parental Rights
 Child is to receive free and
appropriate education.
 Notifications of evaluations.
 To be fully informed by the school
about the rights provided to your
child.
 Participation in development plans
such as IEPs or 504s.

3. Promoting Learners to Meet Full
Potential
 Focus On Student Strengths – By focusing on
the student’s strengths you can increase their
confidence in their learning journey and
empower them to tackle new challenges with
higher confidence.
 Cultivate Culture – The type of school or
classroom culture can either increase or
decrease the student’s willingness to learn.
Creating an inclusive classroom culture can
help the student feel safe and comfortable
when learning.
 Create Learning Connections – Make
connections to the outside world from the
lessons. If students can make connections
between what is being taught and real-life
events, higher focus can be achieved.
 Find More Information at:
https://dyslexiaida.org/what-can-i-do-to-
help-my-child-achieve-his-or-her-full-
potential/

4. Teacher Expectations and Responsibilities when
Working with Disabled Students
 Develop lesson plans that aid in the learning of all students.
 Maintain communication with parents and special education teachers.
 Work with special education teachers to help in the planning of curating a
lesson plan that meets the needs of all the students in the classroom, not
just regular education students.
 Monitor, evaluate, and update the progress of all students, especially those
with special needs, and communicate all progress or even lack there of to
parents and special education teacher. (Boyer & Mainzer, 2003).

5. Demonstrating Respect for Learners with Different
Backgrounds, and Various Skills, Abilities, and Interests.
 Acknowledge Your Own Behavior – Recognize that
your own culture could be causing implicit bias.
Implicit bias can unconsciously affect a teacher’s
actions or decisions when it comes to another
culture. By acknowledging and improving this, you
can provide a safe and inclusive learning
environment.
 Adapt Teaching Methods – Identify the difference
between the student learners and focus on their
strengths when teaching.
 Teach for all Cultures and Backgrounds – Use
content that includes different cultures and
learning abilities to engage students with
familiarity.

6. Advocating To Meet the Needs of all
Learners
 Collaborate with colleagues – Work with a team that can cater to a
multitude of learners and offer options when planning curriculums.
 Use multiple assessment forms – Ensure students can demonstrate
knowledge not just through tests, but also through classwork, homework,
projects, and even just by participating.
 Partner with families – Involving families can not only help the student feel
more at ease but allows the family a look inside the classroom to see what
their child is learning and how they could be of assistance in their learning
journey.

7. Demonstrate Collaboration with Learners,
Families, and Colleagues
 Conduct Meetings with Colleagues – By working one on one
with colleagues who specialize in special education, a plan can
be curated to help keep the special learner engaged and
thriving in the classroom.
 Conduct Meetings with Parent/Guardians – Talk about the plans
that have been enacted with the parents and any progress the
special learner has had. Encourage the parent to engage with
the student at home to increase understanding of lessons.
 Conduct Meetings with Student – Work with the student to
understand if the plan laid out for them is working or not.
Where do they feel they’re excelling or having troubles? How
can you work with them to ensure they are progressing or
engaged based on what they tell you their needs are?
 Conduct Meetings with All of the Above – Collaborate together
to ensure everyone is on the same page and knows their role in
the learning journey of the student.

8. References
 Specific Roles of General Educators in Serving Students with Disabilities and their
Parents. (2013). http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/specific-roles-general-educators/
 Johnson, Yvette (2019). Six Ways to Help Students Reach Their
Potential. https://all4ed.org/blog/six-ways-to-help-students-reach-their-potential/
 Strategies For Collaboration .
(n.d.). https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/Building_TSS_Handout_9_
collaboration.pdf