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This column provides information related to the ARD Committee Meeting Process                (~DR. JCB~) 

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This column provides information related to the ARD Committee Meeting Process                (~DR. JCB~) 

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The IEP Team

To write an effective IEP for a child with a disability, parents, teachers, other school staff-and often the child-come together at a meeting to look closely at the child's unique needs.

These individuals combine their knowledge, experience, and commitment to design an educational program that must help the child to be involved in, and progress in, the general education curriculum-that is, the same curriculum as for children without disabilities. The IEP guides the delivery of special education and related services and supplementary aids and supports for the child with a disability. Without a doubt, writing-and implementing-an effective IEP requires teamwork.

In Spanish | En español - Más Sobre el Equipo del IEP

So-who's on the team? Here's a list, as specified in IDEA, our nation's special education law. Note that the order in which the IEP team members are going to be listed and discussed has nothing to do with their priority on the team. Every member has an equal say and important expertise to contribute.

In Texas, the IEP Team is called the ARD committee and an IEP meeting is referred to as an ARD meeting (ARD stands for Admission, Review and Dismissal).

The IEP Team, Short and Sweet

IDEA (at §300.321) describes the IEP team as including the following members:

- the parents of the child;

- not less than one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment);

- not less than one special education teacher of the child, or where appropriate, not less then one special education provider of the child;

- a representative of the public agency who is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities; is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum; and is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency;

- an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results;

- other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate (invited at the discretion of the parent or the agency); and

- the child with a disability (when appropriate).

The IEP Team, Discussed in Detail

There's a lot that can be said about each of these members of the IEP team, what their roles on the team are, what type of information and expertise they can bring to the table, and what, precisely, IDEA has to say about their membership on this all-important team.

1. Parents on the IEP Team

Parents of the child with a disability are vital members of the IEP team, with an expertise to contribute like no one else's.

Learn more about Parents on the IEP Team

Parents have been recognized as vital members of the IEP Team since the passage of Public Law 94-142 in 1975. Everyone agrees that parents have an enduring and passionate interest in the well-being and education of their child.

So it makes perfect sense that Congress would ensure that parents are represented on the IEP Team, front and center. The school must invite the parents to the IEP meeting early enough to ensure that one or both parents have the opportunity to attend and participate. The notice must include: the purpose of the meeting, its time, and location, and who will attend.

Typically, parents know their child very well-not just the child's strengths and weaknesses, but all the little qualities that make their child unique. Parents' knowledge can keep the team focused on the "big picture" of the child; they can help the team to create an IEP that will work appropriately for the child. Parents can describe what goals are most important to them and to their child, share their concerns and suggestions for enhancing their child's education, and give insights into their son or daughter's interests, likes and dislikes, and learning styles. By being an active IEP team member, parents can also infuse the IEP planning process with thought about long-term needs for the child's successful adult life.

Being actively involved in developing their child's IEP is a parent's right and a parent's choice. This means that the school system must: notify parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that one or both of the parents have an opportunity to attend [§300.322(a)(1)]; schedule the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place [§300.322(a)(2)]; and take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings of the meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents with deafness or whose native language is other than English [§300.322(e)].

2. Special Educators on the IEP Team

Special educators, with their knowledge of how to educate children with disabilities, are obviously a very important part of a child's IEP team.

Learn more about Special Educators on the IEP Team

At least one of the child's special education teachers must be included in the IEP team, or, when appropriate, a special education provider of the child.
The child's special education teacher has a lot to contribute at the IEP team meeting, including important information and experience about how to educate children with disabilities. Because of his or her training in special education, this teacher can talk about such issues as: how to modify the general education curriculum to help the child learn; the supplementary aids and services that the child may need to be successful in the regular classroom and elsewhere; how to modify testing or to provide the test with individual appropriate accommodations so that the child can show what he or she has learned; and other aspects of individualizing instruction to meet the child's unique needs.

Beyond helping to write the IEP, the special educator has responsibility for working with the child to implement the IEP. He or she may: work with the child in a resource room or special class devoted to children receiving special education services; team teach with the child's regular education teacher; and/or work with other school staff, particularly the regular education teacher, to provide expertise about addressing the child's unique needs.

Obviously, having the special educator at the table is a very important part of writing an appropriate IEP for a child with a disability.

3. Regular Educators on the IEP Team

If a child is participating in the regular education environment (or is going to be participating), then IDEA requires that at least one regular educator of the child be included on the IEP team.

Learn more about Regular Educators on the IEP Team

IDEA requires that at least one regular education teacher be represented on the team "if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment."
That's what IDEA says, for starters. IDEA also states that the regular education teacher must, to the extent appropriate, determine "appropriate positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies for the child" [§300.324(a)(3)(i)]. Not insignificantly, the regular educator must also (to the extent appropriate) determine which " supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and support for school personnel" are needed to help the child:

-progress toward attaining the annual goals;
-be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum;
-participate in extracurricular activities and other nonacademic activities; and
-be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and those who are not disabled [§300.324(a)(3)(ii) and §300.320(a)(4)].

The regular education teacher knows the curriculum for a child's grade level and what children in regular education classes are typically expected to do. If the child is going to be educated in the regular education environment for any part of the school day, then the child's regular education teacher may talk at the IEP meeting about what the child will be taught and expected to learn. This information can contribute directly to making decisions about what types of supplementary aids and services the child may need to be successful in that setting. These supports and services might include: adapting the curriculum, providing reading materials written at a lower reading level, using graphics along with written materials, or providing the child with a child assistant.
The regular education teacher may also tell the rest of the team what he or she needs to help the child understand the general curriculum and achieve the goals listed in the IEP. Responsibilities Beyond the IEP Meeting
IDEA requires that at least one regular educator serve on the IEP team, but many children with disabilities have more than one such teacher. It is very important that each of these teachers be well-informed about the child's IEP-what his or her goals are, what classroom or testing accommodations are to be provided, and what supplementary aids and services are necessary so the child can access and progress in the general education curriculum.

Because it's not always possible for all of a child's teachers to attend the IEP meeting, the school system must ensure that each regular education teacher (as well as other service providers working with the child) has access to the child's IEP and is informed of his or her specific responsibilities related to implementing the IEP. It's also a very good idea if teachers regularly review the IEPs of their students, refreshing their memory of the details and monitoring how well the IEP is addressing the child's needs, progress, and learning.

If the IEP needs to be revised to address either lack of progress or great progress, teachers responsible for the child's education are invaluable in alerting the rest of the team that it's time to gather and discuss what adjustments need to be made.

4. A Representative of the School System

The IEP team must also include a representative of the school system, who has the authority to commit agency resources. This person must have specific qualifications. Find out what those are.

Learn more about Representative of the School System on the IEP Team

Every IEP team must include a "representative of the public agency" responsible for educating the child in question, according to IDEA. By "public agency," we're usually talking about the school system-the local educational agency, for example.
This person must be: qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities; knowledgeable about general education curriculum; and knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency.

The phrase "qualified to provide specially designed instruction" is closely tied to the definition of special education, which begins, "The term special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability..." [§300.39(a)(1)]
Thus, the representative from the public agency who is serving on the IEP Team must be qualified to provide special education or supervise its provision.
The last bullet is very important, too, as to this person's qualifications. He or she "must be knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency." It doesn't do any good to sit and plan in a vacuum, wondering what type of help is available and if someone will actually commit that help on behalf of the child. The public agency representative must know what resources the school has available. This person must also have the power to commit the resources needed so that services can be provided as described in the child's IEP and be able to ensure that whatever services are described in the IEP will actually be provided.

IDEA also states that the public agency may designate another public agency member of the IEP Team to also serve as the agency representative, as long as that person has the qualifications required for the public agency representative. Thus, it's possible that the public agency representative may also be serving on the team in another role.

5. Someone to Interpret Evaluation Results

Is there someone on the IEP team who can interpret the child's evaluation results and discuss what they mean in terms of instruction?

Learn more about Someone to Interpret Evaluation Results on the IEP Team

The IEP Team must also include an individual who can interpret what the child's evaluation results mean in terms of designing appropriate instruction. As stated in IDEA, this is "an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results."
What this person contributes to the IEP meeting
There may be quite a stack of scores and totals on various tests of performance or other measures the child has completed as part of the evaluation process in special education. This is especially true if this IEP meeting is taking place after the initial evaluation conducted to determine if the child, indeed, has a disability and is eligible for special education.

Results may also be available from: statewide or districtwide assessments, class work, observations, outside evaluations that the parents have arranged, and so forth.

