Jennifer Franks is the parent of two boys. Her youngest, Jackson, has Down Syndrome. Recognizing that her son thrived in typical peer environments, she became skilled at working with teachers to include her son in the general education classroom. In this video, Jennifer shares how she realized that inclusion was more than Jackson having a place in the general education classroom and what it has been like to see Jackson become a part of the school community and change lives.
Parents, you are an expert in your child! Your thoughts, questions, and feedback are valuable in the IEP development. In this role, it is essential that you understand the IEP and its parts, why the IEP is important, and the valuable role you play in creating the IEP. This resource includes information to consider before, during, and after the IEP meeting. It includes information about the parts of the meeting, questions to consider asking during the meeting, and a place to take notes.
In this Stories from the Classroom video, Dr. David Bateman shares a story of an IEP meeting that serves as a reminder that the IEP is meant to address all of the student’s individual needs and how important family input and perspective is to the development and implementation of an IEP that meets their child's needs.
What can we learn from the experiences of families and youth to guide our development and implementation of high-quality educational programming for students with disabilities? In this webinar, Stacy Hirt and Joey Hunziker share findings from a series of focus groups with families and caregivers who had a child with an IEP during their school years and young adults who were supported with an IEP while in school. Educational planning successes, challenges, and recommendations from the lens of focus group participants will be highlighted.