All of the information your brain receives __________

2 Collaboration: Partnerships and Procedures

Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

• List and describe six major steps involved in effective interpersonal communication.

• Describe the general education prereferral process, including establishing timelines, intervention strategies, and consultation.

• Identify the key components comprising the case conference committee and IEP program, including educational evaluation or assessment steps.

• Gain understanding of the importance of establishing partnerships between special and general educators.

• Identify the benefits of co-teaching, potential barriers to successful co-teaching, and describe strategies for facilitating collaboration among educators.

• Understand the roles and responsibilities of paraprofessionals, and the importance of communicating effectively with paraprofessionals.

• Describe the importance of positive communication and collaboration with parents and families.

© 2005 Darota Wieczorak, “Picture/Music” Mixed media (12" � 20") Image provided by VSA arts, www.vsarts.org

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IDEA provides the legal rights for individuals with disabilities to receive free, appropriate public education. However, for the law to be effective, collaboration and constructive partner- ships must be established among parents, teachers, school specialists, school administrators, and community agencies. The school and parents must accept certain basic responsibilities for the system to work effectively. Table 2.1 lists some of these responsibilities. To meet these re- sponsibilities, parents and school personnel must engage in problem-solving strategies, work- ing together to devise procedures necessary for identification, referral, assessment, and placement processes to accommodate students with exceptionalities and other at-risk students.

Collaboration—involving cooperation, effective communication, shared problem solving, planning, and finding solutions—is the process for ensuring that all students receive the free, appropriate public education mandated by IDEA. The establishment of excellent working part- nerships among all involved in working with students with disabilities is essential for construc- tive collaboration.

CL A S S R O O M SC E N AR I O

Debbie

Debbie is a tenth-grader with physical disabilities and communication difficulties who has been experiencing problems completing her work within a typical school day. This morning, six of Debbie’s teachers—her math teacher, Ms. Juarez; her English teacher, Mr. Mantizi; her science teacher, Mr. Stubbs; her history teacher, Ms. Blackman; her speech and language therapist, Ms. Ramirez; and her special education teacher, Mr. Graetz—are meeting with Ms. Meyer, Debbie’s paraprofessional, in the small conference room near the front office. They are trying to determine what they can do to help Debbie be more successful in high school. Everyone at the meeting is sincere in their desire to brainstorm ways to arrange the school day so Debbie can learn successfully.

Mr. Graetz, the special education teacher, began the conversation by saying, “Thanks for agreeing to meet this morning to look at what’s been happening with Debbie and try to come up with some solutions together. Recently, Debbie appears to be having a hard time keep- ing up with all of her work. Her grades have started slipping. Maybe if we share some ideas we might be able to help her.”

Ms. Blackman, the history teacher, says, “I know that Debbie is interested in the topics we are studying because her eyes become animated during class. I’m unsure how I can tap into that enthusiasm. Maybe if I could get her to participate more actively she would feel better about school.”

The speech therapist, Ms. Ramirez, suggests, “Have you tried allowing Debbie to type out responses to questions on her notebook computer and then asking Ms. Meyer to read her answers to the class?”

“Hey, that’s a good idea. I have time to do that while students are completing their lab work in science class,” says the science teacher, Mr. Stubbs.

Ms. Juarez, the math teacher, adds, “I sometimes stop the discussion and allow extra time for Debbie to type her responses, and have found that this provides additional thinking time for everyone in my math class. . . .”

And so the discussion continues. These teachers are collaborating by sharing suggestions in instructional modifications with the intention of trying something that will promote school success for Debbie.

Questions for Reflection

1. How could any disagreements that arise be handled in this meeting? 2. If you were Mr. Graetz, how could you determine that the suggestions made in

this meeting would be carried out? 3. What do you think would be some of the challenges in arranging a meeting such

as this?

Professional roles, including teachers as collaborators, are topics on the Praxis™ Special Education: Core Knowledge Tests.

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Collaboration to Establish Need Collaboration to decide how to best meet students’ needs can occur among teachers and other school specialists during informal meetings, co-teaching, and formal meetings of professionals to recommend interventions or consider the appropriateness of special education services. Col- laboration also takes place with parents, siblings, guardians, and families—during parent con- ferences as well as during day-to-day communication with parents regarding the progress of their children.

