Special Education, 6-21,- An Overview |
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Individuals with disabilities, including Down Syndrome (DS), contribute to the diversity of our nation. IDEA 2004, insures that students with disabilities are able to access an education that addresses their unique challenges, and requires them to be educated in the schools they would attend if they did not have a disability, alongside their neurotypical peers. In addition, students with disabilities are only to be excluded from the general education classroom out of absolute necessity, when the child receives little to no benefit from inclusion or if the child is so disruptive that other students can not learn ( US Department of Education, 2000; Wright, 2006). Children, aged 6-21, with DS can access a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) with the help of an IEP developed to meet their unique needs. IDEA 2004 states that "IEPs must now include “a statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals . . . ” (Wright, 2008). Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance must be driven by objective data from assessments.The child’s IEP must include “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 … and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel …” Developing the IEP Educational Placements Parents are members of the team that decides the child’s placement. The decision about placement cannot be made until after the IEP team, which includes the parent, reaches consensus about the child’s needs, program, and goals. Options for placement in the public school include: self-contained classroom, specialized instruction in a resource room, pull-out tutoring services, co-teaching in the general education classroom, and full inclusion in the general education classroom. For more information on IDEA 2004, see Wrightslaw |