(Don't leave home without them!)

It's not difficult to address your child's needs at an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting, so long as you're thoroughly prepared. Learn all you can about ADHD and any learning disabilities involved. Do some reading and research on what interventions are likely to produce positive results.

If you believe your child's disability seriously impacts academic success, you have the right to ask, in writing, for a full educational evaluation. If your child qualifies, then special services can be provided. If the qualification falls under the Individuals with Disabilities Act, then your child will have a written Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, prepared for him/her.

A team, comprised of various school officials, experts, and you will prepare the IEP. As parents, you are members of that team and your opinion is as important as any other team member. In fact, the federal government acknowledges, you are truly the expert on your child with knowledge no one else has. Go to the table well-informed and ready to lay some options of your own. Know what can work and decide what options won't be acceptable. Then review your child's evaluations and prepare to write a parent attachment. Normally, you'll request an opportunity to read this attachment at the beginning of the IEP meeting.

Understand your child's last multi-evaluation results.

Assuming your child has already been tested for the level of his learning skills, it's important for you to understand what those scores actually mean. If you need help with that, here's an excellent article on the subject.

Don't pay attention to "composite" scores, or "averages". With disabilities, you need to be concerned about scattered, or individual, scores. Pay attention to every low score. Even if you don't understand everything about every subtest, write down all those low scores and your questions about each one. "What does this particular test measure? What does that result mean to my Johnny and his teacher in the classroom? What is the likely impact?" Again, do not be distracted by discussions of "averages".

The First Document: Write your own version of your child's PLPs or Present Levels of Performance.

Get out the last Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, and place it next to the evaluation. Is every need in the evaluation reflected in the IEP? Are the recommendations in the evaluation reflected in the IEP? Now--after taking a minute for gnashing your teeth and groaning, it's time to get to work fixing things up.

Hopefully, you're familiar with the term "Present Level of Educational Performance" or PLP or PLOP. It describes, in measurable terms, where your child is performing in his/her areas of need. Those measurements are usually scattered throughout an IEP and are sometimes subjective.

I was especially impressed (cynicism here) with the PLP that read "Johnny's English is better. He's doing real good." If your child's performance in any area can't be measured in numbers, it's subjective. Make sure the evaluation comments are measurable and written into the PLP in all areas where special ed help is needed. If the school hasn't given you more recent objective,measurable, information, take the measurements from the last evaluation. Go to the meeting with the same kind of measurable information you expect from the school.

The U.S. Dept of Ed has demonstrated an alternative way of writing PLP's.

I tried it and was amazed at how it kept parents, and the rest of the team, focused on the whole child and his/her needs. While the district writes the actual PLP, you can certainly write your own and just call it A Picture of Joanie, for example. I recommend this description be at the very top of the parent attachment.

Try writing a long narrative about your child.

Take pen in hand, think about your daughter or son, get a picture in your mind, and start writing. Describe his/her disposition, personality, (shy or out-going, laid-back or sensitive, etc.), likes, dislikes, sensitivities, medical conditions that impact education, and level of self-esteem. Work in those measurable test results, showing a need for help in those areas.

Write about the strengths, be they in art, hands-on mechanical skills, writing, storytelling, etc. End with the dreams of where your child sees him/herself in 10-15 years; whether college is in those dreams, or a vocational-technical school, or if there's a need to get training out in the community while still in high school. You'd be surprised at the answers even second grade children with disabilities give to these questions. They can show great faith in the future, and sometimes awesome maturity at a tender age.

Now see if you can whittle those three pages down to one. Stick to the basics, other than one good emotional paragraph because, after all, you ARE the mom or dad and your emotional feelings can have an impact on the rest of the team members.

Come on, give it a try. Usually, parents really enjoy this exercise once they start writing. When finished, you'll have the first of the two documents completed. And, oh yes, don't forget to attach a picture of your child. That way, team members remember they aren't just dealing with a black-and-white sheet of paper, but a real, live human-being.

The second document is what I call a Parent Attachment. This document reflects all your specific concerns and your judgment of what your child needs. The plain truth is, if you're having to resort to these strategies, obviously your district hasn't served your child's needs. So it's important to get this down in writing.

I find that when a parent is well-informed about what's needed, it's much easier to get those needs met. It shouldn't be that way, but I understand the reality out there in many situations. Frequently, if the school doesn't point out a need, it's not going to be in the IEP. Hopefully, you'll have done some research on what can help your child's particular disabilities. With access to the net, an abundance information is now available.

Title

The following brief example is just to give you the idea of how these documents work together.

