Question: What Is Special Education?
Answer: "Special Education" refers to services given to students with disabilities through the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, better known as IDEA. Students in special education require significant modifications in their educational programs; they may need extensive remediation, smaller-group settings, adaptations to their workload, a slower-paced curriculum, or other adjustments to suit their abilities and limitations as determined by a team of educators and parents working together. The team develops an IEP, or Individualized Education Program (or Plan), a legal document that spells out exactly what the school will do and what goals have been set for the student. Students in special education may be taught in a regular classroom with supports, a self-contained classroom, or a special school for students with similar disabilities.
