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special education , the education of children who differ socially, mentally, or physically from the average to such an extent that they require modifications of usual school practices. Special education serves children with emotional, behavioral, or cognitive impairments or with intellectual , hearing, vision, speech, or learning disabilities; gifted children with advanced academic abilities; and children with orthopedic or neurological impairments. See also deafness ; blindness ; speech disorder ; mental disorder ; gifted child ; childhood disease and disorder ; learning disabilities .

(Read Arne Duncan’s Britannica essay on “Education: The Great Equalizer.”)

Although there are isolated examples of caring for and treating disabled individuals in ancient Greece and Rome, early societies typically shunned people who differed from the norm. During the Middle Ages the church became the first institution to provide care for physically or mentally impaired people, but the development of techniques associated with special education did not emerge until the Renaissance, with its emphasis on human dignity. In the mid-1500s Pedro Ponce de León succeeded in teaching deaf pupils in Spain to speak, read, and write; it is assumed that his methods were followed by Juan Pablo Bonet , who in 1620 published the first book on the subject. This gave rise to a wider European interest in the education of deaf individuals. In 17th-century England John Bulwer published an account of his experiences teaching deaf persons to speak and lip-read, and in France similar work was carried on by Charles-Michel, abbé de l’Epée (1712–89), who changed the nature of communication for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals by developing the natural sign language they used into a systematic and conventional language for more universal use. His work was developed by Roch-Ambroise Cucurron, Abbé Sicard , and gave rise to the manual system, or silent method, of teaching people with hearing impairments. In Germany Samuel Heinicke experimented with training deaf children to speak, and in the 19th century Friedrich Moritz Hill (1805–74), a leading educator of the deaf, developed this method in relation to the concept that education must relate to the “here and now” of the child—known as the “natural method.” Thus arose the oral method of instruction that in time became an accepted practice throughout the world.

No serious attempt was made to educate or to train persons with visual impairments , however, until the late 18th century. Valentin Haüy , known as the “father and apostle of the blind ,” opened the National Institution of Blind Youth (Institution Nationale des Jeunes Aveugles) in Paris in 1784, with 12 blind children as his first pupils. News of Haüy’s success in teaching these children to read soon spread to other countries. Subsequently, schools for the blind were opened in Liverpool, England (1791), London (1799), Vienna (1804), Berlin (1806), Amsterdam and Stockholm (1808), Zürich, Switzerland (1809), Boston (1829), and New York City (1831).

Scientific attempts to educate children with intellectual disabilities originated in the efforts of Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard , a French physician and otologist. In his classic book The Wild Boy of Aveyron (1807), he related his five-year effort to train and educate a boy who had been found running wild in the woods of Aveyron. Itard’s work with the boy became notable for the possibilities it raised regarding the education of persons with mental or emotional disabilities. Years later his student Edouard Séguin , who emigrated from France to the United States in 1848, devised an educational method that used physical and sensory activities to develop the mental processes. Séguin’s published works influenced Maria Montessori , an Italian pediatrician who became an educator and the innovator of a unique method of training young intellectually disabled and culturally deprived children in Rome in the 1890s and early 1900s. Her approach emphasized self-education through specially designed “didactic materials” for sensorimotor training; development of the senses was the keynote of the system.

Special education for people with disabilities became universal in developed countries by the late 20th century. Concurrent with this development was the identification of two concepts of individual differences: (1) “ interindividual differences,” which compares one child with another, and (2) “ intraindividual differences,” which compares the child’s abilities in one area with the child’s abilities in other areas. The grouping of children in special classes rests on the concept of interindividual differences, but the instructional procedures for each child are determined by intraindividual differences—that is, by a child’s abilities and disabilities.

Implementation of programs

Children with a particular kind of disability do not necessarily form a homogeneous group, so diagnosis must go beyond merely classifying the children according to their major deviation. A child with cerebral palsy , for example, has a motor handicap but may also be of superior intelligence or have a learning disability. Hence children with certain labels of impairment—cerebral palsy or deafness or blindness , for example—must be carefully assessed before they can be properly placed in a particular group.

For the gifted and the intellectually disabled, the primary criterion of identification is an individually administered intelligence ( IQ ) test. Children who score particularly high (IQ scores higher than 130 indicate giftedness) or low (scores below 70 indicate intellectual disability) are considered for special programs. The determination is made by psychologists who in most cases certify a child’s eligibility for such programs. In making these assessments , psychologists also consider other criteria such as school achievement, personality, and the adjustment of the child in the regular grades.

Medical specialists evaluate the needs of children who have sensory, neurological, or orthopedic disabilities. Children who have learning disabilities are assessed primarily by psychoeducational diagnosticians who, through educational and psychological diagnostic tests, determine a child’s potential for learning and achievement. Ancillary diagnoses by medical, psychological, and other personnel also help determine a child’s eligibility for special programs. Children with behavioral and emotional disabilities might be evaluated by any number of specialists, including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, and teachers.

The goals of special education are similar to the educational goals for ordinary children; only the techniques for attaining them are different. An effort is made, for example, to teach all children with special needs (except those unable to profit at all from school experience) to read . Children who have learning and mental disabilities require prolonged periods of intensive and more-individualized instruction; for them the learning process might include techniques to maintain interest, more active participation, and much more repetition of similar material in varied form. Children with severe sensory handicaps (such as deafness and blindness) must learn to read through other sense modalities . Deaf individuals learn to read through visual methods, while blind individuals learn to read Braille through the tactile sense.

Children who have motor handicaps require few, if any, academic adjustments. Unless they have additional problems such as learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities , or speech disorders (which are often found among the cerebral palsied), children with motor disabilities learn like other children, and they can follow the same classroom materials. Special techniques are necessary, however, to help such children adapt to their environment and to adapt the environment to their disability. Wheelchairs, modified desks, and other apparatuses aid in mobility and the manipulation of classroom materials. One of the most important aspects of the education of the orthopedically disabled is attitudinal—that is, preparing children for adapting to the world outside the classroom and maximizing their potential for leading relatively normal lives.

Children with learning disabilities and those with speech defects require highly specialized techniques, usually on an individual basis. For children with social and emotional problems, special therapeutic and clinical services may be provided. Psychotherapy and behaviour therapy by clinical psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists are generally a part of the educational program. Academic teachers in these classes stress personality development, social adjustment, and habits of interpersonal relations. With this group of children, these factors are prerequisite to academic achievement. Academic work is, however, sometimes therapeutic in itself and is promoted as much as possible.

Special classes for children who have above-average intelligence, who have intellectual disabilities, who have visual or hearing impairments, or who have been diagnosed with other disabilities are found in many school systems throughout the world. This type of organization allows children to attend neighbourhood schools that offer specialized instruction, such as remedial classes for students who need extra help. By contrast, “ residential schools” enroll special-needs children for 24 hours a day and are usually attended by those who cannot obtain services in their community . For gifted students, specialized programs offered by neighbourhood schools include advanced classes that differ from the regular curriculum (an approach known as enrichment) and grade-level advancement linked to educational achievement (an approach known as acceleration).

Increasing criticism of programs that segregate children with special needs has stirred efforts to integrate the special-needs child with other children. The World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality, held in 1994 in Salamanca, Spain, endorsed inclusive schooling on a worldwide basis. As a result of this conference, UNESCO was charged with promoting special education concerns among teachers, documenting progress in various regions and among different programs, and encouraging research in special-needs education. For the gifted, special programs of enrichment and acceleration are increasingly preferred to special classes. Resource rooms for those with sight or hearing impairments allow children to participate in regular classroom activities for part of the day. Older, educable persons with intellectual disabilities can be assigned to regular workshops, physical education classes, and other nonacademic classes. The eventual goal (beyond developing skills and imparting information) is to prepare these students for life in the larger society.

What is Special Education?

