School Planning

Entering your child with special needs into the public school system can be overwhelming.  The school system is required to provide specially designed instruction (SDI), at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.  The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities stated that this may include instruction in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other setting.  Special education services may include speech-language pathology services, occupational therapy, physical therapy or any other related service, travel training, and vocational education.  The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written document for each child with a disability which outlines the specially designed instruction, services, goals, accommodations, modifications and transition services a student's program will entail.  The information, goals and services within the IEP are based on the results of the evaluation which determined eligibility or the results of a re-evaluation.  The IEP is created through the collaborative efforts of the IEP team which includes the parents of the student, regular education teacher(s), special education teacher(s), administrative designee, someone who can interpret the instructional implications of the evaluation results, and any other knowledgeable person requested by the parents or school, and the student, if appropriate.  The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) provision of special education law ensures that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled.

Related Sites

http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/idea/  This website provides detailed information about The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  The IDEA was set in place in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities were provided a free appropriate education, just like other children.

http://www.wrightslaw.com/  Web site that provides accurate, up-to-date information about special education law and advocacy.

http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep/  This gives an ease to understand explanation of the Individualized Education Plan or IEP process.

http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/iep-504-plan/individualized-education-program-headquarters?gclid=CO-m3tTUpMACFU4F7Aod3yoAcw  The National Center for Learning Disabilities which provides all the information you need to understand the Special Education Process.

Books

Asperger Syndrome and the Elementary School Experience: Practical Solutions for Academic & Social Difficulties  by Susan Thompson Moore.
Description:  Written by an educator and mother of two children with autism spectrum disorders, this resource is comprised of practical ideas for addressing the academic and social needs of elementary-aged children with Asperger Syndrome.  Intended for both teachers and parents, specific topics include organizational accommodations, accommodations in the curriculum, developing social skills and the importance of home-school communication.  Forms, checklists, and other visuals make these helpful ideas easy to implement.

Realizing the College Dream With Autism or Asperger Syndrome: A Parent's Guide to Student Success  by Ann Palmer.
Description:  Realizing the College Dream with Autism or Asperger Syndrome is both a practical and a personal account of one ASD student's successful experience of going to college.  This accessible book focuses on how to get there and stay there: deciding to go, how to get in and how to get the most out of it.  Ann Palmer advises parents and professionals how to prepare the student for the transition from school and home life to a new environment and educational challenge, and how to support them through potential problems such as academic pressure, living away from home, social integration and appropriate levels of participation in college.  She offers helpful strategies that will encourage and inspire parents and students and show that college can be a suitable option for students with an autism spectrum disorder, as well as the basis for a successful independent life later.  This book is essential reading for any parent considering college as an option for their child, disability service providers in colleges and for ASD students themselves.

DSS Disabilities in College and Community Settings: Strategies for Planning Implementation and Evaluation  by DSS.
Description:  Traditionally, students with significant disabilities, such as autism, mental retardation, or multiple disabilities, receive transition services in a public high school setting until they are 21 or 22 years old.  While this is an appropriate setting for students with disabilities during ages 14-18, it may not be the most appropriate or motivating setting for older students with significant disabilities.  Growing numbers of parents, researchers, and practitioners are advocating that these older students should receive transition services in the same college and community settings that are experienced by their 19-21 year old peers without disabilities.  This user-friendly book provides a base for those who design, implement, or evaluating transition services for students with significant disabilities in a college or community setting.  If you've never had experience in these processes, this book will help you get started.  Transition services provided in college and community settings benefit these older students by increasing their access to new environments and activities and by providing opportunities for flexible scheduling and interagency collaboration.

Tools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XMndYNEGFA&feature=player_detailpage  An easy to understand 7 minute video of IDEA in action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU3dGQWZzx8&feature=player_detailpage  An eight minute video that explains the 7 steps of the IEP.
http://www.kidstogether.org/IEP/iepd-10-mistakes.htm  This is a non-profit by Kids Together, INC. which provides guidelines to help prepare you for your child's IEP meeting.
http://www.asaetc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/VKCLEND-PlanLifeAfterHighSchool-Sept11.pdf   This document from Tennessee outlines the transition process from high school to adulthood.  (Note:  This is a pdf file and will be downloaded to your computer when clicked.)

Parent Forums

(Some forums require you to sign in to Yahoo or Facebook to locate forum names.)
Forum Name:  Parent IEP/Special Education Community User Group
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Parent-IEP-Special-Education-Community/show/624   A parent forum to discuss IEPs.