NICHCY: National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilitites

Hurth, Joicey; Goff, Paula

This paper presents a synthesis of innovative practices and ideas for for explaining procedural safeguards to families in ways that are supportive of their role as partners in the early intervention process.

National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)

This Parent Guide answers questions about accessing early intervention services for infants and toddlers (birth through 2 years), and includes information on how to identify programs within a state, and how to identify and access special education programs for preschoolers with disabilities (ages 3-5). Topics covered include services for rural, Native American, adoptive/foster, and military families and their young children with disabilities. This issue includes a brief overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a glossary of disability and special education terms, a list of helpful books, and a parent’s record-keeping worksheet. Resources and organizational contact information were updated in 2005. (The publication is also available in Spanish.)

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)

McGonigel, Mary J.; Kaufman, Roxanne K.; Johnson, Beverly H.

This publication offers guidelines for the most effective use of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) as required by Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Major topics in this second edition include: the philosophy and conceptual framework for the IFSP, including the necessary components as outlined in the law and regulations; building positive relationships between professionals and families; assessing strengths and needs of children; best practices for identifying family concerns, priorities and resources; guidelines for developing IFSP outcomes, strategies and activities; and sample IFSPs, forms and procedures, and instruments. New in the second edition are: a chapter on the identification of family concerns, priorities, and resources; strategies for developing culturally competent skills and practices; sample checklists and evaluation tools; and the integration of Federal rules and regulations with recommendations for best practices. Full Abstract available from ERIC, No. ED336907, at: www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/23/2c/b2.pdf. Photocopy available for $15.00 from: National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC), Campus Box 8040, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040, (919) 962-2001, (919) 966-7463 (Fax), (919) 843-3269 (TDD), nectac@unc.edu.

NECTAS & Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH)

Markowitz, Joy

This document is a a brief summary of the Research and Training Center's study to obtain an understanding of service coordination at the state level, including roles of parents, values of key stakeholders, sources of funding, and general approach to service provision in which service coordination is embedded for the implementation of Part C coordinators.

Project Forum