Special Education is a set of services provided to students who experience exceptional learning needs. Governed by federal law ( Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA ), special education is defined as: “Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.” Special education services may be provided across a variety of educational environments to students who have an individualized education program (IEP).

Eligibility for special education services requires that students have an identified disability that impacts their ability to learn and requires additional services and resources to effectively participate in school. Children who typically qualify for special education services include those with the following disabilities:

• Intellectual disability
• Hearing impairments (including deafness)
• Speech or language impairments
• Visual impairments (including blindness)
• Serious emotional disturbance
• Orthopedic impairments
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Traumatic brain injury
• Other health impairments
• Specific learning disabilities
• Developmental delay

Under the law, the IDEA ensures that regardless of a student’s disability or level of severity, schools must provide an appropriate education to ALL children with a disability (ages 3-21). It also requires that the following six principles be provided for students who receive special education services:

• Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) — a public education at no cost to parents/guardians or children designed to meet the individual needs of each student, provide access to the general education curriculum, provides services in accordance to a student’s IEP, and results in an educational benefit to the child.
• Nondiscriminatory Identification and Evaluation — refers to the process and instruments used to identify individuals with a disability. Having the appropriate professional disposition is vital in educators, especially in special education classrooms. Schools are required to use nonbiased methods as well as multiple approaches in the evaluation process to ensure that there is no discrimination on the basis of race, culture, or native language. All evaluation instruments must use the child’s first language. No identification or placement decisions may be based on a single evaluation instrument or test score.
• Individualized education program (IEP) — this document is the foundation of special education and specifically describes the services to be provided to the student with a disability. The IEP includes a description of a student’s current level of educational performance, information on how his or her disability influences academic performance, and details needed adaptations and accommodations. This document also specifies the educational settings in which the student will receive instruction in the least restrictive environment, the learning goals and objectives that will be addressed within a targeted year, behavior management plan (if needed), transportation needs, and related services.
• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) — this indicates the educational settings in which a student with a disability receives special education services. The assumption is that all children will be educated alongside their peers without disabilities, to the greatest extent appropriate. It is only when it is determined that a student’s education cannot be achieved satisfactorily using supplemental aids and services in general classroom settings that alternative educational settings would be identified. At that time, the LRE might include special education services received part- or full-time in a resource room setting, a self-contained classroom setting, and/or community-based settings.
• Parent Participation — parents of a child with a disability must be a member of any group that makes decisions regarding the placement and LRE of their child. Parents have a right to notification of all meetings regarding their child’s placement, access to planning and evaluation materials, and notification of any planned evaluations. Both parents and students must be invited to attend IEP meetings.
• Due Process Safeguards — these include the protections afforded to children and their parents under IDEA. Safeguards include: obtaining parental consent for all evaluations and educational placement decisions, confidentiality of all records relating to a child with a disability, independent student evaluation at public expense, and due process hearings when the school and parent may disagree.

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What Is Special Education? A Guide for Educators and Families

It’s a service, not a place.

Students who are blind are provided with braille books. An autistic student uses a visual schedule. A student with a learning disability receives additional reading instruction. These students all receive special education services.

Special education provides services that meet the unique needs of each student. This means that special education can include:

• An individualized curriculum that is different than general education peers’
• A curriculum that is modified for a student
• A combination of both

Here’s a roundup of everything you need to know about special education, plus our best special education articles.

What laws are involved in special education?

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that explains how states must address special education. The IDEA definition of special education is: specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. It includes physical education, related services (e.g., speech therapy, occupational therapy), vocational education, and travel training. Essentially, special education is how students with disabilities have their needs met in the public education system.

Read more: What Is IDEA?

What about state laws?

IDEA sets the standard at the federal level, but the process and system are set up at the state level. So what special education looks like varies from state to state.

Visit your state’s Department of Special Education website or check out the parent resource center (every state has one) for information related to special education aimed at parents.

Find your state’s parent resource center in this list from Center for Parent Information & Resources .

How is special education not a “place”?

Special education can occur in many different settings, from the general education classroom to a hospital or separate school. Where a child receives services depends on their needs as determined by the IEP team, which includes the parents. ADVERTISEMENT

What are the main components of special education? (What do the acronyms stand for?)

Image: Pathfinder Services of ND

FAPE is Free Appropriate Public Education. This essentially means that students with disabilities must be provided with their education at no cost to the parents, just like any other student.

Read more: What Is FAPE?

Image: Arizona Department of Education

LRE is Least Restrictive Environment. LRE is the setting where the child receives services and can vary from general education to a separate school or even the child’s home. The LRE is decided by the IEP team. According to IDEA, special education must be provided in the least restrictive environment, or the same environment as their nondisabled peers, “to the greatest extent possible.” This means that children should only be removed from general education when their disability is such that that they cannot make progress. So, all consideration of where a child will learn starts in general education and works back from there.

Read more: What Is Least Restrictive Environment?

Image: Coastal Carolina University

SDI is specially designed instruction. This is the foundation of what special education is based on—that every child receives the instruction that they need to make progress and advance toward goals. SDI means adapting the content, delivery, or methodology of instruction to address the child’s needs, as determined by the needs related to their disability. The focus is on helping the child meet educational standards and ensuring access to the general curriculum. To help children access general education curriculum, SDI provides adaptations, accommodations, and modifications.

Read more: What Is Specially Designed Instruction?

IEP is the Individual Education Program. The IEP is the document that outlines everything that a child requires to receive FAPE and SDI.

Read more: What Is an IEP?

Accommodations and Modifications

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Accommodations and modifications are ways that SDI is delivered and how the curriculum is individualized for a child; ways that the child receives access to the general education curriculum. In short, accommodations change how the material is being presented in a way that helps the child overcome or access through the disability. Modifications change what a child is taught or how the child works at school. So, an accommodation would be: allowing a child to record rather than write their answers, or reading aloud a question rather than having them read it. A modification would be providing a child a text with visuals instead of the general education text, or providing a test with two answer choices instead of four.

Read more: Accommodations vs. Modifications: What’s the difference?

Bookmark:  80+ Accommodations Every Special Ed Teacher Should Bookmark

More IDEA terms are defined at Parent Center Hub .

Which students can receive special education and who decides?

Special education is provided to students who fall under one of 13 disability categories:

• Developmental delay
• Specific learning disability
• Speech impairment
• Other health impairment
• Traumatic brain injury
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Vision impairment
• Hearing impairment
• Deaf-blindness
• Emotional disability
• Orthopedic impairment
• Intellectual disability
• Multiple disabilities

In order to receive special education services, a student must be found eligible. This means that they have one of the 13 disabilities and that it impacts them in the school setting. If the child cannot make progress in the general curriculum without SDI, they are eligible for special education services. (If they can make progress but still have an outside diagnosis, they may have a 504 plan in place instead.)

Read more: What Is a 504 plan?

An evaluation is different for each disability category (for example, an evaluation for traumatic brain injury will include a medical evaluation, while an evaluation for speech impairment will not). These regulations vary from state to state so it’s important to know your state’s requirements and timeline.

What is in an IEP?

The IEP includes all the information that the team needs to educate a child with a disability. It only addresses the aspects of a child’s disability that impact them throughout the school day. The sections of an IEP are:

• Present levels: How the child is currently doing in school and how the disability impacts them in class.
• Annual goals: Goals that the child will work on through SDI.
• Objectives: Students who take alternate assessments will also have objectives towards their goals.
• Measuring and reporting progress: Ways that the child’s progress is going to be measured and how it will be reported to parents.
• Specially designed instruction: A statement about how special education and related services will be provided.
• Related services include any therapies (speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy).
• Supplementary aids and services provide access to participation across academic, extracurricular, and nonacademic settings.
• Program modifications for school personnel, which include things that school personnel need to know in order to work with this student (for example, how to use an assisted communication device).
• Extent of nonparticipation is the explanation of how much, if any, the child will be outside of general education, and why the team made that decision.
• Accommodations that the student will be provided during classroom instruction.
• Accommodations that a student will receive during district and state testing.
• Service delivery includes when, where, and how long a child will receive SDI (for example, 30 minutes 1x/week in special education).
• Transition planning for life after secondary school starts no later than a child’s 16th birthday (and can start earlier).
• Age of majority: An IEP must include a statement about how the student understands their rights as they graduate from the IEP.

