Guest guest Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted. Whitney is now in preschool and loving it. However, I'm not that experienced with the IEP stuff, and not sure how to get what she needs without creating enemies. Currently she is in a class with other special needs kids, most of them have Mental retardation. They use pictures and those boxes that say words if they push the button, (I can't remember what they are called), and a few signs. At home Whitney signs two and three words at a time and shows complex thinking. Most every note that is sent home from school is about her not wanting to do something and gets mad. I keep trying to tell them that she needs to be moved to the sign language class, or she needs an interpretor, or more signing needs to be used in the class, but they seem to side step my request by emphasising how important it is to learn pictures, etc. I undertand that it is important, but her thoughts are more complex than a picture, and she is getting frustrated at school. Am I asking to much for a preschool program? I fear she is going to fall further behind if she isn't using more language. I have emailed the CHARGE Syndrome foundation asking for email adresses or phone numbers of other CHARGE families in my area with no respons, so, I'm looking for your expert opinion as I don't want to start pushing for something that purhaps I just need to be patient about. Feel free to email me directly at wellsfam@.... Thanks in advance for your advise. DeAnn Wells, Wife to Jeff, Mom to Austin 11, , 8, and CHARgE Whitney 3 1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 Hi DeAnn, Sometime ago I did have a directory of similar groups to PP & A (Pa Protection Advocacy) throughout U.S. but can't find it now. Did a quick search and came up with this one. They should be able to direct you to an advocacy group in your state. http://www.deafchildren.org/ Our PP & A has two seperate entities where one deals with school age children and other deals with adult issues. I don't know what I would have done without their help in getting 's house started. If you post again and tell me which state you live in I can call my contact here in PA to see if they can give me some contacts for your state. mom to (31) > > Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted. Whitney > is now in preschool and loving it. However, I'm not that > experienced with the IEP stuff, and not sure how to get what she > needs without creating enemies. Currently she is in a class with > other special needs kids, most of them have Mental retardation. > They use pictures and those boxes that say words if they push the > button, (I can't remember what they are called), and a few signs. > At home Whitney signs two and three words at a time and shows > complex thinking. Most every note that is sent home from school is > about her not wanting to do something and gets mad. I keep trying > to tell them that she needs to be moved to the sign language class, > or she needs an interpretor, or more signing needs to be used in the > class, but they seem to side step my request by emphasising how > important it is to learn pictures, etc. I undertand that it is > important, but her thoughts are more complex than a picture, and she > is getting frustrated at school. Am I asking to much for a > preschool program? I fear she is going to fall further behind if > she isn't using more language. I have emailed the CHARGE Syndrome > foundation asking for email adresses or phone numbers of other > CHARGE families in my area with no respons, so, I'm looking for your > expert opinion as I don't want to start pushing for something that > purhaps I just need to be patient about. Feel free to email me > directly at wellsfam@... Thanks in advance for your advise. > > DeAnn Wells, Wife to Jeff, Mom to Austin 11, , 8, > and CHARgE Whitney 3 1/2 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 Dear DeAnn, I am only an expert in our one experience through , so I will share that. When was three, because he did not walk independently, because of the tracheostomy and gastrostomy and because he just seemed so fragile, he was placed in a special day class for the orthopedically handicapped. Among his classmates were children with cerebral palsy, spinal bifida, seizure disorders and other diagnosises, none of whom had an identified hearing loss. He was assigned a one-on-one aid, who was both his health aid (in charge of suctioning and tube feeding) and his sign language translator. When he was four, he was a little less fragile and a little more physically stable and he was moved to a DHH classroom with a one-on-one health aide. Later he would be gradually mainstreamed into a regular ed class with an interpreter until he would eventually be mainstreamed full time. He was assigned a sign language translator because the special education department (especially the preschool DHH teacher) firmly believe that his access through language would be best served in total communication, including sign language, and insisted - without question - that this was his undeniable right. The only appropriate placement would be with language first, the orthopedically handicapped classroom setting was out of concern for his physical safety.. I hope this helps. I think you are absolutely right to want to push - and to push all you want. Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions - either on list or off- best to you- Yuka yuka@... Whitney's education needs Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted. Whitney is now in preschool and loving it. However, I'm not that experienced with the IEP stuff, and not sure how to get what she needs without creating enemies. Currently she is in a class with other special needs kids, most of them have Mental retardation. They use pictures and those boxes that say words if they push the button, (I can't remember what they are called), and a few signs. At home Whitney signs two and three words at a time and shows complex thinking. Most every note that is sent home from school is about her not wanting to do something and gets mad. I keep trying to tell them that she needs to be moved to the sign language class, or she needs an interpreter, or more signing needs to be used in the class, but they seem to side step my request by emphasizing how important it is to learn pictures, etc. I understand that it is important, but her thoughts are more complex than a picture, and she is getting frustrated at school. Am I asking to much for a preschool program? I fear she is going to fall further behind if she isn't using more language. I have emailed the CHARGE Syndrome foundation asking for email addresses or phone numbers of other CHARGE families in my area with no response, so, I'm looking for your expert opinion as I don't want to start pushing for something that perhaps I just need to be patient about. Feel free to email me directly at wellsfam@.... Thanks in advance for your advise. DeAnn Wells, Wife to Jeff, Mom to Austin 11, , 8, and CHARgE Whitney 3 1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2007 Report Share Posted April 6, 2007 my son is in the deaf ed total comm program, and it has worked wonders, he has a trach, so sign is main mode of communication, i know we were borderline in getting in the program, but his main need was for communication, so that is were he needed to be, look over your daughters iep goals and make sure they are communication based, if they are based on her communication needs and they are not being met, then you need to go back to ard and address that issue, good luck! keep fighting till you get her where