Key Terms in Educating Students with Exceptionalities

Here are five definitions which I believe will be most useful for our collaborative practice and shared inclusive learning environment.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):

This is a federal law which ensures that children with disabilities receive free appropriate public education according to their needs. Under the act, schools are required to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for every student who qualifies as disabled under IDEA criteria; these programs set out specific educational targets and services needed for meeting them too. For instance, if a child has reading problems due to dyslexia then one-to-one tuition or access to assistive technology must be provided under this legislation so as help such learner improve on their literacy skills (Blanck, 2019).

Individualized Education Program (IEP):

An IEP is a legal document designed specifically around each child’s own unique requirements when he or she attends public school settings which necessitate special education provision being made available thereat. It contains information about present level of performance vis-à-vis academic goals together with objectives tailored thereto along other necessary supports deemed appropriate towards achieving those goals laid down therein. For example, an ADHD student may have extended time for tests as well as needing quiet places during examinations hence all these accommodations should still apply even while co-teaching classes so that no any single student is left behind in our curriculum coverage (Bryant et al., 2024).

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE):

LRE means placing students who have disabilities into regular classrooms alongside their non-disabled peers as often as possible but ensuring they get necessary supports whenever required by them too much such that should only be offered where absolutely needed otherwise it may become counterproductive. This principle is based on belief that most children can benefit from being educated within inclusive settings which promote diversity, unity and equal opportunities among all learners. For instance, a child with mild intellectual impairment might participate in general math lessons taught by both teachers but assisted through special education teacher instead of being sent to separate room for instruction (Bryant et al., 2024).

Differentiated Instruction:

Differentiation refers to teaching methods and resources used in response to students’ various learning needs so that each individual can access curriculum according to his or her ability level at any given time during lessons. It involves providing different types of content, using varied instructional strategies as well modifying assessments thereby taking into consideration diverse styles, interests or readiness levels exhibited by learners themselves while undertaking these activities within our classroom setting too. In other words, when Mr Franklin is teaching about historical events I could work with small group who still struggle understanding this concept using graphic organizers or simplified texts (Young et al., 2017).

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA):

An FBA is a process used to understand why students with disabilities are behaving in challenging ways. This involves collecting information about when and where the behavior occurs, what triggers it, and how to address it. For example, an FBA might find out that if a student disrupts class every time they read because they want to avoid doing something hard. Then we can create a behavior intervention plan which includes giving rewards for staying on task and finding other ways of meeting the student’s needs. Knowing these results will enable us manage classroom dynamics better and provide supports for those who require them most (Bryant et al., 2024).

Effect on Co-Teaching Practice

Knowledge of these terms within our co-teaching environment is essential. Additionally, understanding the accommodations listed in each student's IEP helps us ensure consistent support provision necessary for their academic success. Moreover, differentiated instruction represents shared responsibility among all co-teaching partners working towards meeting diverse learning needs in our classroom thus engaging every child including those with exceptionalities who may need additional help (Yaffe et al., 2016).

Application to My Chosen Path in Special Education

These words are not just ideas but they function as signposts directing our instructional approaches and interactions with kids within special education settings. For instance, IDEA along with IEPs directly affects how we plan and deliver lessons requiring thoughtful consideration to be compliant but more importantly meet educational needs of students served under this law. On another level though LRE principle challenges me personally to continually evaluate whether or not my learners are being taught in environments that foster both cognitive growth as well social inclusion which is critical for overall development (Blanck, 2019).

Selection Process for Priority Terms

I selected these terms since they lay foundation for inclusive teaching practices while at same time determining methods employed when providing instructions within inclusive environments. These keywords play a big role in guaranteeing that children with disabilities get necessary assistance for success in mainstream classrooms (Bryant et al., 2024).

Open-Ended Question

What changes would you expect in our co-teaching approach if the number of students requiring specialized academic or behavioral support doubled?

References

Blanck, P. (2019). Why America is better off because of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Touro Law Review, 35(1), 605–618.

Bryant, D. P., Smith, D. D., & Bryant, B. R. (2024). Teaching in inclusive classrooms (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Yaffe, D., Ofori, E., & Nino, M. (2016). Professional portfolios: Bringing life to your best work. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 60(4), 307–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0067-y

Young, M. D., Winn, K. M., & Reedy, M. A. (2017). The Every Student Succeeds Act: Strengthening the focus on educational leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 53(5), 705–726. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X17735871