Somehow the team has to move from scores to instruction...and this is the person who brings that knowledge to the IEP team meeting table.
Putting the evaluation results to use
The evaluation results are very useful in determining how the child is currently doing in school and what areas of need the child has. This is one of the evaluation's explicit purposes as reflected in IDEA's definition of evaluation at §300.15, which reads:
§ 300.15 Evaluation. Evaluation means procedures used in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 to determine whether a child has a disability and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs.
This IEP team member must be able to talk about the instructional implications of the child's evaluation results, which will help the team plan appropriate instruction to address the child's needs. He or she may be a member of the team already, such as the child's special education teacher or the public agency representative, or may be someone else entirely, such as the school psychologist.

6. Others with Knowledge or Special Expertise About the Child

Either the parent or the school system may invite others to join the team, if they have knowledge or special expertise about the child. This can include related service providers.

Learn more about Others with Knowledge or Special Expertise on the IEP Team

According to IDEA, the IEP Team may also include additional individuals with knowledge or special expertise about the child. These individuals participate as members of the team at the discretion of the parents or the school system, meaning that either the parent or the school system invites their participation. IDEA specifically mentions that such individuals may include related services personnel, as appropriate.

Examples of such individuals:

Parents may invite a friend or relative who knows the child, a professional with special expertise about the child and his or her disability, or others (such as a vocational educator who has been working with the child) who can talk about the child's strengths and/or needs.

The school system may invite one or more individuals who can offer special expertise or knowledge about the child, such as a paraprofessional or related services professional.
Who decides if the individual has the necessary knowledge or expertise?
What type of knowledge or special expertise does this person have to have about the child, or how much knowledge or expertise, in order to be "a person with knowledge or special expertise?" And who decides whether or not that person actually does have that knowledge or special expertise?

IDEA does not answer these questions. However, it does say that it is "the party (parents or public agency) who invited the individual to be a member of the IEP Team" who makes the determination of whether or not the person invited has the knowledge or special expertise about the child [§300.321(d)].
About Related Services
An important part of developing an IEP is considering a child's need for related services. That's why related service professionals are often involved as IEP team members or participants. They share their special expertise about the child's needs and how their own professional services can address those needs.

Depending on the child's individual needs, some related service professionals attending the IEP meeting or otherwise helping to develop the IEP might include: occupational or physical therapists, adaptive physical education providers, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.

The key here is that the person must know the child and have special expertise about his or her needs or strengths.
Want more information about Related Services? Visit our Related Services in the IEP page to learn more >

7. Student with a Disability on the IEP Team

Of course, the student with a disability might have something to say about his or her own education!

Learn more about Students on the IEP Team

Operating on the premise that the student with a disability- who is the focus of all this discussion and planning- may have something vital to contribute to planning his or her educational program and future, IDEA clearly provides for the child's inclusion in, and participation on, the IEP Team whenever appropriate.

Specifically, IDEA: provides that the public agency must include the child with a disability at the IEP meeting "whenever appropriate, and requires that the child be invited to attend the meeting "if the purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals for the child and the transition services needed to assist the child in reaching those goals" [§300.320(b)].

As you can see, if transition goals and services are going to be discussed, the student with a disability must be invited to attend the meeting.
Who decides if the student attends the meeting?
Other than the requirement that the child must be invited to attend the IEP meeting if transition planning is going to be considered at the meeting-who decides when and how a child may participate in an IEP meeting? This issue was addressed in the Analysis of Comments and Changes in the preamble to the final Part B regulations. The Department of Education explained:
Until the child reaches the age of majority under State law, unless the rights of the parent to act for the child are extinguished or otherwise limited, only the parent has the authority to make educational decisions for the child under Part B of the Act, including whether the child should attend an IEP meeting. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46671)
In reality, parents and children often make this decision together. It's not uncommon for parents and even teachers to encourage children to take part in developing their own IEPs. Some children in elementary school come to the meeting just to learn a little about the process or to share information about themselves.

As children get older, it may be a good idea to encourage them to take a more active role. This allows them to have a strong voice in their own education and can teach them a great deal about self-advocacy and self-determination. Older children may even lead the IEP meeting, and specific materials exist to help them get ready for such a role.

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The IEP Team To write an effective IEP for a child with a disability, parents, teachers, other school staff-and often the child-come together at a meeting to look closely at the child's unique needs.

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This column provides information related to parent rights & resources             (~DR. JCB~)

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This column provides information related to parent rights & resources             (~DR. JCB~)

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This column provides information about Special Education Qualifying Criteria              (~DR. JCB~)

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This column provides information about Special Education Qualifying Criteria              (~DR. JCB~)

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This column provides information related to the SPED Referral Process     (~DR. JCB~) 

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This column provides information related Beliefs & Blind Spots                         (~DR. JCB~)

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This column provides information related Beliefs & Blind Spots                         (~DR. JCB~)

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This column provides information related to parent resources by Region          (~DR. JCB~)

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This column provides information related to Special Education Services & Settings           (~DR. JCB~) 

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Chaos in a Suit
ESC Region 12 SPED Liaison
Office: 254-297-1150
Cell: 254-242-4586
jbullion@esc12.net

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Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.’” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

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The End of Average: Harvard's Todd Rose on Why Individuality Is the Key to the Future

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"DON'T LIMIT ME!"- Powerful message from Megan with Down Syndrome

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Explore special education resources to help your family understand your child's disability, navigate your rights under IDEA, and collaborate with schools to support special education services.

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Helping Families Navigate Special Education in Texas

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Explore special education resources to help your family understand your child's disability, navigate your rights under IDEA, and collaborate with schools to support special education services.

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Student: Age 0-3
Student: Age 3-5
Student: Age 5-11
Student: Age 11-15
Student: Age 16-21

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10 Basic Steps in the Special Education Process

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en Español * Share *

Early Childhood Intervention (Not a program of Texas Education Agency)

Individual Family Service Plan - Writing the IFSP for your Family (Center for Parent Information & Resources)
Special Education Process:
Evaluation

Disability vs Diagnosis - Defining Eligibility

I ndividual Education Program

Additional Services & Considerations ( Special Factors)
Other Resources:
Act Early Texas! - Provides parents & professionals a tool to identify areas in which a child's development may differ from same age peers.

Center for Social & Emotional Foundations for Early Learning - Promoting Social and Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children - Training modules, Role Play, Videos

Daycare Options

Disability Resources

Early Childhood Education - What Works Clearinghouse review of interventions

Infant & Toddler Developmental Checklists

Learn the Signs! Act Early - Learn more about childhood development, including early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders, and encourages developmental screening and intervention.

Legal Framework for the Child Centered Process

Parent Companion: First Five Years - Information, inspiration and resources for Texas parents of children with disabilities, birth to 5 years of age

Preschool Curriculum

Simple ARD/IEP Agenda

State & Community Resources - Long term services and supports

Technical Assistance Center on Social/Emotional Intervention of Young Children - TACSEI

Zero to Three (Early Childhood Resources) - The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.

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en Español * Share * Early Childhood Intervention (Not a program of Texas Education Agency) Individual Family Service Plan - Writing the IFSP for your Family (Center for Parent Information & Resources) Special Education Process: Evaluation Disability vs Diagnosis - Defining Eligibility I ndividual Education Program Additional Services & Considerations ( Special Factors) Other Resources: Act Early Texas!

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SPEDTex
Education Service Centers
TEA Special Education Link
TEA SPED Resources
Partners Resource Network(PRN)
PRN Fact Sheets
Texas Project First
Texas Parent to Parent
Parent Companion
Parent Coordination Network
Parent Center Hub
Parent and Family Resources
Navigate Life Texas
Online Courses
Parent Blog
Texas School Report Cards
PGC Parent Resources

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Step 1: Request for Evaluation
Step 2: Review of Existing Eval Data
Step 3: Notice of Rights
Step 4: Parent Consent
Step 5: Evaluation Process
Step 6: ARD/IEP Planning
Step 7: ARD/IEP Meeting
Step 8: On-Going Data Collection
Step 9: Review, Recommend, Revise

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Introductions/Reason for ARD
Review Evaluation Data
Determination of Eligibility
Transition Planning
Present Levels of Performance
Special Factors
Goals & Objectives
Accommodations
Supplementary Aides/Services
Related Services
Transportation
State/District Assessments
Gen Ed/Spec  Ed Coordination
Grading & Progress Monitoring
Placement Determination
Least Restrictive Environment
Consensus/NonConsensus

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Partners Resource Network (PRN) has been empowering families of children and youth with disabilities since 1986.

We can help you understand your child's disability, understand your rights and responsibilities under IDEA, obtain and evaluate resources and services, and effectively participate as an equal team member with professionals in planning services for your child.

Call us at 1.800.866.4726 or email us to be connected with our person assisting parents and families in your area.

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John C. Bullion is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with John C. Bullion and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.

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Child with a Disability

The definition of "child with a disability" explains how and why children are found to be eligible - or ineligible - for special education and related services under IDEA. A "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, is entitled to a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet the child's unique needs.