Shared Goals Collaboration means working jointly with others; willingly cooperating with others; and shar- ing in goal setting, problem solving, and goal achievement. For example, a special education teacher might have Marilyn, who is classified as mildly mentally retarded, for three periods a day, while the general education seventh-grade content area teachers have her the remainder of the school day. General and special education teachers must collaborate effectively to im- plement the goals and objectives on Marilyn’s IEP. For example, Marilyn’s IEP specifies that general education teachers prioritize objectives, use positive reinforcement, adapt learning activities to reduce the amount of reading and writing required, adapt testing situations, and provide Marilyn with additional support as necessary. For these goals to be implemented con- sistently throughout the day for Marilyn, this team of teachers must work collaboratively and share ideas for best meeting Marilyn’s needs. For effective collaboration to happen, teachers must communicate effectively. This is most possible when collaborators hone their interper- sonal skills and interject a positive attitude into the collaboration efforts.

Effective Communication Interpersonal interactions revolve around communication. When communication is effective, several common elements are in place: active listening, depersonalizing situations, identifying common goals and solutions, and monitoring progress to achieve those goals (Gordon, 1987; see also Ginott, 1995).

Table 2.1 School and Parent Responsibilities

School’s Responsibilities Parents’ Responsibilities

Provide free and appropriate education Provide consent for educational evaluation through age 21. and placement.

Provide an Individualized Education Participate in case conference committee, Program (IEP) for each student who including development of IEP. requires special education and related services.

Assure testing, evaluation materials, Cooperate with school and teachers. procedures, and interpretations are non-biased.

Educate students with disabilities in the Attend case reviews to ensure IEP least-restrictive environment. remains appropriate.

Assure confidentiality of records for Reinforce procedures and policies (e.g., help individuals with disabilities. with homework routines).

Conduct searches to identify and Assist with any home-school behavioral evaluate students with disabilities from contracting efforts. birth through age 21.

Provide procedural due process rights for Help maintain open communication with students and parents. school and teachers.

For more information on effective communication skills, see Kampwirth, 2003.

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Active Listening Active listening is demonstrated through both nonverbal and verbal actions. Nonverbally, you demonstrate active listening by maintaining direct eye contact, leaning toward the speaker, nodding your head in agreement or understanding, and demonstrating that you are devoting all of your attention to the speaker. Verbal components of active listening involve responding with affirmative words such as: “Yes,” “Yes, I see,” “I understand,” and, “Can you tell me more?” An active listener is able to restate or summarize the major points of the conversation, and may do this during the course of the conversation with statements such as, “So, what you are telling me is. . . .” Teachers who use active listening techniques are more likely to main- tain open communication and to avoid misunderstandings. Active listening is a way of in- forming the speaker that his or her views are important to you and can be helpful in keeping interactions positive.

Depersonalize Situations Depersonalizing conversations avoids negative comments that may hurt an individual’s charac- ter, and instead emphasizes a goal. For example, if a student, Lisa, has been remiss at turning in homework assignments, a “depersonalized” statement is, “Lisa, 7 out of the last 10 home- work assignments are missing; what can we do to improve that?” A negative statement that might hinder finding a solution is, “Lisa, you obviously do not care enough about science to turn in your homework.”

Depersonalizing conversations are beneficial when communicating with everyone, in- cluding students, other teachers, school specialists, administrators, parents, and professionals from community organizations.

Find Common Goals It is important to restate and summarize conversations to identify common goals. Once com- mon goals are found, conversations can be more positive and productive. Questions such as “Lisa, what do you want to do in science?” and “What are the barriers currently preventing Lisa from turning in her homework?” can help direct the conversations toward the identification of common goals. A positive and productive common goal among all teachers, the parents, and Lisa could be the following:

We all want Lisa to succeed, and one way to help her succeed is to find ways to assist her in turning in her homework.

Once common goals are stated positively, it is easier to turn the entire conversation into productive problem solving toward goal attainment.

Brainstorm Possible Solutions Effective communicators can use brainstorming techniques during meetings to help identify ways to achieve any common goals. During brainstorming, suggestions for solutions are com- piled by participants, without passing judgment on any of them. The list of possible solutions can then be prioritized from those offering the most potential for success to the least. When all participants join in the creation of possible alternatives for helping Lisa succeed, they are more invested in reaching their goal. In Lisa’s case, a brainstormed list created by her, her teachers, and her parents might include the following: serving detention for a month; quitting her job; keeping an assignment notebook; eliminating or restricting her television-watching; staying after school once a week for homework assistance; and rewarding Lisa if she meets a certain criterion by the end of the quarter.

