Tate J.

Hedtke

SPED 606

Assignment #4

Standard #7

Cross Categorical/ Learning Disabilities

Artifact Summary

This paper discusses the importance of the Individualized Education Plan and the necessity of
one in ensuring students are receiving the appropriate accommodations according to section 504
laws. This article also addresses how the IEP allows for the least restrictive environment for a
disabled student.
 Free and Appropriate Public Education and the Least Restrictive Environment in the

Individualized Education Plan

The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is the most important piece of documentation

for special education students. This is the legal document that states what services a child is to

be provided and by whom. The IEP lays the groundwork, methods, and rules educators and

administrators need to follow in order to allow for the success of special education students. The

goal of the IEP is to structure a students education in a manner that allows an individual to

participate in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and to benefit from Free and Appropriate

Public Education (FAPE).

The goal of special education is to accommodate a student with disabilities in a manner

which will allow them to remain in their local school district with the least amount of restriction

from educators. Typically students experience their education in what is known as the regular

education setting. This is a standard classroom with a single teacher and a group of non-

disabled students. If a student needs a little extra help, but is still capable of participating in the

regular education curriculum they are given a guided resource, which is an assisted study hall to

help keep students on track and to provide additional assistance. The next level of special

education provided to an individual is inclusionary, which has been the growing trend. This

setting allows students to be in the regular education classroom, but with the addition of a special

education teacher, or assistant as well: often times these are known as accommodated classes.

The next step of restriction is known as self-containment. These classrooms pull students out of

the regular education setting completely and allow for very specific one on one instruction.

Typically these students either suffer from a severe cognitive disability, or perhaps a behavioral

disability which prevents them from being with other students. After self-containment is the
much more uncommon setting of the separate day school where students do not attend what

would be in their home district, but come home at night followed by the residential school where

students live over night almost in a boarding school type atmosphere. These students may be so

disabled that their families are not capable of caring for them at home, or they have a disability

which requires a full time education such as blindness or hearing impairment. The final level of

restriction for an individual is jail.

The multi section IEP can allow for a student to obtain these services in several different

ways, whereas the final restriction; jail, is reserved for the worst offenders. The first part of the

IEP which can determine placement into the different areas is the I-4 form which describes

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. This form includes a

students strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly how a students disability prohibits them

from participating in the general level academic curriculum. A case manager does extensive

research and interviewing of the student, parents, as well as a students teachers in order to create

a well-rounded and holistic assessment of a student. Included in the I-4 form is present levels of

academic achievement in the areas of reading and math, as well as behaviors which may affect

an individuals or other students abilities to learn in the classroom. This form of the IEP also

states what sorts of things a student can do independently in the community and home in order to

live on their own.

The I-5 form fits in with the previous well in that it describes exactly which services will

be provided for a student. For example, if an individual has extreme difficulty with math

calculations it is in this section that it might be added that a student can use calculators in class.

If an individual has sever ADHD it is in this section that it could be stated they will be pulled

from class during work time and given more time to complete assignments. Finally the I-7 form
documents which accommodations will be made during standardized tests and the I-9

summarizes the entire IEP as a sort of catch all. If a new special education teacher or

administrator were to need to provide services for a student, they could simply look at the I-9 and

read clearly and concisely what it is that needs to be provided for the individual.

The IEP is extremely important for the administrators and facilitators of special education

in order to be certain they have all of the materials necessary to provide an individual with the

Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) they are legally entitled to by state and federal law.

Special education and disabled students had always been entitled to education historically, but

often times it was not in the least restrict manner possible and frequently they were shipped to

asylums a distance from home. Historically students with special and unique needs such as a

vision impairment were sent to a school for the blind, so local districts did not have to fuss with

the needs of the individual. This is not the case anymore and Local Education Agencies (LEAs)

can be on the hook and responsible for the purchase and maintenance of thousands of dollars of

specialized equipment: all of which is prescribed for in a students IEP and mandated by law.

According to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 no individual can be denied an education

solely based on their disability no matter how severe it may be. As educators of disabled

individuals, it is our job to provide that education and instruction with patience, compassion, and

an unlimited amount of understanding. The IEP process can be daunting, and frustrating at times

seeing as how some parents can be difficult and may even refuse services based on the stigma

ofbeing a special education student can carry. It is vital however to complete the IEP writing

process with due diligence in order to provide the legal benefits a student needs in order to be a

successful and beneficial person to our society.

 Having written only a few IEPs at this point in my career it has been very informative to

go through this process of researching the history behind the document. Working with mainly

learning disabled students and others with mainly minor disabilities I never realized exactly how

important the IEP was to the process of educating physically or cognitively disabled student. I

am going through a situation right now where I have been having difficulties setting up a

meeting with parents and I after having written this paper, I dont want to give up trying to

contact them even though I have attempted to more than the three times mandated by law. I

understand parents and students can be frustrated when things are not going exactly how they

would like, but I have been learning it can be equally as challenging for us.