FAPE, LRE, and Inclusion: What does it Look Like?
Published on May 29, 2023
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Essential Questions
- What is the IDEA?
- What is the purpose of an IEP?
- What does appropriate education mean?
- What is the least restrictive enviornment?
- What is the philosophy of inclusion?
- How are FAPE, LRE, and inclusion connected?
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What is the IDEA?
- Provides basic guidelines for providing educational services for students with disabilities.
- Why is it important to parents?
- (Ronald et al., 2019)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, also known as the IDEA, was enacted in 2004. It provides basic guidelines for providing educational services for students with disabilities. It is important for both educators and parents to be knowledgeable of the act's regulations. Not only does it cover the school and the state's legal obligations, but it also provides guidelines for consents, placement determination, and IEPs.
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What is an IEP
- Individualized Education Plan
- Written by a multidisciplinary team
- Includes goals, present levels, participation in testing, accommodations and modifications, behavioral support plans, and specially designed instruction
- Placement determination and supports
- (Ronald et al., 2019)
An IEP is an individualized education plan. It is the general programming for a student with disabilities. It is written by a multidisciplinary team. The team can include a general education teacher, a special education teacher, administration, service providers (OT, PT, Speech, Vision, teaching of the deaf/hard of hearing, school psychologist, etc.) The parent/guardian plays a key role in this team, and their input should be a valuable part of the creation of the plan. It includes, goals and objectives, present levels of performance, participation in testing, accommodations and modifications, behavioral support plans, and specially designed instruction. A key point that is included in the IEP is
placement determination and supports provided.
placement determination and supports provided.
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FAPE
- Free, Appropriate, Public, Education
- Free: Supports, services, and placement paid for by the school/state
- Public: All students with disabilities have the right to a public education
- (Free Appropriate Public Education Under Section 504, 2010)
FAPE stands for free, appropriate, public education. All school aged students with disabilities are entitled for FAPE. It is a provision under the IDEA. The related services and supports must be free to the family and it is the obligation of the district/state to pay for them, hence it being a "free" education. Parents are only responsible for funding if they choose to go against the FAPE determination and place their student in a different school, that would not be covered in the individual plan. A free education is a public education.
But how do we determine the what is "appropriate?
But how do we determine the what is "appropriate?
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Appropriate Education
- Fit the individualized, educational needs of the student
- Have access to the general education curriculum to the maximum extent
- Constant re-evaluation to ensure placement is still appropriate
- (Free Appropriate Public Education Under Section 504, 2010)
There is not one set answer on whether or not the educational setting and programming is appropriate for the student. To determine if an educational setting is appropriate, it must fit the individual needs of the student. The student must have equitable access to the general education curriculum to the maximum extent possible. This can include, but isn't limited to,
modifications to the curriculum, accommodations to ensure the student can access the curriculum, related services such as speech therapy, and/or placement outside of the general education classroom, such as a resource room. Once placed, there must be consistent re-evaluation of the student's abilities and progress to ensure the student remains in an appropriate setting with proper supports. An appropriate education goes hand in hand with the placement of a student in the least restrictive environment.
modifications to the curriculum, accommodations to ensure the student can access the curriculum, related services such as speech therapy, and/or placement outside of the general education classroom, such as a resource room. Once placed, there must be consistent re-evaluation of the student's abilities and progress to ensure the student remains in an appropriate setting with proper supports. An appropriate education goes hand in hand with the placement of a student in the least restrictive environment.
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LRE
- Students with disabilities are educated with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible
- Setting, personnel, accommodations, and materials (Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence, n.d.) .
- Can range from general education classroom with supports to full time special education placement
- What are the students strengths and needs?
- (Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence, n.d.)
The least restrictive environment, also known as the LRE, ensures students with disabilities are educated with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible.
