Re: Searching for PECS for Classroom

[Guest guest]

Sharon in West U:

If Twain Elementary doesn't already have Boardmaker, can't they borrow the

software from the PPCD class within their own school district? I find it very

hard to believe that the school doesn't have access to the most basic

software package, especially when you consider the tax rate in that area. Was

the

Sp Ed director involved in your discussion? Surely, she has the resources to

find out if another teacher or school within their district is using PECS.

CReece

[Guest guest]

I would go online and make it.You can go to www.polyxo.com or I would buy

boardmaker program(CD) I think it is about $200. If not just google certain

specific schedule pictures.

sharonhd@... wrote: Hi everyone:

We just got here from Colorado and have enrolled our son in Twain Elementary

in the West U area. They informed us today that we are responsible for

providing our own PECS schedule for him. (BTW otherwise they have been

wonderful

and have eagerly included him in the class with an excellent and very calm

teacher.) We have our formal transfer meeting on the 15th and I get the

impression that they do not want to provide OT for him. If it's already on the

IEP

from Colorado is it possible for them to deny us? Just want to be prepared for

the worst just in case.

Does anyone have any idea if there is a good store locally where I can pick

one up?

Does anyone have a favorite catalog that they order from?

Thanks for your help,

Sharon in West U.

[Guest guest]

Boardmaker is a good program. It is costly though. $200

You have to provide your own for the school to use? Is this right? That does

not sound right to me. Can anyone answer that one?

sharonhd@... wrote: Hi everyone:

We just got here from Colorado and have enrolled our son in Twain Elementary

in the West U area. They informed us today that we are responsible for

providing our own PECS schedule for him. (BTW otherwise they have been

wonderful

and have eagerly included him in the class with an excellent and very calm

teacher.) We have our formal transfer meeting on the 15th and I get the

impression that they do not want to provide OT for him. If it's already on the

IEP

from Colorado is it possible for them to deny us? Just want to be prepared for

the worst just in case.

Does anyone have any idea if there is a good store locally where I can pick

one up?

Does anyone have a favorite catalog that they order from?

Thanks for your help,

Sharon in West U.

[Guest guest]

Sharon,

I agreee with the others that it sounds odd that the school is asking you to

provide the PECS schedule for your son. I have never heard of such a thing--I

would ask them about this. Also, as far as I know, if you have OT services

included in your son's present IEP, the school is supposed to abide by that. I'm

not aware of them having the right to deny these services under those

circumstances...not sure if nna or someone else might have more knowledge

in this area and know of something I don't!

a

Searching for PECS for Classroom

Hi everyone:

We just got here from Colorado and have enrolled our son in Twain Elementary

in the West U area. They informed us today that we are responsible for

providing our own PECS schedule for him. (BTW otherwise they have been

wonderful

and have eagerly included him in the class with an excellent and very calm

teacher.) We have our formal transfer meeting on the 15th and I get the

impression that they do not want to provide OT for him. If it's already on the

IEP

from Colorado is it possible for them to deny us? Just want to be prepared for

the worst just in case.

Does anyone have any idea if there is a good store locally where I can pick

one up?

Does anyone have a favorite catalog that they order from?

Thanks for your help,

Sharon in West U.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

Sounds like the school are not properly trained in PECS if told to

provide your own materials or not even even making you feel like they

could follow your son's IEP from Colorado in regards to the OT too.

Sorry you are having a bad taste of what most of us parents have to

deal with or become aware of some red flag signs when it comes to the

services you would like your child to have or continue with. In your

son's case, his IEP should be follow as is even while transferred out

here to Texas. If you could mention more or less where you are at?

Maybe someone aboard this list could assist you on referring an

advocate so that they could attend with you when you have your ARD

meeting.

The parent is an equal member of the ARD committee, and regardless of

position, the number or level of degrees or letters behind their

names, no one at the ARD has more of a voice than the parent.

In addition, IDEA states all IEPs and Services and programming must be

unanimous, and above all the parent must be in complete agreement.

First, the committee of which you are an equal member must be

unanimous, and you have every right to disagree and request a recess

and a reconvening. And that can occur over and over until their is a

full agreement. Most schools and school districts avoid even a 10 day

recess at all costs, much less an ongoing 6 month ARD process, and it

is a process, not a once a year meeting. Second, you can disagree,

request a recess and the form for filing a due process complaint is

on-line. The district will be provided notice you filed this

complaint within a day or so.

You can always rescind the complaint without penalty, and if

necessary this will usually get the school or districts attention

that your serious. Also, do not fear a recess, unlike the thinking of

many parents, an IEP cannot be initiated until it is unanimously

approved. So many times parents think that if they recess or fail to

agree and want to return at a later date the school will, or can,

just state programming according to the new IEP. The fact is the

existing IEP must remain in place until you agree on the changes.

Get the training for the staff and upkeep of the PECS implemented

throughout the day, this is his voice when using a communication book

written into the IEP as well. As far as the PECS with you having to

provide the materials that is just dead wrong, this does indicate

they are not properly trained request who is or demand that everyone

working with your son gets trained.