Summarize Goals and Solutions Summarizing the statement of goals and proposed solutions verbally (and perhaps in writing), before the end of the meeting, is beneficial for all participants. This prevents any misunder- standings and provides an opportunity for clarification. In our example, the teacher summa- rizes the meeting by stating, “Let me summarize what we all agreed on. We all want Lisa to succeed in science. One way to have Lisa be more successful is to help her turn in all of her homework assignments. One thing Lisa will do is keep an assignment notebook in which she records her assignments and due dates, which she will show daily to her parents and teachers.

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Another step will be for Lisa and her parents to find a place at home for her to complete her homework. Her parents will assist her by asking regularly if she has completed her homework assignments. Finally, Lisa will attend after-school help sessions if she does not understand what to do to complete the assignments. We will meet and review Lisa’s progress toward her goals within one month, at which time we will determine whether we need to modify any of the possible solutions.”

Follow Up to Monitor Progress Summarization makes the entire conversation positive and concrete. A goal statement is made, possible solutions are listed, one is selected for implementation and evaluation, and follow-up target dates are set for monitoring progress toward goal attainment.

All steps promote communication with everyone involved in educating students with dis- abilities. Review the following In the Classroom feature, which can be used to ensure decisions made by the group during problem solving are more easily executed. Whatever model of com- munication you use, note that practicing good communication skills enables you to be effective in the many roles associated with collaboration.

In the Classroom . . .

Communication Summary Sheet For: _________________________ On: _________________________

(Student’s Name) (Date)

Conversation Among (list participants):

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

Goals Identified:

1.

2.

3.

Solution Steps to be implemented (and by whom):

Solution Step Person Responsible 1. 2. 3.

Progress toward goals will be reviewed on:

________ ___________________________________ (Date) (By Whom)

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CL A S S R O O M SC E N AR I O

Omar

Mrs. Mayer is a second-grade teacher. In November, she began to worry about one of her students, Omar. At the beginning of the school year, Mrs. Mayer noticed that Omar seemed to be behind his classmates academically. In spite of additional review of first-grade mate- rial, Omar continued to have problems with reading and writing tasks and had a hard time maintaining attention to tasks.

When November arrived and Omar was still struggling, Mrs. Mayer decided that she and Omar needed some assistance. She contacted her school’s general education prerefer- ral intervention assistance team. The team members included a first-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teacher, a school psychologist, the principal, and a special education teacher. The team scheduled a meeting to discuss the nature and severity of Omar’s difficulties and designed intervention strategies that Mrs. Mayer could implement and review within a specified timeline.

Questions for Reflection

1. How would you determine whether a problem was serious enough to contact the prereferral intervention assistance team?

2. How would you determine whether your assessment of Omar’s problem was objective and unbiased?

30 CHAPTER 2

Collaboration and Communication for Intervention Many types of collaboration occur in larger groups or “teams” within schools. One type of schoolwide team is the general education prereferral intervention team. In many states the general education prereferral team meets before an actual referral for special education serv- ices. Depending on the school district, these teams may also be referred to as multidisciplinary teams, child study teams, general education assistance teams, prereferral assistance teams, or teacher assistance teams. No matter what the team is called, its function is to determine the need for educational interventions to assist individual students who are struggling to succeed

at school. In addition, the teams’ intervention strategies assist teachers who, after careful observation, are unsure whether a student needs special education services. Hence, the team’s first purpose is to see if intervention strategies can make a difference for the student. The team convenes after a formal request is made to the building principal or other designated individual within a school.

General Education Prereferral Request A formal prereferral request can be made by a teacher, school specialist, parent, school administrator, or the student. For ex- ample, a request might be made by a general education teacher who has worked with a student for a period of time and finds that all her efforts have not made the differences they should have in that child’s educational success.

Documentation of observations, student work samples, test scores, and other relevant data often are submitted with a formal intervention request. It is important to reiterate that before Mrs. Mayer requested help from the intervention team she had taken a number of steps to address the problem.Effective collaboration depends on cooperation, shared goals,

and shared problem solving.

Additional information on implementing these and other collaboration skills are discussed in Correa, Jones, Thomas, and Morsink (2005).

