Special Education
Who Are Multilingual Learners with Disabilities?
Immigrant-origin and multilingual learners with disabilities are a very diverse group. They speak many different languages, come from many different cultures, and have a wide range of disabilities. Families may also have a range of different ideas about what disability means and how it should be supported. Schools should listen and respond in ways that support mutual understanding and respect.
Disabilities can affect people in different ways. A disability may affect how a person learns, moves, communicates, or handles emotions. Every person with a disability is different and may need different kinds of support.
In Massachusetts, over 46,000 students whose home language is not English have a disability. These students are entitled to both English learner services and special education services, and support in the two areas should be coordinated. One should not replace the other.
OSEP Fast Facts: Students with Disabilities Who Are English Learners, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs
A national snapshot of English learners served under IDEA Part B, including how many students are dually identified and how that number has changed over time. Nationwide, about 1 in 62 public school students is both an English learner and a student with a disability served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Put another way, more than 1 in 9 students receiving special education is also an English learner.
Special Education
Many students have a hard time in school at some point. But if a student is struggling over time, with class,paying attention, communicating, getting along with others, or managing behavior, it may be a sign they need more support to learn.
For multilingual learners, it can sometimes be hard to tell why. Difficulties might come from learning a new language, from a disability, or from both. Schools should look at the whole picture instead of assuming it is only one or the other. Schools must evaluate a student they suspect has a disability, including students who are learning English.
Students need to be found eligible to receive Special Education. Eligibility decisions are informed by the school evaluations and input from parents and guardians and educators.
The IEP
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written plan for a student who is found eligible for special education. The IEP is a legal document that describes what the student needs to learn and what help the school must provide. The student’s parent or guardian, teachers, and other team members work together to create the plan. The IEP is reviewed at least once a year to determine whether the student is still eligible for special education, update the goals, and make sure the student is getting the support they need.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to special education. It is a set of supports designed around what each student needs due to their disability. Special education always include specialized instruction (for example small-group or one-on-one teaching, or modifications to the grade level course content) and might also include:
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Speech and language therapy, to support students who have communication challenges that affect a student’s participation, academic learning, and/or social interactions with peers and others.
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Occupational therapy, such as support with handwriting or sensory needs, like sensitivity to smells, sounds, and more
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Physical therapy, where a student requires additional support or services to make progress in school due to a physical disability, for example: physical therapy that is required due to low muscle tone that makes it harder for a student to stay seated.
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Counseling or social-emotional support
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Behavioral supports, such as a plan to teach and reinforce positive behaviors
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A classroom aide or other additional adult support to support the student to independently learn classroom routines and participate in classroom activities
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Assistive technology, such as text-to-speech software for students who have visual impairment or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices for students who have limited or no spoken language due to autism or another disability
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Accommodations, such as extra time on tests or breaks, or intentional seat placement closer to the teacher where required due to a disability that affects attention
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Extended school year services, where needed to prevent a student from losing skills they have gained during the school year
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Transportation, when needed due to disability
For multilingual learners, the IEP must also take language into account. This may include instruction or therapy in the student's home language, an AAC device programmed in the student’s home language and English, or working with providers who speak the home language.
A Family Guide for Students with Disabilities, Boston Public Schools
A guide available in multiple languages that breaks down the special education process for students in Boston Public Schools.
A Parent's Guide to Special Education in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
An overview of the special education system across all districts including legal protections, types of disabilities, and more information on independent evaluations.
Multilingual Education Helpline, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
A helpline that parents, educators, and service providers can call to learn more about their education rights and get personalized recommendations from education advocates.
Types of School Support Plans
Schools have multiple plans for support for students who need additional support. This is a breakdown of those plans.
Plan Type
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
504 Plan
Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP)
Special Education?
✅ Yes, it is special education
❌ No, not special education
❌ No, not special education
The IEP outlines the specialized instruction and services an eligible student requires to make progress in school. Progress is measured through specific goals and benchmarks.
Learn more about the laws that created the IEP here.
The 504 Plan describes the support or accommodations a student needs to access school.
Learn more about the law that created the 504 plan here.
Explains the medical or health-related emergency support a student needs at school.
What is it?
Who is it for?
For students with disabilities who are found eligible for special education after a school evaluation.
For students who have a disability that impacts a major life activity. Sometimes students with disabilities who are not eligible for an IEP have a 504 plan.
For students with medical needs that may require health care during the school day.
Requesting a Special Education Evaluation
Teachers, school staff, or parents and guardians can request that a student be evaluated if they think the student may have a disability that is affecting their learning or development. An evaluation looks at how a student learns and what supports they may need. The evaluation is free and does not mean that a child will automatically receive special education services or supports. Any student can be evaluated and be found eligible for special education, regardless of immigration status.
Evaluations should be fair and accurate for a student's language and cultural background. In addition, if the student needs the evaluation to be done in their preferred language to show their knowledge and abilities accurately, the school must provide that.
