Special education provides a platform for children with mental, emotional, physical and learning difficulties. Special educators adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects to these children accordingly. In order to qualify for special education a child must be diagnosed as having a disability and the disability must be found to "adversely affect educational performance" so as to require special services. Referral and evaluation for special education varies widely. Disabilities or deficits in the child's developing physical and cognitive abilities may be identified by teacher and parent observation or revealed by academic or developmental tests.
Our Special education programs facilitate academic progress by providing the least restrictive environment and tailoring instruction and assessment to the individual. A written plan, called an Individual Education Program, or IEP, is drawn up to outline special accommodations and modifications within the educational environment for each special education student. This plan's focus is structuring the elements that drive the educational process — instruction and assessment — so that the individual can benefit from the educational environment. Without this specialized educational plan, the student's disability might stymie educational efforts.
