Re: Re:IEP question/Co writer

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After an assistive technology assessment it was recommended that Faith begin using these programs, they work together. The OT began working with her at school and the district put them on our computer at home. (aside: the woman who came to the house has a sister who just gave birth to a baby with DS!)

Each week Faith uses the programs to compose and print out her spelling sentences. She needs to come up with a sentence before she starts typing. As she types, the program suggests words and reads out loud the words and then the sentence. She hunts and pecks with 2 fingers, but this is an improvement over using 1 finger, one hand last year. Keyboarding is an OT goal. This has been much easier than getting her to write her sentences. It took her awhile to get the hang of the programs, but now she knows more than I do! Her handwriting is good, spacing and sizing continues to be an issue.

In 4th grade next year there is an emphasis on writing, she will be able to type her assignments.

ette

--------- Re: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Re:IEP question

Hi

I noticed you are discontinuing OT in school. Faith, who is just finishing 3rd grade, has OT goal for keyboarding. The OT has worked with her on "Co-Writer" and "Write out loud". These programs have also been provided for us at home. Faith uses it to write her spelling sentences. It is very helpful and easy for her to use. The OT also has worked with snapping and buttoning her pants, which seems to be an ongoing problem.

ette

-------------- Original message from Spizzirri <jessicafoxvalley (DOT) net>: --------------

Hi a,I just had my daughter's IEP. She will be in 3rd grade next year. She has had the same "team" since kindergarten except for her aid (current teacher, principal/assistant principal, speech therapist, OT, PT, psychologist, social worker, spec ed resource facilitator, aide, and representative teacher from next year's grade). She is in a full-inclusion classroom with a full-time aid. I am a relatively easy- going person and don't like to cause conflict for the sake of conflict. There have been times when I felt the team's recommendations were too low and I didn't think they had allocated enough time for speech,etc. Since I am going through this for the first time, I usually talk to friends with older kids who have DS and jot down ideas so I am prepared going in. I also look at last year's IEP and compare to next year's to make sure the goals aren't the same. For the most part, I respect and appreciate the efforts o

f the team and really like them. And I tell them that at the beginning of every meeting. I feel like they listen and appreciate my input. They also acknowledge that they don't know everything which I think is important. I know other people in the district who have issues. I think it depends on the school, the team, the child and so many other factors. I was never one of those parents who thinks it is me us vs. them but I do know that the district employees are bound to say certain terminology and make certain recommendations based on protocol. That is where it can get frustrating and you have to push them.Budget cuts are NOT your problem. Remember, they aren't doing you any favors. You have rights and your son deserves everything you ask for! You have a right to ask for anything you want. You should absolutely push for more OT if that is what you want. I don't know how old your child is. My daughter was just discharge

d from OT starting next year and I am not sure if I agree or not although I let it stand in the IEP for now. Our kids' low muscle tone affects so many areas from running to sitting to writing to energy level.I don't know your child but speech is the one area kids with DS typically struggle in. I thankfully have a friend who is a speech pathologist and she once told me that my daughter should never have less than 1.5 hours a week to work on the various speech areas (receptive language, expressive, language, articulation). When I presented that to the team THEY AGREED and changed the IEP. It was like they were hoping to get away with 60 minutes but if I asked for 30 more they were excited I figured out the secret puzzle! I don't know if that's because they have a big chart that says NEVER OFFER MORE THAN 60 MINUTES OF SPEECH or what. Needless to say, the extra 30 minutes has made a huge difference. She sees the therapist 3 t imes weekly (every other day) which really makes for a consistent learning environment.So, I am sure your team is great-there don't have to be horror stories. Plus, if he is in a TMH classroom maybe they are more willing to give you what you want without an argument. May I ask how you arrived at the decision for that classroom? I do not know what TMH classroom "looks like" so I am curious. My daughter will probably move out of the inclusion setting in 4th grade to a self-contained classroom.It is hard to know if we are expecting enough or expecting too much. That's what makes this so hard!