NLDline
Subj: THE SPECIAL ED ADVOCATE,
DECEMBER 13, 1999 (V. 2, NO. 32)
Date: 12/13/99 12:49:22 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: webmaster@wrightslaw.com (The Special Ed Advocate)
Sender: owner-special-ed-advocate@wrightslaw.com
To: special-ed-advocate@wrightslaw.com
==================
The Special Ed Advocate
The Online Newsletter About
Special Education and the Law
December 13, 1999 Vol. II, No. 32
Visit us today at:
http://www.wrightslaw.com
===================
The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special
education legal issues, cases, tactics and strategy, effective
educational methods, and Internet links.
As a subscriber to The Special Ed Advocate, you will receive
announcements and "alerts" about new cases and other events. Back issues
of The Special Ed Advocate are in the Newsletter Archives at our web
site -
http://www.wrightslaw.com/main_newsletter_archives.htm
Contact, copyright, and subscription information is at the end of this
newsletter
==================
1. NEW TACTICS & STRATEGY MANUAL: FREE SAMPLE
2. MARY WRITES, "A SUCCESSFUL IEP AT LAST - YOUR SYSTEM WORKS!!"
3. MORE BOOKS AND RESOURCES ABOUT IEPS
4. LET MAVIS BEACON TEACH YOUR CHILD TO TOUCH-TYPE
5. SITEMAP!
6. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
7. CONTACT INFORMATION
================
1. NEW TACTICS & STRATEGY MANUAL - FREE SAMPLE
Would you like to sample the NEW WRIGHTSLAW TACTICS & STRATEGY MANUAL to see if it
will meet your needs? Read Chapter One in pdf at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/ourbooks/Tactics_01_Crisis.pdf
Check out the Table of Contents in pdf at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/ourbooks/Tactics_TOC.pdf
Check out DISCOUNTS on Combo Paks at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/store/index.html
For more information about the new TACTICS AND STRATEGY MANUAL go to
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/ourbooks/Tactics_Strategy_Manual.html
=================
2. MARY WRITES "SUCCESSFUL IEP AT LAST -- YOUR SYSTEM WORKS"
"Thanks to your articles, "YOUR CHILD'S IEP" and "UNDERSTANDING TESTS
AND MEASUREMENTS," we were finally able to negotiate a good IEP for our son. But it
wasn't easy . . . "
"My husband and I asked that our son's progress on IEP goals be measured with
standardized tests instead of teacher observations. The IEP team would not agree. We went
to 8 IEP MEETINGS with different school officials. The school officials would not change
our son's IEP so that his progress could be measured objectively."
"The reason they gave us for refusing? Our son is "trainable mentally
handicapped."
"Finally, the Director of Special Education agreed to mediation. During mediation, we
presented standardized scores from tests that were done on three previous occasions. As
you suggest, we used PowerPoint to graph
our son's scores in reading, math and language. "
"When I think about those IEP meetings, it seems that we had to fight awfully hard
for what seems like a small concession. "
"We wanted to let you know about our success. Thank you for making these articles
available to parents."
FROM WRIGHTSLAW:
Thanks for your letter. We just updated YOUR CHILD'S IEP to reflect changes in the statute
and regulations. This article now includes information from the new Appendix A, and links
to other articles and cases.
Here are updated links:
YOUR CHILD'S IEP:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/iep_guidance.html
UNDERSTANDING TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/tests_measurements.html
POWER POINT SLIDE SHOW (how to convert test scores to graphs):
http://www.wrightslaw.com/slideindex.htm
================
3. GOOD BOOKS ABOUT IEPS
* * BETTER IEPS by Barbara Bateman * *
This is an excellent guide to understanding and writing IEPs. This book presents a
three-step process that focuses on the individual student and avoids the common "fill
in the blank" approach to developing IEPs.
