Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Research Articles

AAC in AACtion: Collaborative Strategies for Special Education Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) refers to a wide variety of communication devices, systems, tools, and strategies that support or replace spoken language. Augmentative and alternative communication users represent a range of ages, abilities, and communication needs. Support for AAC often begins in the public school setting. Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates public schools to provide adequate assistive technology for communication and training to support implementation, researchers estimate that fewer than 40% of students with communication impairments using AAC are proficient communicators. Barriers to implementation include a lack of training opportunities, limited preparation time, unfamiliarity with AAC systems, and difficulty finding evidence-based strategies for AAC. To address these, we present evidence-based strategies that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and special education teachers may use in collaboration to support students using AAC and practical tips for implementation. Strategies described include aided language modeling, core vocabulary, and communication partner support behaviors. Planning considerations for collaboration are discussed.

Effects of Occupational Therapy Professional Development Training on School-Based Practice

ABSTRACT Purpose A training program was provided to school-based occupational therapy practitioners (SBOTPs) in Massachusetts to support practices aligned with educational policies and regulations. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of this training program on school-based practice patterns. Methods This study used a researcher-designed online exploratory survey to determine occupational therapy practice patterns in Massachusetts public schools following the training program. The survey was emailed to the 309 SBOTPs who participated in a Massachusetts Department of Education sponsored training between 2007 and 2019. The survey questions analyzed the frequency of reported participation-based intervention methods, in-context and out-of-context services, and interdisciplinary collaboration used by these practitioners. A Chi Square Goodness of Fit Test was performed to determine if there were categorical differences in the frequency of responses to each research question. Results After analyzing our 29 responses we determined that the training program was effective and had an impact on how SBOTPs practice within their schools. After the training, SBOTPs in Massachusetts reported engaging more frequently in participation-based practice in natural school contexts, and collaborating with teachers and other school professionals. Contribution to Occupational Therapy This research serves as evidence that professional development courses can impact how SBOTPs practice. This study suggests that practice patterns of SBOTS can be influenced by participating in trainings that include a model with rationale and facilitated practice for providing occupation-based services in the least restrictive environment and for increasing collaborative practices in schools. School-based occupational therapy (SBOT) is integral to the educational development of children who require this service as part of their individual educational program (IEP). SBOT helps students to achieve success in occupations within the school setting, such as education, play and leisure, activities of daily living (ADLs), and social participation. Students who receive special education services are eligible for occupational therapy if the IEP team determines that SBOT is necessary to achieve the prioritized student goals developed by the team, enhancing the student’s ability to succeed in the educational program. The overarching goal of school-based occupational therapy in working with eligible students with disabilities under the federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is to support students’ abilities to successfully participate (academically and functionally) in their educational program in the least restrictive environment in order, ultimately, to prepare them for adult living (AOTA, 2017; IDEA, 2004).

Examining paradoxes of access in disability law: a critical analysis of the least restrictive environment

ABSTRACT We employ theoretical pluralism and engage in a multi-level analysis to understand how the racialized segregation of students with dis/Abilities persists despite a commitment to inclusion via the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) provision embedded within one of the most significant civil rights inspired legislation impacting students with dis/Abilities in the United States (US) – the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We use critical discourse analysis, case study and vignette analysis, and critical autoethnography to understand how injustices are sustained across macro (legal), meso (school or institutional), and micro (student) levels of the school system through the LRE provision. We find that the LRE provision promotes ableism and fails to adequately address intersectionalities which sustain racialized educational inequities under a rights framework across macro, meso, and micro levels. We conclude by describing how the LRE provision sustains inequality and promotes seclusion under the guise of inclusion.

Challenges Posed During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Special Education Teachers

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the ways in which school districts provide educational services to all students, especially students with disabilities. Eligible students with disabilities have a right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and students with disabilities who are not eligible under the IDEA may also have a right to receive a FAPE under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. School personnel need to attend to both of these important federal laws when providing educational services. Shortly after the pandemic began, the U.S. Department of Education, through the Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, issued guidance to school districts making it clear that despite school closures, school district personnel had to continue providing FAPE under the IDEA and Section 504. Following the return to school, the Office of Civil Rights investigated the Los Angeles Unified School District in California and the Fairfax County Schools for discriminating against students with disabilities by failing to provide educational services during the pandemic. In this article, we briefly review the guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and discuss important implications for teachers of students with disabilities.

