84.328M:
Parent Training and Information Centers

This document describes the projects that received funding in Fiscal Year 2004 by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, under its competition 84.328M, Parent Training and Information Centers. This funding is authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), our nation's special education law.

The Bigger Picture

NICHCY is pleased to make this listing available to you online. The listing comes from a longer publication with the incredibly long title of: Volume 3 of Discretionary Projects Supported by the Office of Special Education Programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Fiscal Year 2004: Technical Assistance, Dissemination, Parent Information, and State Improvement.

Interested in what other Parent Training and Information grants have been funded by OSEP in 2004? Please visit:
www.nichcy.org/directories/parent-training.asp

For an overview of OSEP's discretionary funding programs, and to find complete listings of all its program areas, competitions, and funded projects, please visit:
www.nichcy.org/directories/intro.asp

For a print copy of the complete Technical Assistance, Dissemination, Parent Information, and State Improvement directory (Volume 3), or any of the other directories (while supplies last), please contact Todd Fisk, the Directory/Database Manager, at:
tfisk@aed.org

84.328M
Parent Training and Information Centers

Purpose: The Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) Parent Training and Information Center on Disabilities (PTIC) will expand services with the goal of improving educational and life outcomes for children, preparing them to be lifelong learners, productive workers, and responsible citizens.

Method: The project will offer a comprehensive array of services and supports to families of children with disabilities (ages birth to 21) and the professionals who support them, using specific outreach measures for underserved populations. The project will provide training, information, and advocacy to families, which strengthens their role as parents and empowers them to better meet the needs of their children and to participate in systems change initiatives. The PTIC will also develop and offer training to professionals in higher education institutions, agencies, and schools on culturally sensitive family-centered practices. Project staff will foster family involvement in all aspects of the design, implementation, and evaluation of services and supports for families at the local, state, and national levels, promoting a unified service system that collaborates with families and pools resources to meet the needs of children and their families.

Products: The results of this project will include progressive changes impacting families, children, community agencies, professionals, and policy makers.

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Purpose: Virgin Islands Family Information Network on Disabilities (V.I. FIND) will continue providing important services to the parents of children with special needs.

Method: V.I. FIND will carry out the following seven activities over the five years of the project: (a) Provide support, materials, and training to 135 parents of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with developmental delays; (b) provide individualized materials to 400 parents of school-age children with any disability; (c) provide training to 600 parents of children birth to school age in all aspects of understanding IDEA; (d) provide training in effective communication skills to at least 80 parents; (e) identify and train 12 parents per year to serve as support group leaders, parent trainers, group leaders, advocates, and future members of the board of directors, beginning in the second year of the project; (f) provide awareness training to 150 parents of infants and toddlers, and 76 day care providers and personnel, on IDEA/Child Find; and (g) expand the library center by an additional 100 resources.

Products: The project will reach out and inform parents via school announcements, media advertisements, mail-outs, posters, and interagency cooperation. Support, education, and training will be provided through individual sessions, meetings, group sessions, and workshops. All the project's materials will be printed in English and Spanish to bridge language barriers.

Purpose: This project, the STEP Center (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents), will provide training and information services to parents of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities throughout Tennessee. The services are designed to foster equal partnerships and encourage collaboration between parents and the professionals who work with their children. This project continues STEP's current services, expands capacity to meet demand, and adds new methods and activities to address unmet needs

Method: STEP will engage in outreach, training, information, and assistance activities that are organized around four goals and eighteen specific objectives in a project called Families and Schools Together (FAST)—Make It Happen!. A prominent feature of the STEP project is the use of multimedia training technologies to increase access to training and information and to meet the needs of parents who cannot or do not make use of traditional training workshop models. Parent trainers and volunteers across the state will help to facilitate the development of local networks for support and information.

Products: Approximately 15,000 parents each year will be able to access STEP's services.

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Purpose: West Virginia Parent Training and Information, Inc. (WVPTI) will provide support, training, and information to West Virginia's families of individuals with disabilities. WVPTI will conduct a "grassroots" approach to training and collaboration, a service delivery system that has been very successful in reaching West Virginian families.

