The IEP, or Individualized Education Program, was mandated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). An IEP is designed to meet the unique educational needs of one child, who may have a disability, as defined by federal regulations. The IEP is intended to help children reach educational goals more easily than they otherwise would. In all cases the IEP must be tailored to the individual student’s needs as identified by the IEP evaluation process, and must especially help teachers and related service providers (such as classroom aides) understand the student’s disability and how the disability affects the learning process.
At a recent IEP meeting, Estelle discovered a glaring error in understanding – the difference between an Aid and an Aide. Quoting the IDEA legislation, Estelle informed the school psychologist that Nadia was entitled to an aide in the classroom. It was then that she was told that an “aid” was a chair or some other physical accoutrement that assists the student in the classroom. It took Estelle a moment to realize the misunderstanding – and then she had to set the record straight.
So, what makes this happen? What system within our government allows for such misunderstandings, or allows children like Nadia to fall through the cracks?
There are no easy answers to questions such as these. There are no easy days for parents and caregivers. Yes, there are policies and programs in place to assist individuals with developmental disabilities. Yes, there are services available to these individuals, services that will make their lives better and improve their opportunities. But, the roads are not easy to navigate, and the road blocks seem to be ever-present.
However, there is an organization that can help. The Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) is committed to improving the lives and education of ALL children through a special emphasis on children with disabilities. Operated and staffed primarily by parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs, the ECAC provides parents and families the resources they need to maneuver through the murky waters of federal legislation and statewide red tape. Since 1983, the ECAC has been working diligently and fighting valiantly to make the lives of parents and individuals with disabilities a little bit easier.
One of the resources available to parents through the ECAC is the Parent Training and Information Center, or
www.teamdanielfoundation.org 17
the PTI. Through this program, parents and guardians can learn the ropes of their child’s educational journey, ensuring that the proper services and accommodations are made by each and every school the child attends. For parents like Estelle, the ECAC often seems too good to be true.
After months and years of fighting what seems to be a battle of solitude, finally a partner arrives.
Throughout the struggles and frustration that she has had to face, Estelle has never lost sight of her goals for her child. Whether debating an IEP or rocking her daughter to sleep, every moment of every day is given selflessly for her daughter – a daughter who is perfect in her mother’s eyes. For as Estelle said, “You only get one life, so don’t let anyone take that from you or your child.”
Parents like Estelle keep trudging on, never stopping until their child has everything they need. They fight for their children, they struggle for their children, and they pray for their children. And surely, they understand the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
If only we could all be that strong.
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