she needs to be. > > Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted. Whitney > is now in preschool and loving it. However, I'm not that > experienced with the IEP stuff, and not sure how to get what she > needs without creating enemies. Currently she is in a class with > other special needs kids, most of them have Mental retardation. > They use pictures and those boxes that say words if they push the > button, (I can't remember what they are called), and a few signs. > At home Whitney signs two and three words at a time and shows > complex thinking. Most every note that is sent home from school is > about her not wanting to do something and gets mad. I keep trying > to tell them that she needs to be moved to the sign language class, > or she needs an interpretor, or more signing needs to be used in the > class, but they seem to side step my request by emphasising how > important it is to learn pictures, etc. I undertand that it is > important, but her thoughts are more complex than a picture, and she > is getting frustrated at school. Am I asking to much for a > preschool program? I fear she is going to fall further behind if > she isn't using more language. I have emailed the CHARGE Syndrome > foundation asking for email adresses or phone numbers of other > CHARGE families in my area with no respons, so, I'm looking for your > expert opinion as I don't want to start pushing for something that > purhaps I just need to be patient about. Feel free to email me > directly at wellsfam@... Thanks in advance for your advise. > > DeAnn Wells, Wife to Jeff, Mom to Austin 11, , 8, > and CHARgE Whitney 3 1/2 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2007 Report Share Posted April 6, 2007 Your child is entitled to an educational environment which is the least restrictive environment. I don't know where you live, but ask to visit the deaf and hard of hearing preschool program that serves your district. Talk to the supervisor of that program and bring your child with you. It often helps the educational program if they can see your child and interact with them, rather than looking at her only on paper. As for your current program, compliment them on all of the positives of the classroom as you continue to advocate for your child to be moved to a different placement. I'm sure it's frustrating for you.If there is not a D/HH program available, ask for a signing aide for your child. jsestewart wrote: my son is in the deaf ed total comm program, and it has worked wonders, he has a trach, so sign is main mode of communication, i know we were borderline in getting in the program, but his main need was for communication, so that is were he needed to be, look over your daughters iep goals and make sure they are communication based, if they are based on her communication needs and they are not being met, then you need to go back to ard and address that issue, good luck! keep fighting till you get her where she needs to be. > > Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted. Whitney > is now in preschool and loving it. However, I'm not that > experienced with the IEP stuff, and not sure how to get what she > needs without creating enemies. Currently she is in a class with > other special needs kids, most of them have Mental retardation. > They use pictures and those boxes that say words if they push the > button, (I can't remember what they are called), and a few signs. > At home Whitney signs two and three words at a time and shows > complex thinking. Most every note that is sent home from school is > about her not wanting to do something and gets mad. I keep trying > to tell them that she needs to be moved to the sign language class, > or she needs an interpretor, or more signing needs to be used in the > class, but they seem to side step my request by emphasising how > important it is to learn pictures, etc. I undertand that it is > important, but her thoughts are more complex than a picture, and she > is getting frustrated at school. Am I asking to much for a > preschool program? I fear she is going to fall further behind if > she isn't using more language. I have emailed the CHARGE Syndrome > foundation asking for email adresses or phone numbers of other > CHARGE families in my area with no respons, so, I'm looking for your > expert opinion as I don't want to start pushing for something that > purhaps I just need to be patient about. Feel free to email me > directly at wellsfam@... Thanks in advance for your advise. > > DeAnn Wells, Wife to Jeff, Mom to Austin 11, , 8, > and CHARgE Whitney 3 1/2 > --------------------------------- Never miss an email again! Yahoo! Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives. Check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2007 Report Share Posted April 7, 2007 , I'm so glad to hear your advice, especially as I completely agree with every word that you typed. I started out this whole thing by asking if I could just observe the deaf/HH class,(after sending an email praising her current program). I was then told that the head of that department would call me and make an appointment to meet Whitney and I. That never happened, they instead called a language specialist to go to her school and observe Whitney. I got the letter in the mail that stated that the pictures, and language boxes, and some sign was being used in her current program. It was a waist of time, and didn't address anything. So, I'm back to square one. It feels great to have your support. Just putting this all down on paper has helped so much for me to see that I need to continue pushing for what is best for Whitney. Thanks DeAnn, Wife to Jeff, Mom to Austin 11, 8, and CHARgE Whitney 3 1/2, in Arizona > > > > Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted. Whitney > > is now in preschool and loving it. However, I'm not that > > experienced with the IEP stuff, and not sure how to get what she > > needs without creating enemies. Currently she is in a class with > > other special needs kids, most of them have Mental retardation. > > They use pictures and those boxes that say words if they push the > > button, (I can't remember what they are called), and a few signs. > > At home Whitney signs two and three words at a time and shows > > complex thinking. Most every note that is sent home from school > is > > about her not wanting to do something and gets mad. I keep trying > > to tell them that she needs to be moved to the sign language > class, > > or she needs an interpretor, or more signing needs to be used in > the > > class, but they seem to side step my request by emphasising how > > important it is to learn pictures, etc. I undertand that it is > > important, but her thoughts are more complex than a picture, and > she > > is getting frustrated at school. Am I asking to much for a > > preschool program? I fear she is going to fall further behind if > > she isn't using more language. I have emailed the CHARGE Syndrome > > foundation asking for email adresses or phone numbers of other > > CHARGE families in my area with no respons, so, I'm looking for > your > > expert opinion as I don't want to start pushing for something that > > purhaps I just need to be patient about. Feel free to email me > > directly at wellsfam@ Thanks in advance for your advise. > > > > DeAnn Wells, Wife to Jeff, Mom to Austin 11, , 8, > > and CHARgE Whitney 3 1/2 > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Never miss an email again! > Yahoo! Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives. Check it out. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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