What happens in an IEP meeting?

There are many different reasons to come together around an IEP, but every year, each student who has an IEP will have an annual review. During an annual review meeting, the team (parent, teachers, a district representative, therapists) discuss the child, their progress, and next steps. Everything in the IEP should be based on data, so it’s important to bring information (e.g., work samples, test data) to review.

Any decision regarding an IEP is a team decision, and team members don’t always agree. If the meeting cannot resolve a concern, schools or parents can follow procedures to reach an agreement.

Read more: What Is an IEP meeting?

Read more: What Is a Manifestation Determination Meeting?

When does special education start and end?

A child can receive early intervention or special education services if they have a disability diagnosed before age 3 (such as Down syndrome) or if they are at risk of a delay.

Read more: What Is Early Intervention?

The end-date for a student who has an IEP depends on a few things. They may be reevaluated and found no longer eligible, in which case special education services would end at that point. Otherwise they are no long eligible when they graduate from high school or turn 22.

What is NOT special education?

There are misconceptions about special education. Some things that special education is not:

• A specific program, like Orton-Gillingham
• Differentiated instruction
• An inclusive classroom

What else should I know?

Here are more of our favorite special education resources:

What Is Inclusion in Education?

27+ Best Autism Resources for Educators

If you’re still using these five words for students with disabilities, it’s time to stop.

New Ways To Empower Students Who Have Learning Differences or Dyslexia

How Teachers Can Support Twice-Exceptional Students

The IEP From A to Z: How To Create Meaningful and Measurable Goals and Objectives by Diane Twachtman-Cullen and Jennifer Twachtman-Bassett

10 Critical Components for Success in the Special Education Classroom by Marcia Rohrer and Nannette Samson

Wrightslaw: All About IEPs by Peter Wright, Pamela Wright, and Sandra Webb O’Connor

Do you teach special education? Connect with other teachers on the  WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

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What Is a 504 Plan? What Teachers and Parents Need To Know

And how is it different from an IEP? Continue Reading

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Special Education

See also: Students with Disabilities , Special Education Research , Special Ed. Identification

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Special Education

Links updated, March 2017 This info in Spanish | Esta información en español

The IEP must also contain a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child. That’s three separate, distinct, and critical elements–special education, related services, and supplementary aids and services–and each is worthy of a book on its own.

Don’t worry! We won’t write a book-length article about any of these, but we will split up the discussion of each into separate articles. Here, the focus will be on special education .

_________________________________  

IDEA’s Exact Words

Special education is individualized to address a student’s needs.

It’s helpful to see IDEA’s full requirement for specifying a child’s special education in his or her IEP. This appears at §300.320(a)(4) and stipulates that each child’s IEP must contain:

(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… [§300.320(a)(4)] In its entirety, this provision is the heart and soul, meat and potatoes, bricks and mortar (choose your analogy!) of the IEP. When taken off paper and operationalized in school, it becomes the education that a child with a disability receives. The part we’ve put in bold is the focus of this article, but you’ll want to read the next two articles as well, so you can integrate the information here about special education with what’s presented separately about related services and supplementary aids and services.

  Back to top

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 specific 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:

• what a child is taught, and/or
• how a child works at school.

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:

• Jack will have shorter reading and writing assignments.
• Jack’s textbooks will be based upon the 8th grade curriculum but at his independent reading level (4th grade).
• 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)].   Back to top

The Long Story on Special Education

Of course, there’s much more to special education than the short summary above. For those of you that want the nitty-gritty, detailed, full picture of special education, here it comes. Keep reading.

Defining special education

Special education. Sometimes, when the term is used, it means “special education” as defined by IDEA at §300.39, and other times it’s a reference to the field at large—teachers, offices, knowledge base, professional practice, the system.

However, when IDEA uses the term, its meaning is never mixed or ambiguous. Every single time “special education” is used in the law and the final Part B regulations, its meaning is the same—the definition below.

§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.

And that’s just the “general” part of the definition! The next part is called “ individual special education terms defined ,” where the definition goes on to define:

• at no cost;
• physical education;
• specially designed instruction;
• travel training; and
• vocational education.

Happily, the 20 opening words of special education’s definition—specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability—contain the core of the term’s meaning. You’ll see we’ve used those 20 words in the short story of special education. The 362 other words in the definition (which includes the definitions of the individual terms), while still very critical, add detail to that core and further clarify it.

When an abbreviated definition of the term special education is called for, you’re most likely to hear its core: “ Special education is specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. ”

In the definition’s full form, examples roll out and take away gray areas about the some of the scope and substance of special education. Special education can be, for example:

• travel training (which has its own definition);
• vocational education (also defined on its own); and
• services that may be listed in IDEA as a related service but that a state may consider as special education—which makes them “special education” in that state.

As you can see from IDEA’s definition of special education, it can also occur in a variety of settings: in the classroom, in a home, in a hospital or institution, and in other settings. This is why you might also hear that “special education is not a place.” It’s not. Where it is provided for a specific child with a disability will depend on that child’s unique needs as determined by the group of individuals (which includes the parents) that makes the placement decision.   Back to top

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

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. You’ll find a wealth of connections to that guidance here at CPIR. Visit us often and see what you find!   Back to top

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.

So—–where to look for that information?

The best place is to connect with the agency responsible in your state for overseeing special education in the state. That is most likely your state’s Department of Education—or Department of Special Education. Names will vary from state to state, of course. You can connect with the responsible agency in your state in a number of ways, beginning with…

• NASDSE , the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. Visit NASDSE and consult their “Meet the Directors” interactive map. There, you’ll not only find the name of your state’s Special Education Director, but you’ll find the website address of the agency in charge. Most states provide links to the state’s special education regulations and policies on their website, though you may have to hunt around to find them! NASDSE’s map is online at: http://www.nasdse.org/MeettheDirectors/tabid/60/Default.aspx

Obviously, the statement required by §300.320(a)(4) is one of the most critical components in a child’s IEP. Like the statement of annual goals, it arises out of, and is directly connected to, the “present levels” statement, where the child’s current performance levels and needs are described. This is why a well-crafted “ present levels ” statement is so pivotal when developing a child’s IEP.

Back to top

Would you like to read about another component of the IEP?

If so, use the links below to jump there quickly. _________________________________________________

Present Levels How is the child currently doing in school? How does the disability affect his or her performance in class? This type of information is captured in the “present levels” statement in the IEP.

Annual Goals Once a child’s needs are identified, the IEP team works to develop appropriate goals to address those needs. Annual goal describe what the child is expected to do or learn within a 12-month period.

Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives Benchmarks or short-term objectives are required only for children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards. If you’re wondering what that means, this article will tell you!

Measuring and Reporting Progress Each child’s IEP must also contain a description of how his or her progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured and when it will be reported to parents. Learn more about how to write this statement in this short article.

Special Education  (You’re here) The IEP must contain a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child. This article focuses on the first element: a statement of the special education that will be provided for the child.

Related Services To help a child with a disability benefit from special education, he or she may also need extra help in one area or another, such as speaking or moving. This additional help is called related services . Find out all about these critical services here.

Supplementary Aids and Services Supplementary aids and services are intended to improve children’s access to learning and their participation across the spectrum of academic, extracurricular, and nonacademic activities and settings. The IEP team must determine what supplementary aids and services a child will need and specify them in the IEP.

