Introduction

How Infants and Young Children Learn

How to Support Your Child's Language Development

Getting Your Child Ready to Read

How to Keep Your Child Healthy and Safe

What You Need to Know if Your Child Has Special Needs

Federally Funded Research on Spanish-English Biliteracy

What You Need to Know if Your Child Has Special Needs

Frequently Asked Questions - Part II

7. Where can parents of a child with a disability find support, training, and information?
   
   In every state, there is at least one organization that is funded by OSEP to help support, train and provide information to parents of children (from birth through age 21) with disabilities. These organizations are called Parent Training and Information (PTI) Centers. Your state may have more than one. Find the one that is closest to where you live and contact it either by phone or on the Internet. There are also a number of Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), which are more locally based. See the attached PTI/CPRC list to locate the contact person in your state or see http://www.taalliance.org/PTIs.htm. If you do not have a computer, you can go to a public library and use one of the computers located there, usually free of charge.
   
   Another place that may have support for parents is your state's Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC). The DDC is funded by the Developmental Disabilities Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support activities for individuals of all ages with disabilities. DDCs usually have activities to support families of children with disabilities. To locate the DDC in your state, see their Web site at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/add/states/ddc.htm.
   
   If your child has special health care needs, you might also obtain valuable information from Family Voices. Family Voices, a national organization of families concerned about their children's special health care needs, is funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To contact the Family Voices representative in your state, see their Web site at http://www.familyvoices.org/stateinfo.html and click on your state. There are also a number of publications in Spanish related to children's health issues on their Web site at http://www.familyvoices.org/enespanol.html.
   
   
8. If I don't speak English, how do I get information interpreted in Spanish?
   
   There are lots of materials and other resources that are either designed for individuals who speak Spanish or have been translated into Spanish. One of the best sources for materials regarding children with disabilities is the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY), funded by the Office of Special Education in the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Their Web site is http://www.nichcy.org. You can also call NICHCY at 1-800-695-0285 to get hard copies of many of these materials free of charge. They also have information specialists there who speak Spanish.
   
   Another source of information is the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights (PACER) Center, also funded by ED, which maintains a listing of materials translated into Spanish (as well as several other languages) for parents related to the IDEA and services to children with disabilities at: http://www.pacer.org/translated/translated.htm. You may also want to examine other translated materials related to your child's development at: http://www.pacer.org/publications/multicultural.htm.
   
   
9. How should I prepare for my first meeting with people who will offer help to my child with disabilities?
   
   Remember, all children can learn. They may learn at different rates and in different ways.
   
   Before your first meeting with people who will help to get your child with a disability the services she or he needs, it is usually helpful for you to have all the papers related to your child (any health records, immunization records). Some states give parents a list of the necessary records to gather.
   
   Before the meeting, think about what services you believe your child needs to help him or her better grow and learn. Think about what other children his or her age can do; make a list of what your child can do and what she or he needs help doing. Then think about what you want your child to learn to do or what skills you think she or he needs to do better.
   
   You also may want to ask someone to come with you to the meeting. Perhaps someone from one of the PTI Centers or a friend/relative who knows your child well can come with you to the meeting. That individual can help you listen to the conversation about your child's strengths and the areas of need (e.g., learning reading, writing, math, communicating with others, taking care of daily personal-care needs, physical growth, and behavior). After the meeting, the individual can also remind you of what was said, agreed to, or any area where you may have disagreed. Sometimes just having another person with you as an extra pair of ears is comforting.
   
   When you receive a notice of the meeting, make sure it is at a time and place that is convenient for you. If it isn't convenient for you, let the people setting up the meeting know what is best for you. Also, if you need an interpreter at the meeting, let them know at the time the meeting is set. An interpreter will be provided free of charge for the meeting.
   
   
10. What kinds of services can I expect my child to receive from programs serving children with disabilities?
    
    Some children will need more services than others to be able to learn, while other children may only need a few services. The kinds of services that you can expect your child with a disability to receive will depend on his or her unique strengths and needs as well as age, based on testing done by professionals. Again, every child learns in different ways and at different rates. But, every child can learn!
    
    Some children have difficulty in school and need help. Sometimes they need help from a special education teacher who can help them organize their work to help teach them to read or do math. Sometimes the special education teacher will teach them special strategies to make learning easier. In addition, sometimes a teacher may have to change the way your child takes tests-by changing the way the test is given, changing the time allowed for your child to complete the test, or changing the way your child is graded. Again, the decisions are supposed to meet the needs of your child.
    
    Some children who have difficulty communicating or talking with others may need help from a speech therapist who will help them pronounce words better, speak more clearly, and use language in a way that makes it easier for others to understand them. Some children may not be able to talk with words, and the speech therapist will help design a system so they can communicate with pictures. Still other children may need to learn to communicate using sign language. Whatever method of communication your child uses, you and the other important people in the child's life need to be able to communicate with him or her.
    
    Children with physical disabilities (e.g., Cerebral Palsy) may need the services of a physical therapist (PT) who can help them learn to move their body and muscles better. Sometimes the PT will work with your child in his or her classroom and sometimes in a room with specially designed equipment. For very young children, the service provider may come to your home or the service may be provided in a center.
    
    Still other children may need help learning to feed themselves or hold a crayon. An occupational therapist (OT) can work on those skills, which will also help the child to eat better or to write as she or he gets older. As a parent, you can also help by encouraging your child to use the skills she or he is learning at the right time.
    
    Finally, older children with special needs may need a person to help them learn to do a job. This person is sometimes called a "job coach." The job coach may help the school find a job for your child. The coach can also go with your child to the job and make sure your child can learn the skills or tasks necessary to be successful. If necessary, a job coach can even help teach your child to use public transportation to get to and from the job.
    
    
11. How will I keep track of the services for my child with disabilities?
    
    After the assessments have determined that your child is eligible for services to meet his or her special needs, you are invited to a meeting to set goals for your child and to determine which services your child needs. A team of people, including you, will make those decisions based on the results of the assessments of your child. These decisions will be written down.
    
    For a baby (under age 3) who needs early-intervention services, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is written that includes the services the child needs to develop and services that the family needs to help the child develop. For a child age 3 through 21 who has a disability, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed. The IEP includes the specific special education and related services needed by your child.
    
    
12. Will I have to pay for services for my child with disabilities?
    
    Under IDEA, depending on the state you live in, you may have to pay for some part of services for your baby up to age 3. If your state charges fees for early-intervention services and you can pay a portion of the cost of services, the agency will talk to you about the fees.
    
    Even if you cannot pay for these services, your baby will still get the services he or she needs-that's the law.
    
    For children age 3 through 21 with disabilities eligible under IDEA, special education and related services are free. Schools cannot charge you for any special education and related services included in your child's IEP.