IDEA's definition and beyond

IDEA's definition of "child with a disability" includes definitions of specific disabilities such as intellectual disability, learning disabilities, and other health impairment. IDEA's definitions guide how states define disability and who is eligible for FAPE. So it's important for parents to know both how IDEA and their state define individual disabilities.

Note that, in order to fully meet the definition (and eligibility for special education and related services) as a "child with a disability," a child's educational performance must be adversely affected due to the disability. Note also that "educational performance" is not limited to academic performance.

Where "child with a disability" is defined in IDEA | 34 CFR §300.8

The complete definition of "child with a disability" is quite long, so we have not included the verbatim definition in this reference list, only the first paragraph of the definition, which reads:
(a) General. (1) Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as ''emotional disturbance''), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. Read IDEA Sec. 300.8 Child with a disability
Categories of Disability Under IDEA

The IDEA's disability terms and definitions guide how States in their own turn define disability and who is eligible for a free appropriate public education under special education law. The definitions of these specific disability terms from the IDEA regulations are shown beneath each term listed below. Note, in order to fully meet the definition (and eligibility for special education and related services) as a "child with a disability," a child's educational performance must be adversely affected due to the disability.
Considering the Meaning of "Adversely Affects"
You may have noticed that the phrase "adversely affects educational performance" appears in most of the disability definitions. This does not mean, however, that a child has to be failing in school to receive special education and related services. According to IDEA, states must make a free appropriate public education available to "any individual child with a disability who needs special education and related services, even if the child has not failed or been retained in a course or grade, and is advancing from grade to grade." [§300.101(c)(1)]
In the list below, if a disability term is linked, clicking on the link will take you to a fact sheet for that particular disability and to other related information.
1. Autism...
...means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in #5 below.

A child who shows the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the criteria above are satisfied.
2. Deaf-Blindness...
...means concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.

...means a hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

4. Developmental Delay...

...for children from birth to age three (under IDEA Part C) and children from ages three through nine (under IDEA Part B), the term developmental delay, as defined by each State, means a delay in one or more of the following areas: physical development; cognitive development; communication; social or emotional development; or adaptive [behavioral] development.
5. Emotional Disturbance...
...means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:

(a) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(b) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(c) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(d) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(e) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.
6. Hearing Impairment...
...means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but is not included under the definition of "deafness."
7. Intellectual Disability...
...means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

( Editor's Note, February 2011: "Intellectual Disability" is a new term in IDEA. Until October 2010, the law used the term "mental retardation." In October 2010, Rosa's Law was signed into law by President Obama. Rosa's Law changed the term to be used in future to "intellectual disability." The definition of the term itself did not change and is what has just been shown above.
8. Multiple Disabilities...
...means concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as intellectual disability-blindness, intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.
9. Orthopedic Impairment...
...means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g.,cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).
10. Other Health Impairment...
...means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that-

(a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and

(b) adversely affects a child's educational performance.
11. Specific Learning Disability...
...means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.
12. Speech or Language Impairment...
...means a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
13. Traumatic Brain Injury...
...means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech.

The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.
14. Visual Impairment Including Blindness...
...means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

FAPE | Free Appropriate Public Education

FAPE is an acronym that stands for free appropriate public education.

A cornerstone of IDEA, our nation's special education law, is that each eligible child with a disability is entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet the child's unique needs and that prepares the child for further education, employment, and independent living.
300.17 Free appropriate public education Free appropriate public education or FAPE means special education and related services that- (a) Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge; (b) Meet the standards of the SEA [State Education Agency], including the requirements of this part; (c) Include an appropriate preschool, elementary school, or secondary school education in the State involved; and (d) Are provided in conformity with an individualized education program (IEP) that meets the requirements of §§300.320 through 300.324. Read IDEA Sec. 300.17 Free appropriate public education
OSEP's Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE (2015, November 16)

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) released this Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) (1) to provide state and local educational agencies (SEAs/LEAs) with information to help them meet their obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in developing individualized education programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities. In particular, the Department stressed the importance of:

holding high expectations for children with disabilities;

ensuring that children with disabilities have meaningful access to the academic content standards set by their state; and

aligning each child's IEP with the state's academic content standards for the grade in which the child is enrolled.

The Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE is available online.
The Connection Between FAPE and the IEP
As OSEP's Dear Colleague Letter states: "Under the IDEA, the primary vehicle for providing FAPE is through an appropriately developed IEP that is based on the individual needs of the child." ( Emphasis added)

Access to the General Education Curriculum

One of the main points OSEP emphasized in its DCL on FAPE is that schools, school districts, and states must ensure that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum, the same curriculum that's used with students who do not have disabilities. That curriculum is typically aligned with the state's academic content standards for what students are to learn and be able to do at each grade level, kindergarten-grade 12.

If students with disabilities are to be held to high learning standards, their IEPs must be developed with the state academic content standards firmly in mind.

Aligning Student IEP Goals with State Standards for Learning

The DCL on FAPE includes an excellent description of how an IEP Team might approach aligning a student's annual learning goals with the state-set academic standards for the student's enrolled grade. The IEP process can include the team asking and answering questions such as:

What are the state's standards for student learning at this student's enrolled grade?

What are the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance?

How does the student's disability impact his or her learning, especially learning of academic content?

What gaps exist between the set standards and the student's present levels?

What annual goals are indicated for the student, given those gaps?

What supports (special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, modifications and accommodations) does the student need to work toward those annual goals and learn the expected academic content and skills?

The IEP that emerges from this approach is a standards-based IEP that guides the free appropriate public education that a student with disabilities then receives.

Resources on Standards-Based IEPs

Need more information on how to develop a standards-based IEP? We've listed several resources below, including helpful tools developed by three states.

Understanding the Standards-Based Individualized Education Program (IEP)
An 11-page Advocacy Brief from the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
https://www.advocacyinstitute.org/resources/UnderstandingStandards-basedIEPs.pdf

Standards-Based IEPs: What You Need to Know
Available in:

English | https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/standards-based-ieps-what-you-need-to-know

Spanish | https://www.understood.org/es-mx/school-learning/special-services/ieps/standards-based-ieps-what-you-need-to-know

Content Standards: Connecting Standards-Based Curriculum to Instructional Planning
Teachers are required to implement the adopted content standards and to make the connection between standards-based curriculum and the planning and designing of lessons to ensure that students meet expected content standards. This IRIS module serves as a basic guide for the process (estimated completion time: 2.5 hours).
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/cnm/

Developing Standards-Based IEPs and Determining Appropriate Instructional Accommodations
A 60-slide PowerPoint slideshow and training in PDF (651 kb), from the Georgia Department of Education.
https://tinyurl.com/hnj4ohf

Standards-Based IEPs | From the Virginia Department of Education
A wealth of resources, including a guidance document, online training and PowerPoint presentations, and skill worksheets that identify VA standards at each grade level K-12 in math and English language arts, examples of measurable goals in a standards-based IEP, and more.
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/iep_instruct_svcs/stds-based_iep/

Developing Standards-Based IEP Goals and Objectives: A Discussion Guide
A 12-page discussion guide (PDF, 523 kb) from the Minnesota Department of Education, designed to help IEP teams develop standards-based IEP goals and objectives. Read Developing Standards-Based IEP Goals and Objectives: A Discussion Guide

IDEA | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

IDEA is an acronym for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, our nation's special education law.

IDEA was first passed in 1975, where it was called the Education for All Handicapped Children's Act. Every few years, the law has been revised (a process called reauthorization).

The most current version of IDEA is Public Law 108-446, passed in 2004 and called the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004." It's still most commonly referred to as IDEA, or IDEA 2004 (to distinguish it from other reauthorizations). Final regulations for IDEA 2004 were published in 2006.

Exact Words of IDEA

Read the IDEA Statute and Regulations on the ed.gov website at https://sites.ed.gov/idea/statuteregulations/

IEP | Individualized Education Program

IEP is an acronym for Individualized Education Program.

IDEA defines this term as follows:
§300.22 Individualized education program Individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for a child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with §§300.320 through 300.324.
As the OSEP Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE makes clear, the primary vehicle for providing FAPE is through an appropriately developed IEP. The DCL focuses extensively on components of the IEP that contribute directly to holding children with disabilities to high standards while also ensuring that their education includes needed supports and services-IEP components such as

the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance;

the annual goals set for the child; and

the special education, related services, and supplementary aids and services that will be provided to support the child's progress toward the annual goals.

You'll see all of those terms in the law's description of the IEP.

