Re: Digest Number 349

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you for the IEP forms!! They will be very helpful. I will try to see

what mine are(New York) before my first CSE meeting this June. We are

entering school-age for the first time. I guess i should call the school

district and get a copy of the IEP before i go to the meeting. I don't know

when they were planning on giving it to me. If they think they are going to

give it to me that day and have me read, comprehend and agree all in 30

minutes, they are in for a big surprise. I have so much info to go in with

now thanks to this list, I feel pretty confident. Hopefully, I will have

enough nerve to speak up! I can't believe I have to do this all over again

for Diane!! It is going to be a long 14 years!

Thanks again

Jen Katapodis

Marilyn,

Hi. I will check to see if New York recognizes ASL as a natural language. I

assumed they didn't being as the school district said i couldn't use it. We

have a Deaf school about 15 mins from us who wanted to accept Emma but we

didn't like it because they discourage verbal language. they don't speak at

all. Only use sign language and Emma only has a mild-moderate loss in one ear

and normal in the other. Even knowing that, the principal said they would not

speak to her because they feel the kids learn better when they can only

depend on the one language. Now, even I, a novice at all this, know that goes

against everthing Total Communication stands for. My husband and I both felt

it would be an inapproriate place for her as their attitude was--this is how

we do it . period. We then looked into the deaf school about 40 mins from

us that I had written refused to accept her because " she doesn't make eye

contact and will not learn sign " ?????WHAT??? I said, about DB kids!! She

just went on to give me a run around about going to a blind school, keep in

mind, our issue is communication. Being as the school is so far for me to

check up on them and they don't want my daughter anyway, I decided it wasn't

worth fighting for. I guess one can say i gave up, but i am going to try to

get the intervener (signing) in my local school district with the help of my

state's DB consultant and take it from there. I have copied the post you sent

me and will keep it handy for easy reference about what makes an interpreter

certified, what about a sub, if one is sick ect, ect. I hadn't thought of

those things. I am so happy that you did get on your soapbox, as you call

it, as this has all been useful info. and as Sally pointed out, i don't want

to be dealing with it in the middle of the school year. I will let you know

how my meeting goes.

Thanks again!

Jen Katapodis