The Least Restrictive Environment NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

Least Restrictive Environment Rule: All students in special education must be placed in the least restrictive environment: Students with disabilities need to placed in the environment that is most suited for their educational needs, or as it was termed: The Least Restrictive one.

Definition of LRE LRE-The provision in IDEA that states that students with disabilities are to be educated with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.

Inclusion Full Inclusion-An interpretation of the principle of the LRE advocating that ALL pupils with disabilities are to be educated in the general education classroom. It involves the delivery of appropriate specialized services to students with disabilities in a general education classroom

Continuum of Placements under LRE Under IDEA, a continuum of placements, ranging from the general classroom to homebound and hospital programs, needs to be developed by schools. Regular Classroom Resource Room Separate Class Separate School Residential Facility Home/Hospital

Resource Room Resource Room- An educational placement option for students with disabilities, involving specialized instruction for a specified time period during the day to address the student’s needs. Most of the student’s day, however, is spent in the general education classroom.

Special Education Classroom Special Education Classroom-A classroom setting under the supervision of a qualified special educator that provides specially designed instruction to meet the needs of a student with a disability.

Special Education Classroom Also known as a self-contained classroom. **Self-Contained refers to a type of classroom _____ :______: _____ 8:1:2 means 8 students, 1 teacher, and 2 aides.

Special Schools Special Schools-A general term applied to a separate educational placement for students with disabilities outside of a general education school. 96% of students with disabilities between the ages of 6 to 21 receive their education in a general education school building.

Residential Facility and Hospitals Hospital Setting **For more information on these as the LRE, go to the slides available on children with emotional and behavioral disorders (Emotinal Disturbance)