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Often, these steps are sequential, in that each item checked should be undertaken before the next concern. Mrs. Mayer first reviewed Omar’s records to verify that vision and hearing screenings had taken place. Parent conferences and student interviews were conducted to discuss the problem areas and consider possible solutions. She collected, analyzed, and filed samples of Omar’s recent academic class work and evidence of disciplinary actions. She informally asked for advice from other teachers, school counselors, special education teachers, and mainstream assistance teams. Mrs. Mayer made documenta- tion available to the intervention team of specific intervention strategies she had tried before asking the team for help. All of this information was useful to team members in deciding what other modifications, adaptations, or interventions might be tried to find the best educational program for Omar. For an il- lustration of all the steps in the referral process, see Figure 2.1.

The Intervention Process The strategies addressed in the intervention process are designed, implemented, and evaluated before any formal referral for special education services. These are not special education procedures but are part of the general education system required by some state special education legisla- tion (see, for example, guidelines for “General Education Intervention” on the Website of the Indiana State Department of Education). The In the Classroom feature on page 33 identifies a checklist of steps in a prereferral process.

Prereferral procedures are preventative in nature, intended to reduce inappropriate re- ferrals and decrease the likelihood of future problems. These procedures provide general ed- ucation teachers and students with immediate assistance with classroom-related problems, including disciplinary issues. To determine whether the general education intervention is ap- propriate, team members may observe the student before the prereferral intervention takes place. It is wise to try to involve the parents whenever possible; however, before any general education intervention plan is implemented, parents must be notified in writing of the team’s recommendation for intervention strategies and the rationale behind implementing them. Finally, the intervention is implemented.

Establishing Timelines. Once intervention strategies are developed, timelines are set to accompany the implementation and review of those strategies. In Mrs. Mayer’s case, a strategy was designed to be implemented with Omar. A one-month timeline was established for her to implement, monitor, and evaluate Omar’s progress. If adequate improvement is observed, the intervention will continue (or discontinue if it appears no longer necessary). However, if inadequate progress is noted, one of two steps may occur. First, the strategies may be redesigned along with new timelines, which Mrs. Mayer would then implement. Second, if the problem seems more severe or persistent than general classroom interventions can address, the team may decide to begin the referral process for special education services. At that point, Omar’s parents will be contacted and asked to give permission for an educational evaluation for possible special education services. Omar’s parents can request an educational evaluation for special education at any time during this process, and their request will be honored and not delayed due to the implementation of the general education intervention.

Intervention Strategies. Intervention strategies vary depending on the specific needs of the student, but may include modifications in (a) the curriculum, (b) instructional procedures, (c) classroom management, or (d) classroom environment. Curriculum modifications involve altering the curriculum or adapting the curriculum currently used, such as using materials at a lower reading level. Modifications in instructional procedures include providing additional instruction or using different presentation formats, varying the types of practice activities, modifying task demands or testing procedures, or regrouping students within instructional activities. Modifying classroom management procedures

The prereferral process often begins when a classroom teacher recognizes that a student’s classwork is well behind that of expected or typical performance.

The Inclusion Checklists at the end of each chapter contain more specific information and can be used to identify activities general education teachers may undertake to address problems.

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32 CHAPTER 2

involves intensifying behavioral monitoring for increasing attention to task, providing individual student behavioral contracts, or increasing reinforcement. Environmental modifications consist of rearranging the classroom desks, making the classroom more accessible, or changing seating positions. Finally, other resources available within the school and community may be used to assist in making general education interventions.

Research on Prereferral Interventions Buck, Polloway, Smith-Thomas, and Cook (2003) surveyed 50 state departments of education and the District of Columbia regarding their prereferral intervention practices, and found that

Intervention Implemented in General Education Class

Problem Observed

Informal Consultation for Ideas

Prereferral Team Evaluation

If unsuccessful

Referral for Special Education

Assessment

Case Conference Committee

If student eligible for special education

Receives Special Education and/or Related Services

If successful, process stops

If successful, process stops

If student ineligible for special education, no special ed services

Figure 2.1 Steps in the Referral Process

Self-monitoring and interval recording are described in chapters 8 and 10.

States may use different terminology for prereferral intervention, including teacher assistance team, student assistance team, instructional support team, and schoolwide assistance team. Contact your state department of education for its specific guidelines for implementing federal and state special education policies.

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there was considerable variability from state to state, in whether prereferral interventions were required, the terminology used to describe them, and how they were carried out. Although prereferral intervention practices are not always successful (Rock & Zigmond, 2001), they are often effective in preventing special education placement (Burns & Symington, 2002).

