Parent Checklist for Special Education

How do professionals work together with families to meet the needs of the children?

• Teams of professionals and family members make decisions and work together.

• Professionals from various disciplines (e.g., physical therapy, speech therapy) teach skills to each other so that when they are working with children they can work on all of the child’s goals.

• Services are based on the child’s needs, involve the child’s regular caregivers, and focus on the child’s regular routines.

• Services are provided in ways that eliminate stress, are flexible and individualized for each child and family, and promote the well being of families.

• Services are sensitive and responsive to the cultural, ethnic, racial, and language preferences and backgrounds of families.

How does the program determine the strengths and needs of the child and family?

• Programs provide families with a primary contact person and easy ways to contact that person.

• Families and professionals meet together to talk about the child’s strengths and needs.

• Professionals ask families to talk about their child’s interests, abilities, and needs and demonstrate to the families that this information is critical and useful in terms of developing the child’s program.

• Professionals ask families to talk about their resources, concerns, and priorities related to their child’s development.

• Professionals use a variety of methods for determining the child’s strengths and needs (e.g., observe the child in different settings, interview the primary caregivers, test the child).

• Professionals test children in settings that are comfortable for the child.

• Professionals become familiar with the child before testing him/her.

• Professionals and families assess children at different times during the year to measure progress. Modifications in the child’s program are made based on these ongoing findings.

• Professionals report assessment results to families in a way that is understandable, sensitive, and responsive to the family’s concerns.

• Families are given time to ask questions, express concerns, or make comments about assessment findings before decisions are made about the child’s program.

• Professionals tell families about their rights related to assessment.

What does the classroom look like (if it is a center-based program)? How is the day structured?

• The classroom is free of safety hazards (e.g., sharp objects, slippery rugs, hazardous materials).

• There are interesting materials that are appropriate to the children’s ages and are adapted for the needs of children with disabilities.

• There are materials that represent different cultures.

• There are a variety of different types of activities (e.g., small group, large group, centers).

• Activities are structured such that children can learn through interaction with materials and other children in addition to interactions with adults.

What are the teachers and other adults doing?

• Professionals provide children with different levels of support depending on their needs (e.g., physically assisting a child, asking questions, providing models).

• Professionals use teaching strategies and adaptations that promote the child’s participation in classroom activities.

• Professionals encourage children to help each other.

• Professionals provide instruction to children that target their individual goals and objectives.

• Professionals attempt to prevent challenging behaviors by explaining class rules, planning activities that are interesting to children, minimizing the amount of time children have to wait without having something to do, and modeling appropriate social skills.

• Professionals provide parents with information about ways they can work on their children’s goals during family routines and activities.

• Professionals use technology (e.g., switches connected to toys, choice-making boards, computers) to help children learn new skills.

• Professionals select technology that is available in all of the child’s environments.

What are the policies of the program, and how are they communicated to families?

• Families are involved in the development of program policies.

• Program policies ensure that families understand their rights.

• Program policies reflect and are sensitive to the diversity of children and families in the program.

• Program policies are communicated to families in ways that are understandable and clear to all families.

• Program policies require a family-centered approach in all phases of the child’s program. Policies promote the family’s active participation in all decisions about their child.

• Program policies promote the provision of services in naturally occurring settings and routines.

• Program policies ensure that the child’s program is based on child and family needs.

• Program policies promote collaboration with other programs in terms of providing services and supporting the family’s transitions between programs.

• Program policies ensure that families are involved in all aspects of the program (e.g., curriculum development, professional development, staff evaluation).

Reference

Sandall, S., McLean, M.E., & Smith, B.J. (2000). DEC Recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

Note

This checklist is also available free of charge from the DEC website: www.dec-sped.org For more information on DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education:

Division for Early Childhood/Council for Exceptional Children
1380 Lawrence St., Suite 650, Denver, CO 80204
Phone: (303) 556-3328 Fax: (303) 556-3310
Email: dec@ceo.cudenver.edu
Website: www.dec-sped.org

To order a copy of DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education contact:

Sopris West
4093 Specialty Place
Phone: (800) 547-6747 Fax: (888) 819-7767
Website: www.sopriswest.com

Disclaimer

Funding for this publication came in part from a grant to the University of Colorado at Denver and the Division for Early Childhood from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (grant no. H324D.980033). The contents of this book do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education or the University of Colorado at Denver. The Division for Early Childhood assumes no liability or risk that may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this publication. DEC does not perform due diligence on advertisers or their products or services and cannot endorse or guarantee that their offerings are suitable or accurate.