"A Picture of Joanie:" Your own PLP

Joan is a happy, outgoing, 12 year old with an average I.Q. and a tremendous interest in art and a great love of animals. She attends to tasks reasonably well, and takes pride in a job well done. She has acceptable fine motor control, but does have serious difficulty with large motor control. Her awkwardness has caused her embarrassment in front of her peers who do not appear to understand her disabilities.

Her self-esteem is quite low and she worries about people staring at her. She's performing at the 4th grade level in math, having made a whole year's progress this year with the extra teacher assistance and computer-assisted assignments.

Her reading level is at 2nd grade level, with difficulties in decoding, encoding, but some strength in comprehension. She particularly enjoys social studies because there's more movement and less paperwork than in other classes. With more hands-on activities, she's not so pressured by her deficit in reading.

Oral assignments and oral tests have encouraged her also. Joanie dreams of one day owning her own car, having a job, and moving to an apartment. She would like to volunteer at a zoo and work with animals when she's grown up. She dreams of going to college and getting a degree in animal husbandry.

Sample Parent Attachment

Joan Doe's IEP Meeting, (Date)

These are our concerns regarding our daughter's education:

1. Joan's walking gait causes numerous problems physically. Request physical therapy continue, at least 1/2 hr./week.

2. Her self-esteem is poor, and we request special emphasis be placed on her area of strength which is art. We request the district actively support a mentorship for her next year in this area, either in school or in the community. We will support that program in any way we can.

3. We also request a counselor who can help Joan deal with peer teasing. Her obvious reading deficit also sets her apart from peers. We are asking for intensive instruction by a teacher trained in multi-sensory teaching who can help Joan make true progress in reading. If the district doesn't have someone with these qualifications, we ask the district to provide a qualified tutor to teach her reading during the school day.

4. We would like to offer our assistance in helping to put on a seminar for the whole student body on disability sensitivity. Public education will hopefully build support for Joanie and others with disabilities.

5. Joan's learning style is both visual and kinesthetic; however, we have yet to see these methods intensively employed in teaching her. Joan does learn differently, but she's entitled to a teacher who knows how to reach her. Multi-sensory teaching is good for all students and we believe it's a reasonable request and necessary for her academic success.

6. Joan's I.Q. is in the average range and there's no excuse for her not to be making measurable, substantial progress. We expect all short-term objectives will be tested with measurable instruments and progress will be reported to us on a quarterly basis. We are willing to take responsibility for reminding the teachers of these meeting dates.

7. Homework may need modification if the time involved is more than 1 1/2 hours a night.

Get the idea? Now you can go into the meeting armed with both a total picture of your child, reflecting all the strengths and needs. You also have a written list of requests that you have pondered over and had plenty of time to work on in an unpressured, non-stressful environment. You'll feel much more in control, as you can focus on these two papers in front of you. Be sure to ask the leader of the meeting, before it starts, to let you lead off by reading your Parent Attachment. Otherwise, it can get lost in the shuffle. Once you read it out loud, and every person has a copy in front of him, you can always come back to it later on.

Do not sign anything, or leave the meeting, until you can check off every point you have written down. Was each item addressed? Was a decision made regarding each item?

Sometimes, one of your items becomes moot when something grand and wonderful happens, and you can actually cross it off and initial as "no longer needed". (Yes, I actually see that happen.) In fact, once you start using this method you'll likely see a lot less resistance than before. These poor folks often see "irate" parents, and they know how to handle that, because an irate parent is not in control of the situation. When you can come into the meeting with your priorities written down in a businesslike manner, then you'll begin to feel in control and will know you are a driving force at that meeting.

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The only way a child with special needs is going to be fully successful is with the cooperation of parents, school personnel, service providers, and, of course the student. Hopefully, things run smoothly and everyone is satisfied with the child's placement and progress. However, parents of a child with a disability know that bumps are likely to pop up along the road to academic success.

It's comforting to know that our education law has built-in protections to see that the necessary services are available to children. State regulations must, at the very least, meet the minimum federal regulations. They can be more, but not less, than the federal regs.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, was reauthorized in 1997 and the new regulations have been published. (Note that Appendix C has become Appendix A.) Parents easily overlook this appendix which provides very practical answers to frequently asked questions regarding the law.

If your child isn't successful in school, he/she has the right to be evaluated and, if needed, have special services provided. You're entitled to ask for an evaluation to determine why your child isn't successful. Watch out for school officials using the phrase, "She or he will grow out of it." Children do not outgrow disabilities.

If you learn the basics of the law, and you use careful documentation procedures, you can truly be empowered as an important member of your child's education team. You should also know that your active participation in all educational decisions is expected under the new law.

You also need to be aware that schools may not use "the budget" or "conserving resources" as a reason to withhold services. This information is important under the new law, as school districts can now co-mingle special ed funds and regular ed funds, whereas before the two had to be accounted for separately.