Collaboration for Referrals and Placements The special education referral process can be initiated by almost anyone, including the student, although the student’s teachers or parents usually make the referral. Each school has written referral procedures, designated staff for the various positions within the referral process, and accompanying forms.

Once the prereferral team determined that the strategies Mrs. Mayer had implemented on her own were insufficient to help Omar successfully perform in second grade, the referral process for educational evaluation began. Mrs. Mayer completed a “Referral Evaluation Form” from the school (see Figure 2.2 for a sample referral form). Once the referral form was com- pleted, Omar’s parents were contacted and asked to meet with school personnel. They were told that their son had been referred for an educational evaluation. They were told why he was re- ferred and were asked to provide written permission to proceed. Omar’s parents were informed about the evaluation procedures, and told that a case conference committee meeting would be scheduled within 65 school days of the parent’s signing the permission for testing. They were also told about how the school had already attempted to help Omar through the general educa- tion prereferral intervention.

All information should be presented verbally and in writing for the parents, and in the parent’s native language. If parents speak Spanish, then school personnel must communicate with the parents using Spanish. Some school districts have developed handouts describing parents’ rights. Figure 2.3 contains a handout used by the Crawfordsville Community School Corporation based on Indiana state special education law.

The Educational Evaluation or Assessment Step The educational evaluation for a referral to special education is much more comprehensive than the evaluation described for prereferrals by the general education teams. This evaluation provides extensive information on how the student learns best and the student’s level of per- formance, and identifies strengths and potential need areas. The evaluation team includes a

In the Classroom . . .

Checklist for Steps in General Education Prereferral Intervention Process � Formal request for assistance � Timelines for decisions to be made

� At referral � For implementation of intervention � For review of intervention

� Strategies for interventions � Parental rights, including the following:

� Notification of types of and rationales for general education prereferral interventions � Timelines for implementation and review of general education prereferral intervention

strategies � Right to meet with those involved � Right to begin a formal educational evaluation request

� Cannot hold up a formal educational evaluation for special education

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34 CHAPTER 2

Figure 2.2 Sample Referral Form

4. Documentation of conferences or attempts to conference, with the parent and appropriate school personnel concerning the student’s specific problem(s).

5. Which of the disabilities/handicaps do you suspect?

______ Autism ______ Communication disorders ______ Emotional disability

______ Hearing impairment ______ Learning disability ______ Mental disability

______ Orthopedic impairment ______ Other health impairment

______ Traumatic brain injury ______ Visual impairment

Date Received ___________

Student Name _______________________________________ Sex ________ Birthdate _______________

School ___________________________________ Grade _________ Teacher _______________________

Parent/Guardian ______________________________ Primary Language ________________________

Address ________________________________ Home Phone ____________ Work Phone ____________

Current Educational Program ________________________________________________________________

Referring Person ___________________________________________________________________________ (signature) (title) (date)

Principal/Designee’s ________________________________________________________________________ (signature) (date)

1. Please describe briefly the reason(s) for this referral.

2. Documentation of the general education intervention (attach copy of the GEI plan): What are effects of intervention?

Comments from the remedial reading instructor, if applicable:

3. Documentation of support services such as counseling or psychological (non-testing) services provided by school or other agency.

Comments and observations from the school counselor:

Has a previous psychological evaluation been conducted?

Yes ______ No ______ Date __________ Agency ___________________________________

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6. In what subjects are the student’s problems most apparent?

7. List schools previously attended and dates:

8. Comments from school nurse:

Current general health _________________________________________________________________

Previous medical problems ______________________________________________________________

Is the student taking medication? ___ If yes, specify ____________________________________________

Vision: L _______________ R _______________ Correction _________________________________

Date of vision screening ____________________ (must be done within a year)

9. Comments from speech, hearing, and language clinician:

Hearing: L _______________ R _______________ Correction ________________________________

Date of hearing screening ____________________ (must be done within a year)

Is the student receiving speech and language therapy? In the past?

10. Copy and attach information from the student’s education record: 1. Previous achievement test results 2. Grades earned since school entry 3. Attendance record 4. Summary of disciplinary actions

Complete and send all referral information to Special Services.

school psychologist and other school specialists as needed (see Figure 2.4). For example, if a child is suspected of having a problem involving speech or language, then a speech and lan- guage therapist would be a member of that evaluation team. In the case of Omar, who is sus- pected of having reading and writing problems that may be associated with learning disabilities, a teacher of students with learning disabilities will be a member of that team.