Where the Term is Defined in IDEA

34 CFR §300.320, as follows:
§300.320 Definition of individualized education program (a) General. As used in this part, the term individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting in accordance with §§300.320 through 300.324, and that must include- (1) A statement of the child's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including- (i) How the child's disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children); or (ii) For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities; (2)(i) A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to- (A) Meet the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and (B) Meet each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability; (ii) For children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives; (3) A description of- (i) How the child's progress toward meeting the annual goals described in paragraph (2) of this section will be measured; and (ii) When periodic reports on the progress the child is making toward meeting the annual goals (such as through the use of quarterly or other periodic reports, concurrent with the issuance of report cards) will be provided; (4) A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided to enable the child- (i) To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals; (ii) To be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section, and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and (iii) To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section; (5) An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section; (6)(i) A statement of any individual appropriate accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on State and districtwide assessments consistent with §612(a)(16) of the Act; and (ii) If the IEP Team determines that the child must take an alternate assessment instead of a particular regular State or districtwide assessment of student achievement, a statement of why- (A) The child cannot participate in the regular assessment; and (B) The particular alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child; and (7) The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications. (b) Transition services. Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include- (1) Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and (2) The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. (c) Transfer of rights at age of majority. Beginning not later than one year before the child reaches the age of majority under State law, the IEP must include a statement that the child has been informed of the child's rights under Part B of the Act, if any, that will transfer to the child on reaching the age of majority under §300.520. (d) Construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require- (1) That additional information be included in a child's IEP beyond what is explicitly required in section 614 of the Act; or (2) The IEP Team to include information under one component of a child's IEP that is already contained under another component of the child's IEP.
Unofficial Definition of IEP in Spanish - http://www.parentcenterhub.org/definicion-iep/

For more information on IEPs

LRE | Least Restrictive Environment

LRE is an acronym that stands for least restrictive environment.

IDEA does not define "least restrictive environment" in its definitions section. However, it requires that each student receive special education and related services in the "least restrictive environment" and describes what this means. These provisions appear in the final Part B regulations at §§300.114 through 300.120, as part of IDEA's provisions addressing "State Eligibility." The core of IDEA's LRE provisions are at §300.114, cited below.
(a) General. (1) Except as provided in §300.324(d)(2) (regarding children with disabilities in adult prisons), the State must have in effect policies and procedures to ensure that public agencies in the State meet the LRE requirements of this section and §§ 300.115 through 300.120. (2) Each public agency must ensure that- (i) To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled; and (ii) Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. (b) Additional requirement-State funding mechanism-(1) General. (i) A State funding mechanism must not result in placements that violate the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section; and (ii) A State must not use a funding mechanism by which the State distributes funds on the basis of the type of setting in which a child is served that will result in the failure to provide a child with a disability FAPE according to the unique needs of the child, as described in the child's IEP. (2) Assurance. If the State does not have policies and procedures to ensure compliance with paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the State must provide the Secretary an assurance that the State will revise the funding mechanism as soon as feasible to ensure that the mechanism does not result in placements that violate that paragraph.
For more information on LRE

Partners Resource Network offers a suite of information about LRE and its role in determining children's placement (where they will receive FAPE and needed special education and related services). The suite includes a short-and-sweet overview; a detailed summary of the interplay between LRE, FAPE, and placement; and how school disciplinary actions can affect a child's placement.

Where will a student with a disability receive his or her special education and related services? IDEA requires placement in the least restrictive environment (LRE) for each child, a setting that is based on the child's IEP. Use the options and paths below to find out more about:

who decides placement;

how they decide it;

what LRE is and why it's a foundation element in IDEA and in deciding a child's placement; and

how placement can be affected if a child with a disability violates certain codes of student content.

Related Services

As the OSEP Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE discusses, pivotal elements in helping children with disabilities achieve to high standards in the general education curriculum for their grade level are the supports they receive in the classroom and elsewhere in the school, especially special education and related services. The related services that a student receives are based upon his or her unique needs related to disability. So it's important to know what kinds of related services are available and which would appropriately support the student's learning.

Related services help children with disabilities benefit from their special education by providing extra help and support in needed areas, such as speaking or moving. Related services can include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

speech-language pathology and audiology services

interpreting services

psychological services

physical and occupational therapy

recreation, including therapeutic recreation

early identification and assessment of disabilities in children

counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling

orientation and mobility services

medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes

school health services and school nurse services

social work services in schools

parent counseling and training

Related services in IDEA | §300.34
(a) General. Related services means transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes speech-language pathology and audiology services, interpreting services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, early identification and assessment of disabilities in children, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, and medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes. Related services also include school health services and school nurse services, social work services in schools, and parent counseling and training. (b) Exception; services that apply to children with surgically implanted devices, including cochlear implants. (1) Related services do not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, the optimization of that device's functioning (e.g., mapping), maintenance of that device, or the replacement of that device. (2) Nothing in paragraph (b)(1) of this section- (i) Limits the right of a child with a surgically implanted device (e.g., cochlear implant) to receive related services (as listed in paragraph (a) of this section) that are determined by the IEP Team to be necessary for the child to receive FAPE. (ii) Limits the responsibility of a public agency to appropriately monitor and maintain medical devices that are needed to maintain the health and safety of the child, including breathing, nutrition, or operation of other bodily functions, while the child is transported to and from school or is at school; or (iii) Prevents the routine checking of an external component of a surgically implanted device to make sure it is functioning properly, as required in §300.113(b). (c) Individual related services terms defined. The terms used in this definition are defined as follows: (1) Audiology includes- (i) Identification of children with hearing loss; (ii) Determination of the range, nature, and degree of hearing loss, including referral for medical or other professional attention for the habilitation of hearing; (iii) Provision of habilitative activities, such as language habilitation, auditory training, speech reading (lip-reading), hearing evaluation, and speech conservation; (iv) Creation and administration of programs for prevention of hearing loss; (v) Counseling and guidance of children, parents, and teachers regarding hearing loss; and (vi) Determination of children's needs for group and individual amplification, selecting and fitting an appropriate aid, and evaluating the effectiveness of amplification. (2) Counseling services means services provided by qualified social workers, psychologists, guidance counselors, or other qualified personnel. (3) Early identification and assessment of disabilities in children means the implementation of a formal plan for identifying a disability as early as possible in a child's life. (4) Interpreting services includes- (i) The following, when used with respect to children who are deaf or hard of hearing: Oral transliteration services, cued language transliteration services, sign language transliteration and interpreting services, and transcription services, such as communication access real-time translation (CART), C-Print, and TypeWell; and (ii) Special interpreting services for children who are deaf-blind. (5) Medical services means services provided by a licensed physician to determine a child's medically related disability that results in the child's need for special education and related services. (6) Occupational therapy- (i) Means services provided by a qualified occupational therapist; and (ii) Includes- (A) Improving, developing, or restoring functions impaired or lost through illness, injury, or deprivation; (B) Improving ability to perform tasks for independent functioning if functions are impaired or lost; and (C) Preventing, through early intervention, initial or further impairment or loss of function. (7) Orientation and mobility services- (i) Means services provided to blind or visually impaired children by qualified personnel to enable those students to attain systematic orientation to and safe movement within their environments in school, home, and community; and (ii) Includes teaching children the following, as appropriate: (A) Spatial and environmental concepts and use of information received by the senses (such as sound, temperature and vibrations) to establish, maintain, or regain orientation and line of travel (e.g., using sound at a traffic light to cross the street); (B) To use the long cane or a service animal to supplement visual travel skills or as a tool for safely negotiating the environment for children with no available travel vision; (C) To understand and use remaining vision and distance low vision aids; and (D) Other concepts, techniques, and tools. (8)(i) Parent counseling and training means assisting parents in understanding the special needs of their child; (ii) Providing parents with information about child development; and (iii) Helping parents to acquire the necessary skills that will allow them to support the implementation of their child's IEP or IFSP. (9) Physical therapy means services provided by a qualified physical therapist. (10) Psychological services includes- (i) Administering psychological and educational tests, and other assessment procedures; (ii) Interpreting assessment results; (iii) Obtaining, integrating, and interpreting information about child behavior and conditions relating to learning; (iv) Consulting with other staff members in planning school programs to meet the special educational needs of children as indicated by psychological tests, interviews, direct observation, and behavioral evaluations; (v) Planning and managing a program of psychological services, including psychological counseling for children and parents; and (vi) Assisting in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies. (11) Recreation includes- (i) Assessment of leisure function; (ii) Therapeutic recreation services; (iii) Recreation programs in schools and community agencies; and (iv) Leisure education. (12) Rehabilitation counseling services means services provided by qualified personnel in individual or group sessions that focus specifically on career development, employment preparation, achieving independence, and integration in the workplace and community of a student with a disability. The term also includes vocational rehabilitation services provided to a student with a disability by vocational rehabilitation programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq. (13) School health services and school nurse services means health services that are designed to enable a child with a disability to receive FAPE as described in the child's IEP. School nurse services are services provided by a qualified school nurse. School health services are services that may be provided by either a qualified school nurse or other qualified person. (14) Social work services in schools includes- (i) Preparing a social or developmental history on a child with a disability; (ii) Group and individual counseling with the child and family; (iii) Working in partnership with parents and others on those problems in a child's living situation (home, school, and community) that affect the child's adjustment in school; (iv) Mobilizing school and community resources to enable the child to learn as effectively as possible in his or her educational program; and (v) Assisting in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies. (15) Speech-language pathology services includes- (i) Identification of children with speech or language impairments; (ii) Diagnosis and appraisal of specific speech or language impairments; (iii) Referral for medical or other professional attention necessary for the habilitation of speech or language impairments; (iv) Provision of speech and language services for the habilitation or prevention of communicative impairments; and (v) Counseling and guidance of parents, children, and teachers regarding speech and language impairments. (16) Transportation includes- (i) Travel to and from school and between schools; (ii) Travel in and around school buildings; and (iii) Specialized equipment (such as special or adapted buses, lifts, and ramps), if required to provide special transportation for a child with a disability. Unofficial definition in Spanish
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/servicios-relacionados
For more information on related services

Special Education

As the OSEP Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE indicates, special education is at the core of how schools address the needs of students with disabilities and support them in achieving the annual goals stated in their IEPs as aligned with the state's academic content standards. Accordingly, how this term is defined in law and implemented in the real world is extremely important to students, families, and schools.