Method: The project activities will: (a) provide information and support designed to assist West Virginia's families of a child with a disability in understanding the nature and needs of their child's disability and strengthen their ability to access services and participate in decision making; (b) assist West Virginia parents of children with disabilities to participate fully in the educational decision-making process by providing a comprehensive menu of workshops, conferences, audiotapes, and videotapes; (c) provide specific information, training, and support designed to assist West Virginia families in extremely rural areas or isolated by other conditions; and (d) provide culturally appropriate information, training, and support designed to strengthen the ability of West Virginia's diverse and traditionally underserved/unserved population of parents to understand and participate in making educational decisions.

Products: The demand for WVPTI-developed materials through information requests, resource databases, and the WVPTI Web Page supports the need for their continued development and use. All of the project's workshop manuals are available on audiotape for any audience, and many parent materials are written at a low reading level.

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Purpose: The Parent Education Network (PEN), a statewide parent coalition, will provide services and training to Pennsylvania parents of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with a full range of disabilities.

Method: The project will conduct the following activities: (a) public information, dissemination, and outreach; (b) workshops; (c) training for parent support and self-determination; (d) individual information, technical assistance, and consultation; (e) parent and professional partnerships; and (f) training and assistance to minority parents. Workshops will be designed to assist parents to effectively participate with professionals to develop early intervention and special education programs. Regional PEN offices will be located in rural areas of high poverty and unemployment and also in major metropolitan areas of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Allentown) where significant numbers of unserved, minority, and non-English-speaking people reside. The central office will target the remaining counties and continue to provide direct services throughout the state, as well as coordinate and supervise activities of the regional offices.

Products: The project plans to conduct at least 20,000 outreach contacts per year, with emphasis on unserved or underserved, unidentified or inappropriately identified, unaffiliated, minority and non-English-speaking parents. The project will conduct at least 28 workshops per year which will reach 1,200 parents and professionals per year. The project will distribute information to parents, professionals, and interested others via the "PENews," the PEN Web site, the public library system, news articles in community/regional/local shopper papers, cable TV (English and Spanish), Home Extension Service, radio/TV spots, community activities, and conferences.

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Purpose: This project will continue and expand services offered since 1989 through the Parent Education Resource Center (PERC) to Idaho families of children/youth with disabilities ages 0 through 21.

Method: PERC will increase parental knowledge of educational problems, issues, and effective strategies through offering a variety of services. PERC services are delivered directly to parents by seven Parent Education Coordinators (PECs) located throughout Idaho. PERC staff builds local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the needs of parents and their children with disabilities by establishing regional Parent Advisory Councils and by training regional Volunteer Resource Parents who support and assist families of children with disabilities. PERC reaches out to unserved and underserved families by training Ambassadors to promote IPUL services in rural areas to community groups. A 15-member board of directors from across Idaho, fourteen of whom are parents of children/young adults with disabilities and two of whom are from minority populations, provide organizational oversight.

Products: PERC provides printed materials, training, and one-to-one assistance by phone and e-mail, a Web site, a quarterly newsletter ( The Idaho Parent Network ) with a circulation of 7,000; and an annual parent conference.

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Purpose: This project will expand its parent training and information efforts to meet identified needs of North Carolina families of children with disabilities, to break down barriers to providing training and information, and to implement results of research on effective parent education programs.

Method: The project will: (a) continue the services currently provided to North Carolina families, including the Exceptional Children's Assistance Center's (ECAC's) lending library, newsletter, toll-free parent information line, individual assistance, information packets, parent-to-parent information and referral, and Web site; (b) continue to provide parent education workshops geographically dispersed throughout the state; (c) collaborate with other North Carolina disability and family organizations to provide leadership and advocacy training to staff, local chapter leaders, volunteers, and "IEP Partners," who will volunteer to support other families at IEP meetings; and (d) continue and expand services to reach families in North Carolina by providing a flexible, collaborative information and training program that offers materials and workshops for non-English speaking and low-reading-level families, materials and workshops that respond to the needs of families from diverse backgrounds, and materials in a variety of formats.