States’ Accountability for Facilitating Parent Involvement under IDEA

Since the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, state IDEA programs have been required to report annually on a set of performance indicators. Indicator 8 of the Part B State Performance Plan is the “percent of parents who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities.” The purpose of this study was to investigate whether changes over time in national and state-level performance on Indicator 8 provide evidence in support of the effectiveness of the accountability requirement related to parent involvement. Data were extracted from states’ Annual Performance Reports and other publicly available documents. Findings indicated that national performance on Indicator 8 increased from 63% in 2006 to 76% in 2018. Within-state change in performance from 2014 to 2019 ranged from –13.47% to +42.50%, with several states indicating dramatic year-to-year changes in their reported performance. The findings raise important questions about the extent to which the indicator in its current form can support the dual purpose of holding states accountable for their facilitation of parents’ involvement and supporting improvement efforts. Implications for both federal policy and state-level action are discussed.

Why We Have Special Education Law: Legal Challenges to the IDEA

ABSTRACT In 1974, the Education for all Handicapped Protection Act was signed into law by President Gerald Ford. This law which was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990, established a federal entitlement to special education for eligible students with disabilities. In 1982 and again in 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified the primary purpose of the law, that is the obligation of public schools to provide eligible students with a free appropriate public education. In this article we (a) examine the legal underpinnings of special education in the IDEA, (b) analyze legal challenges to IDEA, focusing on the U.S. Supreme Court’s efforts to define the IDEA-mandated free appropriate public education (c) focus on the limits of the law to require scientific solutions for improving special education and (d) offer potential solutions to these challenges in the law and in the federal government’s efforts to improve special education.

Welcome to the Destruction of Special Education in the Name of Ideology

ABSTRACT Special education stands at a pivotal juncture, confronting both existential challenges and transformational opportunities. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is not upholding its mandate of promoting the Individualized Education Program (IEP). I underscore the centrality of the IEP in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and argue that the continuum of alternative placements (CAP) is essential for delivering individualized, intensive instruction that may not always be feasible in general education settings. The emergence of Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) has added to the vulnerability of special education as a discipline. Special education is built on a long tradition of scientific research, and the unbridled assault by some DisCrit devotees on special education practices supported by research, such as positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) risks denying students the benefit of effective treatments. Ultimately, advocates for students with disabilities must support IDEA and its core components.

Feasible Adaptation of ESDM for Statewide Implementation: A Look at Potential Effects, Implementation Conditions, and Cost

This article describes the development and use of a first of its kind statewide implementation of an adapted Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). Supported by a collaborative partnership between stakeholders that included families, state agencies, and a state university, the intervention was implemented within the existing framework of a northeastern state’s relationship-based Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C early intervention program. Participants were 194 families. The study examined the effectiveness and implementation costs of an adaptation of the ESDM using a coaching model to inform statewide implementation to improve outcomes for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in rural and low-resource states. Results indicated 194 children who received a monthly average of 10.90 hr of adapted ESDM for an average of 12 months demonstrated an improvement in the frequency of ASD symptomology for a total cost of US$2,511/child. Intervention intensity and child factors demonstrated varying influence on outcomes. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the potential for positive impact of an evidence-based practice scaled to a statewide model of early intervention for young children with ASD.

Reported Policies, Guidance, and Related Resources for the Determination of Special Education and Related Services

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) contains information that is critical to ensuring that a student with a disability (SWD) is receiving specially designed instruction as well as the appropriate related services and supports to make meaningful progress in the educational system. With varied practices across states, with some practices characterized by a formulaic approach rather than a student-centered decision-making process, the purpose of this review is to summarize the findings of currently available guidance related to determining the type and amount of special education and related services. This review aims to counteract practices that are not in alignment with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and to ensure that state and district guidance for IEP development promotes individualized development of special education and related services based on the unique needs of each student. The themes emphasize the importance of individualized, team-based, and flexible decision-making, the application of evidence-based practices, and ensuring clarity within the IEP. The article further presents the complexity of determining special education and related services while also recognizing the true constraints that exist and encroach upon student-centered and data-driven decisions made within IEP Teams.

