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PARTNERSIN SPECIALEDUCATIONA Parent Guide

PARTNERSIN SPECIALEDUCATIONA Parent Guide

D E P A R T M E N T O F D E F E N S E D E P E N D E N T S S C H O O L SD E P A R T M E N T O F D E F E N S E D E P E N D E N T S S C H O O L S

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Secretary of DefenseThe Honorable William S. Cohen

Under Secretary of Defensefor Personnel And ReadinessThe Honorable Edwin Dorn

Assistant Secretary of Defensefor Force Management PolicyThe Honorable Fred Pang

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defensefor Personnel Support, Families and EducationMs. Carolyn H. Becraft

Director, Department of DefenseEducation Activity DirectorDr. Lillian Gonzalez

With appreciation to everyone who contributedto the development of the Department of DefenseDependents Schools Special Education Parent Guide

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PARTNERS INSPECIAL EDUCATIONA Parent Guide

PARTNERS INSPECIAL EDUCATIONA Parent Guide

A MESSAGE FOR PARENTS 4

SECTION ONE:Key Elements of Special Education 5

What Is Child Find?What Is Special Education?What Are The Disability Categories?What Is An IEP?What Are Related Services?What Are Due Process Procedures?

SECTION TWO:The Special Education Process - From EarlyIntervention to Post School Transition 9

What Are The Steps In TheSpecial Education Process?

How Does My Child Transition From EarlyIntervention To Special Education?

What Is Secondary Transition?

SECTION THREE: Making the Partnership Work 13

Who Makes Decisions About My Child?How Do We Resolve Concerns And Problems?What Are My Rights And Responsibilities?

SECTION FOUR: Glossary of Terms 15

SECTION FIVE: Resources For Parents 17

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“Partners in Special Education: A Parent Guide” hasbeen developed to assist you as parents, guardians, orother family members in learning more about specialeducation and how we can work together as partners inproviding appropriate educational services for your child.If you have noticed that he/she may be having difficultiesin school or is not developing as expected, this handbookwill provide you with helpful information in gettinganswers to your concerns and questions. It is not unusualfor you to feel alone or anxious about this situation.

Your son or daughter may be in need of some specialsupport and assistance through the Department ofDefense Education Activity (DoDEA) Special Educationsystem. As you will see in this handbook, a process hasbeen designed to give you the opportunity to join inpartnership with educators and other professionals indesigning special support and assistance for your child tobe successful in school. By becoming involved in thispartnership, you will be a vital link in promoting yourchild’s social, emotional, and academic growth. Remem-ber, you are the best informed and most knowledgeableadvocate for your child and are a very important memberin this partnership.

This handbook will address many commonly askedquestions families have when beginning the specialeducation process. If you have additional questions orwant more information, remember that you are notalone. Talk with your child’s teachers and other staffmembers at the school. It may also be helpful to talkwith other families that also have had experience in thisprocess. As partners, we can make it work.

Lillian GonzalezDirectorMay 1997

A Message To ParentsA Message To Parents

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WHAT IS CHILD FIND?

CHILD FIND is a DoDDS program that activelyseeks to locate and identify children and youth, agesbirth through 21 years of age, who may have develop-mental delays or educational disabilities and mayneed special education and related services. ChildFind activities, when conducted in the school, mayinclude teacher observations,parent observations, and confer-ences to discuss your child’sstrengths and needs. Theseactivities may lead to a formalprocess designed to furtherexplore ways to assist your child.This process may ultimately result in arecommendation for your child toreceive special education services.

If you have a concern about one of your children,you can help this child develop to his or her fullestpotential by contacting your local school or thepediatric clinic in your military hospital. They canprovide you with information about Child Find andcan schedule a screening, if needed.

WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION?

Special education is any specially designed instruc-tion, support, or equipment a student may need inorder to reach his or her fullest potential. Theseservices are available to eligible students, ages 3through 21 years of age within DoDDS, and mayinclude changes to the education program, commonlyknown as classroom modifications. A student mayalso receive services in the general education class-room, a resource room, self-contained class, or otherappropriate setting. Special education services providethe additional support or assistance your child mayneed to be successful.

