Stakeholders 1

Stakeholder Roles

Stakeholder Definition of their role, and how they provide support to

individuals on the spectrum

Parent or Guardian A parent is considered either the biological parent, foster

parent, legal guardian, or any person who acts in place of
the biological parent, such as a grandparent or other
relative). The function of the parent in the planning process
is to provide important information about the students
history, strengths, and needs and prioritize their interests to
the IEP team​.

Special Education The Special Education teacher is considered the expert in

Teacher specially designed instruction, accommodations, and
modifications strategies for the benefit of the students. The
Special Education teacher is charged with tracking student
performance and communicating progress or lack of
progress to the parents in order to consider changing the
IEP to adjust to student needs. They are responsible for
implementing the IEP.

General Education At the IEP a General Education Teacher is required to be

Teacher present if the student is participating in the general
education environment. The general education teacher is
the curriculum specialist and can be there to provide
essential core academic needs for the team to consider
when developing the IEP.

Administrator Generally an Administrator is present to act as a school district

representative. This role is filled by someone who is qualified
to supervise the instruction that will meet the students needs,
is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum
students’ skills needed to be successful in it, and
knowledgeable about school resources that are available to
the student.

School Psychologist The School Psychologist is required to be present for

meetings where assessment results are provided to the
 Stakeholders 2

parent. Their job is to interpret those results and help

explain the instructional implications of the issues that are
identified within the evaluations. The School Psychologist
also has a special role when working with students with
emotional or behavioral programming to provide support for
staff and help develop a BSP as necessary.

Speech-Language Speech-Language Pathologists support students who have

Pathologist trouble in their communication. This could include students
who struggle to enunciate words clearly or those who are
nonverbal and require more assistive technology to
communicate needs and wants.

Occupational Therapist Occupational Therapists support the students participation

in school routines and activities fro students who may
struggle with motor capabilities or who are handicapped in a
way which may require specialized equipment.

Board Certified Behavior A Board Certified Behavior Analyst are trained specifically
Analyst for assisting school teams with Functional Behavior
Assessments, behavior training, and sometimes direct
support for schools when students require more assistance
in demonstrating safe behavior.

Physical Therapist Physical Therapists support students in building “strength

and stamina, postural control, functional mobility,
coordination, and general motor behavior.” PTs can also
help and support teachers in establishing a conducive
environment for students with motor or physical issues that
may make a typical classroom arrangement not as
productive.

Paraprofessional Paraprofessional or Instructional Aids work directly with

students to implement the academic, behavioral, and/or
functional programming identified as needed within the IEP.
They often are more “hands-on” and provide the day to day
support and instruction in many assist special education
teachers and general education teachers with students who
receive special education services. They are a key
 Stakeholders 3

participant in the success of a students program; they

provide insight into student strengths and/or the need to
make adjustments to plans.

Vocational Specialist Vocational specialists support the student and parents in

building awareness and skills development in
post-secondary education and employment. Their goal is to
support students in identifying and utilizing key community
resources for living independently and finding a good quality
of life after they age out of school services.

Adapted Physical Adapted PE teachers provide needed support and

Education Teacher instruction for students who struggle with mobility and
balance. They support proper muscle growth and
coordination through exercises and PE programs that cater
to the needs and limitations of each student.

Pediatrician The Pediatrician is key in understanding and planning

around all the medically necessary planning to support a
students health and safety within the school environment.
They issue medications as necessary and provide
information for the best and most comprehensive
programming for students who have very specific medical
needs throughout the day.

Nutritionist A Nutritionists supports the development of feeding plans

for students who have specific dietary needs or procedures.

Social Worker Social workers in schools are there to support students who
have social-emotional barriers to the academic and
behavioral progress. Social workers may focus on problem
solving for students in crisis, individual and group
counselling, and conflict-resolution training.

Source:
What should teachers consider when working with students with autism spectrum disorder?
(n.d.). Retrieved from ​https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/asd1/cresource​/
q2/p04/#content