RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Division of Developmental Disabilities

(DDD)
Call your local office or call
1-800-321-2808 to get number for your area.
The ARC of Washington State
2600 Martin Way E, Ste D
Olympia, WA 98506 (360) 357-5596
Website: www.arcwa.org

Parent Training and

Information (PTI) Offices are
located throughout the State.
Call our main office toll-free at
1-800-572-7368 (v/tty)
for the office closest to you.

TASH
(Center for Community Support)
2206 Queen Anne Ave. N # 204
Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 285-9255
Client Assistance Program (CAP)
Call 1-800-544-2121 (v/tdd) for information and office nearest
you. Provides assistance for clients
of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Protection and Advocacy
1-800-562-2702
For information and referral

Parent Training
and
Information Program
Children and youth with disabilities have the right
to a free appropriate public education.
IDEA 2004

Office of Children with Special Health Care Needs

Call 360-236-3521 for information
and the number of your local office.

Projects\Brochures & PR Docs\Tips Brochures\Multi\pub\10-09\ivory

Tips for Parents of Children with

Multiple
Disabilities

Washington State Insurance Commissioner

(360) 753-7301
(360) 664-3154 (tty)
National Information Center for
Handicapped Children and Youth
(NICHCY)
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC. 20013
1-800-695-0285
Website: www.nichcy.org

Partnerships For Action

Voices For Empowerment

It is the policy of PAVE that all of the

programs, employment practices, and
activities of the organization or any of
its contractors, vendors, grantees or
volunteers will be conducted without
regard to any persons race, color,
national origin, marital status, disabled
or Vietnam era veteran status, sex,
disability, religion, creed, age, sexual
orientation, HIV/AIDS, or any other
protected class.

Statewide Parent Training and

Information Center
6316 So. 12th St.
Tacoma, WA 98465
(253) 565-2266 (v/tty)
1-800-5-PARENT (v/tty)
Fax: (253) 566-8052
E-mail: pave@wapave.org
Website: www.wapaveorg

Third Decade of Service

What are multiple disabilities?

School programs

A student is considered to have multiple disabilities when two or more disabling conditions are
present. Each condition qualifies a student for special
education and the assessments show the needs will
not be met in programs for only one of the disabling
conditions.

The combinations for each student are unique

requiring a highly individualized education program designed to meet his/her needs. Since students may be
involved with several teachers and support personnel,
such as a physical therapist, an occupational therapist,
a speech and language pathologist, an adaptive P.E.
teacher, a psychologist, and/or a special education
teacher it is important that one person co-ordinate the
total program. The person might be the special education teacher, the school principal or a program manager. You must know who that person is.

There is no single or set group of characteristics of students who have multiple disabilities. The
degree of severity for each disabling condition varies
greatly for each individual.
Students can have:

Profound to mild mental retardation

Vision impairments
Hearing impairments
Behavior problems
Orthopedic problems ranging from walking
problems to total severe physical involvement
Various health impairments, such as: seizures, heart problems, ventilator dependency,
or a need for catheterization.

Students who are deaf-blind are not included in this

category, nor are students where one qualifying condition is a specific learning disability.
Parents should remember that the label is for funding
purposes only. It does not mandate a specific program.

Educational programs for children with multiple

disabilities need to blend a variety of services to meet
each childs tremendous needs.
Related services are of great importance, and a
multi-disciplinary approach to instruction is crucial.
Classroom arrangements must take into consideration
students needs for medication, special diet and/or special equipment. Special aids and adaptive equipment
enable the students to increase their range of functioning.
Vocational and leisure skills are a critical consideration for students with multiple disabilities. Programs teaching maximum independence should begin
as early as preschool. To help in post school adjustment and prepare the students for the greatest degree
of independence and self-sufficiency, the program
should be community based. This means that skills

such as shopping, bus riding, or working at a job,

should be taught in the community where they would
happen.
Consider where your child receives his/her
school services. You are to be included in making the
decisions.
An Individual Education Program (IEP) meeting for a child with multiple disabilities can be quite
lengthy because of the number of people involved
and the many issues to be discussed. Sharing concerns about the student and his/her program and
development prior to the meeting will help the participants to be prepared. If your child has just been
assessed, request a meeting to discuss the results
before the IEP meeting. This allows you time to make
sure you understand the assessment and agree or
disagree with it.