Special Education: What Everyone Should Know

By: Sylvia Robinson, Martha Toledo,

Robbie McClendon

• Response to Intervention (RTI)- combination of high quality, culturally and linguistically responsive instruction; assessment; and evidence-based intervention.

• Key elements to RTI’s are high quality instruction and scientific research based tiered interventions aligned with individual student need; frequent monitoring of student progress to make results based academic and/or behavioral decisions; application of student response data to important educational decisions( such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies)

TEA RTI Guideline 2008-2009

Curriculum Programs - Responseto Intervention

Benefits of RTI’s• RTI’s hold the assurance that all children have

access to high quality instruction and that struggling learners, including those with learning disabilities, are indentified, supported, and served early and effectively.

• The implementation of RTI’s will produce more effective instruction; increased student achievement; more appropriate LD identification; increased professional collaboration; and overall school improvement.

• TEA RTI Guide 2008-2009

Multi-Tiered Model• Tier 1- Teacher use high quality core class

instruction aligned with the TEKS. This is the crucial foundation of the RTI instruction model.

• Tier 2- Students are identified for individual or small group intervention in addition to core class instruction.

• Tier 3- Students who have not responded adequately to Tiers 1 and 2 receive specific, custom-designed individual or small group instruction.

• TEA RTI Guide 2008-2009

Content Mastery

• What is “Content Mastery”?– Program for special education students that

provides the necessary academic support they need to master curriculum objectives.

• How does it do this?– All special education teachers must be “highly

qualified” in the subject they are teaching.– Content mastery teachers collaborate with

general education teachers to design and implement IEPs for struggling students

What are the teachers’ obligations in the content mastery program?

Content mastery teachers • provide support and

guidance for general education teachers

• provide individualized instruction for struggling students.

General education teachers • provide whole class

instruction and various learning activities for all their students.

• communicate with content mastery teachers regarding student progress and provide all instructional material needed by the content mastery teacher.

How do students benefit from content mastery?

Inclusion • Special needs students remain

in mainstream classrooms allowing them to benefit from whole class instruction and activities.

• Students are allowed to make meaningful contributions to the classroom environment

• Students do not feel singled out or separated from their peers

Differentiation • Students benefit from the

IEPs specially designed for them

• Students benefit from the individual instruction received from the content mastery teacher

• Students benefit from the various tools and services provided by the content mastery teacher

Conclusion

• Special education programs provide students access to the best possible educational experience and help them prepare for their future.

References• Algozzine, Bob; Morsink, Catherine; Algozzine, Kate. “What’s Happening in Self-Contained Special

Education Classrooms,” Exceptional Children, November 1988, available at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3130/is_/ai_n28582899

• Amarillo ISD. (n.d.)Special Education Department: Content Mastery. Retrieved November 16, 2011 from: http://www.amaisd.org/speced/linksContentMastery.htm

• Eagle Mountain ISD. (2008). Content Mastery Center-Opening the Doors of Success: Guidelines and Procedures 2008-2009. Retrieved November 17, 2011 from: http://www.emsisd.com/114020612143657110/lib/114020612143657110/Content_Mastery_Program.ppt

• Hayden, Kellie. “TAG and Self Contained Classrooms,” Retrieved November 18, 2011 from: http://giftededucation.suite101.com/article.cfm/tag_and_selfcontained_classrooms

• IDEA Website. Retrieved November 16, 2011 from: http://idea.ed.gov• McBride, C., Molina, G., and Nelson, T. (2010). Retrieved November 18, 2011 from:

http://www.slideshare.net/Gloconter/content-mastery • National Center for Learning Disabilities. (n.d.) What is RTI? Retrieved November 16, 2011 from:

http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti• TEA Website. Retrieved November 16, 2011 from: http://www.tea.state.tx.us• Texas Education Agency. (January 2011). Guidance for the implementation of NCLB Highly Qualified

Teacher Requirements for Special Education Teachers. Retrieved November 17 from: www.tea.state.tx.us/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=2147499939&libID=2147499936

• University of Michigan, “Gifted Education (Resources for Parents)” available at http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.fenbert/advice_for_parents