• Articulate relevant educational laws and ethics pertaining to student, parent, and teacher rights and responsibilities. (APTS 8.13)

• Explain state and federal laws, rules, and regulations as they pertain to special education. (APTS 9.2)

• Identify legal responsibilities of teachers (special and general) in accordance with special education laws, rules, and regulations. (APTS 9.2)

• Define relevant laws and policies that relate to specific special education situations. (CEC 1.2)

• Analyze influential historical events and human issues in special education from various points of view. (CEC 1.3)

• Apply ethical/professional standards, follow legal parameters, and keep within limits of practice in the design and implementation of instruction, decision-making, and collaborative interactions with students, families, colleagues, and agencies. (CEC 9.1)

Relevancy of Task to Teacher Candidate

In the special education classroom setting, teachers must comply with laws and rights pertaining to the field of special education.

Assessment: Student Prompts/Teacher Directions

Discovering the Relationship between the Law and Your School (Benchmark Assessment)

1.Use the GCU eLibrary to research information beyond what is provided in the course materials to explore the law and its application to special education issues covered in this course. Explore state departments of education Web sites to investigate the laws of your state and other states as well as their application to special education issues covered in this course.

2.Schedule an appointment with an attorney well-versed in school law or with a special education director to learn about the following issues:

i.How has the legal system evolved, as it applies to special education, over the past 20 years, and how has that affected the legal framework for special education today?

ii.How does the legal framework differ for special needs students and regular students in private and public schools?

iii.Who monitors the implementation and evaluation of IEPs in private and public schools?

iv.In the legal expert's opinion, are there any elements of special education law that need refinement? Explain.

3.Write an essay of 1,750-2,000 words in which you compare and contrast the findings of your research and the information obtained in the interview.

4.Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is required.

5.Additionally, submit the assignment in TaskStream. Directions for submitting to TaskStream can be found on the College of Education's page in the Student Success Center.