The third edition has been updated and revised, and includes the IDEA Amendments of 1997,
examples of IEPs, and guidelines about how to and how NOT to develop IEPs that are
educationally useful.
For more information, go to the Legal Section of our Bookstore at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/bks_law.htm
Or, go directly to Amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570351643/thespecialedadvo
* * MEASURING INSTRUCTIONAL RESULTS by Robert Mager * *
How can you know if your child has learned what you set out to teach them? You need to
know how to measure the results of instruction and determine if the objectives have been
achieved.
In clear, jargon-free language, Robert Mager's popular and easy-to-read book shows parents
and teachers how to develop the tools to measure instructional results.
Measuring Instructional Results helps you determine when instructional results havebeen
achieved, demonstrate that instructional results match your intended outcomes, improve
instruction, and increase the value of the instruction you create. The book shows how to
prepare or select test items and how to match teaching objectives and measurement tools.
For more information about "Measuring Educational Results," go to the Effective
Practices section of our bookstore at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/bks_educate.htm
Or, go directly to Amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1879618168/thespecialedadvo
* * PREPARING INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES by Robert Mager * *
In this best selling book, Robert Mager teaches you how to write clear measurable IEP
goals and objectives.
"Preparing Instructional Objectives" is a guide to identifying, selecting, and
writing educational objectives. This book will help you master the essential elements of
writing a well-stated objective, including how to describe the performances you expect to
achieve, identify the conditions under which you expect the performance to occur,
and set criteria for acceptable performance.
"The new third edition of "Preparing Instructional Objectives" includes
practice exercises to sharpen your skills, an Objectives Checklist to help you distinguish
good objectives from bad ones, a new chapter on where objectives come from, and a new
index.
This book is also in our Effective Practices section at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/bks_educate.htm
To order, go to
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1879618036/thespecialedadvo/
================
4. LET MAVIS BEACON TEACH YOUR CHILD TO TOUCH-TYPE
We live in the information age. Children must learn to touch-type, NOT hunt and peck!
If you have a middle school child who hasn't learned to touch-type, your child needs to
spend 30 minutes a day with Mavis Beacon.
Mavis Beacon is a gem - she is effective, organized, and keeps her students on task. She
measures progress objectively and provides graphs of progress. Mavis is kind and patient.
She never loses her cool - even
with teenagers.
Get Mavis Beacon to teach your child to touch-type. While you're at it, get Mavis to help
you improve your own touch-typing skills! For more information about Mavis Beacon, go to
http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/bks_index.htm
Or, order direct from Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000021Y3Z/thespecialedadvo/
===============
5. USE OUR SITEMAP!
Navigating web sites can be frustrating, even when you finally find what you're looking
for.
If you use our new sitemap, it should be easier to find what you're looking for at
Wrightslaw. Add this sitemap to your Bookmarks!
http://www.wrightslaw.com/sitemap.htm
=================
6. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
To subscribe to The Special Ed Advocate, go to
http://www.wrightslaw.com/approve.htm
To unsubscribe to The Special Ed Advocate, send an email to
majordomo@wrightslaw.com
In the beginning of your message, insert the following words exactly, with hyphens,
lowercase
unsubscribe special-ed-advocate
===========
7. CONTACT INFORMATION
Pete and Pam Wright
c/o The Special Ed Advocate
P. O. Box 1008
Deltaville, VA 23043
Phone: 804-257-0857
Website: http://www.wrightslaw.com
Email: webmaster@wrightslaw.com
The resources at this website are copyrighted by the authors. They may be used for
non-commercial purposes only. They may not be redistributed for commercial purposes
without the express written consent of Peter W.
D. Wright.
It is not necessary to obtain our consent to link to our website or copy, print and
distribute our articles and newsletters for nonprofit purposes so long as the material is
reproduced in its entirety and credit is given to Pete and Pam Wright and
"wrightslaw" including the URL -
http://www.wrightslaw.com
Copyright 1999, Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright. All rights reserved.
END