2. Federal Regulations for
Special Education
“The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a
federal law enacted in 1990 and reauthorized in 1997 and
2004. It is designed to protect the rights of students with
disabilities by ensuring that everyone receives a free
appropriate public education (FAPE), regardless of ability.
Furthermore, IDEA strives not only to grant equal access to
students with disabilities, but also to provide additional
special education services and procedural safeguards.”
3. Defining Special Needs
0 Definition- A student that may have a difficulty learning
and functioning in the classroom.
0 Different Types of Special Needs:
0 Medical Issues such as cancer and heart defects, muscular
dystrophy and cystic fibrosis; chronic conditions like asthma and
diabetes; congenital conditions like cerebral palsy and dwarfism;
and health threats like food allergies and obesity
0 Behavior Issues such as ADHD, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder,
Dysfunction of Sensory Integration, and Tourette Syndrome
0 Developmental Issues such as like autism, Down syndrome and
intellectual disabilities
0 Learning Issues such as dyslexia and Central Auditory
Processing Disorder
4. Ways to Enhance Their
Education
0Individualized Education Programs
(IEP)
0Scholastic Enhancement Tools
0Assistive Technology
0Non-Technological Activities
5. Individualized Education Program
The Individualized Education Program is a program offered by the public school system, free of charge, that
provides struggling and disabled students the extra help needed in the regular classroom.
0 IEP is dedicated to determining the students ability to continue in the regular education curriculum.
“Comprehensive planning by the IEP Team is the key to determining the least restrictive environment
(LRE). The IEP team must assess whether students with disabilities can participate and progress in the
general education curriculum.”
0 Services of the IEP when they participate in general education curriculum:
0 Individual attention with school work from specific teacher.
0 Resource Room to serve a group of students with similar needs.
0 Class time dedicated for the special need students while others students work on other
material.
0 “Proponents of placement is the assumption that a student must "earn" his or her opportunity to be
placed in regular classes by demonstrating an ability to "keep up" with the work assigned by the
regular classroom teacher.”
0 Remember teachers are responsible for inclusion in the classroom which means that we will “express
commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom he
or she would otherwise attend.”
6. Assistive Technology for the
Classroom
0 Computers can be used for all Special Needs Students especially ADHD
students. Such activities can be used:
0 Internet Based Activities such as blogging, online publications, school run chat
rooms, education programs/games, etc. These activities can be used to include all
students in the classroom.
0 Multimedia Tools such as “text, speech, graphics, pictures, audio, and video in
reference-based software is especially effective in meeting the heterogeneous
learning needs of students with mild disabilities.”
0 E-books are great for students with hearing, attention, and undeveloped reading
skills.
0 Hearing Assistive Technology are devices that can help the student with
hearing difficulties function better in their day-to-day communication
situations.
0 Closed Captioning can be placed on any information or video being watched.
0 Text Telephones are used to allow the students to communicate with others in the
classroom.
0 Hearing aid may be a great device for the student with severe loss of hearing.
7. Assistive Technology cont.
0 Student with physical disabilities can use high technology
environmental aids in controlling electronic appliances
within the school and home. They can also use mobility aids
include canes, crutches, walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs.
0 For the visually impaired, there are many visual aids
including talking dictionaries, adapted tape
player/recorders, large print and talking calculators, braille
writers, closed circuit televisions (CCTV), and software such
as screen reading and text enlargement programs.
8. Non-technological Activities
0 Lessons can be modified to special needs students.
0 Many websites that contain lesson plans provide a modified lesson
plan that is geared towards special needs students. These are just two
examples:
0 http://www.internet4classrooms.com/exceptional_children/special_education_school_inclusio
n_strategies_resources.htm
0 http://www.do2learn.com/
Side Note: Most websites can be found by typing “lesson plans for special needs students” into
any search engine.
0 Strategies for an Inclusive Classroom:
0 Provide the use of a study carrel when necessary.
0 Seat student in area free from distractions.
0 Eliminate all unnecessary materials from student desk to reduce distractions.
0 Use a checklist to help student get organized.
0 Keep an extra supply of pencils, pens, books and paper in the classroom.
0 You may have to allow the student frequent breaks.
0 Have an agreed upon cue for student to leave the classroom.
0 Reduce visual distractions in the classroom.
0 Modify expectations based on students needs
0 Space short work periods with breaks.
0 Provide additional time to complete assignment
9. Non-technological Ideas from
Teachers
How Do Teachers Serve Linguistically Diverse Learners and Those with
Special Needs