Special Education Assessment: Practices That Support Eligibility and Intervention.

Federal special education requirements specify that information districts must gather and review during the process of finding a student eligible for special education and developing a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). The purpose of this tutorial is to describe the federal requirements related to evaluation and assessment and to apply best practices in assessment to those expectations, thereby enhancing teams' ability to identify students' strengths and needs, determine eligibility for services, and create high-quality IEPs. This tutorial includes a detailed review of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) statute and regulations and the U.S. Department of Education guidance related to evaluation, assessment, and IEP development. The tutorial also reflects on an analysis of existing data regarding the identification of students with speech-language impairment in one state and a narrative review of the current literature related to assessment and its role in intervention planning. The results indicate that the IDEA requires rigorous evaluation and assessment practices to determine eligibility (evaluation) and identify students' unique strengths and needs for intervention (assessment). By adhering to these requirements and employing evidence-based assessment practices, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can be assured that they are gathering accurate and useful information. This information is fundamental to developing an IEP that will support students' acquisition of the knowledge and skills needed to progress in the general curriculum. This tutorial reviews federal requirements related to assessment and links these with best practices in assessment, to facilitate compliance with federal evaluation requirements and IEP development in a manner that meets the needs of all students. SLPs can rely on the IDEA for guidance in completing their special education evaluations and assessments, using this as a framework for employing evidence-based assessment practices.

Expanding the IDEA: Ongoing- and Evolving-Evaluation of an Art Therapy in Prisons Program.

In 2021 an article was published that presented an art therapy in prisons program that emerged through a contractual partnership between a major state university and that state's Department of Corrections, funded by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The program was charged to provide art therapy with youthful offenders to alleviate behavioral, emotional, and intellectual impediments to their education. The program began in the summer of 2019 with a 3-year contract for two full-time art therapists for four sites. Responses to the annual reports and subsequent changes and benefits to the targeted population resulted in the contract being revised in the summer of 2021 that expanded it considerably, to four full-time art therapists for nine prisons. This follow-up research article will delineate the successful efficacy of this program and the impactful changes instituted since its inception and expansion. In addition, this article will further examine the evolution in the data gathering process, specifically applying more distinct considerations needed to accurately examine the effectiveness of the program.

Go Beyond Compliance: Use Individualized Education Programs to Answer Strategic Questions and Improve Programs.

The most significant document to ensure effective and compliant design, implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of a program of special education services in the United States is the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Although IEPs have been used to document procedural compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for individual students, IEPs also provide extensive data that can and should be used by a variety of stakeholders including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), school administrators, and state education agencies to design targeted professional development and collectively improve programs, processes, and outcomes in special education. We summarize existing literature on the use of IEP data and describe opportunities to use IEP data to analyze individual student service patterns and SLP practice patterns. Aggregated IEP data also provide a robust view of district-wide and state trends in eligibility rates and least restrictive environment settings. Information on current and potential IEP data uses, reflection questions for substantive compliance, and lessons learned from a large-scale analysis of IEP data are provided. These lessons include potential software adjustments to enhance usability as a data source for substantive compliance; program improvement; and monitoring individual, school-wide, and district-wide outcomes. IEP data are a rich data source of information that may be used to (a) identify trends; (b) assist schools, districts, and states with ensuring substantive compliance with IDEA; (c) examine service equity and efficacy; (d) identify professional development needs; and (e) identify promising practices and provide opportunities to use real-time data to improve models and address public policy.

