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A one-to-one paraprofessional (aide, teacher assistant, paraprofessional, etc.) can be a critical support for some students with TS and their educational, social and emotional growth. (See article, A Guide for Paraprofessionals: Working with Students with TS). However, advocating successfully for an aide to assist a student with TS can be difficult. It becomes even more difficult, but not impossible, to receive the services of either a 1:1 aide or a classroom aide if the student has good grades.
Many school districts are resistant to providing an aide for a variety of reasons. One reason may be due to the additional cost. When advocating for any related service, cost should never be an issue, but, in reality, it can be a major stumbling block. IDEA 2004 does support the use of aides as a support to be used.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
§ 300.114 LRE requirements.
(ii) Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
It is extremely important to always be very specific about how the additional support that an aide can provide will significantly reduce a major difficulty that interferes with the student's success.
Some school districts may deny the services of an aide because they state that the student will become too dependent on the aide. If the student required a physical support, (crutches, glasses, ramp, etc.) there would most likely be less concern about the student becoming dependent. The IEP committee must recognize that the difficulty for which the student requires support is due to a neurological/medical disorder. If the committee better understands that the aide will be providing support for a medical condition, they will be less likely to see the difficulty as being “purposeful”, “manipulation” “attention seeking” or just plain “laziness”. If a chairperson of an IEP team says that the district only provides one-on-one aides for students with a physical disability, you may want to respond that TS is a physical disability.
The aide may only be necessary as a temporary support while the student is gradually learning other strategies; e.g. computer skills (that will eventually replace scribing for messy handwriting); social skills; books on tape, etc. However, it will be critical that goals on the IEP will include support for the child to learn the specific skills that will allow him to become more independent and not expect that the deficit will go away by itself.
Some districts will recognize that by providing an aide, the student will be able to remain in his “home” school and in the regular education setting. Most will recognize this as being the Least Restrictive Environment as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Some districts, however, may state that providing an aide is actually MORE restrictive and less inclusive than if the student was placed in a setting with students who all have disabilities. In these cases, it will need to be determined if the proposed smaller setting that is less inclusive will actually provide the appropriate environmental setting for this particular student. Be prepared to discuss the comparison between the learning styles, academic abilities, general area of disabilities and behaviors of the students in the proposed settings and the student with TS. While parents may not have access to confidential information specific to the individual students in the proposed setting, they are entitled to general information regarding the range of academic abilities, learning styles and general behavior profiles of the other students in the proposed class. As an example, if the class is for students with behavior disorders, it may not be a setting that can provide the positive behavioral role models that a student with TS may require. It also must be determined if the new setting will meet the academic, social and emotional needs of this student. It is a good idea to check your state regulations because they list a continuum of related services, such as an aide, that must be provided prior to removing a student from the general education setting.
It typically is helpful to schedule a pre-IEP meeting with the classroom teacher(s) for the purpose of collecting information that can be used to demonstrate a specific and significant need for an aide. A method that has been successful is to ask the teacher or support personnel how you can advocate for them in order that they can provide the necessary supports to the student. However, do not expect that the teacher will make this request during an IEP meeting. In many cases, teachers are pressured to not suggest any supplemental service that will require additional funding from the school district. A goal of the pre-IEP meeting is to collect information as well as to have the teacher, counselor, and/or the school psychologist prepared to provide examples during the IEP meeting that will support the parent’s request.
Some examples of specific support that can be provided by an aide are:
The related services of providing an aide will result in an additional expense for the school district and therefore, in most cases, it is not a good idea to surprise the committee with such a request. By providing specific reasons in advance as to the necessity for an aide, the school will have time to consider and discuss the advantages of this level of support. If the committee members are taken off guard by any major change in services, typically their immediate reaction will either be negative or they will require additional time to determine if the additional support is necessary.
As a student enters middle and high school, it is sometimes possible to reduce the need for an aide by placing the student in settings that involve two adults per classroom and/or a consultant teacher to provide the services that the student requires. The student will need to be prepared for this reduction in 1:1 assistance by having learned strategies that will allow for greater independence. These skills and strategies may include: organizational techniques; self-advocacy skills, methods of reducing anxiety, etc.
Letters of support from the child’s outside therapist and/or treating physician as well as articles from TSA can be helpful during the advocacy process. For instance, information published by TSA regarding dysgraphic difficulties will be of assistance when requesting an aide that will scribe for the student. Providing information from a respected source validates that it is not unusual for students with TS to have written language deficits that may require a higher level of service.
For additional general special education resources visit the IDEA Practices Website: www.ideapractices.org and www.fape.org
©2007 Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc. 42-40 Bell Boulevard / Bayside NY 11361 / 718-224-2999