Music & Special Education A Collaborative Approach to Meet the Needs and Requirements of ALL students Highlights of Discussion • Welcome • The Why? • IDEA & LRE • Educational Benefit • Benefits of Music Education for ALL students • Accommodations & Modifications • Grading • Resources & Support Personnel • Next Steps for Continued Collaboration Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) To ensure that children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) designed to meet the unique needs of the student and prepare them for further education, employment and independent living. Student with disabilities have 4 Rights and 2 Protections: • IDEA guarantees the right to: 1) Fair assessment procedures 2) FAPE 3) Placement in their Least Restrictive Environment ** 4) Parent involvement in educational decisions • They have a right to: 1) IEP (Individualized Educational Program) 2) Due Process Law: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) • Each Public agency (school district) must ensure that – • To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with children who are nondisabled • EC: 300.114 LRE (continued) • Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the general educational environment occurs only… • ...if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aides and services can not be acheived satisfactorily. General Education Teacher Role: ✔Share your love for music by: ✔Providing the instruction of content/music curriculum ✔Being the content expert for music education ✔Assisting in providing interventions/accommodations/modifications as indicated by student IEP or 504 plan ✔Providing positive behavioral intervention strategies ✔Ensuring open communication/dialogue with IEP teacher on site ✔Being present at the IEP meeting – ✔ Answering questions about the curriculum ✔ Discussing student’s present level of performance in your class ✔ Working collaboratively with IEP teacher to ensure student success Let’s Look at Some Accommodations/Modifications • 504 Plan Vs • IEP Measuring LRE: “I can’t teach them to play a violin when they have an Intellectual Disability.” • In the 9th Circuit Court Case Sacramento City Unified School District vs. Rachel, four factors were identified as things needed to be taken into consideration when determining if the student’s LRE is appropriate: 1.The educational benefit of integrated settings versus segregated settings. 2.Nonacademic benefit (primarily social interaction with non-disabled peers) 3.The effect the student with a disability can have on the teacher and his or her peers. 4.The cost of supplementary services that will be required for that student to stay in their integrated setting. Grading “How can I grade a student who does/can not participate?” • Grading accommodations or modifications: • Consider student effort when calculating • Consider how the student uses “processes” to complete his/her work • Basing part of the grade of progress toward IEP goals/objectives • Consider improvement over past performances • Considering the weights of certain types of assignments • *Use the modification (*) on the report card* (Munk, 2003) Supplemental Supports/District Personnel • Behaviors – Behavior Intervention Supervisors • Dexterity – Occupational Therapists • Accommodations/Modifications– IEP Case Carrier • Severe Physical Limitations – Physical or Occupational Therapists • Assistive Technology – AT Specialists • SpHC student ideas – SpHC teachers/experts • Adult Assistant/Staffing – Site Administration or Special Education Administrator Thank You for Sharing Your Passion with ALL Students! Don’t ask yourself, “Why do I have to?...” …ask youself, ”What if I did?”