Products: Through this project, North Carolina families of different backgrounds and educational levels will have access to knowledge and skills to become participators in their child's education. The access to knowledge and skills will be achieved via the variety of information dissemination activities detailed above.

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Purpose: The Connections Project addresses the individual needs of families of children with disabilities in New Hampshire by providing an array of services and options in their communities, through the Parent Information Center's (PIC's) regional structure and satellite offices.

Method: The Connections Project will provide the following services annually: (a) information and support to a minimum of 9,000 persons via a toll-free phone line, mail, e-mail, Web site, and drop-ins; (b) print materials on a variety of subjects, including materials in other languages and newsletters to be circulated to more than 43,000 people; (c) workshops and training; (d) technical assistance to 1,500 parents to enable full participation in the decision-making process and development of IFSPs/IEPs; and (e) collaboration with local, state, and national agencies, organizations, support groups, schools, and others.

Products: PIC will produce several workshops for the MCTV cable network, which reaches more than 120,000 households in New Hampshire. The project will provide parents with the connections to information, support, materials, training, technical assistance, and resources they need to achieve improved outcomes for their children with disabilities.

Purpose: This project will continue AWARE (Assisting with Appropriate Rights in Education), Hawaii's statewide parent training and information center, which, in its ten years of existence, has provided information, training, and support throughout the islands to over 1,500 parents and family members each year. AWARE maintains a focus of teaching and empowering parents, reaching out to all of Hawaii using innovative methods, providing "user friendly" information, and creating partnerships to establish networks of support.

Method: This project will continue and improve its services to meet the needs of Hawaii's families in geographically isolated but culturally rich island communities. Each year of the project, AWARE will provide information, support, and referral services to 800 parents; training to 900 parents; and technical assistance to 300 parents. It will reach out to unserved and underserved communities that are geographically isolated or ethnically diverse. It will provide one-on-one consultation/mentoring or case assistance to 80 parents per year. It will build support networks through technology and collaboration with other groups, leverage resources, and build local capacity and parent leadership.

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Purpose: Project PROMPT will expand the current parent training and information center, which includes training, materials development, interagency networking, and information dissemination to parents of students with disabilities. The project will provide information and assistance on federal and state laws, including best practices in transition-related services, behavior management, and drop-out prevention.

Method: Specific information will be provided on special education laws, transition issues, IEP development and implementation, knowledge of service systems, communication techniques, least restrictive environment, increased exposure to successful programs, program support for at-risk students and community awareness, parent/peer support for individual assistance, and specific outreach to traditionally underrepresented, underserved groups. The project will also include strategies to improve services and outcomes for Louisiana students by incorporating goals from Louisiana's State Improvement Plan and State Improvement Grant.

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Purpose: The Oklahoma Parents Center will meet the critical training and information needs for effective parental participation in the educational decision-making processes for their children with disabilities in need of special services. The Oklahoma Millennium Partnership project will provide training and information to parents of children with all ranges of disabilities including infants, toddlers, children, and youth, with emphasis on community outreach for the underserved and minorities in rural and urban areas throughout Oklahoma.

Method: The project will offer a variety of information services and training workshops to parents and families of children with special needs. The Oklahoma Millennium Partnership will train parents, including parents from culturally diverse groups, to acquire skills needed to offer training and information to other parents. These Parent Consultants will be equipped to offer various kinds of one-to-one assistance, including conflict resolution, to other parents. Parent Consultants will become knowledgeable about special education laws, regulations, and due process. They will participate in individualized education program (IEP) meetings with parents. Often this parent-to-parent partnership can result in early, amicable resolutions of disputes. The project will also offer parents who are already trained as Parent Consultants the opportunity to become Associate Trainers, to assist the project staff in conducting Basic Training workshops for other parents. Parent Consultants, local leaders, early intervention leaders, educators, service providers, adults with disabilities, community leaders, and young adults with disabilities will be invited to form coalitions to share knowledge on local resources, do problem solving, and become informed on state activities and legislation that impact on children with special needs. Satellite centers will enable Oklahoma Parents Center, Inc. to offer improved services to families in their communities. The centers will be designed to serve hard-to-reach families, particularly those who are culturally and racially diverse and those who live in rural areas.

