Purpose of Regional Inclusive Services
Regional Inclusive Services work in collaboration with Local School Districts, Early Intervention, Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) programs, Families, and Community Agencies to provide specialized educational support for children with deaf or hard of hearing impairments, visual impairments, autism spectrum disorders, orthopedic impairments, deafblindness, and traumatic brain injury. These are known as low-incidence disabilities, occurring in the general population at such a low rate that it is difficult for individual districts to employ specialized staff and provide a full range of related services needed for these students. Providing these services on a regional basis is both cost effective and assures that the students receive programs and services from qualified staff related to their specific needs.
This report documents the legacy of work by dedicated staff and highly committed regional contractors over the past 40 years, the challenges facing RIS, and the approaches Oregon and other states have used to serve children and students who experience low-incidence disabilities. It also provides recommendations for program improvement moving forward.
Information on the Children Served
The children, birth-to-21, who as a result of their low-incidence disability require specialized services, are eligible for support from the Regional Inclusive Services. The primary responsibility for a child always remains with the local school district. Regional Inclusive Services work closely with local district, Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, Early Childhood Special Education EI/ECSE, and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) teams to identify and provide appropriate services.
Contact:
Georgeann Harty