Where "special education" is defined in IDEA
(a) General. (1) Special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including- (i) Instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and (ii) Instruction in physical education. (2) Special education includes each of the following, if the services otherwise meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section- (i) Speech-language pathology services, or any other related service, if the service is considered special education rather than a related service under State standards; (ii) Travel training; and (iii) Vocational education. (b) Individual special education terms defined. The terms in this definition are defined as follows: (1) At no cost means that all specially-designed instruction is provided without charge, but does not preclude incidental fees that are normally charged to nondisabled students or their parents as a part of the regular education program. (2) Physical education means- (i) The development of- (A) Physical and motor fitness; (B) Fundamental motor skills and patterns; and (C) Skills in aquatics, dance, and individual and group games and sports (including intramural and lifetime sports); and (ii) Includes special physical education, adapted physical education, movement education, and motor development. (3) Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction- (i) To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability; and (ii) To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children. (4) Travel training means providing instruction, as appropriate, to children with significant cognitive disabilities, and any other children with disabilities who require this instruction, to enable them to- (i) Develop an awareness of the environment in which they live; and (ii) Learn the skills necessary to move effectively and safely from place to place within that environment (e.g., in school, in the home, at work, and in the community). (5) Vocational education means organized educational programs that are directly related to the preparation of individuals for paid or unpaid employment, or for additional preparation for a career not requiring a baccalaureate or advanced degree.
IDEA defines "special education" at 34 CFR §300.39, as follows:

Key points about "special education"

When you read the Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE, you'll notice that there are several points made about the nature of "special education." These include that:

Special education is instruction that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. The hallmark of special education is that it is individualized for student needs.

Special education is provided at no cost to parents or students.

Special education can be provided in different locations, depending on student needs. IDEA strongly prefers that students receive their special education services in the general education classroom with their nondisabled peers, as you can see by its LRE provisions.

Special education is not a place, however. It's a set of services, which includes adapting instruction (what's presented, how it's presented) to address the unique needs of the child that result from the disability.

Special education isn't separated from the academic content that students are supposed to learn for their grade. It's meant to support the learning of that academic content. That's why IDEA emphasizes that special education needs to ensure that students with disabilities have access to the general curriculum that all students are expected to learn. And that's why the Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE stresses the importance of aligning a student's goals in the IEP to the academic content for that student's enrolled grade.

Special Education, in Brief

Special education is instruction that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. This means education that is individually developed to address a child's needs that result from his or her disability. Since each child is unique, it is difficult to give an overall example of special education. It is individualized for each child.

Some students may be working at the pre-kindergarten grade level, others at the first, second, or third grade level. There may be students whose special education focuses primarily on speech and language development, cognitive development, or needs related to a physical or learning disability. Special education for any student can consist of:

an individualized curriculum that is different from that of same-age, nondisabled peers (for example, teaching a blind student to read and write using Braille);

the same (general) curriculum as that for nondisabled peers, with adaptations or modifications made for the student (for example, teaching 3rd grade math but including the use of counting tools and assistive technology for the student); and

a combination of these elements.

It is also important to remember that the education, services, and supports outlined in a child's IEP do not necessarily cover that child's entire education. The IEP only addresses those educational needs resulting from the child's disability. If a child needs special education support throughout the school day, for all activities, the IEP will cover all these needs. If the child doesn't need special education support in one or more areas (for example, physical education, music, or science), then the IEP will not include these subjects. The child accesses them through the general curriculum/ class, with no additional special education services.

Adaptations and Modifications

The individualization of instruction is an important part of special education. Instruction and schoolwork are tailored to the needs of the child. Sometimes a student may need to have changes made in class work or routines because of his or her disability. Modifications can be made to:

Sometimes people get confused about what it means to have a modification and what it means to have an accommodation . Usually a modification means a change in what is being taught to or expected from the student. Making an assignment easier so the student is not doing the same level of work as other students is an example of a modification. An accommodation is a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability. Allowing a student who has trouble writing to give his answers orally is an example of an accommodation. This student is still expected to know the same material and answer the same questions as fully as the other students, but he doesn't have to write his answers to show that he knows the information.

What is most important to know about modifications and accommodations is that both are meant to help a child to learn. For example:

Jack is an 8th grade student who has learning disabilities in reading and writing. He is in a regular 8th grade class that is team-taught by a general education teacher and a special education teacher. Modifications and accommodations provided for Jack's daily school routine (and when he takes state or district-wide tests) include the following:

1. Jack will have shorter reading and writing assignments.

2. Jack's textbooks will be based upon the 8th grade curriculum but at his independent reading level (4th grade).

3. Jack will have test questions read/explained to him, when he asks.

Modifications or accommodations are most often made in the following areas:

Scheduling. For example:

giving the student extra time to complete assignments or tests

breaking up testing over several days

Setting. For example:

working in a small group

working one-on-one with the teacher

Materials. For example:

providing audiotaped lectures or books

giving copies of teacher's lecture notes

using large print books, Braille, or books on CD (digital text)

Instruction. For example:

reducing the difficulty of assignments

reducing the reading level

using a student/peer tutor

Student Response. For example:

allowing answers to be given orally or dictated

using a word processor for written work

using sign language, a communication device, Braille, or native language if it is not English.

Where is special education provided?

Special education instruction can be provided in a number of settings, such as: in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings (§300.26). Schools must ensure that a continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of children with disabilities. This continuum must include the placements just mentioned (instruction in regular classes, special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions). Unless a child's IEP requires some other arrangement, the child must be educated in the school he or she would attend if he or she did not have a disability [§300.116(c)].

Special education instruction must be provided to students with disabilities in what is known as the least restrictive environment , or LRE. IDEA includes provisions that ensure that children with disabilities are educated with nondisabled children, to the maximum extent appropriate. Each state must also ensure that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily [§300.114(a)(2)(ii)].

So what does "specially designed instruction" mean?
(3) Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction- (i) To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability; and (ii) To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children. [§300.39(b)(3)]
Given the importance of "specially designed instruction" in the core of special education's definition, it's useful to take a closer look at how that term is defined:

Thus, as part of designing the instruction to fit the needs of a specific child, adaptations may be made in the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction. This is a strong point of pride within the special education field and a considerable accomplishment that's come from 30 years of practice: the individualization of instruction.

As the provisions above show, adaptations can take many forms in response to the child's needs; the field is replete with guidance on this critical part of special education.

What's peer-reviewed research?

Time for another definition-not more from "special education" but, rather, from where this article began-the statement of special education that's required in the IEP. If you look back up, you'll see that the special education a child receives must be "based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable" [§300.320(a)(4)]. What might that mean?

With the passage of the 2004 Amendments to IDEA, some new terms and concepts became part of the IEP process. One such is peer-reviewed research. The term is not formally defined in the IDEA, but the Department of Education's discussion in the Analysis of Comments and Changes may be helpful in understanding the term's general meaning and why no formal definition was included in the regulations:

" Peer-reviewed research " generally refers to research that is reviewed by qualified and independent reviewers to ensure that the quality of the information meets the standards of the field before the research is published. However, there is no single definition of "peer reviewed research"' because the review process varies depending on the type of information to be reviewed. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46664)

The term is used in conjunction with the phrase "to the extent practicable." To better understand what this means and how IEP teams are to apply peer-reviewed research in their selection of services to be provided to a child with a disability, you may find the Department of Education's comments helpful.