Program Modifications for School Personnel Also part of the IEP is identifying the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided. Read more here.

Extent of Nonparticipation The IEP must also include an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in other school settings and activities. Read how this connects to IDEA’s foundational principle of LRE.

Accommodations in Assessment IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or districtwide assessments . The IEP team must decide if the student needs accommodations in testing or another type of assessment entirely. In this component of the IEP, the team documents how the student will participate.

Service Delivery When will the child begin to receive services? Where? How often? How long will a “session” last? Pesky details, but important to include in the IEP!

Transition Planning Beginning no later than a student’s 16th birthday (and younger, if appropriate), the IEP must contain transition-related plans designed to help the student prepare for life after secondary school.

Age of Majority Beginning at least one year before the student reaches the age of majority, the IEP must include a statement that the student has been told about the rights (if any) that will transfer to him or her at age of majority. What is “age of majority” and what does this statement in the IEP look like?

What is special education and why is it important?

Students with disabilities need services to help them learn. Read about why special education may be important for your child.

(Listen to our podcast – Just Needs — Episode 8 – Navigating Special Education: a crash course)

Someone–a teacher, pediatrician or concerned friend– has just suggested that your child may need special education. You freeze. What?! Why?! What does special education even mean? In your head, you see visions of dim classrooms with listless students doing…not a whole lot. But be assured that it is not like that! (At least not anymore, and not in most places!) Special education is not a type of classroom. It’s a set of professional services and specialized teaching that focuses on the unique needs of your child.

Special education (nicknamed special ed or SPED ) means specialized teaching and related services to help children with disabilities make progress in school. Related services are things like speech therapy, occupational therapy, or counseling. See a 1-minute video on Special Education .

To qualify for special education, a child must have a disability that affects their ability to learn in school. This could be a developmental disability like autism or sensor y proc essing disorder , a learning disability like dysl exia or dysgrap hia , or a physical disability like being blind or Deaf. Learn exactl y who should qualify .

Why is special education important? The whole point is to give children with disabilities extra support so they can learn in school like everyone else. If a child’s disability prevents them from learning, the specialized instruction can use proven teaching strategies that match the disability. For example, a child who is struggling to learn to read may work with a reading interventionist one-on-one or in a small group. They will use teachin g techn iques that have been designed for students with reading disabilities. Focused therapies for speech, motor coordination, behavior, and social skills can help a child build some of these skills that they may be behind on–skills which are essential for learning.

This is a more complicated question than it may seem. Special ed is required by law to happen in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) that meets the student’s needs. This means that a child should spend as much time in the regular classroom as possible. They may be “pulled out” to work with specialists at some points during the week, or they may spend part of their day in a specialized classroom. But the goal is to have them with their non-disabled peers for as much of the day as possible. For some children, a specialized classroom may be the only way to give them enough individual attention. In that case, it would be the least restrictive environment (LRE) that meets their needs. But even a child in a specialized classroom should have lunch, recess or other activities with non-disabled peers if possible! ( Read more about LRE .)

Schools that use public funds are required by law to give special ed services to all children who qualify, starting at age 3 and continuing through age 21. This means they can get services before kindergarten, and they can continue past the traditional graduation age of 18 if they need the support for longer.

How? Here’s a rundown of the special education process:

Referral: If the parent, teacher or healthcare provider is concerned for any reason and thinks the child may have a developmental, learning or physical disability, they can ask the school district for an evaluation. The school is then legally required to do the evaluation. ( Read more abut the referral. )

Evaluation: The school will schedule an evaluation, which includes a variety of different tests, depending on the child’s needs. The results will say whether the child qualifies, and if so, what services they may need. Parents have a legal right to disagree and ask for another evaluation. ( Read more about the evaluation )

Set up an IEP (Individualized Education Program): This is a legal document that describes the child’s goals, and the services the school will provide to help them meet these goals. The parents or guardians are part of a team that works together to develop the IEP, and it is reviewed at least every year. ( Rea d m ore on the IEP process or watch a 2-m in. video about IEPs )

Start the services and monitor progress: Your child will get the services that are written into the IEP. Parents should keep in contact with the teacher and IEP team, make sure the services are happening, and ask for a team meeting if you are not satisfied that your child is making progress. (Asking to meet anytime is another legal right!) ( Read m ore on keeping track of an IEP)

Know your rights and the school’s requirements

Did you notice how many legal rights we mentioned? You have rights and the school has responsibilities, which are all guaranteed by a federal law: IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act . One of the best ways you can help your child get the school services they need is to know these rights and responsibilities, and advocate for them. ( Read more about knowing your rights under IDEA )

Here are a few examples:

You and your child have the right to:

Get an evaluation, paid for by the school if you have concerns

Ask for a team meeting anytime

Have all written and spoken information in your preferred language

Have meetings at a time and place that works for you

Get all the services listed in the IEP

The school’s responsibilities are to comply with all of the above, and stick to a required timeline!

Of course, once you know your rights, you still have to advocate for them. This is not easy. No one wants to be the squeaky wheel, but sometimes that’s what you’ll need to be. Here are a few tips to help you be a good advocate:

Start with the assumption that everyone’s goal is to help your child. Keep your child’s needs at the heart of everything.

Stay involved! Know what’s happening in your child’s classroom, and with their special ed services.

Be calm but firm. Fall back on the law if needed. That will make it less personal and emotional.

Keep records of all your communications with the school. Use them to keep the school accountable for what they said they would do.

Know the chain of command, and who to talk to about your concerns. If you have complaints and nothing is changing, learn about the dispute resolution process .

The bottom line: don’t be afraid of special ed! Understand what special education is and why it’s important. Its purpose is to help your child, and you will be involved in the process the whole way. School is hard enough without having a disability. So if your child can get support, special ed can help them to learn, fit in, and feel good about themselves.

More Resources:

Special Education: a Glossary of Terms & Acronyms

• Special Education Hub Page

Cómo abogar por tu hijo con discapacidad… y obtener resultados

Julie McKinney, MS

Director of training / health literacy specialist.

Julie McKinney has over 25 years of experience in health literacy, plain language, and adult education. She has deep expertise in writing information so it’s easy to understand, and has developed trainings for educators in clear communication.

At Exceptional Lives, she ensures that our content is clear and friendly. She also works to strengthen relationships with community partners, and designs trainings that help them connect with families. Julie also has experience parenting kids with ADHD, learning disabilities and significant intellectual disability. She has ushered her own children through schooling and transition to adulthood, and is committed to helping make this process easier for others.

Her core view is that good relationships are the key to just about anything we hope for.

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What is an IEP?

By Gail Belsky

Expert reviewed by Melody Musgrove, EdD

At a glance

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program.

The purpose of an IEP is to lay out the special education instruction, supports, and services a student needs to thrive in school.

IEPs are part of PreK–12 public education.

When kids struggle in school, you may hear the term IEP. What is an IEP? IEP is an acronym that stands for Individualized Education Program. Some people may refer to it as an Individualized Education Plan.

The purpose of an IEP

An IEP is more than just a written legal document (or “plan”). It’s a map that lays out the program of special education instruction, supports, and services kids need to make progress and thrive in school.

IEPs are covered by special education law, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). They’re created for eligible kids who attend public school, which includes charter schools.

There are many benefits to getting an IEP. The process begins with an evaluation that shows a student’s strengths and challenges. Families and schools use the results to create a program of services and supports tailored to meet the student’s needs.

Having an IEP gives students, families, and schools legal protections, too. It lets families be involved in decisions that impact their child’s education. It also gives students rights when it comes to school discipline.

Dive deeper

Who gets ieps.

IEPs are a part of public education. They’re given to eligible kids, ages 3 and up, who attend public school. That includes charter schools.

To be eligible for an IEP, a student has to:

Have one or more of the 13 conditions that are covered under IDEA, which includes learning disabilities like dyslexia and also

Need services to thrive in school

Private schools don’t offer IEPs. But students in private school may be able to get special education through what’s known as a service plan (also called an Individual Services Plan ).

