Exceptional Student Education
It’s a Great IDEA - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that provides guidelines to states on educating children with disabilities. This workshop provides an overview of IDEA and includes basic information on evaluation for eligibility, the Individualized Education Program/Plan (IEP), conflict resolution, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This workshop is a great place to start if you’ve never been to a workshop about Exceptional Student Education.
Conflict Resolution - This workshop focuses on how to resolve conflicts that may arise between parents and professionals regarding their child's educational needs.
Individualized Education Program / Plan (I.E.P) - IDEA requires that each IEP include discussion and documentation on eight specific topic areas. This tutorial explains the process and emphasizes the importance of parental participation. It also includes helpful tips and strategies for writing effective IEP goals.
FCAT Accommodations - This training will help families better understand the importance of FCAT, the FCAT waiver, accommodations, and effective strategies of parent/family involvement in FCAT.
Collaborative Communication - This workshop is designed to share strategies that will improve the ability of parents, educators, and other professionals to comfortably share and receive information. Creating collaborative partnerships result in the best outcomes for children.
Related Services - This workshop will give a better understanding of the ins and outs of Related Services and answer questions like: What are Related Services? Who qualifies for Related Services? How do you get Related Services?
Juvenile Justice and IDEA - What happens when a child with a disability becomes involved with the Juvenile Justice System during school or while in the community? This workshop provides an overview of the requirements under IDEA and includes information on the Baker Act.
Evaluation - A child is suspected of having a disability. How does that disability impact his or her ability to access the educational environment? This workshop provides an overview of the evaluation process and describes the necessary steps from suspecting a child has a disability to identification to the provisions of services, while emphasizing the
parents’ role in the process.
Positive Behavior Supports - This tutorial explains Positive Behavior Supports (PBS). PBS is about teaching “new” replacement skills to the child in order to acheive positive outcomes. It is about addressing behavior in all of the child’s environments. This workshop explains what a behavior is, how to assess the behavior, and how to develop and implement a plan to provide a positive learning environment.
504 Plans - This workshop will take you through the in’s and out’s of a 504 plan and how it can help your child.
Rights and Responsibilities - At some point every parent of a child with an IEP
receives a document entitled "Procedural Safeguards." What does this paper actually say?
This workshop provides an overview of the procedures related to Exceptional Student
Education and explains the rights and responsibilities afforded to parents and
educators.
Self Determination - When a child with a disability begins to move toward adult life, it is important to consider their needs and preferences in transition planning. This workshop provides an overview of the student's role in the transition process, IEP meetings, and in discussing their needs and preferences.
Transition from School To Community Tutorials
Making Your Case
This workshop is a legislative advocacy presentation designed to teach consumers, family members, caregivers and any interested party how to effectively communicate with legislators and policymakers. The key issues of knowing who to contact, where, when, and most importantly, how to contact them will be discussed. Elected and appointed officials not only appreciate constituent input, their job requires it. Collaboratively working with policymakers and their staff is far more simple than most people think. Honesty is the key. Having your facts in order and always presenting truthful information to legislators is the best way to ensure that you become a valuable resource whenever disability or other issues are on the table. Whether communicating the individual needs of your family or bringing your opinion on pending legislation to the table, most individuals can effectively make their case by being honest, courteous and professional. This workshop was created utilizing the handbook developed by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. You will need this handbook to complete this workshop. Click here for handbook.
For more information on Making Your Case, or to take the full online modular training go to: http://www.partnersinpolicymaking.com/makingyourcase/index.html
Transition from School to Community - All of a child’s education in school is in preparation for the day when the student leaves school and transitions
into the adult world. This workshop provides an explanation of the Transition Planning process which begins at age 14 and includes an overview of Florida’s Diploma options and strategies for developing transition goals.
Olmstead - Find out how Olmstead has become a disability civil rights term and learn about the most important United States Supreme Court Case under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. L.C. and E.W vs. Olmstead is the case that outlines a persons' right to have real choice about where they live. Traditionally, people with disabilities are institutionalized or placed in community settings that are unnecessarily restrictive or the decisions are made by government programs. Title II of the ADA requires all states and counties to provide the least restrictive setting based on that person's desires, abilities and treating physician recommendations. The Olmstead case validates what people with disabilities have always known - they have the same right to choose where they would like to reside and with whom. The presence of a disability does not decrease the ability to contribute to such an important decision.