States, school districts, and school personnel must...select and use methods that research has shown to be effective, to the extent that methods based on peer-reviewed research are available. This does not mean that the service with the greatest body of research is the service necessarily required for a child to receive FAPE. Likewise, there is nothing in the Act to suggest that the failure of a public agency to provide services based on peer-reviewed research would automatically result in a denial of FAPE. The final decision about the special education and related services, and supplementary aids and services that are to be provided to a child must be made by the child's IEP Team based on the child's individual needs. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46665)

The role of states in determining what special education is

This discussion of special education as a term brings to mind how it is also a process, a system. IDEA may define the term and establish rigorous standards for its implementation, but how special education unfolds in schools is very much a state and local matter. Education is traditionally a state responsibility, with each state vested with the authority to determine its own policies within the parameters of federal requirements. This is one reason why it's so critical to know your state's specific special education policies and requirements.

For more information on special education in Texas, visit the following resources:

Supplementary Aids and Services

If special education and related services are at the core of providing student with disabilities with a free appropriate public education, so, too, are supplementary aids and services for many such students. Supplementary aids and services are often critical elements in supporting the education of children with disabilities in regular classes and their participation in a range of other school activities.
§300.42 Supplementary aids and services Supplementary aids and services means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes, other education-related settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with §§300.114 through 300.116.
Supplementary aids and services defined in IDEA
Unofficial definition in Spanish
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/definicion-suplementario/#def
Read IDEA §300.42 Supplementary aids and services

Examples | Some examples of these additional services and supports are:

adapted equipment-such as a pencil grip, special seat, or cut-out cup for drinking;

a one-on-one aide;

assistive technology-such as a computer, special software, or a communication system;

training for staff, the student, and/or parents;

adapted materials-such as books on tape, large print, or highlighted notes;

peer tutors; and

collaboration/consultation among staff, parents, and/or other professionals (such as an occupational therapist, a behavior specialist, or a mobility specialist).

Who decides what supplementary aids and services a student receives?

The ARD/IEP Team (which includes the parents, and the student no later than age 16) determines what supplementary aids and services are appropriate for a student with a disability, given the student's disability-related needs, the curriculum and academic content to be learned, and the school routine. The team then documents their decision in the IEP.

For more information about supplementary aids and services
(a) Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that- (1) Is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation; (2) Is based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests; and includes- (i) Instruction; (ii) Related services; (iii) Community experiences; (iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and (v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation. (b) Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.
Transition Services

IDEA defines "transition services" as follows:

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The definition of "child with a disability" explains how and why children are found to be eligible - or ineligible - for special education and related services under IDEA. A "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, is entitled to a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet the child's unique needs.

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As the OSEP Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE indicates, special education is at the core of how schools address the needs of students with disabilities and support them in achieving the annual goals stated in their IEPs as aligned with the state's academic content standards. Accordingly, how this term is defined in law and implemented in the real world is extremely important to students, families, and schools.

Where "special education" is defined in IDEA

IDEA defines "special education" at 34 CFR §300.39, as follows:
§300.39 Special education.
(a) General. (1) Special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including-

(i) Instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and

(ii) Instruction in physical education.

(2) Special education includes each of the following, if the services otherwise meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section-

(i) Speech-language pathology services, or any other related service, if the service is considered special education rather than a related service under State standards;

(ii) Travel training; and

(iii) Vocational education.

(b) Individual special education terms defined. The terms in this definition are defined as follows:

(1) At no cost means that all specially-designed instruction is provided without charge, but does not preclude incidental fees that are normally charged to nondisabled students or their parents as a part of the regular education program.

(2) Physical education means-

(i) The development of-

(A) Physical and motor fitness;

(B) Fundamental motor skills and patterns; and

(C) Skills in aquatics, dance, and individual and group games and sports (including intramural and lifetime sports); and

(ii) Includes special physical education, adapted physical education, movement education, and motor development.

(3) Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction-

(i) To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability; and

(ii) To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.

(4) Travel training means providing instruction, as appropriate, to children with significant cognitive disabilities, and any other children with disabilities who require this instruction, to enable them to-

(i) Develop an awareness of the environment in which they live; and

(ii) Learn the skills necessary to move effectively and safely from place to place within that environment (e.g., in school, in the home, at work, and in the community).

(5) Vocational education means organized educational programs that are directly related to the preparation of individuals for paid or unpaid employment, or for additional preparation for a career not requiring a baccalaureate or advanced degree.

Key points about "special education"

When you read the Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE, you'll notice that there are several points made about the nature of "special education." These include that:

Special education is instruction that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. The hallmark of special education is that it is individualized for student needs.

Special education is provided at no cost to parents or students.

Special education can be provided in different locations, depending on student needs. IDEA strongly prefers that students receive their special education services in the general education classroom with their nondisabled peers, as you can see by its LRE provisions.

Special education is not a place, however. It's a set of services, which includes adapting instruction (what's presented, how it's presented) to address the unique needs of the child that result from the disability.

Special education isn't separated from the academic content that students are supposed to learn for their grade. It's meant to support the learning of that academic content. That's why IDEA emphasizes that special education needs to ensure that students with disabilities have access to the general curriculum that all students are expected to learn. And that's why the Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE stresses the importance of aligning a student's goals in the IEP to the academic content for that student's enrolled grade.

Special Education, in Brief

Special education is instruction that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. This means education that is individually developed to address a child's needs that result from his or her disability. Since each child is unique, it is difficult to give an overall example of special education. It is individualized for each child.

Some students may be working at the pre-kindergarten grade level, others at the first, second, or third grade level. There may be students whose special education focuses primarily on speech and language development, cognitive development, or needs related to a physical or learning disability. Special education for any student can consist of:

an individualized curriculum that is different from that of same-age, nondisabled peers (for example, teaching a blind student to read and write using Braille);

the same (general) curriculum as that for nondisabled peers, with adaptations or modifications made for the student (for example, teaching 3rd grade math but including the use of counting tools and assistive technology for the student); and

a combination of these elements.

It is also important to remember that the education, services, and supports outlined in a child's IEP do not necessarily cover that child's entire education. The IEP only addresses those educational needs resulting from the child's disability. If a child needs special education support throughout the school day, for all activities, the IEP will cover all these needs. If the child doesn't need special education support in one or more areas (for example, physical education, music, or science), then the IEP will not include these subjects. The child accesses them through the general curriculum/ class, with no additional special education services.

Adaptations and Modifications

The individualization of instruction is an important part of special education. Instruction and schoolwork are tailored to the needs of the child. Sometimes a student may need to have changes made in class work or routines because of his or her disability. Modifications can be made to:

Sometimes people get confused about what it means to have a modification and what it means to have an accommodation . Usually a modification means a change in what is being taught to or expected from the student. Making an assignment easier so the student is not doing the same level of work as other students is an example of a modification. An accommodation is a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability. Allowing a student who has trouble writing to give his answers orally is an example of an accommodation. This student is still expected to know the same material and answer the same questions as fully as the other students, but he doesn't have to write his answers to show that he knows the information.

What is most important to know about modifications and accommodations is that both are meant to help a child to learn. For example:

Jack is an 8th grade student who has learning disabilities in reading and writing. He is in a regular 8th grade class that is team-taught by a general education teacher and a special education teacher. Modifications and accommodations provided for Jack's daily school routine (and when he takes state or district-wide tests) include the following:

1. Jack will have shorter reading and writing assignments.

2. Jack's textbooks will be based upon the 8th grade curriculum but at his independent reading level (4th grade).

3. Jack will have test questions read/explained to him, when he asks.

Modifications or accommodations are most often made in the following areas:

Scheduling. For example:

giving the student extra time to complete assignments or tests

breaking up testing over several days

Setting. For example:

working in a small group

working one-on-one with the teacher

Materials. For example:

providing audiotaped lectures or books

giving copies of teacher's lecture notes

using large print books, Braille, or books on CD (digital text)

Instruction. For example:

reducing the difficulty of assignments

reducing the reading level

using a student/peer tutor

Student Response. For example:

allowing answers to be given orally or dictated

using a word processor for written work

using sign language, a communication device, Braille, or native language if it is not English.

Where is special education provided?

Special education instruction can be provided in a number of settings, such as: in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings (§300.26). Schools must ensure that a continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of children with disabilities. This continuum must include the placements just mentioned (instruction in regular classes, special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals and institutions). Unless a child's IEP requires some other arrangement, the child must be educated in the school he or she would attend if he or she did not have a disability [§300.116(c)].

Special education instruction must be provided to students with disabilities in what is known as the least restrictive environment , or LRE. IDEA includes provisions that ensure that children with disabilities are educated with nondisabled children, to the maximum extent appropriate. Each state must also ensure that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily [§300.114(a)(2)(ii)].

So what does "specially designed instruction" mean?

Given the importance of "specially designed instruction" in the core of special education's definition, it's useful to take a closer look at how that term is defined:

(3) Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction-

(i) To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability; and

(ii) To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children. [§300.39(b)(3)]

Thus, as part of designing the instruction to fit the needs of a specific child, adaptations may be made in the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction. This is a strong point of pride within the special education field and a considerable accomplishment that's come from 30 years of practice: the individualization of instruction.

