IN*SOURCE

It can be challenging to understand who is sitting at the table at a case conference, much less to understand their roles. In this webinar, IN*SOURCE will be interviewing a Special Education Director in  order to better understand the role of the Special Education Director in a student’s education, the requirements of a special education director and how to work with your director and other staff to support students. Elizabeth Shepperd is a winner of the PATINS Project starfish award which is presented to educators who go above and beyond to meet the needs of all their students through Universal Design for Learning and implementation of accessible educational materials and assistive technology.

An individualized education program (IEP) is a written document, developed by the case conference committee, that describes how a student will access the general education curriculum and the special education and related services needed to participate in the educational environment. This presentation will provide an overview of the components of the IEP and emphasizes parent involvement in the development of the IEP for their child.

Participants will learn about the new requirement for all students with an IEP beginning with the class of 2023 to have a transition portfolio. Information will be provided about the format, expectations, and desired outcomes for transition portfolios. Participants will be able to understand how portfolios will be developed, what a portfolio will look like for different individuals, and how the portfolio will be a part of the transition planning process.  

Guest Speaker Michelle Oja is an Education Specialist for the Indiana Department of Education within the Office of Special Education. She is the Education Specialist overseeing transition planning (Indicator 13), pre-employment services, graduation pathways, Career and Technical Education, and Choice Schools. She graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester with her bachelor’s degree in English and Inclusive Education and her master’s degree in Adolescent Education. Michelle recently moved from Virginia to Indiana. Before coming to the IDOE, she was a special education teacher working with high school and middle school students for the past ten years.

Ashley Quick, A Project SUCCESS team member and former special education teacher, makes the case for presuming competence in every student, regardless of the presence of a disability. The assumptions we make about students’ abilities impact the quality of outcomes achieved throughout those students’ lives.

Ashley Quick, A Project SUCCESS team member and former special education teacher, makes the case for presuming competence in every student, regardless of the presence of a disability. The assumptions we make about students’ abilities impact the quality of outcomes achieved throughout those students’ lives.

This training is designed to help parents feel more comfortable in the role of advocating for their child at school. Participants will learn what advocacy means, how to improve their advocacy skills, learn to use six skills for effective advocacy, and learn the importance of being organized and using clear and effective communication.

Esta sesión proporciona una descripción breve del proceso de educación especial, con énfasis en el papel del padre en el proceso, las opciones de resolución de conflictos para los padres, y la importancia de la construcción de relaciones buenas entre los padres y la escuela.