Standard #1
Foundations of Special
Education
Credential of
Competency for
Special Education
Paraeducators
Agenda
 Introduction and learner outcomes
 Basic special education terminology
 Purposes of programs for students with
special needs
 Brief history of special education
 Current legal protections for students with
disabilities
 Roles and responsibilities of paraeducators
and teachers
 Wrap-up
Learner Outcomes

Participants will:
 Discuss purposes of programs for
individuals with exceptional learning needs.
 Describe basic educational terminology
regarding students, programs, roles and
instruction.
 Become familiar with laws and regulations
for special education students.
 Examine roles and responsibilities
paraeducators and teachers in support of
students with disabilities.
Activity
Then and Now
Activity
 What is the purpose of education?
 What is the purpose of education for
 people with disabilities?
Special Education Terminology
Look for these Acronyms.
Jot down what they stand for on this page:
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FAPELREBSEPDEIEP-
Education ABCs Card
Ordering Information
 http://www.pattan.net/
 cbergman@pattan.net
Foundations of Special
Education
 Brief History of Special Education
 Current Legal Protections for Persons
with Disabilities
 Roles and Responsibilities of
Paraeducators
Brief History of Special
Education
 Prior to 1940’s
 People with disabilities were excluded from society
 Considered unable to learn
 1940’s - 1960’s
 General shift in society’s attitudes toward people with
disabilities
 Parent advocacy groups developed
 Civil rights movement\
 1970’s to the present
 Increase in number of court cases
 Many new laws passed
 Shift towards philosophy of inclusion
Current Legal Protections for
Persons with Disabilities
 Individuals With Disabilities Education
Act of 2004 (IDEA ’04)
 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973
 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Legal Protections for Persons
with Disabilities in IDEA ‘04
 Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) – 1990, 1997
 Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
 Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
 Gaskin Settlement Agreement
 Individual Education Plan (IEP)
 Special Education Process
FAPE in the LRE
 FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)
 Special education and related services
 Provided at no expense to parents
 To students who qualify for special
education
 In an IEP developed by a team
FAPE in the LRE
 LRE (Least Restrictive Environment)
 Students eligible for special education will
be educated with students who are not
disabled
 The regular education class must be
considered first
 Supplementary aids/services help students
be successful
The Gaskin Settlement
Agreement
 Class Action lawsuit from 1994 focused on
LRE
 Goal is to ensure that IEP teams look at
placement in regular classroom with
supplementary aids and services before
considering a more restrictive placement.
 Activities are designed to increase the
capacity of school districts to support
students with special needs placed in
regular classrooms
Individualized Education
Program (IEP)
 Describes FAPE in an IEP
 Sets annual goals
 Progress monitoring to ensure adequate
progress
 Identifies specially designed
instruction and accommodations to
help student be successful
IDEA ’04
Specially Designed Instruction
Special Educator
IDEA Legal Protections

The Special Education Process
 Evaluation
 Referral and assessment
 Evaluation Report
 Determination of eligibility
 IEP Development
 Annual goals and short-term objectives
 Specially designed instruction
 Ongoing assessment and progress reporting
 IEP Review
 Reevaluation
 Every three years (two years for MR and EI)
How Students Qualify
 Must have 1 of 13 disabilities
 Must need specially designed instruction
(later written in an IEP)
How Students Qualify
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Disability
9. Other Health
Categories
Autism
Deaf-blindness
Deafness
Emotional disturbance
Hearing impairment
Mental retardation
Multiple disabilities
Orthopedic
impairment
Impairments
10. Specific learning
disability
11. Speech/language
Impairment
12. Traumatic Brain
Injury
13. Visual impairment
Section 504 and Chapter 15
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How students qualify
What they require
How they are different from IDEA ’04
Accommodations in the regular class
Description
 Section of the Rehabilitation Act 0f 1973
 Prohibits discrimination based on
disability
 Applies to all entities that receive federal
dollars
 Chapter 15 = PA regulations
How Students Qualify
 Disability that substantially limits
participation in, or access to, school
programs
 Not necessarily one of the 13 IDEA ’04
disabilities
Section 504/Chapter 15
How Students Qualify
 Needs can be met by reasonable
accommodations in regular classrooms
 Specified in 504 Plan/Service Agreement,
not an IEP
How Students Qualify
Have a disability that substantially limits:
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Walking
Talking
Seeing
Hearing
Speaking
Breathing
Working
 Performing Manual
Tasks
 LEARNING
 Sitting
 Reaching
 Stooping
 Procreating
Section 504/Chapter 15
What It Requires: Accommodations
Regular Educator
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA)
 How students qualify
 What it provides
ADA Description
 Prohibits discrimination on the basis
of disability in:
 Employment (companies with 15 or
more employees)
 State and local government
 Public accommodations
 Commercial facilities
 Transportation
 Telecommunications
ADA
How Students Qualify
 Attend a school (even a private
school!)
