Special Education

This is a Block I Field Experience. In this block, your field experience must be completed before or after school, or other designated times when students are not present.  Allocate at least 2.5 hours to complete this field experience.  Interview an administrator, at the educational level (PK- 12) of your program, about the IEP process and special education services.  What are the characteristics of individuals with exceptionalities that you serve (including gifted as well as those with disabilities)? What are the educational, developmental, and medical services available for individuals with exceptionalities on your campus? What do you do to support both special education and general education teachers in the IEP process? What other stakeholders do you bring into the IEP process for collaboration purposes? What professional development is available for staff regarding special education policies, services, and educational strategies? Is there training specifically on confidentiality on your campus? If so, who leads this training, and how often is it required with your staff? What do you do to support families of individuals with exceptionalities? What do you do, as an administrator, to stay current on special education law? What is the process of handling behavioral issues for individuals with exceptionalities? In 250-500 words, summarize and reflect upon your interview and explain how you will use your findings in your future professional practice, citing specifically how you plan to collaborate with administrators.  Submit your interview transcript and summary as one deliverable.  Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. 

Review the “FIEP: A Facilitated IEP Meeting” video from this week’s readings. In a 500-750 word summary, address the following:  Identify IEP team members, by title, who are:  Mandated to be present under IDEA; and Are optional under IDEA. Describe the required sections of an IEP, explaining what each section addresses and how it relates to the education of the individual with exceptionalities.  Part 2: Checklist Reflection  Review the “IEP Checklist” resource from this week’s readings. Pay specific attention to the “Interactions, Participation, & Communication” and the “Method of Decision Making” sections, while keeping the CEC Professional Ethical Principles in mind.  In 250-300 words, reflect upon the “FIEP: A Facilitated IEP Meeting” video, sharing observations in relation to the aforementioned sections of the “IEP Checklist” document.  What are some of the items from the checklist in the two identified sections that you saw in the video’s mock IEP meeting? What skills from the checklist do you think might be difficult for you to perform? What could you do to help develop those skills that might be difficult for you? Submit your summary and checklist reflection as one deliverable.