Even before they attend school, babies and toddlers can get services through early intervention . Once kids turn 3, they can get an IEP through their local public school district.

There are no IEPs in college. But eligible students often can still get accommodations through college disability services.

Find out what’s in an IEP .

Myths about IEPs

There are a lot of myths about IEPs and special education. And these misconceptions sometimes keep people from seeking out IEPs for kids who need support.  

One big myth is that kids who have IEPs have to be in a separate classroom. But most kids who get special education services through an IEP are in the same classroom as kids who don’t. That’s the way the law says it should be. 

Debunk more myths about IEPs and special education .

IEPs vs. 504 plans

Some students get support at school under a 504 plan, rather than an IEP. Both can provide supports like accommodations and assistive technology. But a 504 plan isn’t part of special education. It serves a different purpose than an IEP.

See a chart that shows the differences between IEPs and 504 plans .

Understanding IEP basics is the first step to help kids thrive in school and beyond. Here are the next steps. 

Parents and caregivers: Learn about the process of getting an IEP .

Educators: Download a guide to navigating IEPs . 

Students with IEPs: Download a sample IEP transition plan .

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Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education

Career information is not specific to degree level. Some career options may require an advanced degree.

Current Job Openings and Salary Range

in ID, WA, OR, MT and HI

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• Career Options
• Education Administrator, Preschool and Childcare Center/Program
• Education Administrator, Elementary and Secondary School
• Education Administrator, Postsecondary
• Educational, Guidance, School, or Vocational Counselor
• Education Teacher, Postsecondary
• Special Education Teacher, Preschool
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• Speech-Language Pathologist

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Employment trends and projected job growth in ID, WA, OR, MT & HI

*Job data is collected from national, state and private sources. For more information, visit EMSI's data sources page .

• Degree Prep

A graduate degree in special education is ideal for people who have compassion and a desire to help those with special needs. A graduate degree places the student in leadership and decision-making roles. An undergraduate degree in education or a similar field is required for the special education program.

• Degree Roadmap

Students that wish to pursue their M.S. in Special Education have 4 options. 

»  Special Education Program Handbook

• Professional Licensing

Completion of the program will make you eligible to sit for the Standard Instructional Certificate  with Exceptional Child endorsement.

• Scholarships

Visit the  Financial Aid office  for available scholarships.

• Hands-On Learning

Students in the special education program have many opportunities for hands-on training in the Center on Disabilities and Human Development . About 20 students are enrolled in the program each year. The small size allows them to form strong interpersonal bonds with faculty as well as one another.

You will also have opportunities to participate in interdepartmental studies, become involved in community-based programs and network with professionals in special education and other disciplines.

• Internships

Upon completion of your coursework, you will be required to take certification exams by the state in which you will work. You also will complete a one semester internship experience in a classroom environment, where you will learn alongside experienced teachers. You also will receive personal mentorship from our leading education faculty. Learn more about semester internships .

• Job Openings and Salary Range
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Guide all students toward success.

You believe all students deserve engaged, responsive instruction regardless of ability. You’re not alone — school districts in Idaho and across the country seek out compassionate special education teachers and administrators ready to make an impact. Prepare to become a special education instructor or to train teachers to effectively work with students with special needs. Our graduates go on to secure positions in public and private schools.

Drive change and lead tomorrow’s classroom by earning a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education, geared toward current and future professionals, from the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences . Throughout your enrollment, you'll participate in high-quality programs and network with special education professionals. You'll also have the opportunity to participate in interdepartmental research. This state-approved program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation . Expand your own knowledge while elevating and guiding all students toward success.

• The Special Education program offers an undergraduate teaching major as well as two different tracks to a master's degree. One track is for certified teachers to earn the Idaho Exceptional Child Generalist teaching endorsement and the other is for special educators who are already certified.
• Receive opportunities to learn from and collaborate with faculty from the Center on Disabilities and Human Development , the University of Idaho’s Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), which champions through education, outreach, research and service the mission of having all people fully participate in their communities.
• Online option available.

Degree Options

This program takes three possible formats:

Are you already a certified teacher with a special education endorsement? Expand your knowledge of the field and gain greater insight into pressing topics and the latest curriculum-planning techniques.

Are you a certified teacher who would like to add a special education teaching endorsement to your license? This master’s program builds on your bachelor’s and prepares you to qualify for the Standard Instructional Certificate with Exceptional Child Endorsement.

Or, are you interested in   pursuing the M.Ed. in Special Education as a 30-credit endorsement in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree in elementary or secondary education?  Complete this combined pathway in five years to qualify for both your initial Idaho teaching certification and the Exceptional Child Endorsement.

The University of Idaho's special education program offers a flexible online course of study tailored to your needs, guided by your major professor or advisor. Our Department of Curriculum and Instruction provides an undergraduate teaching major and two distinct tracks for a master's degree in special education.

Master's Only

A master’s-only track is available for experienced special educators who have a bachelor’s degree in special education or a closely-related field. This track is appropriate for individuals who wish to earn a master’s degree while expanding their knowledge of the field. In this track, students register for a number of common courses covering topics designed to broaden teachers’ knowledge of special education strategies and promote professional development. Students also select, in conjunction with their advisor, additional classes to enhance their knowledge in a selected area of focus. Students in this track culminate their experience with a master’s project, designed by working with their faculty advisor.

Research (Min. 6 cr)

• EDCI 570 * : Introduction to Research (3 cr)
• EDSP 531: Single Subject Design Research (3 cr)
• EDCI 573: Action Research (3 cr)

*   Required

Special Education Courses (Min. 18 cr)

• EDSP 520: Education of People with Disabilities (3 cr) fall
• EDSP 530: Assistive Technology & Universal Design for Learning for Pre-K12 (2 cr) fall
• EDSP 531: Single subject research (3 cr) spring every other year; if not taken as the research requirement
• EDSP 540: Applied Behavior Analysis (3 cr) fall
• EDSP 548: Special Ed Curriculum (3 cr) fall
• EDSP 549: Language, Communication, and Social/Emotional Enhancement (3 cr) fall
• EDSP 423: Collaboration (3 cr) spring
• EDSP 425: Assessment (3 cr) spring
• EDSP 426: IEP Development (3 cr) spring
• EDSP 519: Orientation to Autism Spectrum Disorder (3 cr) spring every other year 2019
• EDSP 504: Evidence Based Practices in Special Education (2 cr) spring every other year 2020
• EDSP 504: Trends and Topics in Developmental Disabilities (3 cr) fall every other year starting 2019

Additional Courses (3 - 6 cr)

Credits arranged with Major Professor. These credit hours may include coursework in EDSP, EDCI, EDAD, ADOL or ED. Examples of classes:

• EDAD 513 Administration of Special Education Law (3)
• EDAD 582 Special Education Director Administration (3)
• EDAD 595 Supervision of Personnel (3)
• EDCI 511: Planning and Administering the Curriculum (3)
• EDCI 513: History of Education Thought (3)
• EDCI 524: Models of Teaching (3)
• EDCI 572: Measurements and Evaluation (3)

Final Research Project

• EDSP 599 * : Research: Non-thesis project/Capstone portfolio (1 - 3 cr)

* Required: EDSP 599 (1 cr) the semester of graduation

Master's Plus Certification in Special Education

The master’s plus certification track is available to people new to special education and affords the opportunity to earn a degree while gaining initial Special Education Exceptional Child K-12 teaching preparation and certification. Students who pursue this track will exit with the master’s degree and an Idaho teaching certification in Exceptional Child Generalist. Because this track results in initial preparation in special education, coursework is paired with field experience so that students will gain the opportunity to link their subject knowledge to pedagogy and practice. The culminating activity for students in this track is a semester long teaching internship during which students will gain valuable hands-on experience. Candidates in this track already will hold an elementary or secondary teaching certificate and have no previous degree in special education.