As the provisions above show, adaptations can take many forms in response to the child's needs; the field is replete with guidance on this critical part of special education.

What's peer-reviewed research?

Time for another definition-not more from "special education" but, rather, from where this article began-the statement of special education that's required in the IEP. If you look back up, you'll see that the special education a child receives must be "based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable" [§300.320(a)(4)]. What might that mean?

With the passage of the 2004 Amendments to IDEA, some new terms and concepts became part of the IEP process. One such is peer-reviewed research. The term is not formally defined in the IDEA, but the Department of Education's discussion in the Analysis of Comments and Changes may be helpful in understanding the term's general meaning and why no formal definition was included in the regulations:

" Peer-reviewed research " generally refers to research that is reviewed by qualified and independent reviewers to ensure that the quality of the information meets the standards of the field before the research is published. However, there is no single definition of "peer reviewed research"' because the review process varies depending on the type of information to be reviewed. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46664)

The term is used in conjunction with the phrase "to the extent practicable." To better understand what this means and how IEP teams are to apply peer-reviewed research in their selection of services to be provided to a child with a disability, you may find the Department of Education's comments helpful.

States, school districts, and school personnel must...select and use methods that research has shown to be effective, to the extent that methods based on peer-reviewed research are available. This does not mean that the service with the greatest body of research is the service necessarily required for a child to receive FAPE. Likewise, there is nothing in the Act to suggest that the failure of a public agency to provide services based on peer-reviewed research would automatically result in a denial of FAPE. The final decision about the special education and related services, and supplementary aids and services that are to be provided to a child must be made by the child's IEP Team based on the child's individual needs. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46665)

The role of states in determining what special education is

This discussion of special education as a term brings to mind how it is also a process, a system. IDEA may define the term and establish rigorous standards for its implementation, but how special education unfolds in schools is very much a state and local matter. Education is traditionally a state responsibility, with each state vested with the authority to determine its own policies within the parameters of federal requirements. This is one reason why it's so critical to know your state's specific special education policies and requirements.

For more information on special education in Texas, visit the following resources:

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Special Education | Key Definitions in IDEA

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As the OSEP Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE indicates, special education is at the core of how schools address the needs of students with disabilities and support them in achieving the annual goals stated in their IEPs as aligned with the state's academic content standards.

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IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children. The law has been revised many times over the years.
In Spanish | En español - Sobre la Ley IDEA
The most recent amendments were passed by Congress in December 2004, with final regulations published in August 2006 (Part B for school-aged children) and in September 2011 (Part C, for babies and toddlers). So, in one sense, the law is very new, even as it has a long, detailed, and powerful history.

Summaries of IDEA

If you're looking for summaries of what the law requires (rather than its word-for-word statute or regulations), try the Center for Parent Information and Resources' website:

Services for babies and toddlers to the third birthday (Part C of IDEA):
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/partc/

Services for school-aged children, including preschoolers (Part B of IDEA):
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/partb/

Exact Words of IDEA Itself

To read IDEA's verbatim language can be a big help in understanding why local practices in schools and early childhood settings are as they are. Here is the place to connect with that language. Use the links below to explore the actual words of our nation's special education law.

Access the entire IDEA law
PDF version | HTML version

Part B Regulations: Services for School-Aged Children
PDF version | HTML version
Part C Regulations: Early Childhood Intervention for Babies and Toddlers
HTML version
Guidance on IDEA from the U.S. Department of Education

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education regularly provides guidance to the field on IDEA. All are intended to clarify elements of the law and its regulations, and are an important part of understanding IDEA and how to implement it. To connect with this federal guidance, visit our page IDEA Guidance from the DOE.

Part B State Performance Plans (SPP) Letters and Annual Performance Report (APR) Letters

The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), signed on December 3, 2004, required that, not later than one year after the date of enactment of the reauthorized IDEA, each state is required to have in place a performance plan evaluating the state's implementation of Part B and describing how the state will improve such implementation. This plan is called the Part B State Performance Plan (SPP) and is required to be posted on the state's website.
http://www2.ed.gov/fund/data/report/idea/partbspap/allyears.html#tx
In addition, each state reports annually to the public on the performance of each of its local educational agencies according to the targets in its SPP. The state also reports annually to the Secretary on its performance in meeting its SPP targets. This report is called the Part B Annual Performance Report (APR), this report must also be posted on the state's website.

IDEA, The Manual for Parents and Students about Special Education Services in Texas
Adapted from an article by the Center for Parent Information and Resources http://www.parentcenterhub.org/
IDEA, The Manual for Parents and Students about Special Education Services in Texas, a free publication from the Arc of Texas and Disability Rights Texas, is an invaluable resource for families trying to understand the Texas special education system and is available online in both English and Spanish.

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IDEA | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children. The law has been revised many times over the years.

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ARD Guide for Parent (English)
ARD Guide for Parent (Spanish)
Procedural Safeguards (English)
Procedural Safeguards (Spanish)

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Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), you and your child have legal protections during the evaluation and IEP process. These protections are called Procedural Safeguards. Click the link below to download this resource.

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Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), you and your child have legal protections during the evaluation and IEP process. These protections are called Procedural Safeguards. Click the link below to download this resource.

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Aviso Sobre Procedimientos de Protección

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Aviso Sobre Procedimientos de Protección

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Families, Information, Resources, Support & Training

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en Español * Share *

Evaluations

Before Evaluation - Screening, RtI, Referral, Consent

Evaluation Procedures

After Evaluation - Eligibility, IEE

Reevaluation

Diagnosis vs Disability - Defining Eligibility
Additional Services & Considerations ( Special Factors)
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) - Overview
Supplementary Aids and Services
Transition & the Future Additional Resources:
Texas Project First

Center for Social & Emotional Foundations for Early Learning - Promoting Social and Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children - Training modules, Role Play, Videos

Daycare Options

Developmental Guidelines 0-5 (Physical, Language, Emotional & Intellectual Development) - UTHealth

Early Childhood Education - What Works Clearinghouse review of interventions

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) - ECTA's For Families page is designed to help families understand their rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), connect with other families, and find high-quality resources related to caring for infants, toddlers and young children with disabilities.

Early Childhood Outcomes and Prekindergarten Guidelines Alignment Document - The Early Childhood Outcomes Center/OSEP

Learn the Signs! Act Early - Learn more about childhood development, including early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders, and encourages developmental screening and intervention.

Legal Framework for the Child Centered Process:

National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) - Inclusion of Young Children with Disabilities from Birth-5

Parent Companion: First Five Years - Information, inspiration and resources for Texas parents of children with disabilities, birth to 5 years of age

Region 13 ESC - PPCD Video Gallery

Texas Education Agency

US Dept. of Education

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en Español * Share * Evaluations Before Evaluation - Screening, RtI, Referral, Consent Evaluation Procedures After Evaluation - Eligibility, IEE Reevaluation Diagnosis vs Disability - Defining Eligibility Additional Services & Considerations ( Special Factors) Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) - Overview Supplementary Aids and Services Transition & the Future Additional Resources:

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Families, Information, Resources, Support & Training

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Families, Information, Resources, Support & Training

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Families, Information, Resources, Support & Training

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The nation's special education law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. As part of making special education and related services available to children with disabilities in the public schools, IDEA defines the term "child with a disability." That definition includes specific disability terms, which are also defined by IDEA.

In Spanish | En español - Categorías de Discapacidad bajo IDEA

The IDEA's disability terms and definitions guide how States in their own turn define disability and who is eligible for a free appropriate public education under special education law.

The definitions of these specific disability terms from the IDEA regulations are shown beneath each term listed below. Note, in order to fully meet the definition (and eligibility for special education and related services) as a "child with a disability," a child's educational performance must be adversely affected due to the disability.

Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in #5 below.

A child who shows the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the criteria above are satisfied.
Learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorders >
Deaf-blindness means concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
Learn more about Deaf-Blindness >
Deafness means a hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
Learn more about Deafness and Hearing Impairment >
For children from birth to age three (under IDEA Part C) and children from ages three through nine (under IDEA Part B), the term developmental delay, as defined by each State, means a delay in one or more of the following areas: physical development; cognitive development; communication; social or emotional development; or adaptive [behavioral] development.
Learn more about Developmental Delay >
Emotional Disturbance (ED) means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:

(a) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(b) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(c) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(d) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(e) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.
Learn more about Emotional Disturbance >
Hearing Impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but is not included under the definition of "deafness."
Learn more about Deafness and Hearing Impairment >
Intellectual Disability means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
Learn more about Intellectual Disability >
Editor's Note, February 2011: Until October 2010, the law used the term "mental retardation." In October 2010, Rosa's Law was signed into law by President Obama. Rosa's Law changed the term to be used in future to "intellectual disability." The definition of the term itself did not change and is what has just been shown above.