From IEP to IPE – This workshop focuses on the process of transition planning for middle-school aged students and older. The Transition IEP (Individualized Education Program) requires a post school outcome statement to be written, no later than age 14 or earlier if appropriate, which explores employment, independent living, community participation, adult education, vocational and post secondary education, based on the students interest, preference abilities, and needs. After public school, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) may be a critical resource for gaining, maintaining, or regaining employment. The services through VR must be detailed in the development of the IPE (Individualized Plan for Employment.) This workshop connects the various systems together to help improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Useful resources and handouts will be provided.
Rehabilitation Act - This workshop with help you better understand the Rehabilitation Act and how it can support increased access to employment and independence
Assistive Technology - Explore How Assistive Technology Can Help Increase, Maintain, or Improve Functional Capabilities. This workshop explores how assistive technology can be utilized to assist individuals with disabilities with life functions, including: communication, education, mobility, employment, and independent living. Approaches to using assessment tools, development of implementation strategies, and identification of funding options will be explored.
Why the Arts -Before you can make an informed decision to pursue a career in the arts, you need to know yourself and your options. These will help you answer the following questions:
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What are the career options in my area of interest?
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What are my strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes?
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How do I decide what career path is right for me?
Career in the Arts - Before you can make an informed decision to pursue a career in the arts, you need to know yourself and your options. These will help you answer the following questions:
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What are the career options in my area of interest?
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What are my strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes?
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How do I decide what career path is right for me?
Trusts and Special Needs Planning
Planning is Crucial: Wills, Trusts, and Guardianships - Wills, Trusts, and Guardianships.
This workshop will address, in a family friendly way, the importance of planning for the future for persons with disabilities and their families. We will look at the essential components that a family plan should have. We will also address guardianship, including alternatives to guardianship, and the importance of when action should be taken.
Tools For Independence - Special needs trusts have many advantages for persons with disabilities. They can be used as a tool for independence for persons with disabilities by preserving resources and eligibility for government benefits. Understanding how these trusts can be used is critically important during these times of Medicaid restructuring and changing requirements. This presentation will discuss the benefits of these trusts, how they can improve quality of life and independence, and which type of trust is most appropriate in individual situations.
Participants will be able to -
1. Understand the benefits of special needs trusts, including pooled trusts, for persons with disabilities.
2. Learn how such trusts can be used as a tool for independence by persons with disabilities.
3. Understand how special needs trusts should be an integral part of transition planning.
Involve The Whole Family - When a family has a member with a disability, planning for the future, including developing a comprehensive and realistic estate plan, is critical. Involving the whole family in the planning process can help avoid problems in the future. This presentation focuses on several simple, but effective, strategies to help families through this process.
Parent Involvement
Bullying - The U.S. Department of Education defines bullying as direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and stealing that are initiated by one or more students against a victim. Schools, parents, and students need to partner in identifying and intervening in bullying behaviors. Adults need to model peaceful conflict resolution skills and behaviors and encourage children to model the same with one another.
Helping With Homework -This training covers: Assisting parents with ideas and tips to help their children with homework and being supportive of their children’s efforts.
Impact on Family and Community -A New Wave of Evidence:
When parents are involved, regardless of their income or background, students
are more likely to:
Father's Involvement -This training covers: Recognize the importance of fathers’/parental involvement in children's education. Discuss types of fathers’/parental involvement. Suggestions for schools to involve fathers’/parents
A Compact For Reading - This training will address: How to increase reading achievement through family involvement. How to assist schools with developing a Compact for Reading.
Understanding Your Child's Learning Styles - This training covers: To provide parents with strategies on how to address each learning style. The way a child learns affects his/her entire personality and development. Understanding a child’s learning style will help parents and children to better communicate. By knowing a child’s learning style, parents are better able to help at home and at school.
Effective Parent Conferences - This training covers: Providing a framework for effective parent/teacher conferences.
Family Literacy - This training covers: To strengthen the bond between parents and children and provide opportunities for positive interaction that will increase reading achievement for children.