If your child requires special education services,you will be involved in decisions about what services,instruction, and equipment are to be provided, as wellas where these services may take place. DoDDS willensure that placement is made in the least restrictiveenvironment. This means a student who receivesspecial education services must be placed, to thegreatest extent possible, in an educational setting withstudents his or her own age. Special education andgeneral education are partners with you in thisprocess.

DoDDS special education services are directed byboth Federal regulations, P.L. 101-476, “Individualswith Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),” and Depart-ment of Defense Instruction, DoDI 1342.12, “Provi-sion of Early Intervention and Special EducationServices to Eligible DoD Dependents in OverseasAreas,” dated March 12, 1996. These documentsensure that DoDDS personnel and families know whois eligible and what they must do to provide a free andappropriate public education (FAPE).

WHAT ARE THE DISABILITY CATEGORIES?

Listed below are the five disability categoriesidentified by the law that the Case Study Committeewill review during the evaluation process to determineif your child is eligible for special education. It isimportant for you to seek as much information as youneed in order to understand the meaning of thedisability which may be identified for your child.

CATEGORY A: Physical Impairment

Students whose educational performance isadversely affected by a physical impairment thatrequires environmental and/or academic modifications

SECTION ONEKey Elementsof Special Education

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including, but not limited to, the following: visuallyimpaired, hearing impaired, orthopedically impaired,other health impaired. This category also includes thedisabilities of autism and traumatic brain injury.

CATEGORY B: Emotional Impairment

An emotional condition that has been confirmedby clinical evaluation and diagnosis and that, over along period of time and to a marked degree, adverselyaffects educational performance and that exhibits oneor more of the following characteristics:

¶ An inability to learn that cannot be explainedby intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

· An inability to build or maintain satisfactoryinterpersonal relationships with peers andteachers.

¸ Inappropriate types of behavior under normalcircumstances.

¹ A tendency to develop physical symptoms orfears associated with personal or schoolproblems.

º A general pervasive mood of unhappiness ordepression.

This includes students who are schizophrenic, butdoes not include students who are socially malad-justed, unless it is determined that they are seriouslyemotionally disturbed.

CATEGORY C: Communication Impairment

Students whose educational performance isadversely affected by a developmental or acquiredcommunication disorder to include voice, fluency,articulation, receptive and/or expressive language.

Language disorders are characterized by an impair-ment/delay in receptive and/or expressive languageincluding semantics, morphology/syntax, phonologyand/or pragmatics. This impairment does not includestudents whose language problems are due to English asa second language or dialect difference.

Speech disorders include:

¶ Articulation disorder which is characterizedby substitutions, distortions, and/or omis-sions of phonemes which are not commensu-rate with expected developmental age norms,which may cause unintelligible conversationalspeech and are not the result of limitedEnglish proficiency or dialect.

· Fluency disorder which is characterized byatypical rate, rhythm, repetitions, and/orsecondary behavior(s) which interferes withcommunication or is inconsistent with age/development.

¸ Voice disorder which is characterized byabnormal pitch, intensity, resonance, dura-tion, and/or quality which is inappropriatefor chronological age or gender.

CATEGORY D: Learning Impairment

This category includes two disabilities. They are:

¶ Information Processing Deficit - A disorder ina student’s ability to effectively use one ormore of the cognitive processes (i.e., discrimi-nation, association, retention, reasoning) inthe educational environment. The term doesnot apply to students who have learningproblems that are primarily the result ofvisual, hearing, or motor disabilities, ofmental retardation or emotional disturbanceor of environmental, cultural, or economicdisadvantage.

· Intellectual Deficit - A significantly subaverageintellectual functioning existing concurrentlywith deficits in adaptive behavior and mani-fested during the developmental period thatadversely affects a student’s educationalperformance.

