Special education
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Special education is specially designed instruction, at no cost to families, that meets the unique needs of a child with a disability.
Topic: Services, placement and staff
In plain terms
Under IDEA, special education is instruction, not a place. It can happen in a general education classroom, a small-group room, a separate class, at home, in a hospital or in the community. It includes physical education when specially designed, and, depending on state standards, speech-language services, travel training and vocational education.
How it shows up in an IEP
The IEP lists the special education the student will receive, with minutes, frequency and location. Each service should connect to goals: if a student has a math goal, the IEP should show who teaches the math skills and how often.
Example
A student receives 200 minutes a week of special education: 120 in a co-taught English class and 80 of small-group writing instruction with the special education teacher.
Not the same as Related services
Special education is the instruction itself. Related services, such as transportation or counseling, help the student benefit from it. Read the definition of Related services.
The rule
Federal reference: 34 CFR §300.39.
Related terms
- Specially designed instruction (SDI)Specially designed instruction is teaching adapted in content, method or delivery to meet a student's disability-related needs.
- Related servicesRelated services are supports, such as speech therapy, transportation or counseling, that a student needs to benefit from special education.
- Service minutesService minutes are the amount of time, written in the IEP, that a student will receive each special education or related service.
- Continuum of alternative placementsThe continuum of alternative placements is the range of settings, from general education to home or hospital instruction, that districts must have available.
- IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)IDEA is the federal law that guarantees eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education and sets the rules for IEPs.
On IEP Atlas
This page describes special education terms and federal rules in general terms and is not legal advice. Our editorial policy explains how IEP Atlas writes and reviews content. Browse all 244 terms.