Products: Parents of all infants, toddlers, children, and youth with special needs will have local access to the information and training they require to participate as equal partners in the educational planning for their children. The project will make training and information available to over 13,000 parents of children in Oklahoma who receive special education and related services under IDEA each of the five years of the project.

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Purpose: This project will continue the work of the Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council Parent Information Center. The Center will provide an opportunity for Native American parents to gain updated knowledge and the confidence and empowerment they need to become effective advocates for their children and achieve the best possible educational outcomes for them.

Method: The Native American Family Empowerment Center developed by this project will host informational community forums on the needs of Native American children and their families. Parents will be taught to use the Internet to learn how to advocate for themselves and their children. Project staff will provide technical assistance in early intervention, general and special health and nutrition needs, infant health and parenting skills, and youth education programs. Specific training and training strategies will be developed on a number of topics, including child development and expectations; cognitive, emotional, and physical development; special education services and accommodations; behavioral supports and conflict resolution; and communication with educators and professionals. Mentors will be trained to establish links within and among communities.

Products: By empowering parents and sensitizing leaders and providers of the educational needs of Native American children, this project will assist collaborative efforts at local, state, and national levels to increase the chances for Native American children to reach their fullest academic achievements. Parents will learn how to participate fully in their child's individual education plan. A tribal computer network will be developed to ensure ongoing communication regarding resources for parents and children with disabilities. The project will help increase awareness and commitment by tribal governments to the concerns of families with children who have special health and educational needs, and this increased commitment will be reflected in tribal initiatives that give great visibility and attention to these concerns.

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Purpose: Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network (KY-SPIN) will provide training and information services for parents and family members of infants, toddlers, children, and young adults with disabilities throughout Kentucky; inform and provide training to professionals who serve them; and promote awareness of disability issues to the general public.

Method: KY-SPIN will assist parents and other participants to: (a) better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and their educational and developmental needs; (b) communicate effectively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention, and related services; (c) participate in decision-making processes and the development of individualized education programs and individualized family service plans; (d) obtain appropriate information about the range of options, programs, services, and resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families; (e) understand the provisions of IDEA for the education of, and the provision of early intervention services to, children with disabilities; and (6) participate in school reform activities. Aggressive and innovative strategies will be used to ensure that the training and information needs of underserved and underrepresented parents of children with disabilities are met. KY-SPIN will collaborate with community- based organizations, particularly in underserved areas of the state, to provide support and assistance to parents and family members of children with disabilities. KY-SPIN will provide information to teachers and other professionals who provide special education and related services to children with disabilities, including general educators; will assist students with disabilities to understand their rights and responsibilities on reaching the age of majority; and will assist parents of children with disabilities to be informed participants in the development and implementation of the State Improvement Grant under IDEA.

Products: Information related to special education issues will be disseminated to 75,000 families, young adults with disabilities, professionals, and service providers. In addition, 2,000 parents and family members per year will attend training workshops on a variety of topics related to the needs of their children with disabilities.

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Purpose: Nevada P.E.P., Inc. (PEP) will continue providing information, expand training, and enhance support for Nevada's families regarding their rights and protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. PEP will increase services to ethnically diverse populations of families who have infants, toddlers, children, and youth with a full range of disabilities, from many distinct geographical locations throughout Nevada, in their primary language, and will also increase services to their extended family members and their service providers.