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CATEGORY E: Developmental Delay

The category of developmental delay is specificonly to children ages birth through 5 and refers to acondition which represents a significant delay in theprocess of development. It does not apply to a condi-tion in which a child is slightly or momentarily laggingin development. The presence of a developmentaldelay is an indication that the developmental pro-cesses are significantly impacted and that, withoutspecial intervention, it is likely that the educationalperformance will be affected when the child reachesschool age. The five developmental areas which areinvestigated in this category are:

¶ Physical Development;· Communication Development;¸ Cognitive Development;¹ Social/Emotional Development; andº Adaptive/Self-Help Development.

WHAT IS AN IEP?

The Individual Education Program (IEP) is theheart of the planning process for the special educationstudent. It is a plan that is developed by you and theother members of the Case Study Committee (CSC)to address your child’s strengths and needs. You willmeet together to discuss areas of concern and todevelop annual goals and short-term instructionalobjectives based on your child’s strengths and currentskills. The IEP includes the methods and tools theschool will use to determine if your child has madeprogress in reaching the goals selected by the team. Itwill include the related services and any classroommodifications or assistive technology needs. The IEPwill also include dates when services are expected tobegin and end as well as the amount of time thestudent will participate with other students who donot have special education needs.

The IEP program will go into effect only after youagree to the specific services to be provided and signthe IEP form. The program must be reviewed at leastonce each year, and may be reviewed by parents and/or school personnel at any time concerns arise.

Remember, the IEP is more than just a writtendocument. It is a planning process in which you arean integral part. You have a great deal of knowledgeand information about your child that the othermembers of the team need in order to plan. It is onlywhen all partners are involved and sharing theirinformation that an effective program can be devel-oped. This partnership is vital to the whole process.

WHAT ARE RELATED SERVICES?

Related services are specific support servicesprovided to special education students to help thembenefit and be successful in their instructional pro-gram. The need for these services is assessed throughthe evaluation process, with the involvement ofindividuals who have specialized knowledge in theareas of concern. A Case Study Committee (CSC)determines whether the need for a related serviceexists, based on information from the evaluation. If itis determined there is a need for a specific relatedservice, this service will be included in the IEP.

Related services are provided at no cost to thefamily and may include, but are not limited to, thefollowing:

s Speech/language therapys Psychological counselings Social work servicess Audiologys Occupational therapys Physical therapys Transportation

For some students, support will also includecertain types of assistive technology. Assistive technol-ogy is a type of related service which allows for the useof equipment which will aid the student’s functioningin his special education program. The need for suchassistance is determined through assessment andrecommendations from the CSC. The use of suchequipment will be entered on the student’s IEP.

Your role as parent is very important in determin-ing if related services are necessary for your child. Youcan help by providing information from medicalrecords, developmental information, and informationabout your child’s family relationships, behavioralpatterns, and routines at home.

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WHAT ARE DUE PROCESS PROCEDURES?

“Due Process” is a term used for a legal procedurethat seeks to ensure the rights of citizens to be treatedfairly. Due process procedures in special education areoften used when parents or educational professionalsdisagree about a child’s identification, evaluation,eligibility, individualized education program (IEP), orplacement.

Under Department of Defense Instruction, DoDI1342.12, “Provision of Early Intervention and SpecialEducation Services to Eligible DoD Dependents inOverseas Areas,” dated March 12, 1996, you have aright to a hearing regarding identification, evaluation,placement, or educational program of your child. Ifyou disagree with the findings of a hearing officer, youmay appeal that decision to the Assistant Secretary ofDefense.

Another option is MEDIATION. This processprovides a means by which you and school officialscan resolve problems through consensus. It is aninformal discussion between parents, school person-nel, and an impartial third party. Either parents orDoDDS may initiate mediation.

It is advisable that parents and educators seekother ways to resolve their differences prior to a formaldue process hearing or mediation. Some suggestionsare offered in the section on “How Do We ResolveConcerns And Problems” in this handbook.

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WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN THE SPECIALEDUCATION PROCESS?

