What guidelines for families of students with disabilities are used to get appropriate services?

Understanding the IEP process and rationale is probably the most important suggestion for parents, since their child's services are based on his/her needs as determined by the present levels of performance. Parent participation in the actual wording of the goals and objectives written for their child is equally important since the wording can determine not only how and under what conditions services are delivered but where those services are delivered. A third most important issue for parents is setting priorities. Becoming comfortable with the fact that not every activity of every day will go perfectly is helpful when making decisions such as, "What is the bottom line?", "Which things can we eliminate to get something more important?" and "What services and needs do we balance?" Parents have responsibilities as a team member as well as rights. Exercising those responsibilities is imperative to the success of the entire program for each child.

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Where can families get support and information on promising educational practices for their child?

IDEA '97 specifies that training and information must be available and ongoing for families. To accomplish this federal money is set aside to fund Parent Training and Information centers (PTI's) in every state. In Illinois we have three PTI's:

Designs for Change
29 E. Madison, Suite 950
Chicago, IL 60602
312/236-7252
1-800-851-8728
email: dfcl@aol.com

Family Resource Center on Disabilities
20 East Jackson Blvd., Room 300
Chicago, IL 60604
312/939-3513
1-800-952-4199
email: frcdptiil@ameritech.net

Family Matters
2502 South Veteran Drive
Effingham, IL 62401
217/347-5428
1-866-436-7842
email: info@fmptic.org

As time and technology advance some of this information may become outdated. Please refer to the Illinois State Board of Education's website for up to date information: www.isbe.net.

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What if a parent of a child eligible for special education services doesn't want an education which is inclusive?

One of the major fears of parents is that education which is inclusive means that their child will be "dumped" into general education without the special supports and services necessary to meet their individual needs or that services will be taken away if the "place" changes. Some families have had negative experiences when schools have "mainstreamed" or "integrated" their children with disabilities into general education classes. In effect, some students have been "dumped" into classes without appropriate supports and aid(e)s (or without the services following the student) in the name of "mainstreaming" and/or "integration." One of the major tenants of inclusive education is that each student can receive the necessary supports and services in the general education classroom(s).

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA 97) clearly states that whenever possible, children with disabilities should be educated in the school he or she would attend if not identified as having a disability. The local school district has no legal responsibility to provide a student with a disability exposure to other "like" students with the same label(s). The local district does, however, have a legal responsibility to provide individualized special education services in the "least restrictive environment."

IDEA 97 also addresses the "continuum of alternative placement options" by placing the general education classroom as the starting point of the "continuum." Though a local district has a responsibility to have other more restrictive "placement options" available, parents should understand that those places may become farther and farther away from their community making it difficult for them to participate in their child's total school life. Placements farther away also impact the student's ability to from and maintain friendships and participate in social activities in the home/school community. Removing a child from their home community has serious consequences as the parents' child prepares for adult life and the home community does not know the individual.

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How should parents of general education students be prepared for an education which is inclusive?

Working with successful schools, we have found that teachers' attitudes of approval seem to be the best model for positive feelings and attitudes of both parents and students. Planning "special" meetings to prepare parents for "special" children has not been necessary or desirable in most school systems. School administrators, board members, teachers and staff portraying the philosophy that "every child who lives within the geographic boundaries of this school district belongs" is what has been the most successful approach.

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How do you diffuse negative feelings/concerns of parents of general education students who appear to be opposed to education which is inclusive?

We know that acknowledging their feelings is very important. The first step is to ask the families to identify why they are opposed to education which is inclusive. Usually the fear is that a child with a disability will take up so much of the teacher's time that the other students will loose instructional time with the teacher. If the proper supports and services are in place, this, of course, will not happen. Asking the families what support they feel they need for success helps include those families as part of the solution rather than the problem.

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How do general education peers and their parents react to students with disabilities being educated in general education classrooms?

The overwhelming majority of experiences in Illinois and elsewhere have been very positive. Not only have most parents and peers been very supportive, many parents have asked why this was not available long ago. Families who are involved in the general education system seem to understand instinctively the concepts of equal access, civil rights, belonging, friendships, and self-esteem. Increasingly, all families are understanding that their children's world is very interdependent and that they all need to learn to get along and care for one another.

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