The education evaluation includes various activities, procedures, and tests. A physical examination, developmental history, and vision and hearing tests may be required. A battery of academic, intellectual, adaptive, and social-emotional tests are administered, depending on the specific referral reason. Observations of the student throughout the school day may be completed. The classroom teacher is asked to evaluate the student’s classroom strengths and need areas.

All testing must be culturally unbiased, completed in the student’s native language, and must consider cultural background and presumed disability, to provide the most accurate pic- ture of the student’s current level of functioning. This means, for example, that if a student’s native language is Spanish, then it may be important to administer tests in Spanish; otherwise, an inaccurate picture of the student’s abilities may be obtained. Parents, teachers, or other school personnel can request a reevaluation whenever one is deemed necessary.

The Case Conference Committee A case conference committee or multidisciplinary team is composed of all individuals concerned with a particular student. The amendments to IDEA require that general education teachers par- ticipate in the development, review, and revision of IEPs. Moreover, the amendments require that parents be included as members of any group that makes educational decisions about their child. The members include the parents and their child; general and special education teachers; the school psychologist; school administrators, such as the building principal or special education director; and any other related personnel, such as the school nurse, counselor, and social worker, or specialists such as speech and language, physical, or occupational therapists.

A case conference committee meeting is convened after the educational evaluation is fin- ished. The meeting is intended to determine whether the student is eligible for special education

Chapter 12 contains information on assessment for eligibility and instruction.

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I. Educational evaluations and placement in special education programs cannot be done without written parental consent.

II. Parents have the right to inspect school records within a reasonable period of time of their request.

III. Parents have the right to have educational records explained to them by school personnel.

IV. Parents have the right to receive copies of the student’s educational record.

V. Parents have the right to ask that records be amended if they believe that the information therein is incorrect.

VI. Tests during the evaluation should be valid, fair, and in the child’s native language.

VII. The parent has the right to an independent educational evaluation at the school’s expense if the parent disagrees with the findings of the evaluation completed by the school personnel.

VIII. The case conference committee must consider the results of independent evaluations obtained by parents.

IX. The parents must be notified in writing of an upcoming case conference. The conference should be set at a mutually agreeable time and place. The notice should be in the parents’ native language and should include a list of those expected to participate in the conference.

X. The parent may bring any other individual to the conference including an advocate.

XI. The case conference committee must receive written parental consent before a child can be placed into any special education program. Parents must receive a copy of the educational evaluation, their parental rights, and the case conference summary.

XII. The public agency (school) must ensure that a child is placed with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent of his/her abilities.

XIII. A case conference must be scheduled at least once a year to review a child’s educational program and placement.

XIV. A number of educational placements should be discussed at case conferences to ensure that children are placed in the least-restrictive environment.

XV. A parent, public agency (school), or state agency may initiate a due process hearing whenever any of these parties is concerned or dissatisfied with the educational evaluation, placement, or program of a student. This request must be made in writing.

XVI. Parents may bring legal counsel and individuals with training and knowledge in special education to a hearing.

XVII. Mediation may be sought when the parent and the school cannot through the case conference committee process agree on the student’s identification, evaluation or educational placement.

XVIII. Complaints alleging the violations of these rights and the laws pertaining to special education may be submitted to the state Department of Education.

XIX. The public agency must appoint a surrogate parent whenever a child with a suspected disability is a ward of the state or whenever no parent is identified or can be located.

Figure 2.3 Summary of Parental Rights Note: From “Parental Rights: Crawfordsville Community School Coporation.” Reprinted with permission.

and related services. If so, then the IEP is developed and appropriate educational services deci- sions are made. Case conference committee meetings also take place during each annual review.

Ease the Concern of Parents and Students During these meetings, all members of the committee should be made to feel welcome and com- fortable. Parents and students may feel overwhelmed, intimidated, or frightened by attending a

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General Education Teachers teach any grade level, any subject area, K–12; may be responsible for implementing part or all of a student’s IEP.

Special Education Teachers teach any grade level, any disability area K–12; may teach in any of settings described for general education teachers; usually have primary responsibility for the implementation of the IEP.

School Psychologists or Diagnosticians take the lead on the educational eval- uations, have major responsibilities administering, scoring, and interpreting tests; sometimes serve as behavioral consultant to teachers.