This part of the handbook describes the steps inthe special education process with each step buildingon the previous one. It is important to know how theprocess works so that all participants can be effectivepartners.

1. PrereferralWhen you suspect that a student may be experi-

encing difficulties in academic achievement and/ordevelopmental progress, you should contact the child’steacher or guidance counselor to arrange a conferenceto discuss ideas and strategies that may help your childin the learning process. Behaviors that may indicatethat this prereferral process should begin include:

s Difficulty staying on tasks Persistent difficulty in following directions Frequent outbursts for no apparent reasons Difficulty in understanding what is reads Difficulty expressing ideas in spoken or

written forms Difficulty solving math problemss Experiencing complex medical problemss Inability to talk as well as children of the

same ages Demonstrating little interest in toys or stories

for children of that ages Demonstrating puzzling behaviorss Inability to play with other children

2. InterventionInterventions are changes in routines, both at

home and school, that have been recommended as aresult of the prereferral process. During the interven-tion period, observations of your child at home,knowledge about his or her development, your expec-tations at home, and understanding of how your childlearns can be important contributions and should be

shared with school officials.Your child may also berecommended to receive supportservices such as remedial reading or math, counsel-ing, psychological support, social work services, and/or community services.

3. ReferralAt the end of the prereferral/intervention period,

a conference is held with you to discuss your child’sprogress. If the interventions have not been success-ful, then a referral to the Case Study Committee(CSC) will be made. You, as a member of the CSC(and your child when appropriate), will work withschool and/or medically related personnel to decidewhether to provide additional support services or toplan a comprehensive individual evaluation for yourchild. The individual evaluation is recommendedwhen the committee suspects that your child may havean educational disability. Working with the CSC youwill contribute to the development of the evaluationplan. This plan is designed to gain insight, through aseries of tests and observations, into the suspected areaof disability(ies) which may be influencing your child’seducational success.

4. EvaluationEvaluations are special tests, observations and

other activities designed to collect information whichwill help in determining whether your child needsspecial education. You will be asked to share yourknowledge about your child’s development, yourexpectations at home, and information about howyour child learns. The purpose of the evaluation willbe printed on the permission form that you will beasked to sign. At this point, ask enough questions sothat you really understand what this evaluation means.These evaluations will be completed by a trained teamof professionals, (multidisciplinary team), includemore than one test, and be administered in yourchild’s native language or mode of communication.

SECTION TWOThe Special Education ProcessFrom Early Interventionto Post-School Transition

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The evaluation period may require up to 45 schooldays from the date that you give written permission.

The results of this evaluation will provide informa-tion about your child’s educational strengths andneeds and help determine whether a special educationprogram is necessary.

5. EligibilityAfter the evaluations are completed, you and

other members of the CSC will meet to review all ofthe information. At this point, ask enough questionsso that you really understand the results. During thismeeting, you will help to determine if your child iseligible for special education This decision is made bycomparing the evaluation results to the eligibilitycriteria for the suspected disability(ies) as discussed inSection One.

NOTE: What if my child is not eligible forspecial education?

If your child is determined not eligible for specialeducation services by the CSC but continues to havedifficulties, several alternative programs may beconsidered. Recommendations might include servicessuch as Reading Improvement, English as a SecondLanguage, Guidance Counseling, PsychologicalCounseling, Social Work Services, or other commu-nity services.

6. Individualized Education Program (IEP)If your child is found eligible for special educa-

tion, you will participate in developing a written planfor your child. This is called an IndividualizedEducation Program (IEP). This program includes:

s your child’s current educational levelss long range goals for a 1-year periods short-term objectivess ways in which progress will be evaluateds when progress will be revieweds who will provide the needed servicess the amount of time your child will be in

special educations any modifications to the general education

programs any related services needed such as transporta-

tion, speech, language, occupational therapy,

physical therapy, etc.s secondary transition planning for adult life

(must start no later than age 14)

Your ideas (and your child’s when appropriate)about what you want your child to learn in the nextyear will be considered in developing this plan. Theplan goes into effect only after you agree and sign itand may be reviewed at any time concerns ariseregarding the services being provided.