Method: Nevada PEP will continue to provide the broadest coverage for rural and urban Nevada, and meet consumer-directed needs with a unified system of service delivery by: (a) providing information and referral about the nature and needs of various disabilities; about availability of programs, support groups, services, and resources; and about the laws affecting children with disabilities; (b) providing training workshops, activities, and materials on basic laws, benefits, early intervention services, advocacy techniques, transition from school to work and community, and technology and equipment usage; (c) providing individual assistance through consultation, peer counseling, problem-solving techniques, and facilitating positive communication at child-focused meetings; and (d) continuing to develop a statewide network of volunteer Community Resource Specialists who will be a resource for consumers in their own community and interest areas throughout Nevada.

Products: This project will strengthen the roles and increase the involvement of parents and students to effectively participate with professionals in planning and in decision making related to early intervention, educational and transitional services, and systemic-change activities.

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Purpose: This parent training and information center (PTIC) will continue to provide training, information, and assistance to tens of thousands of parents of children from birth to 21 with the full range of disabilities, as well as to professionals who work with these families. The project will enable individuals and organizations to become more knowledgeable about educational services available for disabled children and about their rights and protections under IDEA, to secure appropriate services for their children or the families they work with, and to become effective partners in school reform to improve services for all children with disabilities. The PTIC will focus on meeting the needs of parents in high-need areas of New York who are underserved or who face the greatest barriers to receiving appropriate services.

Method: The project will provide local outreach to recruit parents and professionals for PTIC services. It will provide workshops to parents of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and professionals who work with them. At least 90% of parents served will be low-income or minority parents. Intensive assistance to parents and technical assistance to professionals will be provided via e-mail, telephone, the project Web site, and dissemination of print information. Participation in public forums and via media will provide additional outreach and expanded coverage. The project will maintain and expand its participation in statewide networks and engage in collaborative activities and contacts, including working with disability organizations, networks, and community-based organizations.

Products: The activities of this project will help parents to increase their knowledge of relevant programs and laws and to be more able to use that knowledge to improve services for their children. A better-informed constituency of parents will participate better in systemic reform and educational planning for their children. Through project training and information, the knowledge of professionals working with parents will increase, thereby improving services to parents. Through parent participation in the educational process, inclusion of children with disabilities in the educational mainstream will be increased. Parents will be able to work more closely with community organizations and agencies and help expand and improve services for their children.

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Purpose: This project will continue the work of FACETS, a parent training and information center that provides training and information to parents of infants, toddlers, and children with the full range of disabilities, particularly those parents who are underserved and parents of children who may be inappropriately identified.

Method: Project coordinators will provide an array of culturally sensitive supports that respect each family's individual cultural identity. FACETS will work with community groups and families to assess local needs and to design appropriate supports, such as organizing and facilitating support groups and providing support in IEP/IFSP meetings and mediation. Training will be provided on Individualized Education Programs and self-advocacy. The project will help parents to understand the availability and use of procedural safeguards under IDEA. Methods will include meeting with parents to encourage the use and explain the benefits of alternative methods of dispute resolution, including mediation. Information will be provided throughout the state via a toll-free number, a Web site, and a library with culturally and linguistically appropriate materials.

Products: The project will meet the needs of families of children with disabilities by helping them to better understand the nature of their child's disabilities and their educational and developmental needs. Parents will better communicate with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention, and related services and will be able to participate fully in the decision-making processes and the development of IEPs and IFSPs. They will be able to obtain appropriate information about the range of options, programs, services and resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families; they will understand the provision of IDEA for the education of, and provision of early intervention services to, children with disabilities; and they will participate in school reform activities.

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Purpose: This project will continue to operate the Maine parent training and information center called SPIN (Statewide Parent Information Network), which provides training, information, and support to parents of children with disabilities, educators across the state, and other professionals who work with families. SPIN covers the entire state of Maine and conducts outreach activities to reach low-income families, families in urban and rural areas, and families who represent minority populations.

Method: Parents will be provided training, print information, telephone assistance, and Web-based information on special education, parenting, parent involvement in education, support services, and continuing education. The project will provide professionals with access to information and support to assist them in effectively working with these families. The project will also promote collaborations with other agencies and groups who have similar missions. SPIN will bring services to people where they live by providing one-on-one support from staff, fostering peer support among parents, and holding workshops in communities across the state.