Visual supports help visual learners understand what is being said to

them or what is expected. Give them a copy of the

Communication Bill of Rights:

http://www.sesa.org/newsltr/spring96/billofrights.html

Here are some sites that I have on one of my folders. Hope something

will help out. Ask the school district if they have an Autism

Resource/Library room maybe they could assist with the materials

needed. See if there is a local autism support group.

http://www.yellowschoolbustour.com/calendar.aspx

http://www.difflearn.com/products.asp?dept=23

http://www.mayer-johnson.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MakingPECSCards/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pyramid-pecs/

http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm

http://www.dotolearn.com/

http://members.aol.com/Room5/schedule.html

http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/8561.asp

http://www.abaresources.com/free.htm

http://www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com/downloads.html

http://speech.jppss.k12.la.us/engineering_the_classroom.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/as/asteachersites.html

http://www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com/downloads/picturesymbols.html

http://www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com/downloads/photosymbols.html

http://www.pdictionary.com/

http://speakingofspeech.com/generic38.html

http://www.iconbazaar.com/

Irma

>

> Hi everyone:

>

> We just got here from Colorado and have enrolled our son in Twain

Elementary

> in the West U area. They informed us today that we are responsible

for

> providing our own PECS schedule for him. (BTW otherwise they have

been wonderful

> and have eagerly included him in the class with an excellent and

very calm

> teacher.) We have our formal transfer meeting on the 15th and I get

the

> impression that they do not want to provide OT for him. If it's

already on the IEP

> from Colorado is it possible for them to deny us? Just want to be

prepared for

> the worst just in case.

>

> Does anyone have any idea if there is a good store locally where I

can pick

> one up?

>

> Does anyone have a favorite catalog that they order from?

>

> Thanks for your help,

> Sharon in West U.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

THANK YOU for all of your kind responses -- I thought it sounded odd as well

and I will follow up with the Special Ed teacher on Monday to confirm that

they have access to boardmaker.

We are in the West University area and are enrolled at Mark Twain Elementary

-- they do not have an OT on staff and asked me on Friday if we will be

paying to send one into the class each week?!

I am eager to hear all of your input so I can be prepared for the transfer

meeting on Wed am -- if anyone knows an advocate in this area and can recommend

one for us I would appreciate it.

Thanks again for all of your insight,

Sharon in West U

[Guest guest]

I'm assuming this is a public school? Why on earth would they ask if you are

planning to pay for your own OT? Another warning flag in my opinion, Sharon. I

really hope you can find an advocate over there to attend the meeting with you.

a

Re: Re: Searching for PECS for Classroom

THANK YOU for all of your kind responses -- I thought it sounded odd as well

and I will follow up with the Special Ed teacher on Monday to confirm that

they have access to boardmaker.

We are in the West University area and are enrolled at Mark Twain Elementary

-- they do not have an OT on staff and asked me on Friday if we will be

paying to send one into the class each week?!

I am eager to hear all of your input so I can be prepared for the transfer

meeting on Wed am -- if anyone knows an advocate in this area and can

recommend

one for us I would appreciate it.

Thanks again for all of your insight,

Sharon in West U

[Guest guest]

I recommend spending some time researching the law on www.wrightslaw.com

<http://www.wrightslaw.com/> . They have a lot of info and you need to

know what your rights are. I agree with everyone else, they are required to

provide a FAPE. You should be documenting all of this.

_____

From: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

[mailto:Texas-Autism-Advocacy ] On Behalf Of sharonhd@...

Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2006 10:41 AM

To: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

Subject: Re: Re: Searching for PECS for Classroom

THANK YOU for all of your kind responses -- I thought it sounded odd as well

and I will follow up with the Special Ed teacher on Monday to confirm that

they have access to boardmaker.

We are in the West University area and are enrolled at Mark Twain Elementary

-- they do not have an OT on staff and asked me on Friday if we will be

paying to send one into the class each week?!

I am eager to hear all of your input so I can be prepared for the transfer

meeting on Wed am -- if anyone knows an advocate in this area and can

recommend

one for us I would appreciate it.

Thanks again for all of your insight,

Sharon in West U

[Guest guest]

>> We are in the West University area and are enrolled at Mark Twain

Elementary

Is this part of the surroundings of the cities of Houston?

Irma

[Guest guest]

WHAT?!!!

They might as well tell you to bring your own tutors. How much does it cost

to make a few pictures anyway? Shouldn't they already have some kind of

software to implement this for other children?

I could tell you that I did my own PECS for my son by taking pictures of

things in his own environment and laminating them instead of the typical

ones used by a software. It made more sense to him. But even so, I would

think since this is part of your child's education/communication tools, they

should work on providing them or paying for them.

>>They informed us today that we are responsible for

>> providing our own PECS schedule for him.

[Guest guest]

Just in case you do have to make your own,although the SLP should have access to

Board maker. I wanted to also let you know about these sites which you can make

schedules on. You could always make them a schedule with these pictures and they

could update or convert to the boardmaker icon.

www.joeschedule.com

www.speakingofspeech.com

Jeff & a Sell wrote:

I'm assuming this is a public school? Why on earth would they ask if you are

planning to pay for your own OT? Another warning flag in my opinion, Sharon. I

really hope you can find an advocate over there to attend the meeting with you.

a

Re: Re: Searching for PECS for Classroom

THANK YOU for all of your kind responses -- I thought it sounded odd as well

and I will follow up with the Special Ed teacher on Monday to confirm that

they have access to boardmaker.

We are in the West University area and are enrolled at Mark Twain Elementary

-- they do not have an OT on staff and asked me on Friday if we will be

paying to send one into the class each week?!

I am eager to hear all of your input so I can be prepared for the transfer

meeting on Wed am -- if anyone knows an advocate in this area and can

recommend

one for us I would appreciate it.

Thanks again for all of your insight,

Sharon in West U

[Guest guest]

>We are in the West University area and are enrolled at Mark Twain Elementary

-- they do not have an OT on staff and asked me on Friday if we will be

paying to send one into the class each week?!<

I can't wait to hear the response to this one! Isn't it true that the school

should pay for an OT out of school if they do not provide one that is needed by

a student? This is unconscienable to me that they would suggest this.

C.