Multiple Disabilities means concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as intellectual disabilityand blindness, intellectual disability and orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.
Learn more about Multiple Disabilities >
Orthopedic Impairment

Orthopedic Impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g.,cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

Other Health Impairment (OHI) means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that-

(a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and

(b) adversely affects a child's educational performance.
Learn more about Other Health Impairment >
Specific Learning Disability (LD) means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.
Learn more about Specific Learning Disability >
Speech or Language Impairment means a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
Learn more about Speech and Language Impairments >
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech.

The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.
Learn more about Traumatic Brain Injury >
Visual Impairment Including Blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.
Learn more about Visual Impairment >
What does "Adversely Affects" mean?

You may have noticed that the phrase "adversely affects educational performance" appears in most of the disability definitions. This does not mean, however, that a child has to be failing in school to receive special education and related services. According to IDEA, states must make a free appropriate public education available to "any individual child with a disability who needs special education and related services, even if the child has not failed or been retained in a course or grade, and is advancing from grade to grade." [§300.101(c)(1)]

Check out our Children & Young Adults (3 to 26 years) section for more information on Special Education and Related Services, Parental Rights under IDEA, Evaluations, IEPs, Placement, Discipline and more.

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The nation's special education law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. As part of making special education and related services available to children with disabilities in the public schools, IDEA defines the term "child with a disability." That definition includes specific disability terms, which are also defined by IDEA.

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AUDITORY IMPAIRMENT
AUTISM
DEAF-BLINDNESS
EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
MULTIPLE DISABILITIES
NONCATEGORICAL EARLY CHILD
ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT
OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY
SPEECH/LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

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ADHD/OHI
Autism
Deaf-Blindness
Deafness/Auditory Impairment
Developmental Delay
Emotional Disturbance
Intellectual Disability
Multiple Disabilities
Learning Disability
Other Health Impairment
Speech & Language Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Tourrette Syndrome/OHI
Visual Impairment/Blindness

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Consideration: Auditory Impairment
Consideration: Autism
Consideration: Visual Impairment
Consideration: Behavior Plan (BIP)
Consideration: Language (LPAC)
Consideration: Assistive Tech
Consideration: Extended School Ser
Consideration: Graduation

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ARD Committee Member Roles
General Disability Resources
Agency Resources
ASHA - Educational Speech Models
AOTA - Educational v. Clinical OT
APTA - Educational v. Clinical PT
Medical Diagnosis v SPED Eligibility
Independent Educational Evaluation
Health and Human Services

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Educator Standards

Special Educator Ethics/Standards
Educator Resources
Early Childhood Teacher Strategies
TX Assistive Technology Network
PGC Resources for Gen Ed Teacher

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Texas Gateway
Texas TEKS
Texas TEKS Spanish
TEKS Vertical Alignment
STAAR ALT 2 Curricula Framework
STAAR ALT 2 Instructional Guides
Texas PreK Guidelines
Texas CTE Resources
TEKS Resource System
TEA Curriculum Division
Unique Learning System

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Specially Designed Instruction
Standards Based IEP
Co-Teaching Guide
Working with Paraprofessionals
Accommodations v. Modifications
Accommodation Central
Intensive Program of Instruction
Student Success Initiative (SSI)
Accelerated Reading Instruction
TX Assistive Technology Network
Khan Academy
SPED Quizlets

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Grading & Progress Monitoring
STAAR Accessibility Features
STAAR Interim Assessments
STAAR Resources
STAAR Released Tests
STAAR Spanish Resources
STAAR Test Security Info
STAAR Testing Calendars
STAAR Manuals & Materials
Student Assessment Directory
Lead4ward
TAMS

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Principal Standards
The History of Texas Public School
The History of Special Education
TEA SPED STRATEGIC PLAN
PGC Resources for Admin
Special Education A-Z
Student Handbook Statement
Principal Preparation/Certification
Supervision Tool
Six Steps for Effective Feedback
PEIMS
TSDS
Unique ID
TREx

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Texas Behavior Support Initiative
Prior Written Notice
Change of Placement
Discipline & School Removals
Services During Periods/Removal
Quick MDR ARD Reminder Video
Manifestation Determination
When Behavior Is Manifestation
When Behavior Isn't Manifestation
Disproportionate Representation
Disciplinary Special Circumstances
PBIS/TEA
PBIS/MTSS
PBIS World

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Health and Safety Laws
Texas School Safety Center
Special Health Needs
Cameras in Classrooms
Public Information Act
Website Accessibility

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TEA Strategic Priorities
HB 22 - A-F Accountability
TAPR
TTESS
TPESS
Staff Development

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Student Success Initiative (SSI)
Grading & Progress Monitoring
Least Restrictive Environment
Early Childhood
Texas Transition Network
Texas Transition Guide
Texas Workforce Comm - DARS
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Additional Info
ARD Guide/Procedural Safeguards
ARD & LPAC Collaboration

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Student Assessment Directory
STAAR Accessibility Features
STAAR Resources
STAAR Released Tests
STAAR Spanish Resources
STAAR Test Security Info
STAAR Testing Calendars

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ADA
ESSA
OCR/Section 504
OSEP
IDEA 2004
Side-by-Side
TEA State Guidance
SAAH
Commissioner Rules (TAC)
Texas Education Code (TEC)
TEA TAA Letters

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Big Changes App
Student Centered Transitions

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Mainstream
Homebound
Hospital Class
Speech Therapy
Resource Room/Services
Self-Contained Regular Campus
Full Time Early Childhood
Off Home Campus
Nonpublic Day School
Vocational Adjustment Class
Residential Care/Treatment Facility
State Supported Living Center

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Adapted PE
Assistive Technology
Audiological Services
Counseling
Health Services
Interpreting Services
In-Home Training
Medical Diagnostic Service
Music Therapy
Nursing  Services
Occupational Therapy
Orientation & Mobility
Parent Training
Personal Care Services
Physical Therapy
Psychological Services
Recreation Services
Speech/Language Therapy
Social Work Services
Transportation
Vision Services

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Trauma Informed Resources
Social Stories Samplers
Parent & Family Resources
Bullying Programs/Guidance
Mental Health Resources
Counseling & Crisis Intervention
Poverty & Performance
Special Olympics Texas
Morgan's Wonderland

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New Vision for Public Education
Every Kid Needs A Champion
Radical Candor
Remember Me!
The End of Average
Crucial Conversations
Listening to Understand
Start With Why
Law of Diffusion of Innovation
The Obstacle is the Way
Better by Design
Design Thinking for Students
Little Bets
4DX
The Lean Startup
Good to Great
Collective Teacher Efficacy
UDL Guidelines
IRIS Center/Evidence-Based Pract...

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Building Capacity for RTI
Response to Intervention
Dyslexia
OCR/Section 504
Section 504 Resource Guide
Student-Centered Schools
Schlechty Center
ISTE Standards
P21 - 21st Century Learning

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Brainy Brunch Broadcasts
Parental & Family Engagement
Parents of Students w/Disabilities

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Brainy Brunch Broadcasts
A partnership of the Region One ESC-Office of Special Education
& the Partners Resource Network

Join us for quick 1-hour virtual presentations from the comfort of your own learning environment!

Each segment will be led by experts in the area of Special Education!

To attend any of the sessions, simply register online at www.esc1.net/staffdevelopment using the appropriate workshop number to receive access to the zoom link for the day's event!

Interact with the segment host via chat! Every broadcast will include a dedicated 30-minute Q & A opportunity where participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about the day's topic!

Door prizes are to be awarded at the end of each broadcast!

Download the Brainy Brunch Schedule Here!
Register at www.esc1.net/staffdevelopment using the corresponding workshop number.
Questions, please contact:

Dr. Carolina Campos
Special Education Coordinator/TEA-ESC Liaison
(956) 984-6205 * ccampos@esc1.net

Elizabeth Alvarez
Region One Special Education Specialist
956) 984-6176 * ealvarez@esc1.net

Maria Cordero
Regional Coordinator, Partners Resource Network
(956) 477-9523 * mcorderoprnteam@gmail.com

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Brainy Brunch Broadcasts - Multiple Dates!

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Brainy Brunch Broadcasts A partnership of the Region One ESC-Office of Special Education & the Partners Resource Network Join us for quick 1-hour virtual presentations from the comfort of your own learning environment! Each segment will be led by experts in the area of Special Education!

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Parent & family Engagement

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Parent Coordination State Lead
Parent Coordination Network
Parent Involvement - SPED
Parent Involvement - Title 1

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Parent Coordination for SPED
SPEDTex
Transition in Texas
Crossroads  Deaf  Education  Texas
Blind & Visually Impaired Services

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Community Resources by County

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Early Childhood Intervention
Head Start
Parent  Newsletter

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Parent Network SPED/504
Parent Engagement Conference

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Parent Resources
Community Resources