Response:
There is an unpleasant irony to schools pleading ignorance in regard
to educational methods and techniques. More importantly, ignorance
is not a valid excuse under the IDEA.
The underlying premise of the IDEA is that old ways of educating
children with disabilities are no longer acceptable. New programs,
services, and new ways of thinking are all required. As technology
has been developed to enable children with disabilities to be better
able to receive and benefit from instruction, the August 1990 OSEP
Policy Letter, and the 1990 IDEA Amendments make clear that
technology must be incorporated into school programs.
The IDEA also recognizes that to be successful, the instructional
staff, the administrative staff, and the staff that provides
specialized services all must be aware of these new methods and
techniques and be capable of applying them. "Staff development" is a
requirement of the IDEA.
For children who will benefit from computer aided instruction,
schools must ensure that all staff that will have contact with the
child will know how the hardware and software is expected to be used
and how it will benefit the child.
It is not necessary or sufficient for the school to require the
child to access the computer in a special education class, or in
some other out of class setting. It also is not appropriate for the
special education or related services personnel to be the only
school staff knowledgeable about the child's use of the computer.
These staff should not be delegated unique responsibilities for
these children's needs. Instead, using staff development, and
appropriate IEP goals development, classroom teachers and aides, as
well as related services providers should all be able to address the
child's needs, and computer related activities while in the
classroom.
Another consideration is that by providing appropriate assistive
devices, the child's need for separate classes or pull out services
may be able to be reduced. As noted above, integrated education
programs will permit children of very different abilities in regular
education classes with computer aided instruction as a cornerstone
of the children's program.
In addition, if schools do not now have qualified staff, it is
clear that children with disabilities do not have to wait until
staff is 'brought up to speed.' If school staff is not qualified to
conduct an appropriate computer aided instruction evaluation,
parents can secure an independent evaluation by a qualified
professional at school expense.
If school staff is not currently qualified to select hardware or
software, or to provide on-going services to a child who uses a
computer, the school can be required to hire a qualified "consultant
teacher" or "consultant related service provider" from the
community, who will provide instruction to both the school staff and
to the child.
By Susan Goodman, Esq.
The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the
position or the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and no
official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of the
opinions expressed herein should be inferred.
