Special education: specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing services.

Existing law requires local educational agencies to identify, locate, and assess individuals with exceptional needs and to provide those individuals with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with special education and related services, as reflected in an individualized education program. Existing law defines "special education" as specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs. Existing law includes in that definition speech-language pathology services and certain other services if the service is considered special education rather than a designated instruction and service or related service under state standards. This bill would prohibit those provisions from being construed to prohibit an individualized education program from including specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing related services as the only services.