Core Special Education Services

Audiologists identify and assess hearing loss in children, provide referrals for further care and offer support such as exercises and activities designed to help children improve their ability to process and interpret sounds. They design prevention programs, counsel families and teachers and select, fit and evaluate hearing aids or other amplification devices to ensure effective hearing solutions. Audiology supports and services can include:

• Identifying need and training school staff on the use and coordination of hearing assistive technology (e.g., FM system, Roger microphone) 
• Performing hearing assessments as part of Early ACCESS and special education evaluations 
• Building knowledge and advocacy skills for families and children with hearing loss

Teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing provide specially designed instruction and support to eligible students who are deaf or hard of hearing in their chosen mode of communication. Assistance from these professionals comes in the form of specially designed instruction and recommended accommodations and modifications for those whose hearing impairments are affecting their education. Teaching of the deaf and hard of hearing supports and services can include:

• Providing in-service, training and/or consultation to educators 
• Assisting in determining appropriate modifications and accommodations to make the home or school accessible to the student 
• Providing direct instruction to ensure access to and improvement in communication, academic and social skills

Occupational therapists assess motor skills and functioning to determine the educational significance of identified problem areas, including fine motor manipulation, self-help skills, adaptive work skills and play or leisure skills in order to provide planning, coordination and implementation of intervention strategies and services for eligible individuals. Occupational therapy supports and services can include:

• Providing direct instruction or consultative support to improve fine motor skills to enable children to access and navigate their school and home environment, including assistive technology 
• Providing direct instruction to Early ACCESS families related to feeding concerns for infants and toddlers

Physical therapists assess motor skills and functioning to determine the educational significance of identified problem areas, including, but not limited to, areas such as mobility and positioning, to provide planning, coordination and the implementation of intervention strategies and services for eligible students. Physical therapy supports and services can include:

• Providing direct instruction or consultative support to improve physical mobility, functioning and safety 
• Identifying a need and training school staff on the use and coordination of physical assistive technology (e.g., stander, gait trainer, activity chair) 
• Providing direct instruction to Early ACCESS families related to physical and mobility concerns for infants and toddlers

School psychologists assist in the identification of educational needs regarding behavioral, social, emotional, academic and vocational functioning for students, consult with school personnel and families around planning and implementation of appropriate instructional programs and provide intervention supports and services for individuals and groups of students. School psychology supports and services can include:

• Conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments to support teams with developing Behavior Intervention Plans for students 
• Conducting evaluations of learners’ educational skills related to academic skills and adaptive behaviors necessary for student success 
• Designing and modeling specific instructional strategies to address the unique impact of an individual’s disability on their educational progress

School social workers enhance the educational programs of students by assisting in the identification and assessment of individuals’ educational needs, including, but not limited to, social, emotional, behavioral and adaptive needs; provide intervention supports and services for individuals and groups of students and serve as a liaison between home, school and community. School social work supports and services can include:

• Conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments to support teams with developing Behavior Intervention Plans for students 
• Supporting school staff in implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS)
• Assisting families with accessing school and community resources

Special education consultants are instructional specialists who provide ongoing support to district special education and general education teachers, delivering services to students with disabilities. Special education consultants participate in the identification process and program planning of eligible students, as well as working to attain the least restrictive environment appropriate for each eligible individual. Special education consultation supports and services can include:

• Modeling instructional strategies and techniques for teachers 
• Assisting teachers with identifying and developing curriculum and instructional materials 
• Assisting teachers with classroom management and behavioral intervention

Speech-language pathologists assess speech and language comprehension and production to determine a child’s communication skills and provide intervention strategies and services related to speech and language development as well as disorders of language, voice, articulation and fluency. Speech-language pathology supports and services can include:

• Providing direct instruction or consultative support to improve speech sound disorders 
• Providing direct instruction or consultative support to improve expressive and receptive language disorders (e.g., increasing words spoken, ability to ask and answer questions, ability to communicate wants, needs and experiences) 
• Identifying need and training district and school staff on the use and coordination of communication assistive technology (e.g., AAC device with speech output, core board)

As part of the Statewide System for Vision Services, Iowa’s AEAs partner with the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired to provide vision services to students who are blind or visually impaired.

For more information about vision services and regulations in Iowa, visit:

• Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• Iowa Department of Education