This is good news and bad news. The good news is that districts which are making a positive effort to bring children with disabilities into the regular classroom with the needed supports and services for each child will have more flexibility when it comes to paying for those items. The bad news is, it can offer a district without that intent a way to perhaps shirk its responsibility to children with disabilities by just placing them in a regular ed class without providing the training, support, and expertise the teacher may need to be successful. So the good districts may get even better and the poor districts may have even less accountability.

It's up to you, as a parent, to get everything promised in writing and follow up on a regular basis to see if those promises are fulfilled. If your child is receiving special education services, this is accomplished through a well-written IEP (Individualized Education Program).

Hopefully any conflicts you have can be resolved on a local level, ideally within the school itself. If the first step doesn't work proceed on to the next level, always documenting what you are told. Remember, time is never, and I repeat never, on the side of the child. You have only 12 years to get that public education. Those years go by very quickly.

If you believe words are falling on deaf ears, there are several logical steps that will almost always lead to successful resolution of a problem:

• You have gone to the teacher who cannot offer a resolution.

  If your child is receiving services under IDEA, or accommodations under 504, I recommend calling for a meeting of team personnel directly involved with your child's education. It's been my experience, that at this point, any issue can be resolved if the team is focused on the needs of the child and the appropriate supports needed by the teaching staff are in place.

• If there's obvious disagreement at a team meeting, then write a Letter of Understanding and make an appointment to personally visit with the Director of Special Education. Take along any input from the teacher and pertinent testing or medical records.

  If your child hasn't received any special services, you may request the school- based assessment team meet to review the progress or problems. Ask for a timeline, or it can take a year for this team to try a number of interventions before referring to Special Ed for evaluation.

• If they say "there's no problem," and you know your child is not progressing as their peers are, take any input from the teacher and any pertinent records, i.e. medical or psychological records, directly to the Director of Special Education.

  If such a meeting isn't possible, or would be too long in coming, send a copy of any documentation you have collected along with a letter of concern to your State Department of Education. School administration can give you that address and phone number. You can also find it on the net. Include any "Letters of Understanding" you have written to local personnel. Hopefully, the State can intervene and may offer mediation.

• Mediation is strongly encouraged, but it's important to know you don't have to accept mediation. You have to use your judgment on how long you've been trying to resolve the differences, how much more time your child can afford to be without services, and whether you believe the district will act in good faith following through on recommendations that come out of mediation. Mediation is supposed to take place promptly, and I would ask for a timeline on it. It certainly can be a way to clear up many misunderstandings, as long as the district is willing to carry through on recommendations and you are willing to carry through in your supportive responsibilities.

  My experience, so far, has been that if both parties were really acting in good faith, you wouldn't have to have gone to the State in the first place. Hopefully with the new IDEA guidelines the decisions of mediation will be more binding.

• If you do not feel mediation might resolve the issues you have the right to file a formal complaint with your State Department of Education. They can give you the guidelines for filing. Usually it's a fairly short letter stating explicitly that you are filing a formal complaint against your school district on behalf of your child. State in a numbered list exactly what your concerns are. This keeps you focused. You do not want to generalize in this letter. It also enables the state to address all concerns precisely as you list them. Include copies of all correspondence, evals, IEP's, 504's, pertinent medical evaluations, etc.
  
  The clock starts ticking as soon as the State receives your complaint. By law, they have 60 days to resolve your complaint, although in my experience they do it much more quickly than that. They will recommend mediation and should advise you, however, that you do not have to accept mediation. They should advise that you may postpone the complaint, drop the complaint, or ask for an investigation which means the 60 deadline for resolution goes into effect.

• It is important to include all your issues in the initial complaint, as any new issues added later can start the 60 day clock ticking all over again from the beginning.

Hopefully, by following healthy, effective communication procedures and keeping good documentation you will never have to file such a complaint. However, the complaint process is still viewed as a friendly way to resolve issues drawing on the technical assistance and expertise that State level personnel possess. It doesn't involve lawyers or any legal expenses. The only cost is paper and return-receipt-requested postage.

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Fortunate is the child with ADHD whose teacher is flexible, innovative, and consistent in providing reminders and organizational tips. This child will have a head start in gaining academically and socially, with increased self-confidence and self-esteem. There are a number of tips that can make life easier for both student and teacher. You, as the parent, can suggest these tips and request they be written in an IEP if your child needs them.