Counselors advise students; may conduct some social and emotional assessment; may deliver counseling sessions or advise teachers on how to deal with social-emotional needs for their students.

Speech/Language Therapists work with students who require assistance with any speech and or language needs.

Physical Therapists provide assessment and interventions in gross motor areas. Occupational Therapists provide assessment and interventions for students in the

fine motor areas. School Nurses often provide medical histories, distribute medications to students;

provide a link between families and other school personnel. School Administrators provide administrative assistance among all involved; may

include school principals, vice principals, directors of special education, directors of special services, and special education coordinators.

Social Workers provide the link between families and schools; have similar roles to that of counselors.

Paraprofessionals provide assistance to teachers, special education teachers, and students with disabilities.

Other school specialists provide assistance in specialized ways, including adaptive physical education; sign language interpreting; bilingual special education; mobility specialists, psychometrists (complete educational testing), probation officers, and other consultants as necessary.

Figure 2.4 School Personnel as Team Members and Their Roles

meeting with so many school personnel. Prepare for meetings by thinking about how to present information in comprehensible ways for parents and students. It may be beneficial to practice with another teacher when describing classroom routines. For example, parents may be unfa- miliar with terminology that is used so commonly among teachers (e.g., decoding is a term fre- quently used by teachers but not necessarily by parents and children). Try to describe class activities, student performance, and behaviors using concrete, simple, direct language. Teachers frequently use abbreviations or acronyms when speaking with each other (e.g., saying “LD” in- stead of “learning disabilities”) and should avoid doing so when speaking at case conference committees, so that parents do not become lost in the “educational jargon.” Secure brochures describing common disabilities in ways suitable for parents and for students. Brochures, impor- tant phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and Websites can be printed on handouts for parents.

When parents feel comfortable at the meeting, they will be more likely to share impor- tant information about their child. Parental input at the meeting can be invaluable. Parents have insight into their child’s behaviors that no one at the school may have considered. They can provide input regarding the student’s study habits at home and any difficulties encountered during homework. During the case conference committee, one member records the informa- tion on the case conference summary form. A copy of this is distributed to the parents at the end of the meeting. Figure 2.5 displays a sample case conference summary form. If the student does not qualify for special education, the student may still qualify for services under Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act (see chapter 1). Figure 2.6 presents a flowchart of student needs considered under IDEA and under Section 504.

Related Services Related services are other services that are necessary to help students with disabilities benefit from special education services. Related services may include physical therapy, occupational

For IEP Websites that may be of interest, go to the Web Links module in chapter 2 of the Companion Website.

Delivery of services to students with disabilities, including placement and program issues are topics on the Praxis™ Special Education: Core Knowledge Tests.

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38 CHAPTER 2

CASE REVIEW CONFERENCE SUMMARY

Student’s Name _________________________________ DOB ______________ School __________________________________

Parents/Guardian _________________________________ Address __________________________________________________

Phone ___________________________________ Surrogate Parent __________________________________________________

Committee Meeting: __________________________________________________________________________________________ (date) (time) (location)

The Case Review Committee was composed of the following:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chairperson Administrator

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Teacher Teacher Teacher

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Evaluation Team Member(s)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Parent(s) Student ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Others

The eligibility decision has been _______________________________________________________________________________

Least-restrictive placement has been ___________________________________________________________________________

Purpose of conference _______ initial evaluation _______ re-evaluation _______ review of IEP

_______ transition planning _______ new to district

Multidisciplinary report of present level of performance:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Based on the data presented, the following eligibility decision was made: The student is _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Placement recommendation ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Harmful effect considered: __________ yes

Options considered: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Reasons options were rejected: ________________________________________________________________________________

Other factors relevant to the proposed placement _________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Signatures of committee members with dissenting opinions:

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Figure 2.5 Summary from Case Conference Committee Meeting

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Student need

Free appropriate public education

Consideration of IDEA

Yes

No

No

Disability adversely affects educational performance

IDEA eligibility

Not eligible

Not eligible

Related services

Consideration of 504

Disability substantially limits one or more major

life activities

Education reasonably designed to confer

benefit

Education comparable to that provided to

non-disabled

Yes

504 protected

Specially designed instruction

Individual Education Program (IEP)

Instructional

Accommodation plan

Reasonable accommodations

Specialized education

Related aides & services

Physical

Figure 2.6 IDEA/504 Flow Chart Note: Reprinted with permission from “Student Access: A Resource Guide for Educators,” by Council of Administrators of Special Education, 1992, Council for Exceptional Children.

therapy, audiological services, counseling, rehabilitation counseling, social work services, parent counseling, psychological services, school health services, medical services, early identification, transportation, recreation services, or other services identified by the case conference commit- tee. If a situation requires substantial mobility adaptations, the case conference committee might recommend bus routes with special or adapted vehicles, assign an aide as an assistant, or acquire special equipment like oxygen, ramps, or lifts.