7. PlacementPlacement refers to the best learning environment

for your child. This can include a variety of options ona continuum of services from support in the generaleducation environment to a self-contained classroom.Placement will be determined by your child’s indi-vidual needs, strengths, goals and services required.Any decision about placement is made only after theIEP has been developed with your input, and mustconsider the least restrictive environment (LRE) forthe student.

8. Annual ReviewYour child’s progress in achieving the goals on the

IEP must be reviewed and revised each year at theAnnual IEP Review meeting. Your observations aboutany changes in your child’s education, both positiveand negative, should be shared at this time. You canprepare for this meeting by reviewing your child’scurrent IEP and listing ideas that you would like tohave included. in the development of the next IEP.You may also ask to have this plan reviewed at anytime during the school year. You (and your childwhen appropriate) will participate in this annualreview process.

9. Three-Year ReevaluationYour child must be reevaluated every 3 years to

determine current educational needs and specialeducation eligibility. You or the school staff mayrequest that a reevaluation be conducted before thethird year if it is believed to be necessary. You will beinvolved in designing an evaluation plan to determineif your child continues to be eligible for specialeducation and/or related services.

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HOW DOES MY CHILD TRANSITIONFROM EARLY INTERVENTION TOSPECIAL EDUCATION?

Your child may be identified as having specialneeds between the ages of birth and 2 years. An EarlyIntervention Program, operated by the militarybranches, will be provided to meet the needs of thechild and family. These services will be addressed inan Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

Beginning at age 3 years, your child may bereferred for placement in the Preschool Services forChildren with Disabilities (PSCD) program. This ispart of the special education program operated byDoDDS designed to provide for the special needs ofstudents between the ages of 3 and 21 years of age.Services provided in this program will be addressed inan Individualized Education Program (IEP).

It is important for you to be involved in planningfor the transition of your child from the Early Inter-vention program to the Special Education program.You can help by collecting and sharing educationaland medical information with your child’s earlyintervention team leader. You should begin to planfor the transition when your child is 2 years 6 monthsof age, but in no case, later than when your child is 2years 9 months of age.

Prior to your child’s entry into the special educa-tion program, a meeting will be arranged by the earlyintervention team leader with the local school CaseStudy Committee (CSC). You will be a member of thisteam which will decide what follow-up actions will benecessary for the transition to occur. Once the CSCdetermines your child to be eligible for special educa-tion services, an IEP will be developed and the pro-gram location and entry date will be determined.

WHAT IS SECONDARY TRANSITION?

Secondary transition is a coordinated set of activi-ties for a student which promotes movement fromschool to post-school activities and is based on his orher needs, preferences and interests. The ultimate goalof the transition process is meaningful employmentand/or participation within the community, and aquality life for all individuals with disabilities.

Secondary transition planning for your child willinvolve special education staff and related servicesproviders along with you and your child. The plan-ning process is designed to ensure that your child willbe provided the necessary skills and services to make asmooth transition from school to adult life with aslittle interruption as possible. Beginning at age 14years, and each year thereafter, your child and you willbe involved in developing an Individualized TransitionPlan (ITP) which will be included as a part of the IEP.The ITP will address what skills and services will beprovided for your child to be successful upon leavingschool in the following areas:

¶ Employment· Post-secondary training and education¸ Independent living¹ Community participation

Your involvement in discussions and the decisionmaking process will help in building a solid transitionbridge for your child upon leaving school based onboth family and student expectations.

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WHO MAKES DECISIONSABOUT MY CHILD’S NEEDS?

