HORSHAM, Pa. — Johnny can read. Johnny can
write. He just doesn't accomplish both as quickly as his
classmates.
Although a number of factors could be
hindering Johnny's pace, if it's due to a disability, he most
likely needs special education.
"The first time many parents hear the
term 'special education' is when their child is evaluated and
identified as having a disability that may require special
education," says Gerry Klor, special education expert and
author of What Every Parent Needs to Know About Special
Education. "And understanding this system of legal
procedures, instructional programs and designated classes can be
quite complicated and intimidating for parents."
According to Klor, parents who are active in
their child's education will understand special education's
complex processes more quickly. "The Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act — the federal law governing special
education — envisions a partnership between an informed parent
and the public school staff," he says. "Having parents
who can follow special education procedures is critical to this
collaboration."
In his 80-page guidebook, Klor walks parents
through the many steps of special education, such as:
-
Understanding the "what,"
"how" and "why" of special education
procedures
-
What a suspected disability looks like
-
How the evaluation process works
-
Developing strong partnerships with school personnel
-
What to look for in assessment reports
-
What happens in an Individualized Education Plan meeting
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How progress is measured
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What happens at an annual review
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How student discipline works
-
How students exit special education
The author also details the various levels of
special education and the broad range of services available,
including:
-
Full-day classes and specialized instruction for students
with moderate to severe disabilities
-
Subject-specific classes for students with mild to moderate
disabilities
-
"Inclusion" programs that provide specialized
support services to students with disabilities who are placed
in regular classrooms
There are also a variety of other support
services, such as speech and language therapy or counseling
services, provided on a scheduled basis to students outside of
their classes, according to Klor.
"The bottom line is, each student's
educational needs will determine which type of special education
program or service is appropriate," Klor says. "And
parents who take an active role in their child's education will
see the most success."
What Every Parent Needs to Know About
Special Education is available from LRP Publications for
$19.95 plus $5.50 shipping/handling. To order or for more
information, call 1-800-341-7874, or visit LRP Publications' Web
site, www.lrp.com/store.
With offices in Horsham; Palm Beach Gardens,
Fla.; and Alexandria, Va., LRP publishes resources for education
professionals and parents including Building Partnerships with
Parents: Improving Development Assessments through Cooperation
and An Overview of Special Education Transportation: A Primer
for Parents and Educators.
About the author: Gerry Klor has worked in
special education for more than thirty years, as a school
psychologist and special education director, in addition to
teaching graduate school at Dominican University (San Rafael,
Calif.) and San Francisco State University. He's now president of
Educational and Psychological Solutions, a consulting firm that
advises school districts on special education issues. He's also
author of Say the Right Thing: A Guide for Responding to
Parents' IEP Requests (2003, LRP Publications).
