Active Learning Class (ALC)

A special education classroom designed for students with cognitive disabilities.  The classroom focuses on a blend of academics and functional skills. Academics are addressed through instruction using pre-requisite skills to the grade/course content using intensive, individualized instruction and specialized supports.

Adapted Physical Education (APE)

This program is designed for eligible students with disabilities who cannot successfully participate in a regular physical education program. Physical education that is individualized and specially designed to address the needs of students with disabilities who require adaptations or modifications to be physically active, participate safely, and make progress toward Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Physical Education. The need for APE is based on student assessment.

Assistive Technology

“Assistive Technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.” (IDEA 300.4).  Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.  Assistive technology needs will be considered in all full individual evaluations and at each annual ARD committee meeting.  The district ensures that AT devices or services or both are made available to a child with a disability if required as part of the child's special education, related services, and/or supplementary aids and services.

Behavior Intervention Class (BIC)

Behavior Intervention Classes are for students with severe emotional/behavioral concerns that adversely affect the student’s, or others’, educational performance, and whose needs cannot be met appropriately in other settings. The BIC provides a higher level of structure and individualization for student success. BIC will provide a self-contained setting for students who cannot be educated in a less restrictive setting, such as a combination of general education classes, as well as other special education settings. An individualized Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) may be implemented in any of these settings based on student need to ensure success.

Co-Teaching

Equal collaboration between the general education and special education teachers to provide intensive support, including modification of the TEKS, as well as design, implement and monitor instruction of students with IEPs receiving content instruction and ensuring access to the grade level curriculum in a general education setting.

Counseling

Counseling is provided to students with disabilities when an educational need exists to support the instructional goals and objectives.  The goal of counseling is to provide the student with the skills to be successful in the general and special education instructional settings.

Deaf Education

SISD is a member of the Brazos River Regional Day School Program for the Deaf.

Homebound

This program is available to students with a disability who are expected to be confined at home, within SISD boundaries, for a minimum of four consecutive weeks as documented by a physician.

In Class Support

Support provided in a general education setting by a special education teacher or trained paraprofessional actively supporting students by providing accommodations as identified in the IEP. This support is designed to assist students in mastering grade level TEKS curriculum.

In Home/Parent Training

In-Home/Parent Training is a service offered to students who qualify for special education services and who have difficulty generalizing learning across all environments.  The program is based on a collaborative approach between school and home and is designed to promote the transfer of skills acquired in the school setting to home and community.  Goals & objectives for In-Home training are based on each student’s Individual Educational Plan (IEP).

Music Therapy

Music therapy is used to strengthen nonmusical areas such as communication, socio-emotional, motor and cognitive skills. Using music, the accredited music therapist facilitates nonverbal, creative, structural and emotional qualities through singing, playing, rhythmic movement, improvising, composing and listening. This non-threatening medium has been documented to be effective with young children.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists assess the following areas in the context of the educational environment: postural stability, self-help skills, fine motor skills, sensory processing, and visual motor and perception.  Occupational therpay uses activities that may improve a student's ability to function within the school environment in the areas of self-help, work and play and may include adaptation of tasks or the environment in order to enhance student performance.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists (PTs) provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of students suffering from injuries or disease. They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Physical therapy is a special education related service provided to support the instructional IEP.

Resource

Classes designed for special education students who require specially designed instruction related to core content or development of organizational, study, and/or social skills.  Resource must be intensive accelerated instruction aligned with the student’s enrolled grade level TEKS. Students must have specific goals related to the instruction they are receiving in the pull out resource time.

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is considered an instructional service in Texas instead of a Related Service.  Speech language pathologists or speech language pathology assistants assist eligible students to improve articulation, language, voice and/or fluency skills to meet their academic needs. The speech/language pathologist utilizes a service delivery system in which services may be provided through direct, consultative or an integrated service delivery model. An important component of the integrated service model is providing speech services in the general education classroom through collaboration with the general education teacher.

Vision Instruction

Services are provided to children from birth through age twenty-two, who have been identified as visually impaired. The unique needs of the child with visual impairment are addressed for children of all developmental levels.  This is an itinerant program providing instruction in disability-specific areas, including, but not limited to, the use of braille and large print, optical devices, screen-reading software, organizational skills and aspects of the expanded core curriculum. Instructional materials that complement course-content and classroom activities are provided, along with consultative services that address accommodations and modifications to classroom activities.  

Vocational Experience

Vocational Experience is a high school elective for local credit for students who are juniors, seniors or continuing to work on IEP goals after 4 years of high school.  The program is designed to work with special education students on pre-employment skills needed to be successful in postsecondary endeavors.  This class is taught in conjuction with Texas Workforce Solutions.