The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is often thought of as a “place” where students are sent, such as the resource room, the bungalow on the edge of campus, or a special school (Wrightslawblog, n.d.). While this may be a common perception, it is a huge misconception. The Least Restrictive Environment is based on the needs of each individual student with the intent of keeping students within regular classrooms to the maximum extent appropriate.Your director has asked that you help to develop a presentation to give to all staff members in the building who will work with Malcom in the fall, which is your final project to complete in Week 5.This week, you will begin to prepare for that presentation by giving an overview to the special education team and support staff during your monthly meeting. Since the team has a few new members, your goal is to be sure each understands all that will be covered in the fall presentation for staff, since they will likely be asked questions by other educators, and the team should be aligned in their understanding of procedure.

• Prepare
• Assignment Instructions
• Submission Requirements

Prepare

Prior to beginning work on this assignment,

• Review Chapters 9, 10, and 11 of your course textbook The Law and Special Education.
• Review the All About Reverse Inclusion: Bringing Traditional Students Into Special Ed ClassesLinks to an external site. webpage.
• Review the Mainstreaming in Education Versus Inclusion: What’s the Difference?Links to an external site. webpage.
• Review the What Is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?Links to an external site. webpage.
• Review Malcom’s Case StudyLinks to an external site. interactive.

Assignment Instructions

In your presentation,

• Share a brief overview of Least Restrictive Environment as well as what the team will need to consider when transitioning Malcom onto an IEP in a few months when he turns three years old.
  • Complete and then copy the table defining Least Restrictive Environment and how it is utilized in different early childhood Special Education settings.
  • Describe the following information.

      Settings                        Definition                      Strengths                   Drawbacks                  

  Mainstream                  

  Inclusion           

  Reverse Mainstreaming           

  Special Day Classroom      

  Initiate your presentation to the team by outlining how the team applies assessments                 and evaluations in determining placement considerations for all children.

• Summarize the role of educators in identifying and placing children with disabilities in Special Education.
• Explain why a placement decision for Least Restrictive Environment must be made based on the individual traits of each student, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Apply Malcolm’s case as an example to illustrate how the team might plan for his Least Restrictive Environment in the three-year-old classroom for the fall.