Considerations for Remote and Hybrid Service Delivery for Students With Visual Impairments

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates high-quality special education services for U.S. students with visual impairments (VI) in their least restrictive environment. Due to shortages of teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) and other resources, however, many students with VI, especially those in rural or remote areas, receive limited Individualized Education Program (IEP) services from TVIs and may not consistently receive appropriately adapted materials for accessing the class content in a timely manner. One possible solution is hybrid service modality, consisting of in-person and remote instruction. This article discusses considerations for conducting high-quality hybrid services and practical strategies that TVIs can implement during the preparation and instruction of students with VI.

Prevalence of dental caries among learners with disabilities attending special education schools in the eThekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal

IntroductionIndividuals with special healthcare needs may have poororal health as a result of systemic and structural issues that make it more difficult to maintain optimal oral healthstatus. As such, these individuals may require specialised, multidisciplinary oral healthcare. Furthermore, determiningthe severity of oral conditions among these people isnecessary to establish the number of people affected and the services required to improve oral healthcare for these affected populations. Aims and objectivesTo determine the prevalence of dental caries among learnerswith disabilities attending special schools education in theeThekwini district, using DMFT/dmft and PUFA/pufa indices.DesignA cross-sectional descriptive study design.MethodsA proportional stratified random sampling method was usedto select learners from 22 special schools in the eThekwinidistrict (n=435). The sample was divided into subgroups known as strata (schools) and a systematic sampling technique was used in each school. The learners were further categorised according to the classification of Special Health Care according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Data collection comprised an intraoral examination to determine the prevalence of dental caries (using the DMFT/dmft index) and the extent of untreated dental caries using the PUFA/pufa index. ResultsOut of the 488 students in the special schools approached, 435 consented to participate in the study giving a response ate of 89.14%. The prevalence of dental caries in the permanent and primary dentition was 53.6% and 22.5% respectively. The overall D (decayed) component recorded in permanent teeth was 740 (88%), the F (filled) component was 30 (4%) and M (missing) component was 77 (9%). Females had higher mean DMFT and PUFA scores while males had higher dmft and pufa scores. The DMFT and dmft scores recorded were highest in the 18-20 years age group at 3.70 ± 3.83 and the 6-8 years age group at 4.31 ± 4.00 respectively. The relationship between the DMFT and dmft scores and participants’ age was seen as statistically significant, as these increased with age (p <0.001). The highest caries prevalence was found in the intellectual disability group (46.4%; n=393). The “untreated caries to PUFA ratio” was 2.5 to 1, indicating that 26% of the D + d component (in DMFT/dmft) had progressed mainly to pulpal involvement. The PUFA/pufa scores were higher in the 12- 14 years age group at 0.46 ± 1.33 and 6-8 years age group at 2.06 ± 3.45 respectively when compared to the other age groups in the study sample.ConclusionThe high number of dental caries recorded in the permanent and primary dentition and the low number of restored teeth in the study sample highlight the need for promotive, preventive and restorative oral healthcare programmes within this population.

No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Examining Special Educators’ Outcomes

Drawing on eight waves of the Schools and Staffing Survey and the National Teacher and Principal Survey, we used a difference-in-differences research design to examine special education teachers’ (SETs) responses to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the subsequent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA was associated with decreases in the proportion of SETs with special education as a field of study and graduate degrees, an increase in co-teaching, and a decrease in the proportion of SETs working in a resource delivery model, with no evidence that NCLB influenced these outcomes. Little consistent evidence was found to indicate these federal policies influenced SETs’ job attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction). We identified differences in these associations based on school poverty status and grade level. These findings help to better understand the status and challenges of the current SET workforce and the unintended consequences of federal reform policies.

A Case for Systems Change in Special Education

With this position paper, we advance the case for reformation of special education law and praxis. These have undergone mostly incremental changes over the five decades since their inception despite a substantial body of evidence amassed over this period, which points to a major gap between extant policy and praxis, and contemporary cultural ethos and mindset of stakeholders engaged in the mission of special education. We review evidence supporting the need for change, with a particular focus on the continuing practice of segregating students with complex educational support needs. We examine this practice’s contributions to ongoing racial segregation within special education, including intersectionality. We consider the inclusion movement and reasons for its failure to rectify problems with implementing the least restrictive environment mandate in current law. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of mindset and nomenclature as they pertain to students with support needs in considering reformation. Finally, we review relevant theories of systems change and their potential contributions to the process of reformation. We conclude with a suggestion that alternatives to the next reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) be considered in the public policy arena, including a possible conversion of policy and funding to a Title program as one option.

