Supporting
Environments
A
Good IFSP outlines intervention supports to be provided
in a child's "natural environments" whenever possible.
"Natural
Environments" means settings and activities
that are normal for a child's same-age peers
in his/her community who have no disabilities or developmental
delays. It is the place and/or event the child would
likely be or engage if he/she did not have a disability
or delay.
 Natural
environments would include community child care
centers, church or synagogue play groups, public parks
and pools, libraries, grocery and department stores,
fast food restaurants, family vehicles, public transportation,
birthday and holiday parties, movies, barbers, dentists,
festivals and fairs to name only a few. What is “natural”
for one child may not be natural for all children
(i.e., riding daily in dad's pick-up truck).
A
location may not be a natural environment if it
is where primarily persons with disabilities or illness
go (i.e., clinics, hospitals, special schools/classrooms).
The provision of early intervention services for any infant or toddler may occur in a setting other than a natural environment only if early intervention cannot be achieved satisfactorily for the infant or toddler in a natural environment 51-008.02B.
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Federal
IDEA Part C Regulations |
Nebraska
Title 92 NAC 51 (Rule 51)
Natural Environments Birth - 3 |
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The
following are the relevant sections related
to natural environments from the IDEA Part C
regulations at 34 CFR Part 303:
- "To
the maximum extent appropriate to the needs
of the child, early intervention services
must be provided in natural environments,
including the home and community settings
in which children without disabilities participate."
(34CFR 303.12(b))
- Each
state participating in IDEA, Part C must establish
and implement "policies and procedures
to ensure that-
(1)
To the maximum extent appropriate, early
intervention services are provided in
natural environments; and
(2) The provision of early intervention
services for any infant or toddler occurs
in a setting other than a natural environment
only if early intervention cannot be achieved
satisfactorily for the infant or toddler
in a natural environment." 34CFR
303.167(c)
- "Natural
environments means settings that are natural
or normal for the child's age peers who have
no disabilities." 34CFR 303.18
- Each
IFSP must include a statement of "the
natural environments, as described in §303.12(b),
and §303.18 in which early intervention
services will be provided, and a justification
of the extent, if any, to which the services
will not be provided in a natural environment;"
34 CFR 303.344(d)(ii)
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- "Natural
environments means settings that are natural
or normal for the child's age peers who have
no disability" 51-003.47.
- The
natural environments in which early intervention
services will be provided, including a justification
of the extent, if any, to which the services
will not be provided in a natural environment.
51-007.12B4a(ii)
- The
provision of early intervention services for
any infant or toddler may occur in a setting
other than a natural environment only if early
intervention cannot be achieved satisfactorily
for the infant or toddler in a natural environment.
51-008.02B
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Nebraska
Title 92 NAC51 (Rule 51)
Least Restrictive Environment (LER) Requirements
Age 3-21 |
- The
school district shall establish policies and
procedures to assure that, to the maximum
extent appropriate, children with disabilities
including children in public or nonpublic
schools and approved service agencies are
educated with children who are not disabled,
and that special classes, separate schooling,
or other removal of children with disabilities
from the regular educational environment occurs
only when the nature or severity of the disability
is such that education in regular classes
with the use of supplementary aids and services
cannot be achieved satisfactorily. 51-008.01
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