Usually the school district looks with disfavor if services are being
provided that are not outlined in the IEP. Additional services and
accommodations mean additional $$. Typically, school districts cannot
afford to provide additional services just because someone thinks it
should be done, especially in the moderate to severe cases. For example,
purchase of a SpeakEasy Reading Machine for a blind student would not be
in the same category as providing a headset to any student that needed
it. Students with mild to moderate learning disabilities may be able to
be given 'accommodation' that is needed with 0 to minimum cost,
especially if it is a normal and usual occurrence for all students.
Obviously, if you have equipment for students to use, denying any
student in this situation would be criminal.
A common accommodation in the IEP is to specify that a student is
allowed to use a calculator or spell checker for tests (although more
recently, these tools are starting to be allowed for all students). This
is the legal use of accommodation in the IEP. Teachers that disallow an
accommodation specified in the IEP are in non-compliance, and parents
have the right to take them to court.
Maybe the word 'accommodation' needs to be better defined in this
discussion. Is accommodation being used as a legal term; or referring to
more generic uses such as changing a seating arrangement, providing
hi-lo readers, audio books, closed captioned video/DVD, etc...? Many of
these new forms of communication and assistive technologies, which used
to be purchased for students with special needs, are now considered
mainstream (pardon the pun) purchases for the collection to be used by
all, including students at-risk and students with special needs.
Dennis Hollingsead
Executive Assistant
Office of the Provost
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104
269-471-3404
hollings@andrews.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Carol A Demasi
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 10:17 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Question about our role as LMS
As a former special education teacher and now librarian, I find it very
important to be aware of students that come to the library who have
special needs. It is the teacher's (or case manager's) responsibility
to keep resource teachers (librarians too) informed as to what those
needs are. Visually impaired students may need enlarged screen
resolution, hearing impaired may need special headphones, behavior
disorders may need special seating in the room. If an accommodation is
not in the IEP does not mean that you may not use it. We accommodate
students all the time even if they have not IEPs. The same holds true
for those students with IEPs. IF we want them to get the most from what
we teach we need to do whatever it takes to be sure that happens.
Carol DeMasi
Library Media Specialist,
Chesterfield Community High School
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Carol_DeMasi@ccpsnet.net
804-768-6156
<mailto:Carol_DeMasi@ccpsnet.net>
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:51:04 -0500
From: Dennis Hollingsead <hollings@ANDREWS.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question about our role as LMS
Ideally, this would occur during the initial or periodic IEP meeting.
Usually all stakeholders are present at these meetings, and it helps to
know how all the professionals will interface and support each other in
achieving the educational goals for the student. One caveat - If
specific requested services or accommodations are not in the IEP, they
do not and should not be done until another IEP review is conducted.
Essentially the IEP is a contract describing what educational services
will be done and describes the accommodations. But it also has a
limiting effect, if it is not in the IEP it doesn't happen.
Dennis Hollingsead
Executive Assistant
Office of the Provost
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104
269-471-3404
hollings@andrews.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Suzanne McRae
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 6:52 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Question about our role as LMS
Hello,
=20
I am a middle school librarian for grades 7th & 8th. I was recently
observed, and one of the areas that needed improvement was to know the
students' learning needs. For example, he said in the planning stage
before the lesson I should have got together with the teacher and have
gone over all the students' IEPs, and adjusted my lesson accordingly.
Is this something you all do? I never did that before b/c I didn't
think it was my job. However, if he is right I will move forward. I
just wanted to know your opinion first.
=20
Thanks.
=20
Suzanne McRae
Suzanne McRae=20
Library Media Specialist
Chestnut Ridge Middle School
crlibrary@yahoo.com=20
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