Determining the Least Restrictive Environment

DETERMINING THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT Placement Settings What is it INCLUSION/ MAINSTREAM In this setting is where the general education and special education teachers work in collaboration to develop the needed accommodations so that the students with an IEP get access to the general education curriculum. When students are placed in this setting they may receive instruction from either the special education or the general education teacher. Students who are in the special education “side” of this setting may also get help from a paraprofessional and related service providers, if it is required in the IEP. Moreover, in this setting, all students learn as one class. It is difficult to tell whether a given student is in special or general education. Students use the same curriculum. Moreover, every student uses the same curriculum. (Sieber 2019). Advantages ● Students are treated the same. ● Students with an IEP have access to the general education curriculum. ● Students’ strengths and gifts are enhanced in this setting. ● It gives students the opportunity to accept each other's differences. Students learn to develop empathy ● It fosters a culture of respect and belonging. Disadvantages ● Students in this setting may not receive the appropriate research based interventions. ● Special education students in this setting may not receive the necessary knowledge that they might need. ● Special education students may not be able to keep up with the fastfaced curriculum of the mainstream curriculum. 1 RESOURCE ROOM In this placement, students usually receive services in a separate room or in theIt can be delivered individually or in a group. Services may be delivered either in a group or individually. The group does not consist of no more than 5 students. Moreover, this setting might help students to go over the material from the general education setting classroom. Students should not spend more than ½ of their school day in a resource room. ● This is a good setting for students who have mild delays. ● Students spend little time; thus being able to spend more time in the general education classroom. ● This setting provides a more individualized attention. ● It provides a more one to one attention ● If the general education teacher does not work in collaboration with the resource room teacher and implements the special education curriculum, the student may see little or no progress. ● Students may not be challegende as in the general education classroom ● drawbacks 2 SELF-CONTAINED In this setting, the special education teacher is the teacher responsible for the classroom curriculum. In this setting, there are no general education students. Only students who have an IEP are enrolled in this setting. In her article, the Self Contained Classroom, Spencer states that the self-contained settings “falls in the middle of the continuum of program options in terms of restrictiveness”. (Spencer 2013). The number of students enrolled in this setting is much less than the number of students enrolled in a general education classroom. Additionally, this setting is usually for students who have more than one disability and need more intensive support. The goal of this setting is to ensure that students develop the academic and social skills necessary to be able to function in society. ● Instruction is more individualized. ● There is smaller student ratio ● There are certified teachers in special education ● Students may develop a sense of belonging ● Students enrolled in this setting tend to have less social skills. ● Students may feel segregated and have low self-esteem. Students Curriculum may not cover all of students’ academic and/or social skills. 3 STATE SPECIALIZED SCHOOLS This setting is usually for students who have more severe delays and cannot be taught in a community school. These students usually suffer from These students usually have severe physical and/or mental physical disabilities. Some of these schools are specific to one disability, for example, school for the deaf or school for the blind. Moreover, these schools work on specific needs of the students enrolled, For example, communication, social, emotional & behavioral, physical needs. In addition, therapy is usually done with classroom teachers, paraprofessionals working in collaboration to support the cognitive, emotional, social and physical development of the students ● Instruction is differentiated to meet students’ needs. ● Support is more individualized. ● Services and resources are more specialized. ● Most students are at the same academic level. ● Student may have low self esteem ● Students are segregated Student may not be able to transition to a least restrictive environment 4 RESIDENTIAL FACILITY This setting is the last resource in terms of least restrictive environment Students who are placed in this type of setting are often diagnosed with severely developmental exceptional, such as TBI, autistic, physically and/or cognitively impaired. ● There is 24/7 supervision. ● This setting reinforces independence . ● Program is voluntary. ● It could be expensive 5 Determining the Least Restrictive Environment: Part 2: Essay IDEA or The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that all public schools provide every student with a free appropriate public education or (FAPE). This is one of the most important components of IDEA, which states that every student with a disability has too right to a free and public education. This means that it is the government’s responsibility to pay for the education of these students. In addition, “appropriate" means that students who qualify, have to receive an IEP or Individualized Education plan in order to meet their needs. The Least restrictive environment (LRE) is an important principle in the IDEA Act. LRE is used to decide which services the student will receive and how and where he or she will be taught. Moreover, LRE requires that every student that has a disability receives his/her education along with his/her non-disabled classmates. Additionally, LRE mandates that students with special needs are not removed from the general education classroom, unless doing so does not meet the needs of the student. (Cowin 2018). The Least Restrictive Environment is decided on a one to one basis during the IEP meeting. It is at this time that the team decides which supports and/or services the students will receive based on the student PLOP or student’s present level of performance which include student’s weaknesses and strengths. The objective of these services is to give the students the support and services they need to be successful in the LRE. At the IEP meeting, the IEP team, which is composed of teachers, parents and other professionals who might be involved with the student. They meet and decide which setting services and supports best fits the needs of the student. The support and services the student is scheduled to receive would help him to achieve the goals and objectives set in the IEP, be of the general education classroom and/or socialize with her/his non-disabled classmates. 6 Many confused the word “environment in the term “least restrictive environment, as a location or place. Nevertheless, it should be understood that the word environment refers to making the adequate decisions as to which services, setting or support the student should receive. (Cowin 2018). In order to decide which services the students would receive, the IEP team needs to use the continuum. In other words, the setting that should be offered first should be a general education classroom without any services. When this is done, it guarantees that the team is implementing IDEA’s mandate which is that every student that has a disability should receive education with his/her non-disable classmates to the maximum extent possible. However, if the disability is so severe that progress won't’ then, the team must decide to place the student in next least restrictive environment. As stated above, and according to IDEA, students who have been diagnosed as having a disability should be educated with their non-disabled classmates to the maximum extent possible. However, the team should take into consideration several factors when deciding which is the appropriate placement in the least restrictive environment and guarantee that FAPE is put in place. Someo of the factors that should be considered but are not limited to are:, short and long term objectives, social, cognitive, emotional, physical and career needs of the student and student’s ability to interact with his peers and teachers and modification of the general education curriculum, In addition, student’s health, medical condition, eligibility should also be taken into consideration. It is important to note that the team should use the data about the student’s behavior and academics. In addition, the team has to ensure that the student’s IEP goals and objectives are implemented. 7 It is important to understand that the decision to place students in theThe Least Restrictive Environment or LRE is based on the students’ support and services as determined in the IEP. IDEA also states that it is the school’s responsibility to create a continuum of services which should consist of several placements in which an IEP is put into effect in order to ensure that the students’ needs are met (Kurth, Ruppar, Toews, McCabe, McQueston, Johnston, R. 2019). According to the IRIS Center, “placement options are fluid.” (IRIS Center). This means that a student can receive services in two different settings. In addition, a given placement can change over the course of time based on the student’s progress and or needs. Finally, thanks to IDEA, it has been possible that all students with exceptionalities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education. Moreover, IDEA’s mandate has made it possible for these students to be educated together with their peers who are non-disabled. Lastly, it is the team responsibility to ensure that students are given the least restrictive environment. This means that the most restrictive placement should be considered only if placing the students in a less restrictive environment means that students’ needs won't be met. 8