Participants will clarify the role of the regular educator as well as the parent in the special education process, strategize ways to develop more effective team experiences in special education planning, discuss and problem solve methods of building an active and more effective special education team approach within their schools. This workshop, designed for school principals and administrators, provides an open forum for the analysis of effective partnerships between professionals and parents. Through activities and discussion, participants identify the benefits that accrue to parents, to schools, and to children with special needs when parents and professionals cooperate. Together, parents, educators and students can develop effective IEP's and Transition Plans. During this three-hour workshop, educators learn practical strategies for maximizing the expertise and resources of family members and school personnel to prepare a student for life as a worker in the community.
Participants identify strategies for increasing students' informal connections to the world of work.
To learn more about formal employment programs and services available, participants meet with representatives from local adult service agencies. This workshop is designed for educators who work with secondary special education students. It emphasizes the important role educators play in preparing students to exit the school setting and enter the complex world of adult life. An optional videotape illustrates creative ways that adults with a range of disabilities are being helped to find and keep satisfying jobs. Participants will become familiar with Social Security work incentives and strategies for promoting students' abilities to make decisions and participate in community life.