After a student has an IEP, they must be reevaluated at least every 3 years until they are no longer eligible for special education.
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Students who are mistakenly identified as having a disability. Students who are still learning English may sometimes be placed in special education by mistake. They may be having trouble because they are learning a new language, not because they have a disability. Learning English is not a disability.
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Students who need special education but do not receive it. Students who are learning English may have a disability that goes unnoticed. Schools may think the student is only having trouble because they are learning English. This can keep students from getting tested and receiving the support they need, sometimes for years. Schools must test any student who may have a disability, no matter how long they have lived in the U.S.
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Students often do not get evaluated in their primary language when required to get the most accurate result. To ensure that a school evaluation accurately assesses a student’s abilities, students must be able to understand and respond to the evaluation. This means that evaluations should be conducted in that student’s preferred language, if necessary to accurately evaluate that student. When that is the case, schools must find a multilingual evaluator or provide translation and interpretation using a trained school interpreter for the evaluation.
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Evaluations should be fair and accurate for a student's language and cultural background.
For instance, a student from the Caribbean should not be asked to describe snow, since they may have never experienced winter.
Sample letters for requesting an evaluation, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Find sample letters to request a special education evaluation in multiple languages.
Tutorial on requesting special education evaluations, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Video explaining the process for requesting special education evaluations in English and Spanish.
Timeline for Special Education, Federation for Children with Special Needs
A multilingual resource that outlines the timeline for special education evaluations as stated by special education law. If a district violates this timeline, please call MAC’s Multilingual Helpline.
Special Education Team Meeting
Once a child is found eligible for special education and the parents consent to the IEP, a Special Education Team Meeting is held at least once a year to review a child’s progress and discuss the support they need to make progress in their learning.
The Team is a group of people who work together to support a child’s learning and growth at school. The team includes the child’s parent or guardian, teachers, specialists in the student’s disability-related needs, and other school staff who understand the child’s needs. Together, they talk about the child’s strengths, challenges, and goals. They decide what special education services and support the child needs to succeed in school.
Parents and guardians are important members of the Team, and their ideas and opinions matter to ensure that a student succeeds.
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Schools may use interpreters who are not fully trained or bilingual. Parents need clear and accurate interpretation so they can understand meetings, share concerns, and help make decisions about their child. Poor interpretation can lead to confusion, mistrust, and students not getting what they need.
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Some immigrant parents may not know how U.S. schools or special education work. The process can be confusing because it includes many forms, reports, and new terms. Language, cultural differences, and unfamiliar school rules can make it even harder for families to take part. Parent participation is important because families help schools understand what their child needs.
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Special education and English learner teams do not always work together. A student’s IEP may focus on their disability but miss their language needs, while English classes may not consider their disability. Schools should look at both needs together so students get the right support. Read more about the Protect Education Equity Law here.
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Not enough special education support in a student’s main language. Some students need special education services, like reading or speech support, in the language they know best. Schools may not have enough staff who can provide these services.
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Hard to find outside evaluations in a student’s home language. If a family disagrees with the school’s evaluation, they may ask for an evaluation from an outside expert. It can be hard to find qualified experts who can evaluate the student in the language they know best.
IEP Meeting Checklist, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
A checklist made for parents on what to do to prepare for a special education Team Meeting.
Tutorial on requesting an interpreter, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Video explaining the process for requesting an interpreter at Special Education Team meetings in English and Spanish.
Protect Education Equity Law Infographic, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Mulilingual flyers on the Protect Education Equity Law that addresses how school special education teams can better serve immigrant students and multilingual learners with disabilities.
Language Access
Families have the right to understand every step of the special education process.
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Families can communicate with the school in their home language, including requests for special education evaluations.
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The school must provide a trained and qualified school interpreter at Team meetings, free of charge. The student should never be asked to interpret.
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Documents must be translated, including IEPs, consent forms, evaluation reports, and meeting notices.
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Families can ask about the language of the evaluation. For many multilingual learners, an accurate picture means assessing them in their home language, in English, or both, with evaluators who understand language development.
Tutorial on requesting language supports, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Video explaining how to request adequate language supports for Special Education Team meetings and translations of documents in English and Spanish.
Language Access Wallet Cards, Association of Language Companies
Download a card you can carry in your wallet, purse, or pocket. These cards help you request an interpreter or language access in your preferred language.
Diverse Understandings of Disability
Immigrant families may come from countries where disability is viewed differently or where there is stigma, shame, or limited support for people with disabilities. They may also be unfamiliar with the services available in the United States, such as special education and other supports for children with disabilities.
Understanding these differences can help schools and service providers build trust with families, share information, and connect them with the support their children need.
Family Support Services, Parent/Professional Advocacy League
Find support from trained family members who have experience raising youth with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges.
How to Empower Immigrant Families of Students with Disabilities, Edutopia
An article on how strategies support immigrant parents and caregivers with special education system with culturally competent strategies.