Which of the following is considered a related service under IDEA?

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), related services are designed to support a child with a disability in benefiting from their special education program. Specialized transportation is a key example of a related service because it is specifically geared toward assisting students with disabilities in safely traveling to and from school and within school environments, thereby ensuring they have access to educational opportunities.

Related services may include a range of support services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, but transportation is crucial for students with mobility challenges or other disabilities that impede their ability to get to school independently. The law recognizes the importance of providing such services to facilitate the educational process, ensuring that all students have equal access to their education.

In this context, general education classes are not classified as a related service; instead, they represent the standard educational setting in which special education students can participate. Extracurricular activities, while valuable for social skill development and engagement, do not fall under the formal definition of related services under IDEA. Standardized testing, while an assessment tool, is also not a service but a means of measuring student achievement and performance. Thus, specialized transportation stands out as the clear related service option.