Support Services are those educational interventions which are provided by teacher consultants, diagnosticians and therapists to students. Support Services are available in an effort to improve and increase the rate of success of special needs students within general education classrooms, special education programs, home and community environments.

Support Service Staff are highly trained in their areas of specialization and provide services to students with disabilities from birth to age twenty-six. Many of these individuals hold multiple endorsements and have completed additional training to support the mission of Ingham Intermediate School District. Staff provide services in a variety of settings:

• home
• community-based locations
• general education classrooms
• special education classrooms
• center-based special education programs operated by Ingham ISD

The staff works with parents, administrators, and teachers of local school districts and public school academies to provide a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for students. Staff offer a variety of services and delivery systems. Diagnostic services, assistive technologies, adaptive equipment, curriculum accommodation, and alternative instructional strategies are used to enhance student interaction with the environment, communication, participation, and direct instruction. The Support Service Staff from the Ingham Intermediate School District are available to provide ongoing direct service, consultation, support, and service coordination to students and staff. Professional development opportunities are available to staff and parents who wish to develop additional skills in working with students and their learning needs.

Support Service Staff are employed by the Ingham Intermediate School District and assigned to local school districts and public school academies to:

• enhance the provision of a full continuum of special education programs and services for students with disabilities;
• provide diagnostic services to assist in determining student eligibility for special education;
• support student success within their individualized education program in special education;
• attend Individualized Educational Planning meetings and staffings for assigned students;
• consult collaboratively with parents, teachers, administrators, medical providers and community agencies, as requested;
• participate in pre-referral processes to support at-risk students prior to consideration of special education;
• provide direct services to address identified student needs.

Support Service Staff participate in various networks which provide professional staff an opportunity to share ideas, receive professional development and find out about the most current "best practice" information available within their fields. The Director of Special Education Support Services is available to all educational teams, local districts and public school academies throughout the Intermediate School District, upon request.

Support Service staff available to local school districts and public
school academies as members of their special education instructional system include:

• Occupational Therapists
• Orientation and Mobility Specialist
• Physical Therapists
• Preprimary Home Teaching
• School Psychologists
• School Social Workers
• Special Olympics Coordinator
• Teacher Consultants for Hearing Impaired, Visually Impaired, Physically or
• Otherwise Health Impaired, and Autistic Impaired
• Teachers of Speech & Language Impaired
• Transition Consultants
• Adapted Physical Education Teachers
• Assistive Technology Specialist
• Educational Audiologists