Products: The training, information, capacity-building, networking, and collaborations provided by this project will enable parents to assist their children in meeting the high standards of learning set in the National Education Goals, as well as expand services to minority and other underserved populations. Over 27,000 people will benefit from these activities annually.

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Purpose: This project will support, educate, and inform parents in order to improve special and regular education outcomes and services for children with disabilities, ages birth through 21.

Method: Using a regional service delivery model, the project will implement activities in local communities as much as possible. Activities such as workshops and presentations, individual support, and community volunteer training will take place locally and regionally to provide the greatest degree of access to project participants. The project will accomplish these four goals designed to increase individual and community capacity to support the education and development of children with disabilities: (a) support and inform families of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with special needs, birth through 22, to enable them to effectively address their children's educational and developmental needs; (b) cooperate with the professionals who work with families in order to improve parent-professional partnership and communication; (c) maintain and expand a statewide network of community-based volunteers to support parents of children with special needs; and (d) collaborate with policy makers, advisory groups, and advocacy groups to improve services and systems for children with special needs and their families in Vermont. Parents and youth with disabilities will play a large role in implementing project objectives and activities, and new activities will specifically address the needs of youth for information and support regarding their education.

Products: This project will increase the community capacity to support children with special needs and their families. The project will serve approximately 5,970 families (parents, surrogate and foster parents, guardians, grandparents, and relatives) and 3,140 professionals throughout Vermont.

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Purpose: This project will continue the work of APNI, the parent training and information center on the island of Puerto Rico. Through its workshops, training sessions, and outreach resources, the project will increase the knowledge and skills of families of children with disabilities to allow them to participate as equal partners in the development of their children's education, including individualized education programs, transition plans, and statewide assessment. Parents will be provided skills to communicate more effectively with early childhood, special education, and related services personnel. The project will increase the capacity for parents to collaborate more effectively with local, state, and national organizations serving parents of children with disabilities.

Method: APNI will continue to provide information and training materials via its newsletter, via its toll-free information line, and through distribution of print materials from parent support groups and specific disabilities groups on a variety of subjects related to children with disabilities. Project workshops will train parents to better understand their child's disability, federal and state laws, and the education process and available resources. Trainers and supplemental materials will reinforce the training and serve as a continuing resource. Parent leaders will be identified and will receive advance training to assist other families in their areas and to help with collaboration with local, state, and national organizations.

Products: As a result of this project, parents of children with disabilities will better understand the nature of their child's disability and will be empowered to serve as advocates and equal partners in the development of their child's education program. Information will be made available for parents and training provided on such subjects as assessment and appropriate accommodations, behavioral supports, transition from high school, sexuality, and communication with education and other professional personnel. Parent leaders across the island will help others to create and strengthen partnerships with local, state, and national organizations.

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Purpose: This project will implement a parent training and information (PTI) center to provide training and information to Colorado families of children with disabilities, in order to enhance their ability to participate actively in educational decision-making processes for their children. The project, implemented by PEAK Parent Center, will increase families' understanding of the law, knowledge of best practices, and advocacy skills to serve children with disabilities more effectively throughout the state. PEAK will not only provide direct assistance to families but will also work with community members, professional educators, advocacy groups, and statewide systems to increase the capacity of schools in Colorado to implement the provisions of the law.

Method: PEAK will provide information and technical assistance to families and others by phone, e-mail, and through the project Web site. It will implement formal and informal training opportunities, including stand-alone workshops, topical discussion groups, online courses, and statewide conferences. Trained regional mentors will then work with local communities to build their capacity to serve children with disabilities. The project will work with agencies that support diverse children and families to increase their understanding of IDEA and school reform and to improve their capacity to serve students with disabilities; it will collaborate with other key stakeholders in the state to improve the implementation of IDEA; and it will conduct intensive public awareness activities to inform residents about project services.

