| Do you have a child with autism, or a learning disability | | | | child's disability warrants. |
| that is in a regular classroom? Do you have a child | | | | 2.If your child requires a self contained placement, use |
| with another disability that is in a self contained | | | | the requirements of LRE to help them receive |
| classroom, and you would like them to receive some | | | | mainstreaming. When a child is young 5-9 years, there |
| mainstreaming? This article will discuss the individuals | | | | are a lot of opportunities for interaction with non |
| with disabilities education act (IDEA) requirements, for | | | | disabled children. Lunch, recess, arts and crafts, music, |
| least restrictive environment (LRE), and how you can | | | | special parties or projects. Children with behavioral |
| use them to benefit your child's education. | | | | issues can learn appropriate behavior by having |
| IDEA states: "To the maximum extent appropriate, | | | | contact with non disabled children. |
| children with disabilities . . . are educated with children | | | | 3. Use the LRE requirements of IDEA to get your child |
| who are non disabled." What this means is that children | | | | a placement other than the regular classroom, if their |
| with disabilities, have the right to be educated with | | | | educational needs require it. Many school districts only |
| children without disabilities. | | | | offer an inclusive (regular education) placement; which |
| IDEA also states: "Special classes, separate schooling | | | | they are not allowed to do under the "continuum of |
| or other removal of children with disabilities from the | | | | placement options" in IDEA. |
| regular educational environment occurs only if the | | | | 4. Use the LRE requirements of IDEA to get your child |
| nature and severity of the disability is such that | | | | "supplementary aids and services" that will help your |
| education in regular classes with the use of | | | | child succeed in the regular classroom. These aids and |
| supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved | | | | services can be anything that your child needs in order |
| satisfactorily." | | | | to benefit from a regular classroom placement. For |
| IDEA requires a continuum of placement options. | | | | Example: A classroom aide, an individual aide, shorter |
| These options start in the regular classroom go to a | | | | assignments, tape recorder, modified curriculum, |
| special class, special school, hospital program etc. | | | | modified or shorter tests, ability to take tests verbally, |
| Ways to use LRE to help your child: | | | | etc. The list is endless, just depends on your child's |
| 1. Use the requirements of LRE, to gain access for | | | | educational needs. |
| your child to the regular classroom curriculum. Many | | | | By knowing the least restrictive environment |
| studies have shown that children with disabilities that | | | | requirements, you will be able to successfully advocate |
| have access to the regular education curriculum, do | | | | for the placement that will meet your child's educational |
| better in their education. LRE requires that placement | | | | needs. Remember that LRE is different for each child, |
| option discussions need to start at the regular | | | | depending on their disability and needs. |
| classroom, and then become more restrictive, as the | | | | |