AUTISM ADVOCACY
be placed appropriately. IDEA also requires that the
least restrictive environment be determined by the
Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, not
the school district. But, even though these guide-
lines are under IDEA, sometimes parents will have to
push for inclusion.
Inclusion, when appropriate, is not a right that a
school district can dismiss. IDEA mandates that
students with disabilities be educated in the least
restrictive environments to the “maximum extent
appropriate.” Under the federal law, students with
disabilities can only be removed from regular edu-
cation classrooms when the nature or severity of the
ability is such that education in regular classes with
the use of supplementary aids and services cannot
be achieved satisfactorily. As most students with dis-
abilities will not be able to function in regular educa-
tion classrooms without any services, supplementary
aids and services are used to give students with
disabilities aid, services, and supports to assist them
in general education classrooms. Once the IEP team
determines what supplementary aids and services
are needed (based on your child’s present levels of
performance and IEP goals and objectives), the most
appropriate placement is determined.
When the placement discussion begins, always keep
in mind the “continuum of special education ser-
vices.” Since inclusion is not all-or-nothing, there are
a variety of placement options that may benefit your
child. Placement options generally include:
Regular education classroom with no
support
Regular education classroom with direct
or indirect special education support
(i.e., consultation teacher services)
Regular education classroom with co-
teaching model
Regular education classroom and
resource room services (your child will
be pulled out of the classroom and
instructed by a special education teacher
in a separate room)
Most of the options for placement are proponents
for inclusion. Having a thorough discussion of the
continuum of services will help the IEP team find the
most appropriate placement for your child.
Placement discussions always begin with educat-
ing your child in the regular education classroom. If
the IEP team determines that the regular education
classroom is not appropriate for your child, the IEP
team needs to explain why this placement is not ap-
propriate. Once this explanation is given, then you
can move on to the next option in the continuum of
services until you reach a placement option that is
most appropriate for your child. When you are in an
IEP meeting, be sure that the IEP team does not skip
over placement options or rush through it. Each
placement option should be thoroughly discussed,
and a reason should be given as to why a placement
option is not appropriate for your child. With this
understanding, the right decision will be made, and
your child will receive the services that are best for
him/her.
Nicole Bovell is a longtime
advocate of the special ed-
ucation community. She is
the author of The Journey of
Special Education and How
to Have a Great School Year,
informational resources to
help special needs parents with the special educa-
tion process. Nicole has her master’s of arts in spe-
cial education, an educational specialist degree in
teaching and learning, and over 15 years of expe-
rience teaching and working with students with a
variety of disabilities. She also provides additional
resources for special needs parents on her website.
Website:
www.beyondspecialeducation.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/beyondspecialeducation
Twitter:
twitter.com/beyondsped
Self-contained classroom
Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 74 |
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