I need assistance with the following:
Special education advocates are a common part of the multi-disciplinary process. They represent parents and children during the IEP process. There are many opinions regarding the participation of advocates within this process. After reading the Phillips (2008) and Wright (n.d.) article, When Parents Aren't Enough: External Advocacy in Special Education, (http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=01ff712a-bcfd-4933-be4c-d1bed922c61a%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=123)
address the following:
- Why do you think parents seek out support from advocates to help with the special education process?
- Do you believe that advocates are helpful or impede the collaborative relationship between parents and their child's school? Why?
- How could you, as a teacher, help parents to develop stronger advocacy skills? Why is this important?
According to Wrights law parents seek the assistance of advocates to ensure appropriate educational services for their children are received; in particular, when parents and schools disagree (Heitin, n.d.). When schools do not provide students with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE) Federal and legal mandates have been violated.
I believe that advocates are helpful. However at times they can impede the collaborative relationship between parents and the school. As noted by Dr. Heitin, when schools and parents disagree, the method to resolve the disagreement is dependent on the issue at hand. Federal laws and regulations ...
The special education advocates are discussed. The advocates to help special education processes are discussed.