 All public facilities must be accessible
ADA: What It Requires
 Provides for access and removes
barriers:
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Elevators
Ramps
Curb cuts
Wheelchair lifts
Roles and Responsibilites
History of the Paraeducator
 1950 Teacher shortages
 1960-1970
 Title 1
 Head Start
 P.L. 94-142
 1997 Reauthorization of IDEA
Paraeducator
 “Para”- “alongside”
 Paraeducator – someone who works
alongside an educator
Paraeducator
 A school employee who:
 Provides instructional or other direct
support services to students
 Works under the supervision of a
certified staff member who is responsible
for educational programming and
student progress
Involvement of Paraeducators
 Impact on the improvement of
educational settings
 Benefits for education
Roles and Responsibilities
of Teachers
 Teacher Responsibilities
 Exercise
 Work with your table group to compile a list
of daily, weekly and periodic tasks
performed by TEACHERS in different
programs or settings.
 Be prepared to share your list with the
entire group when you are finished
Roles and Responsibilities
of Teachers
 Classroom Teachers
 Manage learning environments &
programs
 Participate in development of standards
 Assist with curriculum development
 Act as members of school-based
management teams
 Establish program priorities to meet
student’s needs
Roles and Responsibilities
of Teachers
 Teachers have primary responsibility for
students’ education including …
 Diagnosing students’ education and support
needs
 Prescribing the programs to meet these needs
 Developing instructional goals and objectives
 Preparing lesson plans for an entire class
 Modifying strategies and curriculum content to
meet the instructional objectives established for
individual students
Roles and Responsibilities
of Paraeducators
 Paraeducator Responsibilities
 Exercise
 Work together with your table group to
compile a list of daily, weekly, and periodic
tasks performed by PARAEDUCATORS in
different programs or settings.
 Be prepared to share your list with the
entire group when you are finished.
Roles and Responsibilities
of Paraeducators
 Paraeducators are responsible for
 Supplementing an appropriately certified
teacher for instructional duties
 Performing non-instructional duties as
directed by a certified professional
 i.e. paraeducators will be responsible to a
certified professional when assigned to
monitor cafeteria, study halls, homeroom,
etc.
Roles and Responsibilities
of Paraeducators
 Provide Instructional Support
 Implement instructional programs and
lesson plans as directed by teachers
 Assist students with individual work
 Assist in collecting and maintaining data
 Score objective tests and maintain
appropriate records
 Contribute information and/or attend
IEP/IFSP or other staff meetings
Roles and Responsibilities
of Paraeducators
 Provide behavior management
support
 Provide clerical/technical support
 Provide personal/health assistance
 Consult with others on the
educational team
Learner Outcomes
 Participants will:
 Describe what makes a special education
paraeducator “highly qualified.”
 Examine the Special Education
Paraeducator Credential of Competency
and how to achieve the 10 standards
 Discuss purposes of programs for
individuals with exceptional learning
needs.
Learner Outcomes
 Participants will:
 Describe basic educational terminology
regarding students, programs, roles and
instruction.
 Become familiar with laws and
regulations for special education
students.
 Examine roles and responsibilities
paraeducators and teachers in support of
students with disabilities.
Planning and Evaluation
 Please complete the evaluation form
for today’s session.
 Using the Paraeducator Development
Plan Menu and Action Plan,
incorporate the topics covered tonight
into your plan.
 Sign out and pick up Certificate of
Attendance