When someone with a disability goes into education, there can be some concerns about how they integrate into the classroom.
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Least restrictive environment
When someone with a disability goes into education, there can be some concerns about how they integrate into the classroom.
After all, whether it’s a physical or psychological disability, there are some cases in which it’s hard to be around fully able students. This is where the principle of least restrictive environment is useful. Find out more about what least restrictive environment is, some of the benefits of LRE, and how to implement this environment in a school.
Education resources
What is least restrictive environment?
Least restrictive environment refers to a principle that is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This involves children who get special educational support being in the same classroom as other students as much as feasibly possible. The principle does not refer to a specific place or even a set of tasks, with a specific focus on being as flexible as possible depending on the individual student’s needs. Teachers are responsible for upholding the least restrictive environment policy, with support from the school’s management and well-being teams.
The benefits of LRE
There are plenty of benefits of LRE in the classroom for students, teachers, and the wider school population. These benefits include:
Part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The first major benefit of implementing the least restrictive environment policy in a school is that it is a legal requirement. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was introduced to federal law in 1975 when it was originally known as the Education of Handicapped Children Act. Improving the education of children with disabilities was the original goal of the Act, with schools that don’t follow it potentially facing punishment. While this isn’t a benefit of the act itself, it still demonstrates the severity and importance of IDEA.
Improves social skills
One of the direct benefits that people with a disability have from being in general education is the improvement in social skills throughout the cohort. When dealing with education on their own, students with disabilities don’t have the opportunity to work with people in their age group, primarily learning from disability experts rather than standard teachers. By introducing disabled students to general classes, they have more conversations, improve their social skills, and have a better chance of forming friendships and connections than they would if they were segregated. This not only improves school performance but the quality of life.
This leads to better results
Studying with the wider school population can improve the results that disabled students achieve. While the goal of education can be to improve social skills and provide someone with the skills they need to secure employment, achieving a high standard of grades and qualifications increases the quality of life as it improves the chance of securing a job in the future. Students learned from the peers they have around them, and when this includes the general school population, it means there are far more opportunities to learn. By learning and developing this way, disabled students achieve more in assessments.
How to implement LRE
There is plenty of research into the benefits of the least restrictive environment but achieving this environment is the initial challenge that schools face. These are a few of the steps that schools can take when creating the least restrictive environment:
Talk to the students
One of the ideal first steps in creating the least restrictive environment for a student is talking to them. A student with a condition such as autism spectrum disorder may struggle to express their feelings through standard social cues. By engaging with them in conversation, you increase the chance of learning what the student likes in an educational setting, in addition to some ways you can engage them in the future. Some conditions mean that students struggle to communicate, but over time you can develop an idea of the best conditions for their learning.
Adapt over time
After initially creating the least restrictive environment, start to adapt how you teach. For example, if your student is struggling in certain classes, you can change the person they are sitting next to or use a teaching assistant to ensure they have the specific attention they need. This includes liberalizing the way that a student learns. If they are easily completing their tasks, think about a more open form of learning that integrates even further with the rest of the school community. Having this flexibility means that students are free to evolve while you make the most of their potential.
Consider mainstreaming
Mainstreaming refers to the process of a student transitioning into the general population of a school. This is ideal for conditions such as high-functioning autism or ADHD, where you see improvement over time. Teachers use mainstreaming as the final step in the least restrictive environment process, demonstrating that a student is ready to learn without additional support. Although relatively rare and not always successful, mainstreaming can demonstrate that a student is ready for the general academic population.
What is the alternative to least restrictive environment?
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, there is only one alternative to LRE. In these instances, a child’s learning or thinking difference is severe to the extent that they require external education rather than simply adjustments to standard classes. This includes special classes, separate schools, and residential programs for those requiring extra support. Although an extreme option, this is necessary for people suffering from issues such as low-functioning autism.