You will be working with the school Case StudyCommittee (CSC) in making decisions about yourchild’s needs. The CSC accepts student referrals fromclassroom teachers, family members, other staffmembers, and representatives of community agencies.The CSC is composed of you and other individualswithin the school system who have special knowledgeor information. The CSC is also referred to as amultidisciplinary team, meaning that they come fromdifferent disciplines or skill areas, each providing inputinto the process. You also have special knowledge thatneeds to be considered. The CSC must include atleast the following individuals:

s Parent(s)s Classroom teacher(s)s Administrators Special Education Teacher

and may sometimes include persons, such as:

s Communication Impairment Specialist(speech and language therapist)

s School Counselors School Psychologists School Nurses Physicians Physical Therapists Occupational Therapists Clinical Psychologist

One of the CSC members will be designated asthe Case Manager for your child. This person willoversee the CSC process and ensure that you areinvolved in all decisions affecting your child’s educa-tional services. You and the other CSC members arethe vital links in the process. You will work togetherto determine the need for evaluations, determineeligibility for special education services, plan for theseservices, and develop programs for your child. Youcan provide a great deal of information about howyour child learns, what he or she likes, what things you

see at home, and how thesemight be important in thisprocess.

HOW DO WE RESOLVECONCERNS OR PROBLEMS?

During the course of your child’s school experi-ence, concerns, or problems may arise that requireresolution but do not require formal mediation or adue process hearing. The first step in solving prob-lems is to ensure that everyone understands theproblem or concern. Requesting a meeting or confer-ence with the person most directly involved with yourchild would be an excellent starting point in resolvingthe matter. Talk with your child’s teacher, casemanager, and/or the school principal to discuss andresolve the concern.

Each member of the parent/school partnershipmust learn to recognize all potential communicationbarriers and to develop strategies for overcoming eachone. With this kind of preparation, it is possible toresolve issues and to maintain an open communica-tion among all partners in a student’s life.

Frequent issues involve:s classroom matterss evaluation or eligibility for special education

programs and servicess implementation of your child�s IEPs appropriateness of your child�s program or

placement

Fostering feelings of trust and respect is animportant goal for parents and educators, and atten-tion to successful communication methods is animportant way to achieve that goal. Keep the lines ofcommunication open.

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In planning for the education of your child, youhave the right to be heard and respected. We all needto take care of ourselves, and feel that it is all right tobe concerned about our family and children. Weneed to remember that we have the right to question.With each of these rights come responsibilities. Weneed to be willing to accept and respect others andtheir opinions, let others be able to say that they haveneeds and provide information.

These rights do not change when a student isdetermined to need special education. However, youdo receive additional rights and responsibilities whichhelp ensure that the needs of your child are addressedand that you are involved.

These rights include:s The right to be considered a full participating

member of the Case Study Committee (CSC)when planning for your child.

s The right to provide information about yourchild that can be used in developing interven-tions, evaluation planning and educationalprograms.

s The right to insure that your written permissionis given before any formal evaluations are begun.

s The right to receive written notice prior toany changes in placement or programs for thestudent.

s The right to a complete evaluation, whichincludes more than one test or procedure andis completed by trained personnel fromvarious educational and/or medical areas ofexpertise, to receive copies of those results,and to have those results explained in alanguage you can understand.

s The right to have all tests provided in thestudent’s native language (unless it is clearlynot feasible), and all test instruments are to benondiscriminatory.

s The right to access your child’s records,receive copies of those records, have someoneavailable to explain the records, and to knowwho has seen those records.

s The right to confidentiality of all recordsabout the student.

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What are myRights and Responsibilities?

s The right to confidentiality regarding ALLactivities within the special education servicesyour child receives.

s The right to a Free and Appropriate PublicEducation (FAPE) that addresses your child’sindividual needs.

s The right to request an independent assess-ment at DoDEA expense if you disagree withthe assessment results.

s The right to be involved in the development ofyour child’s Individual Education Program (IEP).

s The right to receive transportation and otherrelated services necessary for the student tobenefit from his or her special educationservices.

s The right to mediation and due process ifdifferences regarding your child’s program orservices can not be resolved by other means.

