ROLES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANTS
SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT'S IN THE ACADEMIC LAB HAVE A
CHALLENGING ROLE AS THEY NEED TO DESIGN ALL INSTRUCTION TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS
THEY SERVICE IN ORDERTO MAXIMIZE THEIR LEARNING POTENTIAL.
THE ACADEMIC LAB TEACHERS AND ASSISTANTS WORK CLOSELY WITH THE STUDENTS CLASSROOM TEACHER AND
THEIR PARENTS TO ENSURE SUPPORT IS INDEED HELPING THE STUDENT TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. THE TEACHERS
AND ASSISTANTS FOLLOW THE IEP AND WILL TAKE PART IN THE IEP REVIEW MEETINGS. THE TEACHER AND ASSISTANTS
WILL ALSO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN THE STUDENTS LEARNING PROCESS IN ORDER
SUPPORT THE SPECIFIC STUDENT. USUALLY THE ACADEMIC LAB TEACHER AND ASSISTANT WILL WORK WITH SMALL GROUPS
HELPING IN ONE - ON - ONE SITUATIONS WHEN POSSIBLE.
SOME OLDER STUDENTS FEEL A STIGMA WHEN THEY GO TO THE ACADEMIC LAB. HOWEVER, THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
ARE USUALLY MET BETTER. THE ACADEMIC LAB TENDS TO BE LESS DISTRACTING THAN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM SETTING.
THE ACADEMIC LAB ALSO SUPPORTS THE SOCIAL NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS IN A SMALL GROUP SETTING AND WILL
PROVIDE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS AS NEEDED.