Engaging Families from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds in Virtual Individualized Education Program Meetings

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education in a multitude of ways. During this time, school districts struggled to provide students with disabilities access to services and supports under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). School personnel were required to continue holding meetings to review students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) yet did not always have the resources and skills to do so. The increased digital divide between culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families and their White counterparts posed additional challenges for them, such as access to technology and lack of experience with various technology tools. Although this expedited the need for culturally responsive virtual IEP meetings, this option should continue to be provided outside of pandemic contexts. Therefore, it is critical for teachers to facilitate virtual IEP meetings creating spaces where CLD families can participate as equal partners. Utilizing the tenets of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) can help this endeavor. This article explains several recommendations for teachers and school personnel to create identity-honoring, culturally responsive IEP meetings in virtual spaces.

Maryland’s PRIDE: Evaluation of an Early Intervention Program Embedded Within a NICU and NICU Follow-Up Program

The Maryland’s Premature Infant Developmental Enrichment (PRIDE) program is a unique collaborative endeavor between the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Part C program for Baltimore City residents (Baltimore Infants and Toddlers Program; BITP). To evaluate the impact of PRIDE, the current study compared premature infants from low-income families who participated in BITP with (BWP) and without PRIDE (BWOP). A total of 956 premature infants (nBWP = 271; nBWOP = 685) were included in the study. Results showed that infants in BWP were referred at a younger age and stayed in BITP longer. A smaller percentage of parents in BWP withdrew from BITP and a larger percentage of BWP infants were eligible for special education preschool services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) at age 3. These findings provide support for the relative benefits of PRIDE to the traditional system of early intervention referral, evaluation, and service coordination.

Accommodation and Modification in the Individual Education Plan of Secondary Schools in Selangor, Malaysia

The Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a written document designed for each Student with Special Education Needs (SEN) in channeling special education services that suit their level of ability. Integrated Special Education Teachers play an important role in planning appropriate special education services for MBPK through the writing of quality IEPs based on the content of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This study was conducted to examine the level of knowledge of Integrated Special Education Teachers in developing a quality IEP based on 2 main components, namely 1) information about MBPK and 2) accommodation and modifications for Student with SEN. The design of this study is a quantitative study in which the study sample consists of 112 Integrated Special Education Teachers in the category of secondary school learning problems who teach in 14 schools in Hulu Langat district, Selangor. The Q-IEP instrument, which is a questionnaire with a 3-point Likert scale for 3 sections with 20 closed-ended question items, has been descriptively analyzed using the software Statistic Package For Social Science (SPSS) version 26. The findings of the study show that the quality of IEP writing is still at a worrying level because The information component about IEP is written incompletely. While the level of knowledge for general pedagogical knowledge is also at a moderate level regarding the accommodation and modification components. Nevertheless, the construction of instruments such as checklists, procedures and IEP production modules as well as training and courses are among the suggestions put forward to help Integrated Special Education Teachers improve their knowledge in IEP.

Monitoring the Transition Requirements of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act: A Critique and a Proposal to Expand the Performance Indicators

Despite extensive transition provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the post-school outcomes for students with disabilities continue to be disappointing. The IDEA designated those transition provisions as priority targets for federal and state compliance monitoring to assure that schools are attaining the goal of successful post-school transition for students with disabilities. Yet, we question if the compliance monitoring approach, indicator targets, and data collection requirements are appropriate and adequate to gauge post-school success. We provide a critical examination of the transition performance monitoring indicators and propose recommendations for policy and praxis, including culturally responsive data disaggregation by ethnicity and race. These policy proposals, coupled with effective preservice and inservice professional development praxis, will enhance successful transition outcomes for students with disabilities.