In general, the concept of related services presupposes those approaches that are used to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Their purpose is to improve educational outcomes and help learners to achieve those goals set by their individualized education program (IEP). Related services help to participate in the general curriculum, achieve annual educational goals, and participate in activities outside the classroom. They are provided by specialized instructional support personnel. These people assist students with various activities, including writing, speaking, and moving.
They find a specific approach to every student, identifying his or her needs and expected outcomes. The providers include but are not limited to speech-language pathologists, school nurses and psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists, etc. Professionals are able to identify disabilities, provide audiology, interpreting, medical, occupational, and counseling services, but do not presuppose the provision of surgically implanted devices. It is critical for the consumers to remember that related services in schools are free for learners and their families except for disability-related therapy that is not offered by the educational establishment.
A multidisciplinary team of professionals assesses student’s needs and determines what kind of related services one requires. The decision is generally based on one’s performance, including such aspects as speech and communication, social-emotional and motor skills, intelligence, and behavior. After this assessment, the team defines whether direct or indirect services are needed, how often and where they should be provided when they will begin, and what is their duration. When a student studies with the rest of the class, an IEP team should consider the least restrictive environment that can give one a chance to study with the classmates, practice functional skills with them, receive more instruction, be better prepared to the life out of school and have higher expectations. In this way, consultative/collaborative (cooperation of general education and related services personnel in the general education classroom), classroom-based (all services presented in the classroom, including education and resources), and pull-out services are considered (services are provided outside, maybe in a gym or library).
Related Services According to IDEA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) also presupposes that related services are needed to meet those goals that are set by IEP. They include supportive services that a student requires to benefit from special education. These services are provided by qualified professionals in the framework of their sphere. Thus, they can focus on transportation, identification of disabilities, interpreting, and psychological services, etc.
In order to define whether selected related services are appropriate for a particular student, an IEP team is gathered. It includes not only service providers but also parents. The team determines goals for the IEP and discusses what is needed to reach them. They are written in the IEP along with their type, duration, frequency, and location.
Related services are not paid by students who require them and their families. Parents can bill private agencies, Medical Assistance, and other public insurance. Schools themselves cannot bill these organizations and require family consent with the description of the situation and types of needed services. Still, the representatives of the educational institution are not obliged to make parents search for enrollment in those programs that give an opportunity to obtain related services. If related services are not provided because there is no professional who can do this, the district is expected to contact providers from other locations.