Products: As a result of the information, technical assistance, and training provided by this project to parents of children with disabilities and to other stakeholders, families in Colorado, including those who have been traditionally underserved, will be more informed and able to participate more actively in decisions that affect their children. Project-trained mentors will help parents effectively advocate for appropriate services for their children. Consequently, students with disabilities will have greater access to the general education curriculum and appropriate behavior supports and will be more directly involved in school reform and school-inclusion practices. Through these activities, statewide systems will be improved to better implement IDEA.

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Purpose: The Alaska PARENTS, Inc. Parent Training and Information Project will employ traditional and innovative strategies to develop skills, supports, and resources for families of infants, toddlers, youth, and young adults with disabilities and for persons who work with them.

Method: This project will achieve the following four goals: (a) Improve educational outcomes for children with disabilities by increasing the knowledge and skills of families throughout the state about disabling conditions and educational needs of their children; (b) strive to leave no child behind by broadening the demographics of the service capacity; (c) reach all communities in Alaska, including remote native villages, the federally designated urban Empowerment Zone, and all towns between, through development of a Web site containing community-based supports and services; and (d) create linkages among state, local, and village organizations and agencies, including tribal organizations and agencies, to improve the service delivery system, foster interagency collaboration, and reduce duplication of effort.

Products: The products this project will provide are the following: (a) train and provide information to over 3,800 parents; (b) train and support 20 parent mentors to train and inform others in their communities; (c) develop one new virtual office per year in selected remote areas; (d) present the Pathways conference every two years for more than 1,500 people; (e) publish the quarterly newsletter for an audience of 5,500; and (f) provide Internet online courses to an unlimited number of parents and professionals.

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Purpose: This project will continue the work of the Family Network on Disabilities of Florida, which provides training, information, and support to parents of infants, toddlers, and children with the full range of disabilities.

Method: The project will use its existing statewide network of trainers, volunteer parents, and community-based partners, particularly in the underserved areas of the state, to reach those who need services. It will also partner with the Florida Department of Education, local education agencies, universities, and other statewide agencies to develop and implement innovative training initiatives, such as distance learning, outreach services such as the telehealth program, and programs to assist parents and students to be informed participants in local, regional, and state school reform and policy-making activities that affect children with disabilities.

Products: The services of this project, delivered in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner, will help to ensure that parents and youth are prepared to communicate effectively with professionals from all settings and be informed and involved participants in the decision-making, development, and implementation processes of IEPs and IFSPs.

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Purpose: This project will continue Resources for Children with Special Needs, a parent training and information center in New York City that provides for children from birth to 21 with the full range of disabilities, their families, and the professionals who work with them so that they have access to and obtain educational and other services to which they are entitled.

Method: The project will conduct outreach and disseminate information to reach, inform, and assist parents and professionals, through the media, distribution of print materials, and an interactive Web site. It will provide direct information, referral, case management, individual advocacy, and support to parents and professionals, and will respond to help-line reference queries. Training will be provided in English and Spanish to parents and professionals so that they can advocate effectively on behalf of children with special needs. Workshops will build working knowledge and capacity to act regarding IDEA and related laws and systems. The project's Center Without Walls will be expanded to reach, train, and serve hundreds of unserved and underserved parents annually and build the capacity of community-based organization staff to refer and assist their constituencies. The project will also develop networks and links to expand access to information for parents and professionals, encourage collaboration, and promote systemic advocacy through coordination with local, state, and federal agencies.

Products: As a result of this project, parents will have access to the information and direct assistance they need in order to communicate with the teachers and other professionals involved with their children. Parents and professionals will receive training that helps them understand the systems, services, and options available to them; and parents, professionals, organizations, and agencies will be able to increase their capacity to act on behalf of children with disabilities.

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Purpose: This project will allow the Advocacy Center to continue to provide training, information, and outreach to parents of infants, toddlers, and school-age children with the full range of disabilities in upstate New York, and to the professionals who work with them. The program design is a service model that subcontracts with community partners to provide training, advocacy, and outreach guided by the Center, parent advocacy advisors, and legal resources.