Prerequisites

• EDSP 300: Education for Exceptionalities (3 cr) (all semesters) Or EDSP 520 Education of People with Disabilities (3 cr) (fall)
• EDSP 325: Classroom Application of Learning Theory (2 cr) (summer)
• EDSP 350: Language & Communication Development & Disorders (3 cr) (summer)
• Elementary Certification through U of I Or EDCI 463 Content Reading (3 cr)
• *Pass Praxis #5001 Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (this Praxis exam must be passed within the first semester of student’s graduate studies)

Fall Courses

• EDSP 540: Behavioral Analysis for Children and Youth (3 cr)
• EDSP 548: Special Education Curriculum (3 cr)
• EDSP 549: Language, Communication and Social/Emotional Enhancement (3 cr)
• EDSP 530: Assistive Technology & UDL in K12 (2 cr.)

Spring Courses

• EDSP 423: Collaboration (3 cr)
• EDSP 425: Assessment (3 cr)
• EDSP 426: IEP Development (3 cr)

Any Semester Courses

• EDCI 570 Research (3 cr) (all semesters)

Final Semester Courses

• EDSP 599: Research: Non-thesis project (1-3 cr) must have one credit of EDSP the semester of graduation
• EDSP 597 :Internship/student teaching (6-8 cr) (8 weeks)

The required courses below depend if certified for elementary or secondary education.

Elementary Education

• EDCI 320: Teaching Reading and Literacy (3 cr)
• EDCI 463: Literacy Methods for Content Learning (3 cr)

Secondary Education

Note: EDSP 325 and EDSP 350 may be waived based professional experience and equivalent coursework.

Undergraduate Teaching Major (Endorsement)

EHHS offers a 31 credit endorsement (teaching major) in special education, open to elementary and secondary education majors. Students who complete the endorsement will meet the requirements for an initial Idaho teaching certification/credential and the exceptional child generalist teaching certification, enabling them to teach elementary or secondary as well as special education grades K-12.

The schedule of coursework will be determined with academic advisors based on the required coursework listed below: 

Option 1: Elementary Education

• EDSP 300: Educating for Exceptionalities (3 cr, any semester)
• EDSP 325: Classroom Applications of Learning Theories (2 cr, summer)
• EDSP 350: Language and Communication Development and Disorders (3 cr, summer)
• EDSP 423: Collaboration (3 cr, spring)
• EDSP 425: Evaluation of Children and Youth (3 cr, spring)
• EDSP 426: Developing Instructional Programs (3 cr, spring)
• EDSP 430: Assistive Technology and UDL (2 cr, fall)
• EDSP 448: Special Education Curriculum (3 cr, fall)
• EDCI  463: Content Reading (3 cr)
• EDSP 484: Special Education Internship (6 cr) 

Option 2: Secondary Education

All courses listed above plus:

• MTHE 235: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I (3 cr)
• MTHE 236: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II (3 cr)
• EDCI 320: Teaching Reading and Literacy (3 cr)

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Curriculum and Instruction

Meet the Faculty

Special Education

Through all pathways, you’ll focus on developing and teaching appropriate curriculum for students with mild to moderate disabilities, with emphasis placed on learning disabilities, mental conditions and other disabling conditions. Learn to create assignments and lesson plans geared toward each individual’s needs and abilities based on behavior, social and academic development and equip them for life beyond school.

As you progress, you’ll refine your teaching methods by better understanding disabilities, special education and developmentally responsive school models; the principles of developmentally appropriate instruction and teaching strategies; methods for conceiving challenging, integrative and exploratory curriculum; and techniques for encouraging inquiry and collaboration in the classroom. You’ll learn to identify special education needs, evaluate and monitor students, and gather and analyze data through educational research.

In addition to coursework, you’ll complete a one-semester internship, where you’ll gain insights from an experienced professional in a classroom environment.

You’ll cultivate bonds that will help grow your career. Beyond your internship, you’ll receive more personalized instruction through small class sizes, and build your network and industry knowledge through community-based programs and interdepartmental studies.

Prepare for a rewarding career and influence the next generation of students. Before applying to U of I’s highly ranked M.Ed. in Special Education program, review all admission requirements .

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Why children with disabilities are missing school and losing skills

Cory Turner

Fahmida Azim for NPR hide caption

On a recent school day in Del Norte County, Calif., in one of the state's northernmost school districts, 17-year-old Emma Lenover sits at home on the couch.

In some ways, Emma is a typical teen. She loves Disneyland and dance class. But she has already faced more adversity than some classmates will in a lifetime.

"All of October and all of November, there was no school because there was no aide" says Emma's mother, Melony Lenover, leaning her elbows into the kitchen table.

Emma has multiple health conditions, including cerebral palsy. She uses a wheelchair, a feeding tube and is nonverbal. To communicate, she uses a special device, like an iPad, that speaks a word or phrase when she presses the corresponding button. She is also immunocompromised and has mostly done school from home this year, over Zoom, with help from an aide in the classroom. At least, that's what was supposed to happen.

Students with disabilities are missing school because of staff shortages

Melony Lenover says her daughter's special education plan with the district guarantees her a dedicated, one-on-one aide. But the district is in the throes of a special education staffing crisis. In the fall, without an aide, Emma had to stop school. As a result, she missed out on the dance and art classes she loves and regressed on her communication device.

The fact that a district could struggle so mightily with special education staffing that students are missing school – that's not just a Del Norte problem. A recent federal survey of school districts across the U.S. found special education jobs were among the hardest to staff – and vacancies were widespread. But what's happening in Del Norte is extreme. Which is why the Lenovers and five other families are suing the school district , as well as state education leadership, with help from the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.

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The California Department of Education says it cannot comment on pending litigation.

"It's very, very, very, very difficult when we are trying to bring people on board, trying to provide these services, when we want the best that we can give – cause that's our job – and we can't," says Del Norte Superintendent Jeff Harris. Harris says he cannot comment on the lawsuit, but acknowledges the staffing crisis in Del Norte is very real.

Emma Lenover, left, works through a literacy lesson at home with special education teacher Sarah Elston. Emma loves these visits and, on this day, waited anxiously at the picture window for Elston to arrive. Cory Turner/NPR hide caption

Emma Lenover, left, works through a literacy lesson at home with special education teacher Sarah Elston. Emma loves these visits and, on this day, waited anxiously at the picture window for Elston to arrive.

In December, after the lawsuit was filed, district special educator Sarah Elston told the local Wild Rivers Outpost : "Just a few days ago I had two or three [aides] call out sick, they weren't coming to work, and so this starts my morning at 5:30 having to figure out who's going to be with this student... It is constant crisis management that we do in special education today."

Del Norte's isolation makes it more difficult to hire needed staff

The district sits hidden away like a secret between Oregon, the frigid Pacific and some of the largest redwood trees in the world. It's too isolated and the pay is not competitive enough, Harris says, to attract workers from outside Del Norte. Locally, these aides – like the one Emma requires – earn about as much as they would working at McDonald's.

Students with disabilities have a right to qualified teachers — but there's a shortage

Harris has even tried hiring contractors from Oregon. But "it's a two-hour drive from southern Oregon here," Harris says, "so four hours of the paid contract time was not even serving students."

The district's hiring process is also too burdensome, according to Harris, taking weeks to fill a job. Hoping to change that, the district declared a special education staffing state of emergency earlier this school year, but the problem remains.

In April, the district still had more than 40 special education job openings posted.

Melony Lenover says she knows supporting Emma can be challenging. But decades ago, Congress made clear, through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act , that her daughter is legally entitled to that support.