Along with each of these rights come the follow-ing responsibilities:

s To be involveds To participate in meetings regarding your

child and be ready to discuss issues of concernthat you have.

s To ask questions and be sure you understandwhat is happening.

s To provide all the relevant information that isneeded in planning and program development.

s To let the school personnel know about anychanges in your child’s life, both positive andnegative, including areas of growth, changes inhealth and medication, and difficulties yourchild is having.

s To educate yourself regarding therules and regulations governingspecial education services.

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATIONACTIVITY (DoDEA) -

The headquarters level of the organization whichoversees school programs for dependents of Depart-ment of Defense employees. This organization isresponsible for overseas programs (Department ofDefense Dependents Schools) and domestic programs(Department of Defense Domestic Dependent El-ementary and Secondary Schools).

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEPENDENTSSCHOOLS (DoDDS) -

The component of DoDEA which is responsiblefor the education of Department of Defense depen-dents who are residing in overseas locations.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DOMESTICDEPENDENT ELEMENTARY ANDSECONDARY SCHOOLS (DDESS) -

The component of DoDEA which is responsiblefor the education of Department of Defense depen-dents who are residing on a military installation in theUnited States (including territories, commonwealths,and possessions of the United States).

CASE MANAGER -An educator who is responsible for the processing

of students through the procedural process. Casemanagers lead the multidisciplinary team and areresponsible for monitoring the procedural eventsthrough your child’s special education career.

CASE STUDY COMMITTEE (CSC) -This group of professionals and parents is respon-

sible for completing the special education proceduralprocess in a thorough and timely manner. In addi-tion, they are responsible for designing the special

education services and making decisions about astudent’s placement. Membership of the CSC,throughout your child’s special education eligibilityyears, may change depending upon the purpose of aparticular meeting.

CHILD FIND -An outreach program which locates and identifies

children and young adults from birth through age 21years who may be in need of special education andrelated services.

EARLY INTERVENTION -The Early Intervention Program exists for infants

and toddlers from birth through age 2 years. Interven-tion services are offered to families whose children areidentified as having developmental delays. Thisprogram is the responsibility of the military branches.More information can be obtained from your Excep-tional Family Member Program Coordinator ormedical treatment facility.

EVALUATION -The process of collecting information for a child

in order that the CSC can determine if the studenthas a disability and the nature and extent of thespecial education and related services the studentrequires.

EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBERPROGRAM (EFMP) -

A program which exists in all military branches.It provides for the enrollment and screening ofmilitary families who have exceptional family memberswhen they transfer from one assignment to another.Enrollment in the appropriate EFMP is mandatory forall members of the military if a member of their familymeets enrollment criteria.

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FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLICEDUCATION (FAPE) -

A mandated requirement that children and youthwith disabilities receive a public education appropriateto their needs at no cost to their families.

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) - A written plan which outlines the special educa-

tion programs and services which will be provided tomeet the unique needs of a special education student.An IEP must be reviewed on an annual basis. Morefrequent reviews may be conducted, when necessary.

INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN (ITP) -A plan designed to provide for the transition of

special education students, ages 14 years and older,into post-secondary life. It is a written plan whichaddresses work, training, and education, as well asadult living. The ITP is included as part of a student’sIEP, beginning at age 14 years.

LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT (LRE) -The educational setting that permits a student

with disabilities to have maximum contact with non-disabled peers while meeting the student’s specialeducation needs.

PRESCHOOL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITHDISABILITIES (PSCD) -

PSCD providers offer special education andrelated services to children between the ages of 3through 5 years after they have been determinedeligible for special education services. Proceduresshould be in place at each location for a transitionbetween the early intervention program and the PSCDwhen the child approaches his third birthday.

Resou

rcesfo

r Paren

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There are several persons within your communitywho can advise you about available resources. Some ofthese individuals include:

s School principals DoDDS teacherss Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)

Coordinator

All branches of the military have implemented amandatory program to identify and serve militaryfamilies who have members with ongoing special educa-tional or medical needs. After an IEP is developed, theEFMP Coordinator should be consulted regardingenrollment and or/update of your child’s status.

