Reflection # 1
Individuals with disabilities Act (IDEA) provides the legal support and frame work for educating children with disabilities, the United States considers the education of children with disabilities a top national priority. The provisions of this Act brought about a change in the way children with special needs were looked at and supported. This Act explicitly lays down the manner in which academic opportunities should be provided to students with special needs, and the result is evident, there are over 6 million children receiving special education services(NICHY "Educate Children 3-22). There was a time when only one in five students with disabilities had access to some form of help with their special needs, for this to change the Act had to set high standards of expectations that provided the required guide, as to how special help and services could be made available to students who needed assistance for their special needs.
It is a process of evaluating children with special needs and then deciding what kind of help is required, this decision shall be made by a team of qualified professionals and the parent of the child. After having identified a child with special needs, an Individualized Education Program is prepared, it is a written document that clearly specifies the services and support the child will receive.
The law also provides for how and where these services must be provided , "placement " decides where the IEP should be administered. The underlying provision in deciding placement is that a student with special needs should be placed in a "Least Restrictive Environment" that would provide maximum opportunity for the child to be with other children who do not have disabilities in academic, social and extracurricular activities.
Through the entire process of identification, evaluation and deciding the placement services, it is critical for the team along with the parents to create an accommodation plan that would help the student. Though the law does not require what the accommodation needs to be, this should be a priority as the success of the program will depend on the implementation such as modifying the rest, preferential seating, providing study guides and notes, modification for physical education.
The Act provides for a mediation process to allow parties of disputes to resolve such disputes before the process of due process is initiated by the parents. Administrators should take advantage of this by being knowledgeable of the provisions of the disability law, believing in the principles and effectively implementing the same rather than going through the motion. Effective, timely communication is a great tool to prevent expensive, time consuming legal procedures.
Every child is unique and deserves the best to be successful in life, the provisions of this Act empowers a team consisting of teachers, administrators , specialist and the parent to decide and provide the best for the student.