The federal government said it would cover 40% of the cost of providing special education services, but it has never come close to fulfilling that promise. In 2023, the National Association of Elementary School Principals said , "Since the law was enacted, the closest the federal government has come to reaching the 40 percent commitment was 18 percent in 2004-2006, and current funding is at less than 13 percent."

All this leaves Melony Lenover chafing at what she considers a double standard for children with disabilities.

"If it'd been one of my typically-functioning kids who are not in school for two months, [the school district] would be coming after me," Lenover says.

In many places, a child who has missed about 18 school days – far less than Emma – is considered chronically absent. It's a crisis that triggers a range of emergency interventions. Lenover says Emma's absences weren't treated with nearly the same urgency.

While Emma Lenover still doesn't have a dedicated aide, she is finally getting help.

"We said as a team, enough is enough," says Sarah Elston, who is Emma's special education teacher. "We're gonna do whatever it takes to get this girl an education."

Elston has been working with her high school principal to patch together as much help as they can for Emma, including shifting a classroom aide to help Emma participate in one of her favorite classes remotely, dance.

How the staffing shortage can become dangerous

Linda Vang is another plaintiff in the Del Norte lawsuit, alongside Emma Lenover's parents. On a recent Thursday, she sits at her kitchen table, her back to a refrigerator covered with family photos. She grips her phone hard, like a lifeline, watching old videos of her son, Shawn.

Schools are struggling to hire special education teachers. Hawaii may have found a fix

The cell phone videos show a young boy with a broad smile, being urged by his mother to pull up his socks. Or being taught by his doting sister to ride a scooter. Or dressed up for what appears to be a wedding, and doing the chicken dance. He is a joyful kid.

Much has changed since then.

Shawn is a pseudonym, chosen by Vang and his attorneys in the lawsuit. We're not using his real name because Shawn is a minor and his mother asked us to protect his identity.

To understand Shawn's role in the lawsuit – and the depths of Del Norte's staffing crisis – you have to understand what happened to him on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023.

He was 15 at the time. Shawn has autism and is nonverbal, and as part of his special education plan, he gets his own, dedicated aide at school. But again, because of Del Norte's struggles to hire enough special education staff, those aides are often in short supply and undertrained.

Shawn's lead teacher that day, Brittany Wyckoff, says, when he grew frustrated in class, his fill-in aide did not follow procedure. It was snack time, but "this staff said, 'No, you're not being calm' and pulled [the snack] away. So that wasn't the appropriate way to handle it."

Another staff member later told police Shawn had begun to calm down, but the aide still wouldn't give him the snack – pistachios. Instead, Wyckoff says, the aide used a firm tone and continued telling Shawn to calm down. Shawn got more agitated, hitting himself in the face.

The aide later told police he began to worry Shawn might try to bite him – because Shawn had bitten other staff before. Witnesses told police he warned Shawn, "You will not bite me. You will not bite me."

Wyckoff says standard procedure, when a student gets agitated and potentially violent, is to move classroom furniture – a table, a desk – between your body and the student. Instead, Wyckoff says, this aide moved furniture out of the way. When Shawn moved toward the aide, unobstructed, the aide raised his hands.

"The staff member just instantly reached out and choked [Shawn]," Wyckoff remembers. "And full-on, like one hand over the other hand choke."

Multiple staff told police, Shawn had not tried to bite the aide. Wyckoff says she was yelling at the aide to stop and finally pulled him off of Shawn, "who was turning purple."

How the incident led to missed school

The aide left school after choking Shawn and went to a local bar for a beer, according to the police report. He later told police he'd acted in self-defense. When he was arrested, for child endangerment, and asked why he hadn't called police himself, the aide said, because he'd been in many similar situations and didn't think this rose to that level.

The district attorney ultimately chose not to file charges.

Emma, left, works with her sister, Kelsey Mercer, to join one of her favorite school classes, dance, from home. Cory Turner/NPR hide caption

Emma, left, works with her sister, Kelsey Mercer, to join one of her favorite school classes, dance, from home.

Linda Vang says the incident changed Shawn. He became less trusting and was scared to return to the classroom. "It is the hardest thing in my life to watch my son go through this."

To make matters worse, after the incident, the school couldn't provide Shawn with a new aide, and, like Emma Lenover, he couldn't do school without one. After the encounter, he was forced to miss two months of school – because of the staffing crisis.

"It was just week after week, them telling us, 'There's no staff. There's no staff,' " Vang remembers. "I feel for him. I'm angry for him. I'm upset for him. It's hard."

Again, Superintendent Jeff Harris can't comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, or on the incident involving Shawn, but he defends the district.

"We don't come in everyday going, 'How can we mess with people's lives?' We come in every day going, 'What can we do today to make this work?' "

Shawn, like Emma, lost skills during his time away from school. His mother says he struggled more to control his behavior and was less willing to use his communication device.

Shawn is back at school and finally improving, Vang says. He even likes the aide he has now.

"It has been very hard the last year. But you know, we're getting there. You know, I'm doing my best, every single day."

With inadequate staff, students can lose vital skills

Wyckoff, Shawn's former teacher, says the staff shortage is so acute that some aides are being hired with little to no special education experience.

"They could know absolutely nothing about working with a student with special needs," Wyckoff says, "and [the district] is like 'Hey, you've gotta work with the most intensively behaviorally challenging student. Good luck!'"

After Months Of Special Education Turmoil, Families Say Schools Owe Them

Wyckoff says the staff the district is able to hire need more and better training, too. The stakes are just too high.

Superintendent Harris says the district does provide staff training, but he also has to balance that with the need to get staff into classrooms quickly.

Veteran special education staff in Del Norte tell NPR they've seen what happens when students with disabilities don't get consistent, quality support: They lose skills.

"One particular student, he was doing well," says Emily Caldwell, a speech-language pathologist in the district. "We were talking about removing his communication device from coming to school because he's communicating verbally."

Caldwell works with many students who, like Shawn and Emma, use a communication device. This student, though, had been learning to use his own voice. It was a big deal, Caldwell says. But the student began losing those skills as he was shuffled between inexperienced staff.

Emma, right, communicates with her sisters Ashley Lenover, left, and Kelsey Mercer using body language and a special tablet device. Cory Turner/NPR hide caption

Emma, right, communicates with her sisters Ashley Lenover, left, and Kelsey Mercer using body language and a special tablet device.

Now, "he's not communicating verbally at school anymore, he's only using his device and only when prompted," Caldwell says.

"I have a student whose toileting skills have regressed," says Sarah Elston, Emma's teacher. "I have more than one student who have lost skills on their [communication] device, that is their only way of communicating with the world."

This sense of loss, Elston says, keeps her up at night.

Superintendent Jeff Harris acknowledges the effects of the staffing crisis have been painful.

"When you have a child who can't do something that they were able to do before because they don't have that consistency, that's hard. I mean, that's a knife to the heart."

Looking forward

The lawsuit against the Del Norte Unified School District and state education officials is ongoing. The families hope it will not only help their children, but also raise awareness around a crisis they know is larger than themselves – and larger than Del Norte.

In the meantime, Del Norte teachers are doing everything they can to support their students with disabilities.

Elston, Wyckoff and Caldwell all say they have raised alarms with the district around students not getting the support they're entitled to – and even being mistreated by untrained or inexperienced staff.

Caldwell says some veteran staff have quit out of frustration. Though she insists, she's staying.

"I just worry," Caldwell says, tearing up. "The kids I work with, most of them don't communicate effectively without support. And so they can't go home and be like, 'Hey, Mom, so-and-so held me in a chair today.' And so I feel like, if I wasn't there and if I wasn't being that voice and that advocate, who would be?"

Digital story edited by: Nicole Cohen Audio stories produced by: Lauren Migaki Audio stories edited by: Nicole Cohen and Steve Drummond Visual design and development by: LA Johnson

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StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.

StatPearls [Internet].

Special education.

Anthonella B. Benitez Ojeda ; Paola Carugno .

