YOUR CHILD’S IEP WHAT FAMILIES NEED TO KNOW

 This would be a great article for the basis of a conversation with a parent that is new to
the special education process and even as a quick review for those who may need a refresher!
The fact that it includes some of the legal background of how and why the process is what it is,
gives what they are doing, vision and purpose. Using this article and supplementing it with the
actual forms that you would be using, and discussing the assessments that you have selected
should go a long way to make the parents more comfortable with what is to come. My Aunt who
taught Special Education for over 30 years says that the key to a successful IEP process is by the
time you get to the actual district level meeting, the parents have been in the loop throughout the
process. “There should be no surprises “. This does not mean daily updates and meetings with
the parents, but teachers/ program managers need to establish a consistent and comfortable two-
way communication with families – especially at IEP time!

POLICY STATEMENT ON INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS
 This policy document lays out a clear plan of the expectations and rationale for how the
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education expect states, and
subsequently local school district to proceed. This document appears to have been written more
for public consumption versus the “legalese” and government speak, unlike the Part C document
that we reviewed last week. While it is important to know Part C, I got a lot more understanding
of the “ hows and whys” regarding the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood
programs. The scientific background, the foundations and potential barriers for inclusion are just
the background info that allows me as a teacher to fit all the pieces of the process puzzle
together. I think that often teachers are given the forms and an outline of the processes needed
for their particular school with little background beyond, “this is the way we do it.
 The section on developing the partnership with special education personnel, school
districts, service providers and pediatricians makes a great deal of sense, and though this is a
federal document, it is clearly a guide for state and local groups to also seek out these
partnerships.
 The Part C listing of what states do was in some ways discouraging. The states seem to
 be all over the board with definitions and their eligibility standards. This document is looking for
creation of state level interagency task forces and a specific inclusion plan seems to be looking to
provide guidance that will make how inclusion is determined and managed more in line with
each other. That is not to say that they want each to be the same, but the expectation for
accountability, professional development and certifications, and knowledge based curriculum
will give a more common thread to how and why their programs function the way they do.
 The recommendations for local action, while similar to the statewide plan emphasizes the
parent and family component, seems to me to be the best way to succeed in implementing this
policy. Start at the grassroots – if local schools follow this policy and are successful, the states in
turn will also be successful. The importance of financing this policy is critical to many of it’s
successes Will hinge on whether or not Federal State and local agencies can work together to
meet the fiscal goals of this policies success.

DESIGNING COLLABORATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

 The role of the special education is often one of team manager- he/she must be able to
bring together all of the assessment data, potential goals, family concerns, personnel and
personalities that are needed to successfully educate the student. In some ways, it is almost like
being a player coach of a sport time, but her, the goal is not to win the game but to give this
student the best education and opportunities to reach their potential. As a coach, you look at the
talent that is available and select those who best contribute to the goal. Those selected will then
outline what they bring to the table and how they can contribute to success. A successful coach
values the role of each team player. Additionally they must also understand that no one player is
more valuable than another. As a team, it is important that each player has a commitment to help
every member of the team be successful. The game plan must be clear with roles and objectives
representing the talent of the entire team. If a particular activity is effective, all the players
should support it and incorporate it into their role. Using consistent language, sharing ideas that
have worked with others on the team, arranging for team meetings so that everybody knows the
game plan – these are all strategies a coach uses to insure that they are able to meet their goal.
Coaching skills and player development take practice and respect for each other, but if each
player feels that their contributions have value, their efforts improve the efforts of other players,
and they all understand the objectives and goal of the game success will be expected and
accomplished. Though this is a sport analogy, it just reminds me so much of the collaborative
model that this article describes. It does take a team to help a child with no disabilities, some
disabilities or many disabilities. Some teams may be small, others quite large, but the goal is
always the same and the effort no less important.