The teacher can be a tremendous influence on how peers view your child. However, teachers as well as others often hold misconceptions and bias towards children with ADHD. Your child is entitled to teachers who have a basic understanding of the disability. Teachers should be provided any training necessary to acquire the tools and strategies necessary for your child's academic and social success. Such training and understanding can be gained in a reasonably short time at any number of high powered workshops held nationwide each year. You have the right to request teachers receive such basic training. With education come understanding and competency, as well as tolerance and respect for the child who learns differently. Indeed, I believe tolerance, mutual respect, and self-respect are the most important elements of a child's education.

If your child has a teacher who is set in the "old ways," has a "my-way or no-way attitude," and views ADHD simply as an excuse for poor performance, I would head right to the principal and request a change of teachers immediately. You do have the right to expect someone with a genuinely positive attitude towards your child.

Successful teaching techniques for the child with ADHD are helpful for all students. It's pretty hard to fault visual reminders, peer tutoring, breaking tasks down into manageable units, use of computers, allowing controlled movement, and a providing a refuge when needed. (We all need that at times. Teachers hopefully have their lounge for short breaks.) If a teacher feels that your child would then have privileges others would not, you might suggest that such techniques be made available to the whole class.

Let's talk about some of these modifications and accommodations.

Great Classroom Accommodations for ADHD

Allow for extra movement. When given a choice, no ADHD child of mine ever sat at a table with feet on the floor to study homework. Indeed, when they had to study in a setting that didn't allow movement, their performance declined. I've seen classrooms where children are allowed to sit on low tables, or even under the tables, to read and write. The room was relatively quiet and orderly, even though there were a number of children with impulsivity and hyperactivity. You see, when the impulsivity and hyperactivity is accommodated, it tends to diminish with such accommodations.

Build a quiet corner. A soft rug, some beanbag chairs, make-due foam pillows in a back corner offers a more natural setting for leisure reading.

Study carrels offer privacy and personal space when needed. Carrels can be placed against the back wall or folding individual carrels can be constructed of hardboard and placed on the student's desk. Student can decorate as desired.

Preferential seating. ADHD students may perform better when seated near the teacher and where visual distractions are reduced. Others are so self-conscious when seated up front, it actually diminishes their performance. This has to be an individual call.

Have an escape hatch for this child. Children with ADHD don't filter incoming information as most people do. You know how you have a certain boiling point beyond which there's no return, until you blow your anger? Children with ADHD usually have a very low boiling point.

Additionally, the overload of sensory input from the natural noises and activities in a classroom can really aggravate the situation. Imagine how you'd feel if you were left in a room with a dozen TV's all blaring forth at the same time on different stations. Children with ADHD often can't distinguish between important incoming information and unimportant information. It all comes in at a feverish, screeching pitch when there's a lot of activity and noise. It's easy for them to totally lose control and no one else around them understands why.

By learning the danger signs, teachers and parents know when to intervene before a youngster loses it. This works at home, as well as at school. Build in breaks for these children if you see the frustration building. For teachers, send the child for a drink, let them sort papers for you by your desk, offer a wet paper towel to wipe their face, anything to give a bit of relief and to redirect them. Losing 5 minutes of teaching time may gain you several hours in the long run.

Home-school communication log. This has been the most valuable tool for staying on top of things. Teachers who haven't used such a log sometimes are apprehensive about the time involved, but once they get used to it, they find it makes life much easier.

As the parent, you accept the responsibility for seeing that it gets into the backpack for school. One person at school accepts responsibility for seeing that it's in the backpack to go home. At no time is this log ever used punitively to write unpleasant opinions or observations. It may include, and should include, encouraging notes from both parent and teachers. It can log any unusual concern and ask to visit with the other party. It can track unfinished homework and timelines for upcoming homework. Teacher and parent design it to fit their needs.

An extra set of books at home. Many parents and teachers are unaware that a child with organizational or impulsive difficulties has the right to have an extra set of curriculum books at home. If a child is distractible and forgetful and getting poor grades for unfinished assignments because books are left behind, ask for this accommodation. I know of a junior high that has recently provided this service for all its students. Life is much easier for everyone.

Classroom Strategies to Help ADHD Kids

Provide a structured setting. Children with ADHD function more successfully with well defined routines.

These children very often fall apart if their routine is suddenly changed or interrupted. Nowhere is this more apparent than when the class has a substitute teacher. In fact, we often find it necessary and helpful to define within a child's IEP what supports will go into place when there's a substitute teacher. It's helpful to assign an inhouse adult who knows the child to inform the substitute of any special needs and to assist when necessary.

Structure shouldn't be at the expense of novelty and innovative teaching techniques. A child with ADHD craves novelty and new ways to learn. Repetition can be extremely difficult to impossible, i.e. worksheets and writing spelling words over and over.

