Leadership, Motivation, Inspiration and Students with Disabilities

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Leadership, Motivation, Inspiration and Students
with Disabilities

• Presentation to the Fine Arts Staff
• August 21, 2007
• Mollie Laut
• Director of Special Education
• Horry County Schools

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As a result of this session, fine arts teachers
will

• Know the major laws impacting the educational
  services for students with disabilities
• Understand how these laws impact fine arts
  teachers
• Understand why fine arts teachers make such a
  difference for individuals with disabilities
• Know where to find support if you have questions

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Who are students with disabilities?
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The Facts

• Students with Disabilities in Horry County
  Schools
• 6,093 Total (December 1, 2006)

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Percentage by Disability in HCS
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National Trends
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Who are the faces of people with disabilities?
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Famous Faces
Walt Disney
Stephen Hawking
George Patton
Agatha Christie
Marlee Matlin
Albert Einstein
James Brady
Mel Tillis
Woodrow Wilson
Helen Keller
Winston Churchill
Bruce Jenner
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Not-So-Famous Faces
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Not-So-Famous Faces
Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek, best known as
Mattie, has been writing poetry and short
stories since age three. Matties poems have
been published in a variety of mediums, including
7 of his own books.
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What are the laws that govern Special Education?

• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) - 2001
• All students must be proficient
• Americans with Disabilities (ADA) elimination
  of discrimination in all areas receiving federal
  funding
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  protects civil rights of persons with
  disabilities
• Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA)
  protection of educational records/confidentiality

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The laws (continued)

• Individuals with Disabilities Education
  Improvement Act (IDEA 04)
• 1975 EHA
• 1 million children excluded from school due to
  disabilities
• large s of students in general ed classes were
  experiencing failure because their disabilities
  had not been detected
• 1990 renamed to IDEA revised
• 1997 revised with key changes
• 2004 IDEA 04

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The Special Education Cycle
Evaluation/Data Collection
Implementation of IEP Services
Collaboration Communication
Eligibility
Placement (Least Restrictive Environment)
IEP Development
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IDEA

• Governs who, what, how and when delivery of
  services to students with disabilities
• Outlined in a document called an IEP
• - Living document, updated at least quarterly,
  changed, if needed
• - Outlines specially designed instruction
  supports

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Major provisions of IDEA 04

• All students with disabilities are entitled/
  guaranteed a free, appropriate public education
  (FAPE)
• An Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be
  developed for each student with a disability
• Parents have the right to participate in planning
  their childs educational program

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Major provisions of IDEA 04 (continued)

• Tests and other assessments used with students
  with disabilities must not discriminate on the
  basis of race, culture, or disability.
• Due process procedures must be in place to
  protect the rights of students with disabilities
  and their parents.
• Contains specific provisions regarding the
  discipline of students with disabilities was
  the misconduct a result of the students
  disability?

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Major provisions of IDEA 04 (continued)

• Federal funding is provided to states to help
  offset the costs of educating students with
  disabilities...ages 3-21
• Students with disabilities must participate in
  statewide assessments accommodations allowed if
  necessary or alternative assessments
• Requires team to develop IEP including
  regular educators and parents

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Major provisions of IDEA 04 (continued)

• Requires IEP to include students involvement
  with and progress in general education curriculum
• Requires the use of research-based interventions
  what works?
• Students with disabilities are to be educated in
  the least restrictive environment, that is, with
  students not identified as having disabilities,
  whenever possible.

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Why are the laws and regulations important to
educators?

• Special Education is one of the most litigated
  areas in the field of education
• The law governing special education is an
  extensive piece of federal legislation and
  subject to endless interpretations
• As an educator, the courts have ruled that
  ignorance of the law does not excuse educators
  from their duty to implement the requirements

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So what does this legal information mean to me?

• You will have students with disabilities in your
  classroom
• They will be your responsibility while in your
  classroom
• You will be an active contributing member of an
  IEP Team
• They have a right to be in your classroom just as
  all students do

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What do you need to know?

• What are the students accommodations while in
  your classroom
• Who is the students special education teacher
  and how will you communicate with her/him
• How will you communicate with the students
  parents
• How will you use a paraprofessional if assigned
  to work with a student?

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What is LRE?

• Full-day Regular Class
• Full-day Regular Class with Consultative Services
• Full-day Regular Class with Direct Special
  Education Services
• Part-day Regular Class with Part-Day Special
  Education Services
• Full-day Special Education Class with Part-day
  Regular (social)
• Full-day Special Education Class
• Full-time Special Residential School
• Home/Hospital

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What makes special education so special?

• Special Education is not a place. It is a set of
  services provided to/for a student with
  disabilities.

Accommodations
Co-Teaching
Assistive Technology
Strategic Interventions
Intensive Interventions
Content Enhancement Routines
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Special Education IS Support Services

• IDEA says
• A student qualifies as a student with a
  disability under set criteria and
• Needs specially designed instruction
• Adapting the content, methodology or delivery of
  instruction to address the needs of the student.
• Ensuring access to the general curriculum so the
  student can meet the educational standards of the
  district.

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When work, commitment and pleasure all become one
and you reach that deep well where passion lives,
nothing is impossible.

• Talk with your neighbor about
• How this quote is relevant to your work with all
  students in your school, and
• why you receive all the students with
  disabilities in your class

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Language is a powerful tool

• Be sure to use people first language
• Example a student with a learning disability
• Nonexample a self contained student
• Emphasize abilities
• Example uses a wheelchair, or walks with
  crutches
• Nonexample is crippled or confined to a
  wheelchair

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One last note of encouragement