NLDline
Subj: THE SPECIAL ED ADVOCATE,
FEBRUARY 14, 2000 (V. 3, NO. 6)
Date: 2/14/00 8:40:45 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: pwright@wrightslaw.com (Pam & Pete Wright)
Sender: owner-special-ed-advocate@wrightslaw.com
To: special-ed-advocate@wrightslaw.com
The Special Ed Advocate Newsletter is sent by permission only. If you wish to unsubscribe
at any time, please follow the directions at the end of this e-mail. Thanks!
===============
The Special Ed Advocate
The Online Newsletter About Special Education and the Law
February 14, 2000 Vol. III, No. 6
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.
Invite your friends and colleagues to subscribe to The Special Ed Advocate. Our
subscription form makes it easy to subscribe (instructions at end of this newsletter).
Read and search back issues of The Special Ed Advocate at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/main_newsletter_archives.htm
Directions about how to unsubscribe are at the end of this
newsletter.
================
1. GUEST COLUMN: "GOING ON A DISCOVERY MISSION" BY WAYNE STEEDMAN, ESQ.
2. 3rd ANNUAL COPAA CONFERENCE, ADAMS MARK HOTEL, HOUSTON, TEXAS (MARCH 3-5, 2000)
3. FREE BOOKS OFFER - ACT NOW!
4. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
5. CONTACT INFORMATION
================
1. GUEST COLUMN: “GOING ON A DISCOVERY MISSION” BY WAYNE STEEDMAN, ESQ.
Many special education attorneys and advocates know that LRP Publications has sponsored a
series of workshops around the country called "Building a Blueprint for Defensible
Autism
Programs."
Several parent attorneys -- including Pete -- attended these seminars. Attorney Wayne
Steedman agreed to write this first guest column, and describe what he learned about
“defensible autism programs:”
"I am an attorney who represents children with disabilities and their families
exclusively.
My purpose in going "behind enemy lines" was to learn about new strategies that
school systems might use to avoid providing these children with the services they
need."
"The instructors for 'Building a Blueprint for Defensible Autism Programs' were
Melissa Genaux, educational consultant, and Melinda Maloney Baird, Esq., attorney. Both
Genaux and Baird work exclusively for school systems."
"Because the workshop focused on "defensible" (not "effective")
autism programs, I assumed that the workshop would teach public school employees how to
defeat parents at due process hearings, while providing minimal services to children with
autism."
To find out what Wayne Steedman learned during his "discovery mission," go to
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/guest/Steedman_LRP_0002.htm
WRIGHTSLAW NOTE: Wayne Steedman is a member of COPAA.
COPAA (Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates) is an independent, nonprofit, tax-exempt
organization of attorneys, advocates and parents established to improve the quality and
quantity of legal assistance for parents of children with disabilities.
====================
2. 3rd ANNUAL COPAA CONFERENCE, ADAMS MARK HOTEL, HOUSTON, TEXAS (MARCH 3-5, 2000)
The 3rd Annual COPAA Conference is a winner! Great speakers, great topics!
Here are some highlights from the Schedule --
* FRIDAY *
"Introduction to IEP Basics" and "Strategies and Techniques to Use in
Negotiating IEPs" by Barbara Bateman, Ph.D.
"What Tests are Used for What Purpose; What do they Mean?" by Franklin J.
Hickman, Esq.; Joan K. Honeycutt, ED.D., J.D.
"A Parents' Introduction to IDEA and §504" by Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela
Darr Wright.
"Matula and the Recovery of Damages Under §1983" by Rebecca Spar, Esq.
"Basic Legal Research for Parents and Advocates" by Brice Palmer.
"Using the New IDEA Regulations to Maximum Advantage" by Howard Klebanoff, Esq.
and Ann Terezakis, Esq.
* SATURDAY *
"Review and Discussion of Major Judicial Decisions" by Judith Gran, Esq. and Tom
Gilhool, Esq.
"Preparing a Case for Due Process" by Katherine E. Dobel, Esq. and Valerie
Vanaman, Esq. & Panel
"Preparing Parents for an IEP Meeting" by Pat Howey and Martha Ferris.
"Representing Students with Traumatic Brain Injury" by Torin D. Togut, Esq.
"A Blueprint for Assuring Your SEA Does Its Job" by Mary E. Broadhurst, Esq.
"Access to and Disclosure of Education Records" by Jane F. Reid, Esq.
"Presenting a Case in Due Process" by Mark S. Kamleiter, Esq.; Laura L.
Whiteside, Esq. & Panel
"ADR Options to Resolve the 'Real' Problems Underlying Disputes" by Lynwood E.
Beekman, Esq.
"How Parents & Advocates Should Use Computers and Related Technology" by
Sarah R. Peterson
"Litigation Approaches to Special Education Issues" by Leslie Seid Margolis,
Esq.; Diane Lipton, Esq.; Selene Almazan, Esq.
* SUNDAY *
"Lay Advocacy and the Arons Decision" by David Vladeck, Esq.; Panel: Sonja Kerr,
Esq.; Dean Rivkin, Esq.; Brenda McGee, Esq.
"Why Parents Need an Advocate" by Trea Graham and Catherine M. Fitzgibbons Scott
"Ethical Considerations of Lay Advocacy" by Matthew D. Cohen, Esq.
"Advantages, Pitfalls and Economics of Mediation" by Howard Klebanoff, Esq. and
Ann Terezakis, Esq.
"Special Education Law Office: Fees, Retainers and Other Practical
Considerations" by Barbara J. Ebenstein, Esq.
"Positive Behavior Supports: IEP and Discipline Considerations" by William L.E.
Dussault, Esq.
"Granted, the Law on Discipline is a Mess - So, Let's Get Practical - an Exchange of
Tips and Strategies" by Moderators: Lynwood E. Beekman, Esq. and Matthew D. Cohen,
Esq.; William L.E. Dussault, Esq., Howard Klebanoff, Esq., and others.
To get a copy of the Full Conference Schedule, go to
http://www.copaa.net/3rdconf/schedule.html
* REGISTRATION *
Registration is easy -- you can register by email, fax or mail. For registration
information and forms, go to http://www.copaa.net/3rdconf/register.html
* BONUS *
This Conference is Texas CLE approved (15.75 participatory; 1.25 ethics)!
=================
3. WRIGHTSLAW FREE BOOKS OFFER - ACT NOW!
If you plan to take advantage of the WRIGHTSLAW FREE BOOKS OFFER, ACT NOW!
Our publisher is shipping out books by the ton to meet the demand from this Promotion. We
understand that bad weather is causing Ingram (book wholesaler) to run about 2 weeks
behind.
Harbor House is shipping out free copies of WRIGHTSLAW: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW and the
TACTICS & STRATEGY MANUAL.
For details about the WRIGHTSLAW FREE BOOKS OFFER, go to
http://www.wrightslaw.com/news/2000/freebooks.htm
===========
4. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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
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
===========
4. CONTACT INFORMATION
Pete and Pam Wright
c/o Wrightslaw & 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 2000, Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright. All rights reserved.
END