Identification Procedures and Access to Special Education

What are the 13 categories of disability that can qualify students for special education services?

• Specific learning disability

• Speech or language impairment

• Other health impairment

• Autism

• Intellectual disability

• Emotional disturbance

• Developmental delay

• Multiple disabilities

• Orthopedic impairment

• Visual impairment

• Deafness & hearing impairment

• Traumatic brain injury

• Deaf-blindness

504 plan

A formal plan for how a school will remove barriers so a student with a disability can learn alongside peers in general education; does not include specially designed instruction.

IEP plan

A formal plan that details the special education services and supports a school will provide to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability; includes specially designed instruction

How is a 504 plan different from an IEP?

IEP

• Provides individualized special education and related services to meet the unique needs of the child

• IDEA is the law that applies

• Two requirements for eligibility: (1) A child has one or more of the 13 specific disabilities listed in IDEA and (2) The disability must affect the child’s educational performance and/or ability to learn and benefit from the general education curriculum

• Parents can ask for an IEE

• IEP team includes: parent(s), general education teacher, special education teacher, school psychologist, district representative

• A written document that MUST include: present levels of performance, annual goals and how progress will be tracked, services, timing of services, accommodations and/or modifications, how standardized tests will be done, how the child will be included in general ed. classes & activities

• Must be reviewed yearly and student must be reevaulated every 3 years

504

• Provides services and changes to the learning environment to meet the needs of the child as adequately as other students; focuses on ACCESS

• Section 504 is the law that applies

• Two requirements for eligibility: (1) A child has any disability and (2) The disability substantially limits one or more major life activities that impact learning in the general education classroom

• Does not allow parents to ask for an IEE

• 504 team includes: parent(s), general & special education teachers, school principal; rules are less specific than IEP

• Does not have to be a written document and does not have standard requirements

  • Although it may include specific accommodations, names of who will provide these, and name of the person who is responsible for ensuring plan is implemented

• Rules vary by state; usually, reviewed each year and a reevaluation is done every 3 years or as needed