Going into an IEP meeting can be an intimidating thing for
any parent, even when they have an attorney or advocate in their corner.
Feeling that you are on a level playing field with the school could provide
peace of mind. The new I-phone
application, the IEP checklist, would provide that peace of mind. The
application was created by the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center, a
Virginia center that’s part of a national network of special education parent
information and training centers funded by the Department of Education. This new app is so cool and should justify the purchase of an I-phone, if just for the look on the school personnel and their attorneys faces.
This application allows you to look up everything from
notification time requirements, to scientifically-based research, and it leads
you to a brief description and lists the section of the IDEA that addresses
each issue. This is a great tool to balance the powers between the school
districts and families. The application allows you to take notes under each
section to keep your thoughts organized. You can also save your notes in the
application in order to refer back to them at another time or at the next IEP
meeting. Next we need a goal writing app and apps for literature that applies to your child's/client's disability. School districts that would take advantage of unsuspecting parents have been fairly warned that parents are now fully loaded with the law for their next meeting.