In addition, there are other individuals who maynot be in your local community. However, they areavailable by telephone. They include:

District Special Education CoordinatorOffice of the District Superintendent(telephone number available in schools)

European Area Special EducationCoordinator

DSN Telephone Number: 338-7465Commercial Number: 49-611-380-7465

Pacific Area Special Education CoordinatorDSN Telephone Number: 645-2151Commercial Telephone Number: 81-98-876-8485

DoDEA Special Education CoordinatorDSN Telephone Number: 426-4492Commercial Number: (703) 696-4492

Several organizations based in the states canprovide information about a number of topics or referyou to an appropriate source. Some of these organiza-tions are:

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)1920 Association DriveReston, VA 22091-1589(703) 602-3660

National Information Center for Childrenand Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)

P.O. Box 1492Washington, DC 20013(800) 999-5599

National Parent to Parent SupportInformation System (NPPSIS)

P.O. Box 907Blue Ridge, GA 30513(800) 651-1151

Specialized Training of Military Parents(STOMP)

12208 Pacific Highway, SWTacoma, Washington 98499(206) 588-1771(800) 298-3543FAX (206) 588-1771This organization accepts collect calls fromoverseas.

Parent Training and Information (PTI)Centers

These centers exist in each state to assist parentsof infants, children, and youth with disabilities.Contact can be made through NICHCY (800) 999-5599 or Technical Assistance for Parent Programs(TAPP) at (617) 482-2915

SECTION FIVEResourcesfor Parents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Department of Defense Activitiy(DoDEA) would like to acknowledge and thankthe following individuals for their contributionsas members of the task group that was convenedto develop the format and content of thishandbook.

Pat Wilson, ChairpersonDistrict Special Education CoordinatorHeidelberg, Germany

Margaret S. Jones, Ed.D.School PsychologistWuerzburg, Germany

Sharrel L. GrotelueschenParent RepresentativeGeilenkirchen, Germany

Pamela P. DelBoscoSpecial EducatorAviano, Italy

Norman R. Heitzman, Jr.Education Program AdministratorDepartment of Defense Domestic Dependents

Elementary & Secondary SchoolsArlington, VA

Heather M. HebdonDirectorSpecialized Training ofMilitary Parents (STOMP)Tacoma, Washington

Catherine BruggemanParent RepresentativeQuantico, Virginia

A magazine which contains useful articles andresource lists for parents of children with disabilities is:

Exceptional Parent Magazine209 Harvard St., Suite 303Brookline, MA 02146(800) 852-2884

Another set of resources is the formal guidancewhich has been developed for educators and parents tooversee the special education procedural process. Copiesof these documents are available from the school.

DoD Instruction 1342.12, “Provision of EarlyIntervention and Special Education Services toEligible DoD Dependents in Overseas Areas,”March 12, 1996

DS Regulation 2500.10, “DoDDS Special Educa-tion Dispute Management System,” December 17,1982

DS Regulation 2500.11, “DoDDS ComplaintManagement System,” September 7, 1983

DS Manual 2500.13R, “Special Education Proce-dural Guide,” August 1994

The legislation which serves as the basis forDoDEA’s special education program is P.L. 101-476,“Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).”A copy of this legislation may be obtained from parentsupport groups such as STOMP.

The National Advisory Panel (NAP) on theEducation of Dependents with Disabilities is a groupof individuals who advise the Director, DoDEA, aboutspecial education needs within the system. Themembership includes parents, educators, militarydepartment representatives, persons with disabilities,and other appropriate persons. If you are interested ingetting more information, or in serving on this panel,please contact your local principal.

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These brochuresare also available...

To obtain these items or for information aboutother resources, contact your local school office:

Annual Review of Your Child’s IEP

Child Find

The Transition From Early Intervention to Special Education

Special Education Eligibility

When You Receive Your Orders

Are You Moving Overseas?

The Prereferral Process

Your Child’s Three Year Reevaluation

Related Services

Transition Planning