Schools must provide students with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE). During a student's IEP it is determined what placement options and instructional models will be used. Smith (2016), explains that, "IDEA mandates that students are served in the least restrictive environment, which means that students jmust receive their educational services to the maximum extent possible alongside students without disabilities, and should be removed from the general education setting only if their needs cannot be met in that setting," (p. 124, para. 2).
Teachings in Education. (August 27, 2016). What is the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)? [Video Post]. Retrieved on June 1, 2017, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUtR75sMBOc
To guarantee the implementation of LRE is effective, schools need to offer many placement options. These options range from the least restrictive environment to the most restrictive placement. The instructional models also range from, "the most intense and intrusive services in the most restrictive environments to the fewest and least intrusive in the least restrictive settings," (Smith, 2016, p. 125, para. 1). It is important to keep in mind that when providing FAPE to a student with disabilities, placement should not be a clinical label, or a parental or school preference (Smith, 2016). Placement should be dictated by their needs. It is the determination of the IEP team to decide where the placement that will benefit the student the most. Smith states, "a cornerstone of IDEA requires that students are provided with educational services with their nondisabled peers, unless their individual needs cannot be met in inclusive settings and in this case, their placement should be as close as possible to placement in a full-time general education classroom," (p. 125, para. 4). The school must offer the specific placement determined in the student's IEP. Placement determination should not be permanent and should be reviewed with the annual IEP review. During this review it should be determined if the student can be placed in the LRE because that is the goal of the school; to move the student to the LRE.
Options for Placement
Residential Setting: Is a setting in which a student with disabilities lives. It is the most restrictive placement. Some families to determine this placement option as a positive move because they receive some relief due to the fact that the child is placed in an environment that may be safer and more apt to providing them with services that better meet their needs. Smith explains that this type of setting provides students with disabilities who could be suffering from chronic health problems a setting that is the ideal choice (2016).
Home-bound Setting: Some students who have a disability or medical condition could greatly benefit from their home setting for instruction (Smith, 2016). "Students with disabilities are often placed in home-bound placements because of medical problems, which are not severe enough to result in a hospital placement, but result in their needing a different level of services and support than can be provided on-site in the school," (Smith, 2016, p. 129, para. 4).
Special Schools: Another placement option is a special school that is designed to meet the needs of the student's disability. Special schools allow students with disabilities to be with others who have similar characteristics so they won't be exposed to bullying (Smith, 2016). They will be provided with instructors who specialize in teaching students with specific disabilities (Smith, 2016). Students with behavior challenges could also be placed in special schools. This would allow the disruption in the regular schools' classrooms to be void. A down side to this is that there would be no interacting with students without disabilities. There would be no peer role models, and less experiences to facilitate a positive adjustment to the community (Smith, 2016).
Self-Contained Classroom: This placement is where students with disabilities will spend the majority of their day, every day, having the same teacher providing the majority of their academic instruction (Smith, 2016). Students with disabilities are segregated for recess, lunch, field trips, and other school events and there is hardly no interaction taking place between them and the students without disabilities (Smith, 2016).
Resource Room: After IDEA was passed it was required that schools provide the least restrictive environment for students with special needs. Resource rooms replaced self-contained classrooms in schools. Smith (2016) states, "the resource room model is a basic pull-out model where students with disabilities are in general education classrooms and are pulled out part of the day for instruction in areas where they need additional assistance or remediation," (p. 133, para. 2). Elements of the resource room model allow students with disabilities to interact with students without disabilities by giving them the opportunity to be part of a pull-out model. The resource room model provides more specific, targeted instruction to better meet the goals of the student with disabilities. It is vital that the principal, regular education teacher, and resource room teacher work together in providing quality education for students with special needs. Administrators need to support these teachers by giving them opportunities to plan and collaborate.
Inclusion: Belonging in the General Classroom: Smith (2016) describes inclusion as, "students with disabilities are just like all other students; they belong with their non-disabled chronological peers in the general education classroom and leave the classroom only if their needs cannot be met in that environment," (p. 134, para. 3). Students with disabilities can still receive assistance and services from the resource room but it is not their placement. Services can take place in either classrooms depending on the student's educational needs for instructional services while still receiving the majority of their instruction in the general education classroom (Smith, 2016).
EDCHAT. (February 24, 2015). Special Needs - Inclusion. [Video Post]. Retrieved on June 2, 2017, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJqLMNr7hIQ
Instructional Models
Students with disabilities benefit from having many options of instructional models in meeting their needs. Smith (2016) states, "instructional models used with students should be individualized, based on the student's strengths and weaknesses and annual goals," (p. 136, para. 2).
The following list is taken from (Smith, 2016, p. 137, para. 1).
A Brief Description of Major Instructional Models:
Consultation-Collaboration
- Special education teachers serves as conslutant to general classroom teacher.
- Consulting teacher provides advice on how to provide appropriate services for children with disabilities.
- Requires both teachers to have an open attitude about the arrangement.
- Requires general education teacher to acknowledge the need for assistance.
- Requires time for meeting, discussions, and administrative support.
Co-Teaching
- Two teachers share a classroom.
- Special education teacher provides support for students with disabilities and suggestions for delivering instructional content.
- Special education teacher serves as expert on differentiated instruction and behavior management; general classroom serves as expert on content of the classroom.
- Different arrangements related to the specific role of the co-teachers.
- REquires both eachers to have an open attitude about teh arrangement.
- Requires time for planning and administrative support.
Teacher Support System
- A group of teachers coming together to help with individual students.
- Requires teachers to acknowledge they need assistance.
- Requires all members of support teams to be open and creative.
- Requires time for meetings and administrative support.
Peer Support Systems
- Students helping students.
- Support can be provided in academic or social areas.
- Requires training of peers and oversight of teachers.
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