What is Special Education?
Special Education is the array of services that must be provided to address the unique needs of each student found eligible under federal and state special education law. Special education services are provided in accordance with a student’s IEP to support each student to access and participate and make progress in general education curriculum, environments, and activities. These services are provided through:
Specially designed instruction – adapting, as appropriate to the needs of a student with an IEP, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the student’s unique needs that result from the student’s disability and ensure the student’s access to the general curriculum, so the student can meet the educational standards that apply to all students (34 CFR 300.39(b)(3)). Specially designed instruction may be provided in special education or general education environments and is a unique set of supports provided to individual students based on learning needs to remove barriers that result from the student’s disability. The supports are reflected in the student’s individual education program (IEP) and are infused throughout the student’s learning experiences and environments as described in the IEP. Examples include: specially designed reading instruction, math instruction, social skills instruction, physical education, vocational education, speech and language therapy, etc. A student determined eligible under IDEA must be found to need specially designed instruction. If the student’s needs can be met within general education without specially designed instruction, the student is not eligible under IDEA.
Related services - developmental, corrective, and other supportive services needed to assist a student with an IEP to benefit from special education. Examples include: transportation, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, audiology, sign language interpreting services, counseling, orientation and mobility, school nursing services, parent counseling and training, etc. (34 C.F.R § 300.34 and Wis. Stat. § 115.76 (14)).
Supplementary aids and services - aids, services, and other supports provided in general education classes, other education-related settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings to enable a student with an IEP to be educated with students without IEPs to the maximum extent appropriate (34 C.F.R § 300.34 and Wis. Stat. § 115.76 (16)). These are also commonly referred to as general education modifications and accommodations. Examples include: adapted equipment, assistive technology, modified or supplemental curriculum materials, assignment and test modifications, preferential seating, adult support or supervision (including one-to-one assistance), extra time, sensory breaks, special behavior supports and strategies, and visual or verbal cues and reminders.
Program modifications and supports for staff - services or activities needed by school personnel to meet the needs of the student (34 C.F.R § 300.320(a)(4) and Wis. Stat. § 115.787(2)(c)). These are services provided on behalf of a student with an IEP to enable the student to advance toward attaining annual IEP goals; be involved and make progress in the general education curriculum; participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and be educated and participate with other students with and without disabilities. Examples include: co-planning and co-teaching between general and special education teachers, assistance with curriculum modifications, disseminating information about a student’s disability and training for staff needed to work with specific students (such as training on autism or special health care needs).
The Role of Special Education within a Equitable Multi-Level System of Supports
MDIH Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual
Areas of Special Education Eligibility:
The areas of special education disability include; educational autism, intellectual disabilities, emotional behavioral disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, significant developmental delay, speech/language impairments, specific learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury and visual impairments.
Family Engagement:
Parent Toolkit
Parent Special Education Resources:
Introduction to Special Education (DPI Link)
