Special Education Support Personnel

General Education Teachers: The general education teacher is a critical player on the team providing educational instruction for students with special needs. These teachers must be prepared to differentiate instruction and deliver it to students with special needs. These teachers need to have knowledge and understanding of students with special needs. They also need knowledge and skills in response to intervention, co-teaching, collaboration, planning, instructional strategies, and models.

Special Education Teachers: 

Rubino, Neil. (December 8, 2010). A day in the life of a Special Education Teacher. [Video Post]. Retrieved on May 30, 2017, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh1meBo_m1w

As a result of IDEA and additional state mandates, special education teachers today perform the following: (Smith, 2017)

1. Assess students' skills to determine their needs and to develop teaching plans.
2. Adapt lessons to meet the needs of students.
3. develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each student.
4. Plan, organize and assign activities that are specific to each student's abilities.
5. Teach and mentor students as a class, in small groups, and one-to-one.
6. Implement IEPs, assess students' performance, and track their progress.
7. Update IEPs throughout the school year to reflect students' progress and goals.
8. Discuss students' progress with parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators. 
9. Supervise and mentor teacher assistants who work with students with disabilities.
10. Prepare and help students transition from grade to grade and after graduation.

The special education teacher and the classroom teacher work closely together, collaborating, sharing, and assisting students with special needs so they can be successful in each classroom.

Paraprofessionals: Paraprofessionals are a necessary component in teaching students with disabilities. They support and assist the teacher. Smith (2016) describes some of their tasks as:

1. Reinforce lessons presented by teachers by reviewing material with students one-to-one or in small groups.
2. Provide direct instruction to students one-to-one or in small groups.
3. Enforce school and class rules to help teach students proper behavior.
4. Help teachers with recordkeeping, such as tracking attendance and calculating grades.
5. Help teachers prepare for lessons by getting materials ready or setting up equipment, such as computers.
6. Help supervise students in class, between classes, during lunch and recess, and on field trips.

1NUTT4U. (February 1, 2008). A Day and a Life of a Special Education Paraprofessional. [Video Post]. Retrieved on May 31, 2017, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Hld7Shbnk

Related Services Personnel: Related services personnel are needed every now and then to help assist students with disabilities. These services can range from transportation, speech-language pathologist, audiology service personnel, interpreter, school health services personnel, school nurse, social work services personnel, therapeutic personnel, rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility service personnel, medical services for diagnostic or evaluation personnel, and parent counseling and training.

Speech-Language Pathologists: When students have difficulties with oral language speech-language pathologists provide them with language therapy. Smith (2016) describes their responsibilities as being:

1. Teach students how to make sounds and improve their voices.
2. Teach alternative communication methods, such as sign language, to students with little or no speech capability.
3. Work with students to improve their ability to read and write correctly.
4. Work with students to develop and strengthen the muscles used to swallow.
5. Counsel students and families on how to cope with communication disorders.

Physical Therapists: Physical therapists provide services to students with disabilities who have physical or motor problems and are in need of specialized interventions. Smith (2016) describes their responsibilities as being:

1. Review students' medical history and any referrals or notes from doctors or surgeons.
2. Diagnose students' dysfunctional movements by observing them standing or walking and by listening to their concerns, among other methods.
3. Set up a plan or care for students, outlining the student's goals and the expected outcome of the plan.
4. Use exercises, stretching maneuvers, hands-on therapy, and equipment to ease students' pain, help them increase their mobility, prevent further pain or injury, and facilitate health and wellness.
5. Evaluate a student's progress, modifying a plan of care and trying new treatments as needed.
6. Educate students and their families about what to expect from and how best to cope with the recovery process.

Occupational Therapists: 

Megpollack. (October 12, 2012). Occupational Therapists in the Elementary School Setting. [Video Post]. Retrieved on May 31, 2017, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6_uhLdqCKc

Smith (2016), states that occupational therapists treat ill, injured, or disabled students with everyday activities. Smith (2016), describes their responsibilities as:

1. Observe students doing tasks, ask them questions, and review their medical history.
2. Evaluate a student's condition and needs.
3. Develop a treatment plan for students, laying out the types of activities and specific goals to be accomplished.
4. Help people with various disabilities with different tasks, such as leading an autistic child in play activities.
5. Demonstrate exercises, for example, joint stretches for arthritis relief, that can help relieve pain for people with chronic conditions. 
6. Evaluate a student's home or workplace and based on the student's health needs, identify potential improvements, such as labeling kitchen cabinets for an older person with poor memory.
7. Educate a student's family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the student.
8. Recommend special equipment, such as wheelchairs and eating aids, and instruct students on how to use that equipment.
9. Assess and record students' activities and progress for student evaluations, for billing, and for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers. 

School Psychologists: The school psychologist is a key member of the evaluation team. They are involved with academic and behavioral interventions for students. They are, according to Smith (2016), "a critical component of providing free appropriate public education for students with disabilities," (p. 196, para 3).

School Social Workers: Assist families of and students with disabilities in anything ranging from food stamps, income assistance, housing supports, social services, and rehabilitation services. Smith (2016), explains that a school social worker interacts with families to assist them in securing necessary services needed in supporting them with students with disabilities.  

Other Related Services Personnel: Other related services personnel could range from sign-language interpreters, audiologists, nurses, medical support personnel, and mobility and orientation instructors.

Teachings in Education. (August 29, 2016). "Related Services" in Special Education: Examples and Definition. [Video Post]. Retrieved on May 30, 2017, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPzfw2GGOk8.