Special Education and Related Services
The IEP must include a statement of the special education and related services, as well as the supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, that the school will provide to or on behalf of the student. The IEP must also contain a statement of the program modifications (accommodations and/or modifications) or supports for school personnel that will be provided to enable the student to advance appropriately toward meeting the annual goals, as well as to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum.
The programs and services to be provided to the student must be individually determined by the ARD committee based on the student’s abilities and needs. The programs and services for a student cannot be based on factors such as:
- category of the student’s disability,
- availability of special education programs or related services or personnel,
- current availability of space,
- administrative convenience; or
- how the school has configured its special education service delivery system.
Special Education
Special education means specially designed instruction (SDI), at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of the student with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and instit tions, and other settings, as well as physical education. The term specially designed instruction means adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the student and/or ensure the student’s access to the general education curriculum.
Related Services
Related services mean transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services that are required to assist the student in benefiting from special education.
Related services include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Assistive technology
- Audiology services
- Counseling services
- Interpreting services
- Medical services
- Music therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Orientation and mobility (O&M) services (only for students with visual impairments)
- Parent counseling and training
- Physical therapy
- Psychological services
- Recreation
- Rehabilitation counseling services
- School health services
- Social work services in school
- Speech-language therapy *
- Transportation
*In Texas, speech-language therapy is an instructional service that can be a stand-alone service as well as a supportive service.
NOTE:
Related services do not include a medical device that is surgically implanted such as a cochlear implant, the optimization of that device’s functioning (mapping), maintenance of the device, or the replacement of the device.
Special education and related services are based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, which means there is reliable evidence to demonstrate that the program or services are effective in meeting the needs of the student. Peer- reviewed means that the quality of the research meets the established standard of the field. Peer-reviewed research may apply to academic, as well as nonacademic areas, such as behavioral interventions.
Assistive Technology
The ARD committee must consider whether the student needs assistive technology (AT) devices and services. An assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a student with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of any assistive technology device. An assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized, used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a student with a disability.
When a student requires an assistive technology device or service, consideration must be given to the instruction that the student might require to use the assistive technology device as well as any supports and services the student and/or the student’s teachers may need related to the use of the device.
The Texas 4-Step AT Consideration Model is a process that ARD committees may use in the development, review, and revision of IEPs. The use of a model ensures consistency, and that AT is equitably considered for all students with disabilities. The Texas 4-Step Model incorporates best practices in AT consideration as described by the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology (QIAT).
Schedule of Services
Frequency, Duration, and Location
The U.S. Department of Education has previously instructed that: "the amount of services to be provided must be stated in the IEP so that the level of the agency's commitment of resources will be clear to parents and other IEP team members.” ARD committees should review all IEPs to be sure that the LEA’s commitment of resources is clear. In the schedule of services section of the IEP, it is essential to clearly outline the services provided to address the student's IEP goals and needs. These services should be specified in terms of frequency, duration, and location to ensure they are effectively implemented.
For each special education and related service to be provided to the student, the following is to be
included in the IEP:
- Frequency — how often the service is provided
- Duration — how long the service is provided
- Beginning/ending date — the starting and ending dates of the specific service
- Amount of time — the minutes per session for the service
- Location of service — the setting (e.g., general education or special education) where the service is provided.
| Frequency | Duration | Location |
| How often will the service be provided (daily, weekly)? If a service is provided less than daily then the conditions for the provision of the services must be clearly specified within the ARD committee documents using a weekly reference (1 hour a week, 30 minutes every two-weeks). | How long will the services be provided? How long will each session be (15 minutes, 30 minutes)? | Where will the services be provided? Select the general education classroom or another setting such as a special education resource classroom, or both wherever services will be provided. |
Supplementary Aids and Services
SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS AND SERVICES are aids, services, and other supports provided in regular education classes, other education-related settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings for the teacher and the student to enable the student with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled students to the maximum extent appropriate in the least restrictive environment.
Supplementary aids and services include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Assistive technology
- Consultation
- Curricular or instructional accommodations/modifications
- Educational aide (paraprofessional) or teacher assistant
- Job coach
- Interpreter
- Monitoring a student’s progress in regular education classes
- Reduction of the ratio of student to instructional staff
- Classroom accommodations
- Special materials/equipment
Accommodations and Modifications
Accommodations are intended to reduce or even eliminate the effects of student’s disability on academic tasks but do not change learning expectations. The objectives of the course or activity remain the same. Accommodations change how the student learns or demonstrates knowledge. ARD committees should consider whether changes in presentation, response, setting, or timing/scheduling are required for students to access the general curriculum.
- Presentation Accommodations allow students to access instructional materials when visual, physical, or learning
difficulties impede decoding and comprehension of text. - Response Accommodations allow students to record their work in alternate ways or to solve or organize their work using some material or device.
- Timing/Scheduling Accommodations adjust time and scheduling requirements for assignments, homework, and
assessments. Students may also require increased use of breaks or reminders to stay on task. - Setting Accommodations change the location in which instruction is given or the conditions of the setting.
Modifications change what the student is expected to master. Course, activity, and/or TEKS objectives are altered to meet student needs. Decisions about modifications should be data driven, individualized for the student, and documented in the IEP. The decision to modify curriculum will have implications for graduation plans and should be addressed at least annually at the students ARD committee meeting.
Examples of Accommodations and Modifications
Whether a specific support is an accommodation or a modification is dependent on the content being taught. Review the following scenarios to see examples of when supports are considered accommodations or modifications.
| Area | Accommodation | Modification |
| Spell check software | If the objective of the assignment is to write a three-paragraph essay to describe the water cycle, the use of spell-checking software to support composition and editing is likely an accommodation. | If the objective of the assignment is to demonstrate mastery of specific spelling rules, the allowance of spell check software is likely a modification. |
| Text to speech | If the objective of the assignment is to access grade-level science content, text to speech technology to support accessibility when the student is reading below grade level is likely an accommodation. | If the objective of the assignment is to demonstrate reading comprehension at grade level, the use of text to speech is likely a modification. |
| Calculator | If the objective of the assignment is solving multi-step word problems, the use of a calculation device to support math calculation is likely an accommodation. | If the objective of the assignment is to demonstrate 3- digit x 2-digit multiplication with regrouping, the use of a calculation device to support math calculation is likely a modification. |
| Time | If the objective of the assignment is to demonstrate an understanding of the content, extra time to complete the assignment or exam is likely an accommodation. | If the objective of the multiplication fact quiz is to demonstrate fact fluency, the allowance of extra time is likely a modification. |
Staff Supports
Supports for School Personnel
Supports for school personnel assist education providers in meeting the unique needs of the student and helping the student be successful.
Supports for school personnel include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Workshops or trainings related to the individual needs of a student
- Assistance needed for curriculum modifications
- Necessary training for assistive technology service and/or devices
Resources
- Progress Center IEP Tip Sheet: Overview of the Statement of Services and Aids
- TEA’s Texas SPED Support website has State Guidance Documents which contain resources and guidance specific to SDI.
- IRIS Center: Assistive Technology Module
- TEA Assistive Technology Webpage
- Texas AT Support
- ESC 13 Accommodation Central