Give a warning shortly before a change of activity will take place. Since they can hyperfocus on an activity of interest, they can be easily frustrated when pulled away suddenly without warning. They often have difficulty transitioning from subject-to-subject.

If you use a reward system, stickers and charts are most likely meaningless to this child. Children with ADHD seem to be born entrepreneurs. A tangible reward, something the individual child enjoys, is much more successful. One team was horrified to learn a teacher had been giving a child a candy bar twice a week as part of working with unacceptable behaviors. The mom just laughed and said "she'll do anything for chocolate, good going!" You see, the teacher's carefully chosen reward was meaningful to the child and had resulted in turning around some really negative habits over the course of that semester.

Children with ADHD are particularly vulnerable to overexcitement and lack of structure at times of transition between classes, at lunchtime, and before or after school. It may be necessary for such a child to pass at a different time, have close supervision, and be redirected if off-task. These are peak times for them to get in trouble for shoving, shouting, speaking out of turn, etc. They don't do well with waiting in line due to both impulsivity and/or hyperactivity. There are creative ways to work around such problem times, but the team needs to brainstorm together on the setting, the time of the repeated problems, and what personnel need to be involved to provide supports.

Children with repetitive behavior issues could be considered for a positive behavior plan and possibly an alternative discipline plan. Through such interventions, they're most likely to learn more appropriate behaviors. These plans can also prevent arbitrary and often unconstructive punishments handed down by personnel not knowledgeable about the child. Write in specific responses for common behavior issues.

Don't ever depend on a child with ADHD to independently ask you for help. They're usually very, very painfully aware of their shortcomings and want to hide them, not showcase them by physically approaching a teacher to ask for assistance. However, if you approach them discreetly, they're most likely to be very grateful for help. A visual cue understood by teacher and student can be helpful.

Children with ADHD often only process about 30% of what they hear. Repeat, repeat repeat. Say it, write it, draw it, sing it, whatever you can think of to present instructions in varying ways. Ask to have the student repeat what he hear you say.

Timed tests can be counterproductive for the child with ADHD who is easily distracted and who doesn't have a built-in sense of time. Frequently, uch tests don't allow this child to demonstrate what he or she actually knows.

More Classroom Tips for Teachers

This child craves praise and encouragement more than the average child. Even if the successes are small, encouragement pays off in higher self-esteem and self-confidence.

Help discover the hidden talents and strengths of the child. Building on the strengths in childhood can build a great foundation for work and leisure in the adult years.

Be aware that the typical child with ADHD has poor social skills and doesn't read nonverbal communication well. They can easily misread a situation. Role playing after the fact can help this child see how a situation might have played out. Asking, "How do you think you might do things differently next time?" can lead to improved problem solving skills as well as improved social skills. This is an excellent exercise for both home and school.

Work with the parents to establish consistent rules and similar rewards. This also demonstrates to the child that you're working with the parents and communicating with them.

Pairing an ADHD child with another student can sometimes assist concentration and organization. Peer tutoring can work wonders helping the child with ADHD stay focused. Sometimes just the nearby presence of a successful student assigned to help can make all the difference in the world. This also encourages the development of social skills.

Passing out a prewritten assignment list can help not only the ADHD child but also children with other disabilities to successfully complete homework. Emphasis on responsibility is shifted to the actual assignment rather than on poor organizational skills, visual perceptual skills, or dysgraphia, (a handwriting disability).

Novelty, novelty, and more novelty. Children with ADHD will not stay on task with repetitive activities. Their worst nightmare, (and teacher's in the long run) is worksheets. Unless it's reinforcing a new concept, they should be eliminated. Individual projects, work centers, an art project, research on the computer, all can reinforce learning areas in a way that will benefit all children. When given the opportunity, these children can come up with some powerful, creative, resourceful projects.

Close communication between home and school. Neither teacher nor parent can afford to let little problems that repeat themselves go unresolved. Little problems have a way of growing into gigantic problems that can damage relationships. Both parties must shoulder the responsibility of keeping the other informed.

Any list of rules for the child with ADHD should be simple and short. Pick your battles carefully. If a child is faced with too many rules, you're likely to get noncompliance to most of them. The child simply can't focus on all of them at the same time. It's amazing the progress that can be made if the focus is on small steps rather than giant leaps with these children. It's critical to keep in mind that the typical child with ADHD is about 30% behind his peers in emotional and social maturity. Because so many of these children are very bright, it's easy to forget their limitations.

Always be sure to have eye contact with this child before giving specific instructions. Some children can't handle close eye contact, and in this case a predetermined signal between student and teacher can be enough to focus attention.

Children with ADHD respond well to positive interventions and discipline strategies rather than punitive interventions. Since punishment only heightens an already over-stimulated brain, it's self-defeating in the long run.

