What are some examples of related services and which students would they support?

• A. School lunch planning
• B. Transportation only
• C. Speech-language pathology for communication disorders; occupational therapy for fine motor skills; physical therapy for mobility; supports students who need these services to benefit from special education
• D. Physical education only

Answer: (C)

Related services are supports that help a student with a disability access and benefit from special education. When a student needs therapy or other services to participate in the educational program, these are provided as part of the IEP. For example, speech-language pathology helps with communication disorders, enabling the student to understand and participate in lessons and interact with peers. Occupational therapy supports fine motor skills and tasks like writing or manipulating classroom materials, which removes barriers to learning. Physical therapy assists with mobility and gross motor skills, helping the student move around the school and participate in activities. Transportation can also be a related service if getting to and from school or accessing services is part of enabling the student to benefit from education. Together, these services are about removing barriers so the student can engage with the curriculum.

Options that focus on school meals, or on a single general-education activity like physical education, don’t address the supports necessary to access and benefit from special education in the same way.