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K6: Basic understanding of the referral, assessment, planning, and placement procedures specific to teaching students with DCD.

K8: Understanding of how the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is used to design and implement developmentally appropriate instruction for students with DCD.

K11: Knowledge of the role of related service providers (physical therapy, occupational therapy, vision services, etc.).

K12: Understanding of the paraprofessional's role regarding communication with students, students' families, and the community that supports students' learning and well-being.

K13: Understanding of the paraprofessional's role in working with providers of related services (physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.).

K14: Understanding of the paraprofessional's role within the roles and responsibilities of teachers and support personnel in providing educational services to students with DCD.

Other Members of the Educational Team

Teachers, Students, Other School and Community Professionals, and Community Members who Support a Student with a Developmental Cognitive Disability

Picture of an IEP team meeting.

Who else is on an educational team and what do they do?

You are one member of the student’s educational team. Each student with a disability, including those with DCD, comes to school with unique needs, hopes, and talents. Educational support teams are designed to identify and meet the needs of students with DCD and support them in the least restrictive and most inclusive environment possible. As part of a student’s educational team, it is important for you to be familiar with the other education team members and to understand their roles in helping a student with DCD achieve educational success. However, before you can understand the membership of a student’s educational team and their roles and responsibilities, you may want to review the Minnesota Rule Chapter 3525, “Multidisciplinary Team Teaching Models,” which explains the team approach to special education.

Another source of information about educational teams for students with disabilities is federal guidelines. You may want to review information related to IEP services and team members from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the U.S. Department of Education. More information is available on the OSEP Web page, “IEP Team.”

After reviewing federal and state laws regarding the establishment of educational teams, you will be more familiar with required core members and supplementary members of the team. Individual team members are selected based on the expertise they may bring to the planning and implementation of special education programs and related services for students with DCD. Members are also selected based on the needs of the student in the specific educational setting. Each team, however, can be different for every student. A list follows of possible team members and their roles as outlined in Core Competency Area 1: Philosophical, Historical, and Legal Foundations of Education: Unit 1.3, Understanding of the distinctions between roles and responsibilities of professionals, paraprofessionals, and support personnel.

Essential Team Members	Essential Role and Responsibilities
Student with a Disability	Presents personal values and priorities. Advocates for personal accommodations and modifications. Provides insight into personal goals and future planning.
Parent/Family Member	Presents family and cultural values and priorities for the individual. Provides insight into the individual's interests, preferences, skills, and needed supports. Provides a vision of the individual's future.
General Education Teacher	Sees and includes the individual as a member of the class rather than as a visitor. Seeks and uses others to adapt learning activities to include the individual in meaningful ways. Incorporates IEP goals in typical activities and interactions.
Special Education Teacher	Provides consultation and collaboration. Adapts curriculum, materials, and equipment. Incorporates IEP goals in typical activities and interactions.
Paraprofessional	Facilitates the individual's direct participation with peers/adults. Incorporates IEP goals in typical activities and interactions.
Therapist (Physical, Occupational, or Speech & Language)	Insures functional approaches to addressing therapy needs in typical activities and interactions such as self-care, getting on the bus, finding the bathroom, etc. Adapts the curriculum, materials, and equipment. Incorporates IEP goals in typical activities and interactions.
Administrator	Draws together general and special education resources. Coordinates staff training and team consultative support. Assists in problem-solving logistics and program issues.

References

A portion of the information for Lesson 1a is used with permission from:

Institute on Community Integration. (n.d.). Para eLinkCore Competency Area 7: Communication and Collaborative Partnerships, Units 7.3 and 7.4, Lesson 6, Building a Relationship with the Teacher and Lesson 7, Relationships with Other School Staff. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota. Retrieved June 27, 2006, from http://ici2.umn.edu/elink/7k2b/c7k2b_6.html and http://ici2.umn.edu/elink/7k2b/c7k2b_7.html
Institute on Community Integration. (n.d.). Para eLinkCore Competency Area 1:Philosophical, Historical, and Legal Foundations of Education, Unit 1.3, Understanding of the distinctions between roles and responsibilities of professionals, paraprofessionals, and support personnel. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota. Retrieved June 27, 2006, from http://ici2.umn.edu/elink/1k3b/c1k3b_intro.html
Minnesota Rules Chapter 3525. (2005, January 31). Multidisability Team Teaching Models. Retrieved June 27, 2006, from http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/3525/2350.html
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education. (2001, July 1). Title 34 (2) Part 300, Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities (Publication No. 34CFR300.344). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved June 26, 2006, from http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/04nov20031500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2001/julqtr/34cfr300.344.htm