The purpose of this presentation is to introduce you to special education and the different laws that protect students and their families. I will also introduce you to some of the practices educators use to ensure special education students have access to the same curriculum their fellow classmates have.

1. SPED refers to students with disabilities
who qualify for special education
services according to state and federal
laws and guidelines (Friend & Bursuck,
2019).
What is
special
education?

2. SPED is specially designed instruction,
accommodations, and services that are
individualized to meet the needs of
students with disabilities who qualify
under state and federal laws ("Special
education guide," 2013-2022).
What is
special
education?

3. To provide equal access to education through:
➢ Specially designed instruction (SDI)
➢ Related services (assistance beyond
academic instruction)
➢ Supplementary aids and services (SAS)
➢ Providing modifications to students'
education that allows them to reach their
full potential
What is the
purpose
of special
education?

4. Laws and
Policies
Federal
➢ The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes
the Child Find mandate.
➢ IDEA: Children with disabilities have the right to a Free
Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Gives the minimum
requirements states must meet to receive federal funds.
➢ Child Find: ALL school districts must have a process to
"identify, locate and evaluate ALL children with disabilities,
regardless of the severity of their disabilities" (Wright, 2019). This
mandate applies even if the district will not be providing special
education services.
State of California
➢ Section 56301 (c)(1): The child find process ensures the
equitable participation in special education and related services
of private school students ("California department of education,"
n.d. ).
➢ Section 56302: A local educational agency (LEA) will identify
and assess for exceptional needs of a student. The LEA will also
plan the program to meet the assessed needs ("California
department of education," n.d. ).

5. ➢ Traditional teacher and support service provider
➢ Performs services with and for special education students
(includes services not related to teaching)
➢ Create an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) for each
special education student and share with student's family
and teachers
➢ Collaborate with student's family and teachers
➢ Evaluate and report on the progress of each special
education student
➢ Must always be in compliance with:
➢ Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA)
➢Child Find
➢ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
➢ Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Expectations
of the
Profession

6. Code of
Ethics
I. Members nurture the academic, psychological, physical, and social
potential of children with special needs.
II. Members apply their professional knowledge to create a professional
and supportive environment for children with special needs.
III. Members commit to their own learning in order to develop their
professional development.
IV. Members respect, support, and collaborate with colleagues and other
professionals in the interest of children with special needs with whom
they work.
V. Members collaborate with parents of children with special needs and
community, building trust and respecting confidentiality.
VI. Members advance the intellectual and ethical foundation of the
learning community.
The American Academy of Special Education Professionals (2022)

7. Meeting the
Needs of All
Learners
Advocatingfor Inclusiveness
"The concept of inclusivepractices implies that students are more alike than different
and that all studentsshould be welcomed members of their learning
communities" (Friend, & Bursuck 2019, p. 65).
"In a statewidestudy, researchers found that students with disabilitieswho spent
more time in general educationpassed the eighth-grade assessment at a higher rate
than similar studentswith disabilitieswho were educated in special education
settings. Students comparablein abilityeducated in general educationsettings also
have been found to graduatefrom high school at a higher rate than those educated
in special educationsettings" (Friend, & Bursuck 2019, p. 70).
One parent commented that when her fourth-grade son with autism was integrated
into a general educationclassroom for most of the day, his behaviorimprovedboth
at school and at home. She also noted that the other students in the class were
clearly kind to her son, and she was grateful that they sought him out on the
playgroundand chose him as a lunch partner" (Friend, & Bursuck 2019, p. 71).

8. Inclusiveness
➢ Physical Integration
➢ Students will be in the general education setting when
appropriate and as often as possible.
➢ Social Integration
• Nurturing relationships with peers.
• Participating in class discussions (speaking, blogs)
• Participation in group work.
➢ Instructional Integration:
• Same curriculum used in the general education classrooms
• Individualized, appropriate modifications will be made to
student expectations.
• Assistivetechnology
(Friend, & Bursuck, 2019)

9. Promoting
Learners to
Reach their
Full Potential
➢ High Expectations
➢ Learning Strategies
➢ Based on individual needs
➢ Use prompts and models to teach the steps to strategies and
learn when and why we use particular strategies.
➢ Co-teaching
➢ Integrate Modification into General Education Classroom
➢ Small Group Interventions in Classroom
➢ Given by general education teacher
➢ Attended by nondisabled peers who can benefit from the
intervention
➢ Use Core Competencies to Monitor Student Progress
➢ Modified assessments
(Friend, & Bursuck, 2019)

10. Demonstrating
Respect
Modeling Expected Behavior
➢ Communicate respect and trust to all students
➢ All class members have a valuable contribution to make
➢ Teachers build the quality of communication with all students
➢ We get to know your students' interests, inside and outside of
school
➢ Prioritize giving positive comments
➢ Behavior Management/Expectations
➢ Clearly stated, explained, and posted in the classroom
➢ Inclusive rules for a diverse classroom
➢ Consistent consequences (the same consequences for everyone)
➢ Monitor behavior frequently
(Friend, & Bursuck, 2019)

11. Collaboration
(Friend, & Bursuck, 2019)
➢ Daily communication with your student
➢ Bi-weeklymeetings with specialists, general education
teachers, and administration to discuss:
➢ Shared goals
➢ Planning
➢ Progress
➢ Behavior
➢ New ideas
➢ Shared problem-solving
➢ Monthly written communication to parents
➢ Success stories
➢ Current challenges
➢ Quarterly meetings between parents, specialist, general
education teachers, and principal
➢ Discuss progress
➢ Shared problem-solving

12. American Academy of Special Education Professionals. (2022). American academy of special education
professionals. http://aasep.org/about-the-academy/code-of-ethics
California department of education. (n.d. ). https://caser.specialedreference.com/
Friend, M., & Bursuck, W. D. (2018). Including students with special needs: A practical guide for classroom
teachers, 8/e (8th ed.). Pearson Education.
Wright, Pamela and Pete (2019). The child find mandate: What does it mean to
you?. https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/child.find.mandate.htm