If a child has an IEP and is receiving special ed services, the IEP document is now required to address what extra services and supports you, as the teacher, need in order to be successful with that child. That requirement is a result of the 1997 IDEA Amendments, which is the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. You should not hesitate to take part as a member of the IEP team and let them know if there is an area of concern, and how they can help you address those needs or concerns. You should also be able to rely on all team members, particularly your team administration member LEA for support and guidance when you need it. A good IEP will have those details listed in writing, so you'll know who in special ed is directly responsible to assist you.

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Dyslexia is an inherited condition that makes it extremely difficult to learn reading, spelling, writing -- despite average or higher intelligence -- using standard teaching methods. The cause of dyslexia is neurological - it's caused by a brain difference that affects 17 to 20 percent of people everywhere.

A person with dyslexia has great difficulty hearing sounds within words -- the individual "phonemes." As a result, when they learn the alphabet, they don't solidly understand the relationship between letters and sounds. Without special training, most never learn how to "sound out" unknown words. That means their reading will "top out" between second- and third-grade level - limited by the number of words they can memorize. These students then fall farther behind each year. Many drop out before high school graduation.

People with dyslexia CAN learn to read, but only with special systems that:

1. Focus on the sounds within words (phonemes).

2. Involve intense practice, using simultaneously multisensory exercises.

3. Present information in a systematic, logical sequence.

4. Don't rely on memorizing, but instead teach rules that the student can apply broadly.

5. Teach reading and spelling together, so they reinforce each other.

All the reading and spelling systems that are effective with dyslexic people are based on the work of Dr. Orton and Anna Gillingham -- done clear back in the 1930's! These Orton-Gillingham systems require special training for the teacher or tutor, because they are so different from standard methods.

Dyslexic children are at high risk for dropping out of school, using drugs, or becoming teen-age parents. Unless someone steps in and teaches them to read and spell using an Orton-Gillingham system, many will end up in low-paying jobs, on welfare, or in prison.

Symptoms of dyslexia, appropriate ways to diagnose dyslexia, and information on effective teaching are on the Bright Solutions For Dyslexia website.

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Documentation

Documentation is an extremely effective tool for advocacy efforts. Often, it's the key to success when dealing with difficult situations. Documentation calls for accountability and also allows for kudos when things go right. The basics are simple:

• Gather up all your child's records, such as IEP's (Individual Education Plan), school multidisciplinary evaluations, medical records, and any correspondence with people regarding your child's education, medical conditions, or disabilities.

• Separate them and file them in a large 3-ring binder, sectioned off for categories such as medical, evals, correspondence, IEPs. If you aren't very organized, at least put them into several large, labeled (evaluations, IEP's, medical records, correspondence, etc), manila envelopes.

  I keep the latest IEP with the latest multidisciplinary evaluation. I believe a good IEP is really an extension of the evaluation, and the two are tied closely together. The new Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) also recognizes the importance of linking the two documents. Too often the evaluation is never consulted during the actual planning at an IEP meeting. Doing this is the equivalent of getting a medical physical, then no one ever looking at the results or using them for guidance in treatment. Parents need to review both documents and have them on the table before them at any IEP meeting. It would be helpful if administrators and teachers would also refer to both documents.

• Keep a copy of everything. If anything the district writes in longhand is illegible, ask an administrator to please remain so that you might write out that person's review of the information. Then ask that person to sign the document stating that your rewritten information is accurate.

  If you get a computer printout of the IEP at the end of the meeting, you're entitled to take a copy home and review it thoroughly before you sign anything. It's your responsibility to return the document promptly and either agree or disagree with it.

  The only way I'm comfortable with such an IEP, written sight unseen on a computer, is if the district uses commonly available technology and projects the IEP onto a screen, as it's being written. This is a wonderful approach that enables all team participants to review and correct any misinterpretation during the meeting itself. It also affords a very clear, legible document.

• Ask for a white copy of any carbon document. Carbon smears over time and becomes illegible.

• Keep an informal journal or notepad by your phone. Record every effort you make to contact school personnel, the date, reply, who the contact was with, and a brief summary of the visit or telephone call.

• When you attend any meeting, or if you initiate a phone call, have a written list of points you want addressed. Cross them off as they are discussed. Often parents think of those important points after the meeting has ended.

• Follow up every contact with a "letter of understanding".

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This is an overview of Section 504. This law can have positive effects on your child if he/she should need accommodations to succeed in school. For more information visit your public library, call the office of Civil Rights, or your local advocacy office.

Information taken from a handout written by Texas Education Agency.

For more information contact your state school agency or your local advocacy group.