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) An IEP is written by the case conference committee when it is determined that a student is eligible for special education services. The IEP has several major components, including the following:

• Student’s current level of academic achievement and functional performance • Statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals

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40 CHAPTER 2

IEP Software mation that is required by law to be included in the IEPs. Some also contain banks of possible IEP objectives. Some of the available programs include: Goalview, Edupoint, IEP Planner, IEP Plus, IEP Ware, IEP Online, Welligent, IEP Team Software, and Tera Systems IEP Manager. A sim- ple search using one of the widely available search engines such as google.com on the Web will provide numerous commercially available programs.

Commercially available programs are usually adver- tised as highly relevant, timesaving devices that help teachers produce high quality IEPs. Although this may be true in many cases, teachers should use caution to ensure that students’ IEP objectives are not limited simply to what is available within individual software programs.

Technology Highlight

• Statement of short-term objectives for children who take alternative assessments • Statement of special and related services, based on peer reviewed research and any

program modifications to be provided or support for the child • Statement of any individual modifications in state- or district-wide assessment

procedures, • Statement of why a child cannot participate in state- or district-wide assessment pro-

cedures if an alternative assessment is recommended. • Initiation dates of service delivery and the duration and frequency of services • Statement of transition services for all students 16 years of age and older, including

appropriate postsecondary goals and transition services needed to meet goals • Statement of how annual goals will be measured, how parents will be informed, and

how progress will be monitored

Moreover, when a special education student is placed in a general education setting, the IEP will contain modifications needed, including curriculum, instructional procedures, staffing, classroom organization, and special equipment, materials, or aides.

Although IEP formats used by school districts vary across the country, all must contain the required components. The Companion Website presents a sample IEP. Some computer- ized IEP programs are available commercially and are used to assist in developing the basic for- mat of the IEPs (see the Technology Highlight feature).

Special education paperwork can be reduced by using efficient systems for recording data, maintaining records, and for communications. Advances in technology can help save teachers valuable time. For example, teach- ers can use basic templates with school stationery for communications in a word processing program, and data- bases containing frequently used names and addresses. Such timesaving programs are common features on most computers.

There are also a number of software programs com- mercially available to assist with writing Individual Educa- tion Plans (IEPs). Many of these programs share common features in that they work easily on both PC and Mac com- puter platforms. Many contain general templates of infor-

Reviews of IEP software can be found in the Journal of Special Education Technology.

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School districts provide the parents with a written summary of the case conference committee meeting (see Figure 2.5), a copy of the IEP, and a copy of the parental rights (see Figure 2.3), and parents must provide written consent agreeing to the IEP before any services can begin.

Writing Goals and Objectives A critical component of the IEP is the specification of the long-term annual goals and short- term objectives. Short-term objectives are required only for students who take alternative assessments. Long-term annual goals are based upon the case conference committee’s judg- ment of what the individual student should accomplish within a year. Annual goals can refer to academic functioning, such as reading grade-level textbooks at specific skill levels, or social behavior, such as exhibiting appropriate behavior in the cafeteria. In some cases, annual goals can refer to adaptive behavior or life skills, such as ordering independently in a restaurant or managing a personal bank account.

Annual goals are measurable, positive, student-oriented, and relevant (Polloway, Patton, & Serna, 2001). Goals that are measurable can be more easily evaluated later. For example, “[Student] will read and comprehend grade-level reading materials,” is much easier to meas- ure at the end of the year than, “[Student] will improve reading.” Positively written goals (e.g., “[Student] will use appropriate language in the classroom at all times”) provide better implica- tions for instruction than negatively written goals (e.g., “[Student] will stop swearing”). Student-oriented goals describe what the student will do (as in the previous examples), rather than what others will do (e.g., “[Student] will be given spelling worksheets”). Finally, relevant goals are not always limited to academic goals, but provide for the student’s current and future needs, including social-emotional functioning, communication, and career-vocational areas when appropriate (Polloway, Patton, & Serna, 2001).