A parent’s guide to special education: insider advice on how to navigate the system and help your child succeed

Linda Wilmshurst, Alan W. Brue0814472834, 9780814472835, 9780814428849

The term ‘special education’ encompasses dozens of learning challenges: developmental delay, learning and physical disabilities, emotional disturbance, retardation, language impairment, autism, and others. By nature of this diversity, navigating even well-run, well-funded special education programs can be daunting. A Parent’s Guide to Special Education offers guidance to parents and their children – as well as to teachers, counselors, and administrators – on issues including: * diagnosis and awareness * special education laws * eligibility issues and requirements * programs * parenting issues * communication between parents and schools * and much more A Parent’s Guide to Special Education offers invaluable information and a positive vision of special education that will help them through a potentially overwhelming process. Filled with practical recommendations, sample forms, and enlightening examples, this is a priceless resource for helping every child learn.

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Table of contents :
A Parent’s Guide Special to Education……Page 1
Contents……Page 6
Acknowledgments……Page 8
Introduction to Special Education:A New Territory……Page 12
P A R T I WALKING THROUGHTHE PROCESS……Page 18
S TEP O NE:Federal Law andYour Child’s Education……Page 20
C H A P T E R 1 The Individuals with Disabilities EducationImprovement Act of 2004: What a Great IDEA!……Page 22
C H A P T E R 2 Not All Roads Lead to Special EducationPlacement: The 411 on 504 Plans……Page 36
C H A P T E R 3 A Comparison of IDEA 2004 and Section 504,and a Brief Look at No Child Left Behind……Page 46
S TEP T WO:Understanding thePsychological Assessmentand Your Child’s Disability……Page 54
C H A P T E R 4 The Psychological Assessment: What to Expect……Page 56
C H A P T E R 5 The Assessment of Intelligence……Page 69
C H A P T E R 6 Other Psychological Assessments:Achievement Testing, Process Testing, andEmotional/Behavioral Assessments……Page 86
C H A P T E R 7 Understanding Your Child’s Disability……Page 98
S TEP T HREE:Understanding theSpecial Education Process……Page 120
C H A P T E R 8 Labels: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly……Page 122
C H A P T E R 9 You and Me and the IEP……Page 132
C H A P T E R 1 0 Beyond Eligibility for Special Education:What’s Next?……Page 139
P A R T I I HELPFUL HINTS FORPOSITIVE PARENTING……Page 152
C H A P T E R 1 1 A Parent’s Guide to Parent-TeacherCommunication and School Meetings……Page 154
C H A P T E R 1 2 A Parent’s Guide to Stress and Coping……Page 165
C H A P T E R 1 3 A Parent’s Guide to Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem and Increasing Social Competence……Page 171
C H A P T E R 1 4 A Parent’s Guide to Behavior and Discipline……Page 179
A P P E N D I X A Selected Changes in the Individualswith Disabilities Education ImprovementAct of 2004……Page 192
A P P E N D I X B Sample 504 Plans……Page 198
A P P E N D I X C Sample Behavior Charts……Page 214
A P P E N D I X D Procedural Safeguards……Page 216
A P P E N D I X E Sample IEP Forms……Page 224
A P P E N D I X F Food for Thought: Helpful Resources……Page 238
G L O S S A R Y Acronyms 101—Educational Abbreviationsand What They Mean……Page 252
References……Page 266
Index……Page 268