This resource introduces pre-service educators to the federally mandated policies and procedures for identifying and educating students with exceptionalities. Content and activities focus on: (1) describing a history of disability and special education, (2) explaining the influence of attitudes and history on current practice, (3) explaining procedures for providing special education to students with disabilities, (4) implementing effective instructional practices, and (5) identifying educator responsibilities for ensuring successful educational experiences for students with exceptionalities.

Learners will:

• Identify and explain the impact that legislation, court decisions, and historical events have had on the development of services for students with disabilities.
• Describe the procedures for identifying and implementing appropriate services for students with disabilities (identification process, continuum of placement, IEP/504)
• Describe issues regarding overrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals in special education programs.
• Describe specific techniques for successfully teaching students with disabilities in the general education classroom (accommodations/modifications, data-based decision making, universal design and differentiated instruction).
• Identify evidence-based practices appropriate for instructing individuals with exceptionalities to meet their academic, behavioral, and social/emotional needs (MTSS, data-driven instruction, instructional strategies, social emotional learning)