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K4: Awareness of the pre-referral, referral, and placement process used for identifying and serving students with Other Health Disabilities.

K7: Understanding of basic assistive and health technology used to support students with OHD.

S2: Demonstrate the ability to adapt, modify, or structure the environment to accommodate the diverse needs of students with OHD.

S3: Demonstrates the ability to modify instructional methods as needed by students with OHD (including selecting, adapting, and using specialized materials and instructional strategies to maximize learning) in accordance with the Individualized Education Program.

1aR

3aR

The Individualized Education Program Process

Graphic of a clipboard with the words The paraprofessional needs to have a basic understanding of and be familiar with how an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed for a student who qualifies for special education. The key to an effective IEP is that it is developed and implemented to meet the specific educational needs of the student.

The basic process is defined by the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): The student is identified as possibly needing special education and/or related services in order to make educational progress. Next, the student is evaluated by a child study or educational team to determine eligibility under a specific category of special education services. The educational team, which typically includes the special education teacher, parents, student, and other school personnel, or outside professionals identified as necessary for planning, meets to develop the IEP with the student. The IEP would use some of the key findings of the evaluation process and assessment to determine eligibility as a base from which to develop the IEP. Services are then identified and implemented. Periodic progress reviews are scheduled and completed and, as necessary, the team makes revisions to the IEP.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Web site and its publication, My Child's Special Needs: A Guide to the Individualized Education Program, offer more information about the IEP process.

References

Minnesota Department of Education. (2007). Other Health Disabilities Companion Manual (Draft). St. Paul: Author. Retrieved March 29, 2007, from http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/SpecialEd/documents/Publication/001683.pdf

U.S. Department of Education. (2000, July). My child's special needs: A guide to the Individualized Education Program. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved March 29, 2007, from http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html