Affiliations

Last Update: September 18, 2022 .

• Introduction

Special education is the process by which students with special needs receive education by addressing their differences while integrating them as much as possible into the typical educational environment of their peers. Success, measured as self-sufficiency, academic achievement, and future contributions to the community, may not be achieved if students with special needs do not receive this additional help. In the United States and many other countries, children with special educational needs are entitled by law to receive services and accommodations to help them perform to the best of their abilities and reach their academic potential. [1] [2]

Special needs can include learning disabilities, speech and language impairments, autism spectrum disorders, cognitive impairments, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophies, sensory impairments like vision or hearing, chronic medical illnesses, and any condition that affects optimal education. Whenever possible, the needs of these students should be met in the same environment where other peers learn. Different classroom placements can be selected for their education only when progress is lacking in this mainstream setting. This new setting may include fewer students in the classroom, more teachers, or a higher level of support. Moving a child from the typical classroom or educational setting to a specially structured one is gradual. Emphasis should focus on finding the balance of meeting the student's academic needs in the least restrictive environment. [3]

Background History

Beginning in 1975, the All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142), and later evolving into the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA,1990), No Child Left Behind, and most recently, the IDEA Improvement Act 2004, federal laws in the United States have ruled that public schools must provide free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities. Any person between 3 and 21 years of age suspected of having a disability is entitled to a comprehensive, interprofessional evaluation and, if eligible, to an individualized learning plan and monitoring over time, showing the achievement of adequate progress. Part C of the law includes the educational services provided to children from birth to 3 years in an Early Intervention Program (EIP) program. [4]

Role of the Medical Provider

The medical provider has an indirect but essential role in supporting the education of their patients. This role includes early identification of students who struggle in school, encouraging families to ask the schools for help, keeping them through the process, providing medical documentation when necessary, and becoming involved in advocacy efforts at the individual and community levels.

• Issues of Concern

Standard Terms Used in Special Education

• General education: Standard curriculum without any special arrangements or modifications
• Mainstreaming: The environment in which students typically receive their education is the same as general education. Teachers accommodate the curriculum for group instruction.
• Response to Intervention (RTI):  Initial interventions used by general education teachers in a regular classroom to help struggling students who are falling behind. This process is implemented and monitored to see how much the student benefits from it before more formal evaluations that may lead to an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
• Individualized Education Program (IEP):  A legally binding document by which the public school system, after an interprofessional evaluation, identifies a student's educational needs, the intervention that helps achieve this goal, and the method for monitoring progress.
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Federal law that requires public schools to provide special education services for children ages 3 to 21 who meet specific eligibility criteria.
• Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE):  The educational right of students with disabilities to be educated at public expense and make adequate progress.
• Remediation: Interventions are given to help the student who has fallen behind academically to catch up. The student may or may not have special needs, or their special needs may not have been identified.
• Accommodations:  These include all the adaptations that will improve the student's academic success, like extra time for assignments or exams, the use of technology, or adaptive equipment.
• 504 modifications and accommodations:  These are adaptations or accommodations to the curriculum based on a medical diagnosis. They are usually used when the student doesn't qualify for an IEP. They provide many similar interventions and support.
• Related services: Interventions that are not strictly educational but help the student benefit from the overall academic support they receive. They may include counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and transportation.
• Early Intervention Program (EIP): Educational services provided to children from birth to 3 years old who have a significant developmental delay or are at risk for a delay.
• Committee for Preschool Special Education (CPSE): Educational services provided to children 3 to 5 years old with educational needs.
• Committee for Special Education (CSE): Educational services for children 5 to 18 or 21 with academic needs. 

Evaluation Process

The process of providing educational interventions tailored to students' individual needs consists of multiple steps. The process begins with the identification of student's academic needs. Educators must recognize students who struggle and those whose needs are unmet. After identifying a struggling student, the family must consent to the evaluation. These students then receive an RTI. A personalized set of interventions is designed and implemented in this part of the process. The response to these interventions is monitored over a predetermined period. No further evaluation is necessary if the student can catch up with the rest of the class. However, if there is no progress, the school assessment team does an interprofessional evaluation.

As a result of the review, a decision be made if the student has needs that make them eligible for an IEP. The student who meets the criteria to qualify is suitable for the services. The degree of delays or educational needs that make students suitable for services varies by state and local legislation. The student's individual needs, how to address these weaknesses, how to monitor progress, and clear goals for achievement over time are put together into a document called the IEP. This process includes procedural safeguards that ensure the rights of the children and their families and due process if these services are not provided. [5]

After an IEP is implemented and the additional educational support starts, the student's progress is followed over time. Extra help usually begins in the general classroom setting. After a period, if the student does not make adequate progress and further support is necessary, then the student is placed in a more structured educational environment. This educational setting can be in an inclusive or collaborative team classroom, where students with and without IEPs are educated together by a teacher in cooperation with a special education teacher, or smaller classrooms, sometimes called self-contained classes, where all the students have special needs. In some cases, adequate placement may be in a different school outside their home district.

A similar process exists for preschool-age children. Preschool children, 3 to 5 years old, are provided with educational services by the Committee for Preschool Special Education, following an interprofessional evaluation determining their eligibility. Children younger than 3 years old receive services by Early Intervention, part C of the IDEA. Children with their families undergo evaluation by a comprehensive, interprofessional, and family-centered assessment. An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) then be developed.

Similarly, this plan includes educational goals. And it states how their educational needs be addressed. It also has ways to measure the child's progress and plans to transition the child to preschool services if the continuation of services is needed.

• Clinical Significance

Early identification and proper remediation of developmental delays in young children and learning difficulties in older students have lifelong benefits. Students achieve higher academic levels and financial independence. Many studies have shown that students with unidentified educational needs experience negative labeling like being called lazy or dumb. They experience feelings of frustration and shame and can develop anxiety, poor self-esteem, a higher rate of substance abuse, school dropout, and juvenile delinquency. [6] [7] [8]

Special education programs are put in place for those students who are mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally delayed. This "delay" aspect, categorized broadly as a developmental delay, signifies an aspect of the child's overall development (physical, cognitive, academic skills) that places them behind their peers. Due to these special requirements, students' needs cannot be met within the traditional classroom environment. [9]

• Other Issues

504 Modifications

When a student has a medical diagnosis but is not eligible for special education, schools can make accommodations or adaptations to provide support under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). For example, if academically, they are at grade level but have a medical condition (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) that prevents them from performing to the best of their potential. Under this provision, there cannot be discrimination against people with disabilities, and equal opportunities must be available. For school purposes, this means that "reasonable accommodations" must be made to compensate for the deficits due to the individual's medical condition, including modifications for participation in the classroom, testing, transportation, and childcare.

Gifted Education

Children performing above the expected and considered gifted and talented may need specialized teaching, but this is usually not included in special education. Gifted students are not eligible for an IEP. [10]

• Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes

Students with special educational needs due to medical conditions need optimal health care. Optimizing medical care for those students improve their educational outcomes. Routine assessment, long-term planning, and treatment are essential components of health care and education outcomes. Technology has become increasingly important in special needs students' health care and learning process. Various tools and devices became available to improve the function of impaired body systems like hearing, sensing, visualizing, vocalizing, ambulating, and writing or communicating. Learning, in general, has also made critical forward steps using technology. The availability of advanced audio-visual devices and learning objects, fast and highly efficient communication devices and routes, distant education concepts and tools, and the needed expertise gave a new meaning and set up new higher goals of education. 

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Disclosure: Anthonella Benitez Ojeda declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Paola Carugno declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

This book is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ), which permits others to distribute the work, provided that the article is not altered or used commercially. You are not required to obtain permission to distribute this article, provided that you credit the author and journal.

• Cite this Page Benitez Ojeda AB, Carugno P. Special Education. [Updated 2022 Sep 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.

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