Special Education Department

O’Connell’s Integrated Houses (9/10) and Integrated Labs (11/12) are the least restrictive environment for students with IEPs. Integrated Houses include co-taught English and Science or Social Science. Integrated Labs include co-taught English, Science or Social Science, and Career Technical Education. Co-teaching provides students with the opportunity to participate fully in the instructional programs, hands-on project-based learning, and work-based learning available at John O’Connell High School. When their present levels and IEP goals indicate the need for more intensive services, students participate in those Integrated Houses/Labs co-taught and co-planned by a Special Education SDC teacher, to ensure that needed accommodations and specialized academic instruction services are provided in accordance with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). When present levels and IEP goals indicate the need for special day classes, students can also be enrolled in SDC singleton classes for any of the following as appropriate: English, Math, Science, Social Science.

The inclusive Integrated House/Lab program includes GE students, RSP students, and SDC students to the greatest extent possible. O'Connell provides a complementary range of IEP supports in math, including co-taught math classes in grades 9-11 and para-supported math classes in grades 9-12.

The Integrated Lab curriculum is standards-based and connected to the other disciplines. The Special Education co-teacher / case manager works with all students, and the Integrated House/Lab co-teaching team groups students with IEPs strategically within the general education setting to deliver specialized academic instruction and to help students make progress on IEP goals as they work with diverse peers. The special educator on the team plans with the content area teachers on the Integrated Lab team to make accommodations to English, Science or History, and Career Technical Education content.