What is special education?
Special education refers to education for students who may require additional support to be successful students. It also refers to education for those students who will not be able to compete in a regular classroom setting. Since in the US, all children are entitled to receive an education, even those children who lack the mental abilities to take on more advanced education are offered schooling which can help them master basic skills. Thus some special education services may involve separate classrooms for students unable or unready to be in a mainstream course. Other times, special education services may help children with a particular issue. For example, students with speech delays may have speech therapy and students with physical problems might take special occupational therapy courses. This is often done in grammar schools on a pullout basis. A student will attend normal classes but will be called out of the classroom to receive needed services. Occasionally, students with ongoin
Special Education is the term used for a variety of services that are offered for students with disabilities that substantially impact their educational functioning. In order to qualify for special education services, a student must have a documented disability, and such documentation of evaluations and diagnoses must be provided to the school psychologist and the Committee on Special Education. Evaluations can also be conducted here at school by the school psychologist, speech/lanugage therapists, and/or occupational therapist, depending on the area of concern. Special Education services are provided under 13 specific categories, which have specific criteria for qualification: autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, learning disability, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health-impairment, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment including blindness. The documented disability MUST
“Special education” is “specifically designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and instruction in physical education.” 20 U.S.C. Section 1041(29).
Special education teachers cater to students with special needs. These students, whether because of physical, mental or psychological disabilities, must be taught by professionals trained in helping students in need. Federal and state law mandates that every student with a disability, regardless of that disability’s nature, is entitled to an adequate, if not more than adequate, education. This concept sprang directly from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a Federal law enacted in 1974 that sets out special-education requirements with which states must comply. Although periodically revised, this law consistently frames the vital role of the special educator. To become a special education teacher, students must complete a degree program that prepares them to work with special-needs children. This includes classroom training, coursework and completing proper teacher certification. Each state’s Department of Education governs the requirements for average course conten
Text/Print View Normal View Special education describes an educational alternative that focuses on teaching students with academic, behaviorial, health, or physical needs beyond those met by traditional educational programs or techniques. Alert! Important Information for High School Students with Disabilities Leaving School! If your child or loved one is leaving high school, and was enrolled in special education services, he or she may immediately be eligible for services funded by a program called the Support Services Medicaid Waiver. Click here for information about the Support Services Medicaid Waiver and how you can apply. Who is eligible for special education? Children with disabilities from birth to age 21 may be eligible for special education. Children up to age three receive services through the Infants and Toddlers program, provided at home, daycare, or at school. Preschool children may receive school-based therapy services in their home. School-age children usually receive sp
