Special Education

Special Education is a kind of education that gives hope to individuals with disabilities, particularly to children. There are a lot of children in the world, mainly in developing countries who are in need of Special Education. It is the education of students with special needs, which addresses the student's individual differences and requirements. These students go through a series of evaluations to determine their level of needs. Many parents of children with special needs aren't aware of the process that it takes to find out if a child is or isn't eligible for special educational service. Below, I will not only discuss the process for a child to be considered for these services, but also what a person will need in order to teach these students.

Although, all students have the same guidelines, students with special need receive extra help, which allows them to succeed in their education. There are steps that have to be taken in the special education process. The first step is to have an initial referral for special education services. The students who are assumed of a disability are referred to a multidisciplinary group called the Committee of Special Education or the Committee of Preschool Special Education. The second step is the Individual Evaluation Process. Students are given an evaluation that will determine their abilities and needs. The next step is determining if the student is eligible for special educational services. In this process the committee of special education utilizes the results from the evaluation to determine if the child is eligible for any or all special educational services and programs. If a child is determined to be eligible, the Committee will then develop and implement an appropriate Individualized Educational Plan, based on the results of the evaluation that will meet the needs of the child. The final step is when the IEP is reviewed and modified, if needed, based on the student's improvement.

Parents can request a referral from the school district. The child's teacher or a professional in the student's school can also make a referral to the Committee as well as people who may compose a referral include doctors or a designated individuals in a public agency. A referral is a written declaration asking that the school district evaluate the child to decide if he or she needs special educational services. In some cases, you may want to meet with the principal before agreeing to test your child to discuss other ways to assist your child. As a result, the referral may be withdrawn. If a child already receives services through the Early Intervention Program and is in need of special educational services, he or she will need to change from the Early Intervention Program into the preschool special education program. The CPSE must be notified in writing by the Early Intervention official from your county that the child may be transitioning from the Early Intervention Program. A transition plan must be developed no later than three months before the child's third birthday, with the consent of the child's parent. Both the Committee of Preschool Special education and the Committee of Special Education can be found in every school district. The CPSE is responsible with students ages 3 to 5 who have disabilities and the CSE is responsible of the students ages 5-21. When a child is referred to the Committee they might sent the child for several evaluations depending on what is stated on the referral. An evaluation includes an assortment of assessment tools and strategies. Evaluations must be comprehensive and provide information about the child's unique abilities and requirements. An evaluation contains information from the parents and a group of evaluators, including at least one special education teacher or other person with knowledge of the child's assumed disability. These tests establish what the child's learning difficulties may be and how they affect his or her involvement and improvement in the general education curriculum. An example of what can be stated in a referral is that a child is not speaking at age level, which then they will be sent to be evaluated for speech services.

As a parent of a child in special education I know that it there are several ways that a student can be considered for special needs. Some students can be easily identified as special needs from their medical history. They may have been diagnosed with a genetic condition that is associated with mental retardation, may have various forms of brain damage, may have a developmental disorder, may have visual or hearing disabilities, or other disabilities. For students who can't be easily identified, there are two primary methods that are utilized to identify them. The discrepancy model depends on what the teacher notices from the child's achievements. In this model the students received special educational services for a specific learning difficulty, but only if the student has at least normal intelligence and if the student's academic achievement is below expectations. The response to intervention model is used for earlier intervention. Response to intervention is used to identify children who are having difficulties after beginning their first or second year. The response of the student in the evaluations is what determined whether or not the child is having a learning disability.

The special education program should be customized to for each student level of needs. An Individualized Educational Plan is a legal document that determines the placement of a child with special needs. In the United stated, Canada and the UK, educational professionals utilize an IEP. The IEP is a modification and accommodations of regular educational programs for the student. The individual education plan is only used when they are the student is already considered to have special educational needs. It specifies his or hers strengths and weaknesses. It also shows educators and parents expected goals for the student. When educators create an IEP they also consider the students behavior. Before your child's IEP is made final, there is a meeting where educators along with any therapist that have evaluated your child met with you to explain their concerns and future goals.

Once an IEP is developed a child will go to a class that is appropriate with his or her