For students who struggle in school, special education may be the resource that can make all the difference. The federal law known as IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, has thirteen disability categories under which a student can be found “eligible”. Understanding those terms can help parents understand whether special education may be an appropriate consideration for their children. (1)(i) Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication social interaction, repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. (2) Deaf-
What does it mean to become an adult? It is a "lifelong" journey for all of us, but for individuals with disabilities, a transition plan is a required component of an IEP, delineating the skills necessary to be prepared for adulthood. Transition planning provides students and their families a way to educationally establish a process to prepare for that journey into adulthood. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 2004 mandates that the IEP accounts for individual student preferences, interests, strengths, and needs in order to achieve their post school aspirations. For parents, it can be daunting to consider how to best support the futures of their children. Having a well-wr
