How Are Exceptional Students Initially Identified?
Children with severe disabilities are usually identified early in life.
Individuals with mild disabilities might not be identified until they start having problems in school.
What Are the Prereferral Process and the Referral Process?
The prereferral process involves both prereferral assessment and prereferral intervention, which are initiated to determine and remediate a problem in the student's current educational placement.
The response to intervention paradigm provides an alternative model for prereferral decision making.
If necessary, a formal referral is made for an evaluation to determine if the student is eligible to receive special education services.
How Do Students Become Eligible for Special Education?
For a student to receive special education services, he or she must meet certain eligibility criteria outlined by IDEA 04.
IDEA 04 lists 12 categories of disabilities for which a student might be eligible for services.
Depending on the suspected category, the evaluation for a disability may include intelligence and achievement testing as well as the use of other tests and assessment procedures.
How Is an Exceptional Student's Educational Program Developed?
Every school-aged student receiving services under IDEA 04 will have an individualized education program (IEP) determined by a multidisciplinary team.
Infants and toddlers receiving services under IDEA 04 will have an individual family service plan (IFSP) designed for them and their families.
One important decision is the educational placement in which the IEP will be implemented. Proponents of teaching students in the least restrictive environment support a continuum of services option. Proponents of full inclusion argue that this should always be the general education classroom.
