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As the number of children diagnosed with developmental disabilities grows, more parents face the daunting task of managing their children's special education programs.

Article Excerpt
Byline: The Register-Guard

As the number of children diagnosed with developmental disabilities grows, more parents face the daunting task of managing their children's special education programs. When things go well at school, everyone benefits. Unfortunately, the opposite also is true. Children can languish or develop more dysfunctional behaviors when forced to remain in the wrong learning environment.

Parents of school-age children with disabilities need a wide base of knowledge that is not required of parents with typically developing children. Newcomers, in particular, may have trouble figuring out whether their child is receiving a free and appropriate education as required by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. Sometimes, problems arise when parents and school districts disagree about what constitutes an "appropriate" education.

Many parents don't really understand special education law. To compound matters, many parents new to the system are confused by the educational jargon thrown around by special education professionals.

Caring for a child with special needs can be exhausting and time-consuming in and of itself. Still, parents need to make every effort to understand their children's needs and rights. They are ultimately responsible for their children's development. Many parents need help tackling this challenging job. Talking to parents of other special needs children is one of...

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