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Susan Jones, M. Ed. 2/99

1. Be Prepared

Before you meet the students, examine their IEPS to figure out how you're going to meet their needs. This may mean being aggressive in being allowed to find out the students in your courses -- you are *not* a regular education teacher who knows that you'll be teaching "Physical Science" fourth period with a predetermined school system's curriculum. You cannot really plan anything until you've seen the individual needs of your students.

Take a good look at those IEPs. If three students with emotional problems need a place to unwind, it will be impossible for you to simultaneously provide an "undistracting environment" for LD/ADD students to complete tests or assignments. If three different students need individual or small group remediation for different subjects, and the IEP states that each student will get "50 minutes a day" of that service, you may be overtaxed in your lesson planning and may find it hard to claim that you are complying with the IEP. Before it's December and you realize "things aren't working," anticipate these kinds of conflicts. Make room arrangements, paraprofessional schedule arrangements, student schedule or IEP changes, or other adjustments if need be.

2. Establish communication routines early and thoroughly

Connect with the students' other teachers, and get creative in figuring out a way to establish regular communication with a minimum burden on either of you. One of the great frustrations for a resource room teacher, the student and parents, is finding out that a student has done poorly in a class when it's too late to do anything about it. Don't hope that a system "will evolve," or assume that if you haven't heard anything, that everything is fine - even if the student tells you it is. Have a system in place and give the student positive feedback early, instead of waiting for something negative and reacting to it.

3. Be Proactive

Decide how you're going to evaluate student performance -- and tell them on the first day of class. Just as the IEP has "measurable progress," insist that your students learn and do measurable things in your class. Provide a chart for weekly or daily grades and do what it takes to make sure that your students are getting something out of resource class -- and can see what they've gotten.

3. Be Provocative

Expect your students to learn from school. Some of your students will be very adept at avoiding responsibility; many have very low expectations. If you can't make the connection through their regular classes, provide other things for them to learn in your class.

4. Avoid the "enabling" trap

"Matthew effect" is the phrase used to describe how students with mild handicaps get further and further behind their peers, as "the rich get richer, the poor get poorer." Resource rooms, unfortunately, can aggravate this tendency. When a student is being 'helped' through assignments and tests, and not held accountable for actually learning the material in them, then only the appearance of learning is happening. Other students will be learning content from that same assignment and integrating what they learn into what they already know. Too often the "helped" student learns that school is a place to make people think you're doing what they want you to, that other people learn but you don't, and that you need to be shepherded through your classes. Often, assignments can be creatively modified to make them meaningful, without simply reducing the quantity of work involved.

5. Avoid the "give them a fish" trap

Teachers in middle and secondary school often assume that if a student hasn't learned basic skills in reading and math by that point, that it's not worth investing any more time in learning those skills. The student may be assigned to the resource room to compensate for the reading the student is assumed to be unable to acquire. This is a gross injustice to the child. Middle school students, high school students, and adults have been successfully taught to read.

Unfortunately, the older the student, the more intensive the program needed and the longer it will take to make gains. It's highly unlikely that this instruction can be successfully accomplished in a resource room setting. If the primary barrier to a student's success in other classes is a specific skill, especially in middle school, then placement in the resource room may not be appropriate, although it is common. Meeting with the parent(s) and others on the IEP team and finding a way to teach the student those skills can be the difference between a future college graduate and a future illiteracy statistic.

(Susan has been most kind in giving permission to put her information at my site. Be sure to visit her site for up-to-date information and new articles for teachers and parents. If you are a teacher you should know that Susan is a highly qualified professional. If you are a parent, these tips may help you in suggesting strategies for your child's IEP or as input for teachers who need ideas. Thank you, Susan, for your generosity in sharing.)

Learning Activities for the Resource Room

These activities are for students who "don't have nothin'" or are "going to study." Depending on just how much structure the students require, you may assign point levels to various tasks (which can be individually adjusted) so that the student knows how much s/he has to complete to achieve a certain grade on a daily (or more frequently if necessary) or weekly basis. If students keep an ongoing notebook of their resource room work, they can see progress, especially if they do a lot of work in one area.

Learn to study. Instead of "looking at notes," there are many active ways to study. Student can be graded on things such as illustrated flashcards for words they're learning, or paraphrased notes, or oral quizzes on the material they reviewed, especially if you can give a quiz after fifteen minutes of active studying. The Study Skills Database from Muskingum College has many, many ideas.

Practice basic skills. That doesn't sound too exciting, but often students would pick out one of my "basic Math review" sheets -- and since they couldn't do the same sheet twice, they ended up doing progressively more challenging work but staying at their "comfort level." A good secondary spelling program can also help -- if a student learns the "i before e" rule all of his teachers may thank you!

