Recognizing the Rights of People with Disabilities

 People with disabilities have a voice that should and must be at the table from the beginning of any planning process and should never simply be an after-thought. Language, words, and actions can help us fight some of these daily battles. One example of words that can help insure people with disabilities are not cast aside is the phrase “Nothing About Us Without Us.” It is a slogan with a simple message: no decisions should be made regarding people with disabilities without their input. Read more here. 

People With IDD Are Helping Providers Improve The Vaccination Experience

 Now that COVID-19 vaccines are broadly available, providers are turning to self-advocates for ideas about how to make it easier for people with disabilities to get the shots. Read More >

Marking 15 Years, Autism Speaks Rebrands

The nation's largest autism advocacy group is revamping its look to better match its evolving mission and launching an effort to "create a kinder, more inclusive world" for those on the spectrum. Read More >

When Schools Use Child Protective Services As A Weapon Against Parents

Fed up with what they see as obstinate parents who don't agree to special education for their kids, schools sometimes use the threat of a child-protection investigation to strong-arm parents. Read More >

New York Woman Is Nation's First Lobbyist With Down Syndrome

There are lots of people trying to sway federal lawmakers, but no one else is quite like Kayla McKeon, Capitol Hill's first-ever registered lobbyist with Down syndrome. Read More >

Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs in a Way That Promotes Self-Advocacy

As the mom of a now-adult special-needs kid, I’ve been thinking a lot about what we did that helped, what I wish we hadn’t wasted time and money on (there will always be a lot in that category, so don’t beat yourself up!), and what I think was most important. That last category, in particular, has changed since I was actually “in the trenches.” From this vantage point, I now realize that one of the most important things, a quality without which nothing moves forward, is emotional resilience. By that, I mean the ability to take in struggles & failures, Read in browser »

Respecting Parents’ Feelings in Special Education Planning: 8 Facts to Remember

I was sitting in one of those meetings where everyone wished they were someplace else. The fake smiles could not dissipate the thick fog of tension that impaired our vision. I, the parent of a child with disabilities, was being told that my son’s dysfluency (I used to call it stuttering, but I’ve caught up with the jargon) had reached serious levels and needed immediate and intensive intervention. My husband and I believed the recommended intervention was inappropriate and might lead to an awkward self-consciousness for my son. As far as we could tell, he did not appear even remotely aware of his…  Read in browser »

5 Ways to Advocate Successfully for Your Child’s Special Education

Children with learning differences or other special education needs have a great advantage in meeting their educational goals if we parents understand just how much we can do to make a meaningful difference. How can you be the best advocate when it comes to getting the educational services your child needs? Here are five essentials every parent should know: 1. Know Your Power: You Are Your Child’s Best Advocate Most parents find approaching school teachers and administrators to be nerve-wracking, if not downright intimidating. But parents, because they care so passionately, are always their children’s best advocates. Parents know their children best and are often the…   Read in browser »

10 Things to Consider Bringing to Your Next IEP Meeting

You know what school personnel will be bringing to your next IEP meeting. Test scores. Classroom observations. Lots and lots of big words. Lots of certainty. Piles of papers. Many expert opinions. Maybe, if you’re lucky, some respect for your opinion. Definitely a desire for you to sign and be done with it. So what are you bringing, besides the fragile hopes and dreams of your child and family? Some parents will want and need to attend with an advocate. Others will attend armed with righteous anger. Some will wish they could pack an escape hatch or a cloak of…   Read in browser »

Advocacy: 5 Ways to Make the World Better for Kids with Special Needs Right Now

As parents of kids with special needs, we often feel powerless to make the big changes necessary to keep the world a safe and welcoming place for our children. Every article about a comedian using the R-word, every story of bullying or disrespect, every statistic about employment rates for adults with disabilities, every setback to funding or protections or rights leaves us feeling as though our children are getting more vulnerable by the second. Advocacy seems essential, but how do you even start? It’s hard to know what to do about such large-scale issues, especially when you’ve already got enough… Read in browser »

Wheelchair Emerges From Storage To Help Advocate See World Anew

She fought for disability rights for four decades, but it wasn't until she was thrown from her horse that her work as an advocate came into full view. Read More >

The Words & Wisdom of Sue Pratt

Five new videos featuring the words and wisdom of Sue Pratt were just added to PACER's Voices of Experience video series. Pratt, a pioneer in the parent advocacy movement, is the mother of an adult with autism. She shares stories and insights about being a strong advocate for her son as he made the transition from school to living in the community.  http://www.pacer.org/transition/video/series.asp?se=1

Family Engagement Strategies from the Field

This thoughtful blog from University of Minnesota Check and Connect program staff discusses the Check and Connect approach to family engagement. The authors also share family engagement strategies that are imaginative, resourceful and practical.  https://attendengageinvest.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/family-engagement-strategies-from-the-field/

10 Defusing Phrases to Use at IEP Meetings

Emotions can run high at IEP meetings. But it's important for parents to focus on the end goal: helping their child. Here are 10 stay-calm phrases parents can use to redirect conversation and defuse tense situations. From understood.org.  https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/10-defusing-phrases-to-use-at-iep-meetings

Yale Law School Study indicates outside Educational Advocates are necessary to level the playing field

                                     

Rebecca MillerExecutive Director at Center for Collaborative and Restorative Advocacy

A Yale University Study indicates that parents are at a distinct disadvantage when advocating for their children. The disadvantage can be attributed to three basic factors:
1. Lack of knowledge regarding disabilities
2. Lack educational options
3. Difficulty interfacing with school authorities (lack of knowledge with respect to state and federal
regulations). http://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/when-parents-arent-enough-external-advocacy-in-special-education

How schools can help students with autism succeed

Teachers should treat parents of students with autism as allies, not adversaries, according to this article, which offers seven autism action-plan ideas. Other ideas include avoiding painting all students who have autism with the same brush, creating a culture of inclusion and altering -- not lowering -- expectations. Scholastic Administrator magazine (Fall 2013)  http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3758243

Video Of Self-Advocate Silenced By School Board Goes Viral

When a 14-year-old went before his local school board to take issue with the implementation of his IEP, he was rebuffed and now video of the incident is going viral.  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/10/11/video-silenced-viral/18798/

Selecting education programs for students w/ disabilities

Three mothers of students with disabilities in this interview discuss their search for the right academic programs for their children and some of the obstacles they have faced along the way. From meeting with educators about their children's individualized education programs to paying for therapy and services, they discuss their own experiences as another school year begins. National Public Radio (8/22)   http://www.npr.org/2012/08/21/159541067/choosing-the-right-school-for-special-needs

Family Advocacy Support and Training (FAST) Project

PACER Center’s National Family Advocacy and Supports Training (FAST) Project provides family support leadership training to families of children with disabilities in the United States & territories. The FAST Project developed four training curricula for families of children with disabilities from diverse racial & linguistic groups, families in poverty, those living in rural & urban areas, military families, & other underserved families to use in an effort to increase their ability of families to advocate for family support services & influence systems change. The four curricula addresses topics relating to Employment, Sexuality & Youth Development, Advocating for Your Family, & Strategies for Systems Change.  http://www.fastfamilysupport.org/fasttraining/index.asp

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Update: Why You Should Have Your Hearing by Video

If your Social Security application has been denied and you are getting ready for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, Social Security has a convenient way to participate in the hearing by video. Explains the advantages of video hearings http://www.socialsecurity.gov/appeals/odar_pubs/70-067.html and how to schedule one.

For more information visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/appeals/odar_pubs/70-067.html