School Counselors Assisting Students with Disabilities

School counselors assisting students with disabilities School districts should clearly define the role of a school counselor when working with students with disabilities. Traditionally, the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process has involved the student, parent(s)/guardian(s), special education teachers and general education teachers. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that a team create an IEP to provide the student with a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) (Council for Exceptional Children 2002). This plan for educating the student will be designed to best accommodate the special needs of the student with an understanding that their disability will most likely prohibit him or her from fully participating in a regular education setting. The IEP process is an excellent opportunity for school counselors to gain experience working with students in special education programs, special education teachers and parents/guardians. Thomas and Woods (2003) wrote that "disability" is an umbrella term that provides a uniform language for both counselors and teachers. Students with disabilities can be defined as students who possess mental retardation, serious emotional disturbances, deaf-blindness, hearing impairments, traumatic brain injuries, speech or language impediments, visual impairments, other health impediments, or combinations thereof (Thomas & Wood, 2003; McDonnell, McLaughlin & Morison, 1997). In recent years, school age children are being more frequently diagnosed with a variety of disabilities, such as social, emotional, communication and learning impairments (Milsom, 2002). In fact, the number of students with disabilities in the last ten years has increased about one million (United States Department of Education, 2007). Oftentimes, the special needs of children are not apparent until they begin formal education (Taub, 2006). Legislation is also encouraging school counselors to become more involved in supporting the special needs of students with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System(DANS) found that in 2005, over six million students with disabilities attended school in the United States. The largest proportion of these students, roughly three million, were those with specific learning disabilities, followed by a little over million with speech or language impairments, and half a million with mental retardation. Counselors are oftentimes the only individuals in the school who are in a position to fairly advocate on behalf of the students (Erford, House and Martin, 2003). Therefore, schools are becoming increasingly aware of the necessity of counselor involvement in the development of support programs and the creation of specialized educational plans for students with disabilities. Additionally, about 96 percent of children with disabilities attend general education schools, and three-quarters of these students are being educated in general education classrooms for a significant part of the school day (Frye-Meyers, 2005). Hence, many disabled students may not be receiving the appropriate support services and accommodations necessary to maximize their academic potential. Peterson (1998) wrote: Many students with disabilities still lack access to the kind of instruction their classmates receive. In classrooms throughout the country, many of the students with disabilities are participating in "drill and kill" activities while their classmates forge ahead on assignments based on increasingly higher state standards (Peterson, 1998, p.6). The American School Counselor Association takes a strong stance on school counselors' work with disabled students. They are an important part of the educational leadership team and provide valuable assistance to students with disabilities. They assist students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career planning. …