Learn something else of interest. Some students will work on an independent 'project' in a subject of interest -- especially if they are provided with structure and feedback throughout the process. You could even find out in advance about upcoming projects and give the student the chance to get a jump on assignments that can otherwise be overwhelming. I have had students who decided they wanted to learn all the states and capitals, and scheduled the number they were expected to learn each day; others used blank maps and atlases to learn where countries were. Another student did an extensive report on the nine planets - that wasn't copied from the encyclopedia. It's amazing what students will do when they have choices and expectations.

Learn to keyboard. Keyboarding is a tangible, marketable skill and one that can be learned relatively independently. Odds are reasonably good that there's at least one old typewriter or computer suitable for learning to keyboard somewhere in your building or school system. This site lists many keyboarding programs (software and book form) and products which have been used successfully with people with learning disabilities and/or motor skills challenges.

Learn from commercial comprehension materials. There are many, many products designed to appeal to "at risk" or "reluctant" readers. Be aware, though, that often the reading levels of these materials is still beyond the independent reading levels of your students. Don't add to the humiliation by giving a student "special" materials -- that they still can't read. Look for materials that actively engage the students. Weekly Reader has an "Extra" magazine for middle and secondary special needs students that has many activities and interesting articles.

copyright © 1998-1999 Susan Jones, Resource Room. All Rights Reserved.

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Special Education Law and Advocacy

• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (U.S. Dept. of Education)

• Office for Civil Rights

• Wrightslaw (This is a must site)

• Internet Special Education Resources

• Federation for Children with Special Needs

• Center on Children and the Law

• Special Education Resources on the Internet (SERI)

• Preparing for an IEP Meeting

• 504 Civil Rights Law

• THOMAS, a legislative search engine

• Council on Exceptional Children

• Find Law

• Consumer Law

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• LDonLine Info on ADHD

• ADHD without Hyperactivity

• Articles about parenting, ADHD in adults and children, book reviews, great info

• Kidsource article on ADHD

• Child Development Institute (ADHD)

• ADD Myths

Disabilities

• NIH on Asperger Syndrome

• Aspergers Syndrome Educational Implications: Ideas For Classroom Management

• Aspen of America (neurological disorders, Aspergers, PPD-NOS, lots of info)

• Kid's Source on Spoken Language Problems

• International Dyslexia Association

• Bright Solutions for Dyslexia

• Central Auditory Processing Disorder or CAPD

• Dyscalculia

• LDOnline

• National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHY)

• Learning Disability Association (LDA)

• Center for New Discoveries in Learning

• Dysgraphia

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Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIC) resulted from the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which was passed more than 20 years ago. This special education law was designed to specifically protect and ensure a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) for all children who have disabilities. However, the law is large and confusing for many parents who try to get services under it. So the government mandated that special centers be set up as resources for parents.

At the Parent Training and Information Centers, you can find information on all kinds of disabilities, a list of service providers, fellow parents for mutual support, advocacy training in how to be an equal effective partner in your child's education, workshops and networking in general. Their services are free.

Such a center is where our family was finally able to find the support and training we needed to understand our rights as parents in the educational system. We also learned that it was possible to form a positive team effort for our son; but we really had to buckle down and learn about the law, our rights as parents, and our son's rights as a student in the public education system. It saved our lives.

We were totally exhausted and drained from trying to educate our son with no guidance except our common sense. We even resorted to home school for several years before we learned from our PTIC that we could, and indeed, should ask the district to teach our son the way he learns. The PTIC provided all the information and moral support we so desperately needed. It's solely because of this support that I am now trained to help other parents find the resources and support they need as parents of a child with disabilities. There are many such centers across the country helping parents such as yourself. Do not hesitate to call. They are parents themselves who have been through similar circumstances and stand ready to help. Please contact your instate PTIC, as they serve the local population. Just click here for your local PTIC.

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• We are intelligent and highly motivated by intellectual challenges.
• We are creative and highly imaginative, and can express ourselves in unique ways.
• We have high energy and meet challenges with enthusiasm.
• We are intuitive and can easily sense the needs and feelings of others.
• We are resourceful, and can devise ways and means to accomplish things.
• We are warmhearted and enjoy doing things for others.
• We are humorous and have an ability to make others laugh.
• We are hardworking and have a never-say-die approach to life.
• We are willing to take risks and see risk-taking as a form of excitement.
• We are loyal, honest, and trustworthy.
• We are flexible, and adapt easily to change.
• We are change-agents, and like the intrigue involved in change.
• We are productive and effective if we like what we are doing.
• We are forgiving, and rarely hold grudges.
• We are good observers of the world around us, and are able to find quick solutions to complicated situations.

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