The document discusses laws, policies, and best practices for special education teachers. It covers: - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which establishes procedures for identifying students who need special education. - Requirements for free and appropriate public education (FAPE) and placement in the least restrictive environment (LRE). - Professional standards for special education teachers including maintaining high expectations, respecting diversity, collaborating with families and colleagues, and advocating for students. - Best practices such as identifying student strengths, building skills, using assistive technologies, and tailoring learning to individual students.

1. Learner Rights
and
Teacher
Responsibilities
Yianni
Toulopoulos

2. INTRODUCTION OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION
Special Education Defined
Simply put, Special Education encapsulates the various services and programs tailored to a
child with disabilities. Students that are in need of specialized resources to help them
succeed academically can receive special education at no cost to the parent. For students
with disabilities, Special Education provides them with the opportunity to reach their full
potential.

3. State and Federal Level
Laws & Policies
● Individuals with
Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA): The
Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) is the Federal
special education law that
was passed in 1975. This law
provides teachers with the
proper procedure for
identifying students that
may need special education,
and also supports parents
with identifying what
educational services their
child needs. This law also
identifies the services and
aids that special education
students are entitled to.
Laws and
Policies
https://www.californiaspecialedlaw.com/your-
special-needs-childs-legal-rights/

4. State and Federal Level
● Free Appropriate Public
Education (FAPE): School
districts must provide cost
free services to students
with disabilities, they must
meet standards and follow an
IEP program, and will be
available to students from
preschool through secondary
education.
● Least Restrictive
Environment (LRE): Special
education students are to be
incorporated into standard
classrooms as much as is
feasible so as to help those
student reach their full
potential.
Laws and
Policies

5. Curriculum Design
Create lessons for inclusive
classrooms to ensure that the needs
of students with disabilities are
considered. Scaffolding lessons
will be useful in helping students
achieve an understanding of the
content.
Learning Assessments
Regularly planned assessments will
help identify the progress that
students are making and will help
with re-assessing lessons.
Assessments will assist with the
scaffolding of lessons.
Periodically evaluating students
will provide valuable insight for
parents and program advisors as
well.
Classroom Instruction
Students require varying levels of
individual instruction and
assistance, based on their unique
needs.Being an active listener,
creating individualized
reinforcement, and patience, will go
a long way in creating a successful
environment.
Advocating for Students
Creating an environment centered
around inclusion and support will
garner more success amongst the
students. This will also be an
example for the rest of the school.
In addition, communication with
parents on a regular basis will help
breed a more community minded
approach to education.
Expectations of
the profession

6. ➢ Maintaining challenging expectations for
individuals with exceptionalities to develop
the highest possible learning outcomes and
quality of life potential in ways that
respect their dignity, culture, language, and
background.
➢ Maintaining a high level of professional
competence and integrity and exercising
professional judgment to benefit individuals
with exceptionalities and their families.
➢ Promoting meaningful and inclusive
participation of individuals with
exceptionalities in their schools and
communities.
➢ Practicing collegially with others who are
providing services to individuals with
exceptionalities.
➢ Developing relationships with families based
on mutual respect and actively involving
families and individuals with
exceptionalities in educational decision
making.
➢ Using evidence, instructional data, research,
and professional knowledge to inform
practice.
Code of Ethics
https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards/ethical-principles-
and-practice-standards
● The information to the left, gathered
from the website for the Council for
Exceptional Children, summarize the
code of ethics that Special Education
follows.
● These policies and guidelines are
fairly universal for all teachers, and
should be what all educators use as the
defining force behind creating an
environment that breeds success,
support, excellence, and inclusion.
● Like all educators, those within the
realm of Special Education must remain
up to date with the latest information
and progressions that will be of value
to the students and the parents.

7. ➢ Protecting and supporting the physical and
psychological safety of individuals with
exceptionalities.
➢ Neither engaging in nor tolerating any
practice that harms individuals with
exceptionalities.
➢ Practicing within the professional ethics,
standards, and policies of CEC; upholding
laws, regulations, and policies that
influence professional practice; and
advocating improvements in the laws,
regulations, and policies.
➢ Advocating for professional conditions and
resources that will improve learning
outcomes of individuals with
exceptionalities.
➢ Engaging in the improvement of the
profession through active participation in
professional organizations.
➢ Participating in the growth and
dissemination of professional knowledge and
skills.
https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards/ethical-principles-and-
practice-standards
Code of Ethics
Cont. ● Following the appropriate policies and
laws, such as IDEA and IEP’s, will
ensure that the proper procedures are
being followed.
● Constant communication with parents
will ensure that all decisions/actions
are being made with the full support
and/or request of the parents. No
decision shall be made without the
consent of the parents.
● In addition to constant communication
with parents, there should also be
regular communication with advisors and
colleagues so that all of those who are
assisting with the student’s education
are on the same page regarding the
progress and changes.

8. Professional
standards of
practice

9. Practices for advocating to meet
the needs of all learners
● Listen
○ Effective listening strategies such as maintaining eye contact, nonverbal
feedback, and pausing for questions, can provide valuable analysis.
■ Students will be more inclined to open up to you regarding their
struggles, and will also show them that you care about their success.
● Focus on the student
○ Having the ability to see things from the student’s perspective will allow
for you to sympathize and do what is right for the student.
● Students’ rights
○ Familiarize yourself with relevant laws and policies
■ For example: IEPs and 504 plans, IDEA, FEPA, etc.
● Get support from others
○ Cultivate strong relationships with school leadership, colleagues, and
advisors, so that a community approach is taken towards achieving the long
term goals.

10. Practices to promote learners
meeting their full potential
● Identify and activate student strengths
○ Teaching to students’ strengths helps them become more confident in their
abilities
○ Utilize your students’ special strengths
● Build on existing skills and knowledge
○ What do they need to have as a baseline and what additional skills do they
need to build?
● Use assistive technologies and learning tools
● Create positive modifications in the learning environment

11. Practices to demonstrate respect for learners as
individuals with differing personal and family
backgrounds and various skills, abilities, and interests
● Assess your own behavior
○ Be aware of your actions and ensure that you are creating an inclusive and
open-minded environment.
● Adapt your teaching
○ Identify the differences between students and the unique strengths of each
child to encourage their academic achievement and a sense of belonging in
the classroom
● Tailor Learning
○ Encourage the students to explore learning in ways that they feel
comfortable, as well as in ways that challenge them. Get you students to be
active participators in the delivery of their education.

12. Practices to demonstrate collaboration
with learners, families, and colleagues
● Develop and support two-way communication between teachers and parents
○ This will help ensure that all parties involved in the student’s education
are on the same page and following the same plan for success.
○ The use of technology can be helpful in keeping the parents informed and
involved with the student’s education
○ Regularly planned parent-teacher conferences and volunteer opportunities
● Encourage communication among parents
○ Engaging families with one another helps to strengthen a school community
● Collaborate with colleagues, administration, and advisors to improve services and
outcomes for the student’s.