Specialized Academic Instruction
Specialized academic instruction (SAI) is determined by a student’s IEP team and is derived from assessment information, data collected, and goals/objectives developed in the student’s area(s) of need.
SAI services are typically provided either directly or through collaboration with a credential special education teacher. Services can be provided through a push-in or a pull-out model, and can be provided in a group on one on one. Additionally, special education support may come from an Instructional Assistant /Paraprofessional.
Designated Instructional Services/Related Services
Related
services are any services that are necessary to help a student benefit from
their special education program [34 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.)
Section 300.34(a).] https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2014-title34-vol2/pdf/CFR-2014-title34-vol2.pdf)
Designated Instructional Services (DIS) is California’s term used to describe
related services as defined in IDEA’s Federal Regulations, including but not
limited to services in the following areas [34 Code of Federal Regulations
(C.F.R.) Section 300.113(b).]
(1) Audiology =
(i) identification of children with
hearing loss
(ii) determination of range, nature and degree of hearing loss, including
medical referral for medical or other professional attention for the habilitation
of hearing
(iii) Provision of habilitative activities, such as language habilitation,
auditory training, speech reading, hearing evaluation and speech conservation,
(iv) creation and administration of programs for prevention of hearing loss; (v)
counseling and guidance for children, parents and teachers regarding hearing
loss, and (vi) determination of children’s needs for group and individual
amplification, selecting and fitting as appropriate aid, and evaluation the
effectiveness of amplification.
(2) Counseling = services provided by qualified social workers, social workers, psychologist, guidance counselors or other qualified personnel.
(3) Early identification and assessment of disabilities = implementation of a formal plan for indentifying a disability as early as possible in a child’s life.
(4) Interpreting =
(i) The following when used with respect to children who are deaf or hard of
hearing: Oral transliteration services, cued language transliteration services,
sign language transliteration and interpreting services, and transcription
services, such as communication access real-time translation (CART), C-Print
and Type Well
(ii) Special interpreting services for children who are deaf-blind
(5) Medical services means services provided by a licensed physician to determine a child’s medically related disability that results in the child’s need for special education and related services.
(6) Occupational therapy =
(i) Services provided by a qualified occupational therapist
(ii) Includes –
(A) Improving, developing or restoring functions impaired or lost through
illness, injury, or deprivation;
(B) Improving ability to perform tasks for independent functioning if functions
are impaired or list
(C) Preventing, through early intervention, initial or further impairment or
loss of function
(7) Orientation and mobility =
(i) Services provided to blind or visually impaired children by qualified
personnel to enable those students to attain systemic orientation to and safe
movement within their environments in school, home, and community.
(ii) Includes teaching children the following, as appropriate:
(A) Spatial and environment concepts and use of information received by the
senses (such as sound, temperature and vibrations) to establish, maintain, or regain
orientation and line of travel (e.g. using sound at a traffic light to cross
the street)
(B) To use the long cane or service animal to supplement visual travel skills
or as a tool for safely negotiating the environment for children with no
available travel vision;
(C) To understand and use remaining vision and distance low vision aides;
(D) Other concepts, techniques and tools
(8) Parent counseling and training =
(i) Assisting parents in understanding the special needs of their child;
(ii) Providing parents with information about child development;
(iii) Helping parents to acquire the necessary skills that will allow them to
support the implementation of their child’s IEP or IFSP.
(9) Physical therapy = Services provided by a qualified physical therapist
(10) Psychological Services =
(i) Administering psychological and educational tests, and other assessment
procedures;
(ii) Interpreting assessment results;
(iii) Obtaining, integrating, and interpreting information about child behavior
and conditions relating to learning;
(iv) Consulting with other staff members in planning school programs to meet
the special educational needs of children as indicated by psychological tests,
interviews, direct observation, and behavioral evaluations;
(v) Planning and managing a program of psychological services, including
psychological counseling and children and parents;
(vi) Assisting the developing positive behavioral intervention strategies.
(11) Recreation =
(i) Assessment of leisure function;
(ii) Therapeutic recreation services;
(iii) Recreation programs in schools and community;
(v) Leisure education
(12) Rehabilitation counseling services = provided by qualified personnel in individual or group sessions that focus specifically on career development, employment preparation, achieving independence, and integration in the workplace and community of a student with a disability. The term also includes vocational rehabilitation services provided to a student with a disability by a vocational rehabilitation programs under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.
(13) School health services and school nurse services = health services that are designed to enable a child with a disability to receive FAPE as describe in the child’s IEP. School nurse services are provided by a qualified school nurse. School health services are services that may be provided by either a qualified school nurse or other qualified person.
(14) Social work services in schools =
(i) Preparing a social or developmental history on a child with a disability;
(ii) Group and individual counseling with the child and family;
(iii) Working in partnership with parents and others on those problems in a
child’s living situation (home, school, and community) that affect the child’s
adjustment in school;
(iv) Mobilizing school and community resources to enable the child to learn as
effectively as possible in his or her educational program;
(v) Assisting in developing positive intervention strategies.
(15) Speech-language pathology services =
(i) Identification of children with speech or language impairments;
(ii) Diagnosis and appraisal of specific speech or language impairments;
(iii) Referral for medical or other professional attention necessary for the
habilitation of speech or language impairments;
(iv) Provision of speech and language services for the habilitation or
prevention of communicative impairments;
(v) Counseling and guidance of parents, children and teachers regarding speech
and language impairments.
(16) Transportation =
(i) Travel to and from school and between schools;
(ii) Travel in and around school buildings;
(iii) Specialized equipment (such as special or adapted buses, lifts, and
ramps) if required to provide special transportation for a child with a
disability.
For a more thorough explanation on Related Services access Disability Rights California website – https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/system/files?file=file-attachments/504001Ch05.pdf