The LRE does not just include the setting, but also the personnel, accommodations, and materials required for students' disabilities to have equitable access to an education. Each student has their own unique and individual needs, and the LRE should be created to accommodate that. The supports and services that can be provided are endless. Some examples include a wheelchair accessible classroom with ambulatory students, access to AAC, enlarged text and printed notes, visual supports, and more. That being said, the supports provided and the environment the student is placed in must directly align with their individual needs. For students with profound needs, an all-special education setting will be the least restrictive environment. It is determined by what will best benefit the students by
determining their strengths and needs. The LRE should be where a student's uniqueness is celebrated. It aligns with the philosophy and values of inclusion.
The LRE does not just include the setting, but also the personnel, accommodations, and materials required for students' disabilities to have equitable access to an education. Each student has their own unique and individual needs, and the LRE should be created to accommodate that. The supports and services that can be provided are endless. Some examples include a wheelchair accessible classroom with ambulatory students, access to AAC, enlarged text and printed notes, visual supports, and more. That being said, the supports provided and the environment the student is placed in must directly align with their individual needs. For students with profound needs, an all-special education setting will be the least restrictive environment. It is determined by what will best benefit the students by
determining their strengths and needs. The LRE should be where a student's uniqueness is celebrated. It aligns with the philosophy and values of inclusion.
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Inclusion
- Not a mandate from the IDEA, but rather a proposed, celebrated option
- Not a setting, but rather a philosophy
- All students belong, and are appreciated
- All students are presented with high expectations
- (Ronald et al., 2019)
Inclusion can be seen as a philosophy that ensures students with disabilities are met with high expectations when in the school setting. It puts value on diversity and aims to make all students feel that they belong. While inclusion is not mandated by the IDEA, it is celebrated and seen as a positive way integrate students with disabilities into society.
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Inclusion Cont'd
- Partial Inclusion
- Full Inclusion
- Debates
- (Ronald et al., 2019)
There are different ways to follow inclusion, and it is dependent on the student's needs and strengths. One way is partial inclusion, meaning that students spend most of the day in their general education classroom, but are also taught in another setting, such as a pull-out resource room. Full inclusion is that no matter the severity of the student's needs, they will spend the entire day in a general education classroom, with supports and services pushed into the setting. There are many debates about which path is the right one: it will ultimately be decided by the IEP team.
Photo by Tim Mossholder
What does an Inclusive Classroom look like?
- Respect-relationships-responsibility
- Social-emotional learning
- Universal design for learning and differentiated instruction
- (Giardina, 2019)
An inclusive classroom should value and promote diversity. It should emphasize respect for other's differences and uniqueness. It should place value on student-student, staff-student, and staff-staff relationships. Finally, it should promote a shared responsibility of learning. Accountability for student success should be both on the students and the staff. It should be a collaborative effort.
Within an inclusive classroom, there should be universal design for learning, which means multiple ways of teaching and for students to learn. There should also be differentiated instruction, meaning the way materials are presented can vary based upon student's needs.
Within an inclusive classroom, there should be universal design for learning, which means multiple ways of teaching and for students to learn. There should also be differentiated instruction, meaning the way materials are presented can vary based upon student's needs.
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Connection
- Presuming Competence
- All students are capable of achieving their goals
- The inclusive environment will be the least restrictive environment for many students, which ensures an appropriate education (FAPE)
- (The Presumption of Competence, n.d.)
The connection between FAPE, LRE, and inclusion is, related to the idea of presuming competence for students with disabilities. To presume competence means that educators must believe that students are capable of achieving their goals. Educators must set high expectations for their students. To ensure students are receiving an appropriate education, in the least restrictive environment, which may possibly be in an inclusive setting, is making the assumption that students with disabilities are capable and able, without forcing them to prove so.
Legally, the connection comes from the IDEA. The IDEA requires that students with disabilities are educated in the least restrictive environment and are receiving FAPE.
While inclusion is not an IDEA mandate, for many students with disabilities, inclusive programming is the least restrictive environment. ensuring an appropriate education.
Legally, the connection comes from the IDEA. The IDEA requires that students with disabilities are educated in the least restrictive environment and are receiving FAPE.
While inclusion is not an IDEA mandate, for many students with disabilities, inclusive programming is the least restrictive environment. ensuring an appropriate education.
Photo by Joshua Earle
