Specialized Support

Description:

In truly inclusive schools, the needs of each student determine the setting in which he or she is educated. While there is a strong emphasis on providing the supports needed to enable each student to be successful in the general education classroom, if all options have been explored and services need to be provided outside of the general education classroom for part or all of the day, those services must meet quality standards.
Practices:
  1. Individual decisions about specialized support reflect student needs rather than what is available on the campus.
  2. The services provided in specialized settings are specially designed to meet the student’s individual needs that cannot be met at this time in the general education classroom.
  3. The general education curriculum is the standard for each student. Unique or non-standard curricula are used only when necessary for the student.
  4. Specialized support settings provide instruction to small groups of students who are working on the same, or very closely related, learner objectives at any given time.
  5. Research-based instructional practices are used to support learning and improve academic achievement, functional outcomes, and post-school success.
  6. Instructional time is not wasted or students left idle. Inappropriate materials or activities are not used in the specialized setting. The requirement for well-used academic learning time is met in all classes – including in specialized support settings.
  7. The special and general education teachers routinely communicate with one another and coordinate efforts to align the work in the special education classroom with the general education classroom.
  8. Community-based instruction, when appropriate for the student, especially for transition-aged students, is provided and the community is viewed as an inclusive setting.
  9. The need for services outside of the general education classroom is reviewed often and objectively and when appropriate, students with disabilities are returned to the general education. It is the team’s responsibility to identify and address whatever deficit(s) is preventing the student from accessing the general classroom setting.
Phases of Implementation:
Excellence Phase
  • Individual decisions about specialized support reflect student needs rather than what is available on the campus.
  • Special education and general education teachers routinely communicate with one another and coordinate efforts to align the work in the special education classroom with the general education classroom.
  • Placement in a specialized support setting is only recommended after other options are considered and deemed not appropriate to address the student’s needs.
  • The need for services outside of the general classroom is reviewed often and objectively, and when appropriate, students are returned to the general education classroom.
Implementation Phase
  • Community-based instruction, when appropriate for the student, especially for transition-aged students, is provided, and the community is viewed as an inclusive setting.
  • Research-based instructional practices are used to support learning and improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
  • The general education curriculum is the standard for each student. Unique or non-standard curricula are only used when necessary for the student.
Initiation Phase
  • Specialized support settings provide instruction to small groups of students who are working on the same or closely related learner objectives.
  • Teachers understand the importance of academic learning time.
  • Instructional time is not wasted or students left idle. Instructional tasks are age and grade-appropriate.
  • Assistive technology is used effectively based on the individual needs of students.
Resources: (more to come)