Related-Services

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines Related Services as transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes

  • speech-language pathology,
  • audiology services,
  • interpreting services,
  • psychological services,
  • physical and occupational therapy,
  • recreation, including therapeutic recreation,
  • early identification and assessment of disabilities in children,
  • counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling,
  • orientation and mobility services,
  • medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes,
  • school health services,
  • school nurse services,
  • social work services, and
  • parent counseling and training

Related services do not include services that apply to children with surgically implanted devices, including cochlear implants, or a medical device that is surgically implanted, the optimization of that device’s functioning (e.g., mapping), maintenance of that device, or the replacement of that device.

See 34 C.F.R. § 300.34.

The individualized education program (IEP) team determines if a particular related service is necessary for a child with a disability:

(i) to advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;

(ii) to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and

(iii) to be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in activities

See 34 C.F.R. § 300.320(a)(4).

Speech-Language & Communication

Communication can be achieved through a variety of modes including, verbal speech, gestures or sign, written, or other symbolic language (pictures or symbols) supported through the use of augmentative and alternative communication systems or devices.

Communication is a primary and essential skill for educational and social success. Access the Communication Bill of Rights to understand why everyone has the fundamental right to a method of communication to be able to participate in meaningful interactions. The department is committed to ensuring that all students have a proficient and functional means of communication to ensure they achieve their greatest level of independence for academic, social, emotional, vocational, and post-secondary success.

Students with speech or language impairments or other disabilities impacted by communication challenges may require speech-language services to address the following areas:

  • speech sound production
  • oral language
  • language-based literacy skills
  • augmentative and alternate communication
  • comprehension
  • pragmatic language and social skills
  • critical thinking and mental flexibility
  • use of compensatory learning strategies
  • voice quality and vocal hygiene
  • speech fluency (i.e., stuttering, cluttering)

Speech-language pathology services are provided or directed by licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and address the communication needs of students identified with a disability. See State Board of Education Rule 0520-02-03-.05(2).

Speech-language services may be special education or a related service. See 34 C.F.R. § 300.39(a)(2)(i). Students eligible for special education and related services under IDEA may receive speech-language services regardless of the student’s disability category. Eligibility standards for each disability category, including Speech or Language Impaired, have been established by federal and state rules and can be found on the department’s Special Education Evaluation & Eligibility webpage.

SLPs may also provide indirect supports and learning strategies to those with unique learning needs to ensure that students have access to meaningful communication and participation in their educational environments and educators are equipped to support communication.

Occupational Therapy

In the school system, a child’s occupation is to be a student and perform the skills necessary to progress academically and functionally within the classroom. If a student is unable to participate in their educational environment and curriculum, a licensed occupational therapist might assist in providing intervention to address or support a student’s areas of need through occupational therapy.

Skills and functions which may impact a students’ occupation and educational access or participation and be supported with occupational therapy include:

  • motor
  • cognition
  • executive functioning
  • self- help
  • self-regulation
  • an adequate sensory system

School-based occupational therapists (OTs) work directly with students, teachers, administrators, other specialized instructional support personnel, and parents to help students develop and/or maintain the “occupational” skills necessary to participate in naturally occurring daily routines and activities in the school setting.

Physical Therapy

The practice of physical therapy means:

(1) examining, evaluating, and testing individuals with mechanical physiological and developmental impairments, functional limitations, and disability or other health and movement-related conditions in order to determine a physical therapy treatment diagnosis, prognosis, a plan of therapeutic intervention, and to assess the ongoing effect of intervention; and

(2) alleviating impairments and functional limitations by designing, implementing, and modifying therapeutic interventions that include, but are not limited to, therapeutic exercise; functional training; manual therapy; therapeutic massage; assistive and adaptive orthotic, prosthetic, protective and supportive equipment; airway clearance techniques; debridement and wound care, physical agents or modalities, dry needling, mechanical and electrotherapeutic modalities and patient related instruction; and

(3) reducing the risk of injuries, impairments, functional limitation and disability, including the promotion and maintenance of fitness, health and quality of life…”[1]

School-based physical therapists (PTs) are part of a team of related service providers who support a student’s ability to access the educational environment. As licensed specialists in movement, they assist a student’s physical safety and functional participation in a variety of settings throughout the school day. The primary role of the school PT is to help students benefit from their educational program within the educational environment.

Communication is a primary and essential skill for educational and social success (communication bill of rights). The department is committed to ensuring that all students have a proficient and functional means of communication to ensure academic, social, vocational, and post-secondary success. Communication can be verbal speech or language supported through the use of augmentative and alternative communication systems or devices.