| Have you been told by special education personnel | | | | Also, consider getting an Independent Educational |
| that they do not provide Applied Behavioral Analysis | | | | Evaluation (IEE) of your child to prove what services |
| therapy, for children with autism? Have you been told | | | | that your child needs. The evaluator can participate in |
| that your school district only provides certain services, | | | | an IEP meeting by telephone, when the evaluations |
| due to money issues? Is your child on a waiting list for | | | | recommendations are discussed. |
| educational or related services? This article will discuss | | | | Waiting lists are also not allowed under IDEA. The |
| whether the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act | | | | difficulty is that when special education personnel state |
| (IDEA), allows special education personnel to only | | | | that they are putting your child on a waiting list, it |
| provide certain services to children with a disability. | | | | sounds like it could be reasonable. It is not until you find |
| Also discussed, are children put on waiting lists for | | | | out that waiting lists are not allowed, that you realize |
| related and educational services. | | | | that you have been deceived. Always ask special |
| IDEA defines special education as: specially designed | | | | education personnel to prove to you in writing, that |
| instruction at no cost to the parents, to meet the | | | | what they are saying is the truth. If they cannot show |
| unique needs of a child with a disability... | | | | you in writing that what they said is truthful; it probably |
| The purpose of IDEA is to provide an education that | | | | is not. |
| meets a child's unique needs and prepares the child for | | | | For Example: Your 3 year old child with autism needs |
| further education, employment and independent living. | | | | Applied Behavioral Analysis Treatment. The special |
| Special Education Personnel cannot pick and choose | | | | education personnel, tells you that the class is full, and |
| which services that they are going to offer to children | | | | that they are waiting for additional funding for a new |
| with disabilities. That having been said, many school | | | | class. But in the mean time, your child will be put on a |
| personnel do try and limit what services that they will | | | | waiting list. Write them a letter, documenting what they |
| give children. This is the reason why it is critical that | | | | said, and ask them to show you where it states in |
| you stand up to special education personnel, who may | | | | federal or state law, that they are allowed to have |
| ruin your child's life by not giving them the services that | | | | waiting lists (they aren't). File for a state complaint for |
| they need. | | | | violation of your child's rights. |
| If special education personnel try and limit your child's | | | | By understanding what special education personnel |
| services, ask them to show you, under what authority | | | | can and cannot do under IDEA, helps you in your |
| they have the right to deny your child needed | | | | advocacy efforts for your child. Do not give up fighting |
| educational services (there isn't any). Remember what | | | | for an appropriate education for your child, or their life |
| special education is-special designed instruction to | | | | may be forever ruined! |
| meet the unique needs of your child. | | | | |