Method: The project will provide training and workshops for the collaboration of parents, school districts, and service providers to build partnerships to meet the needs of children with disabilities. It will provide information, referral, and advocacy to parents and will disseminate information through its subcontractors and through its Web site. Outreach activities will be extended to parents in rural and urban counties of upstate New York who have not yet accessed services and are unaware of the provisions of IDEA. The project will establish community partnerships in upstate New York.

Products: Through this project, parents and professionals will gain an increased awareness of available services and a continuation of provision of services, and as a result of information and training provided, they will become more involved as advocates for services for their children and improve their relationship with schools. They will become aware of and access mediation and will form regional networks for sharing information, advocacy, and support. Other benefits from the program include increased early identification of children with disabilities, an increased number of rural and minority parents receiving information and training, and a coordinated statewide parent training and development network.

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Purpose: Through this project, the Pathfinder Family Center will reach low-income, underserved, and minority parents, new parents, and parents with unidentified or inappropriately identified children with disabilities, primarily from birth through age 5. The project will help parents to understand the law and procedural safeguards, and to support decision making for their children's individual family service plans and individualized education programs.

Method: Through public awareness activities, the project will promote and encourage awareness in the general public about the need for services for children with disabilities and will inform parents of children and youth with disabilities about IDEA and educational services available. Combined with this outreach, information and referral resources developed by and collected by the Center will ensure that parents and professionals statewide will be able to contact the Center for information and family support services for needs related to disability conditions, assessment, evaluation, and eligibility for special education and related services. The Center will provide support services and technical assistance to parents of children with disabilities, youth of transitional age, other family members, and professionals in North Dakota communities. Through trainings and informational resources, parents will participate in the educational decision-making process for their children and will be able to network with parent resource groups and organizations to learn how to effectively use procedural safeguards, alternative methods of dispute resolution, and effective transition planning.

Products: Outcomes include: increased awareness of the need for special education by parents, professionals, and the general public; increased understanding of the nature and needs of disabling conditions; increased use of parent training and information and referral services to identify and access services; increased understanding of IDEA and procedural safeguards; increased communication between parents and special and general educators; and increased participation by parents in the educational decision-making process.

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Purpose: This project will continue the work of the Special Education Action Committee (SEAC), which is a statewide parent assistance center that provides information, training, and support for families of at-risk children throughout the state of Alabama.

Method: The project will provide one-to-one assistance to individuals in person and via telephone, newsletters, e-mail, and the project Web site. It will develop workshops and conferences to train participants in special education awareness and in special topics. Outreach to underserved families will be provided using a flexible information and training program, including a parent empowerment video workshop, interactive materials for individual or group use, and expanded multimedia and collaboration with state and local agencies and organizations serving families in rural and inner cities throughout the state. A community-based outreach network of parent educators will be developed using the trainer-of-trainers model.

Products: This project will provide Alabama parents of children with disabilities with the information and training necessary to ensure their full participation in planning, implementing, and monitoring their child's individualized education program; will increase their understanding of educational problems, issues, and effective strategies; will enable them to participate fully in educational decision-making processes, including the development of their child's individualized education program; and will help them obtain information about the range of options, program services, and resources available.

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Purpose: The Parents' Place of Maryland aims to enhance the ability of persons with disabilities to participate as fully as possible in home, school, and community life, through the provision of education, information, referral, technical assistance, and support activities designed for parents and families of persons with disabilities.

Method: The Parents' Place will assist parents in understanding their role in school reform at the local and state levels. The project will place emphasis on services to parents residing in minority communities and in the three communities that comprise the Baltimore City Empowerment Zones, through services provided by two outreach specialists focusing on African American and Latino communities. The Parents' Place staff will also work to increase community capacity to improve services for youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system.

Products: Parents' Place staff will provide a diverse range of individual assistance, education and training, and information and referral services to parents both in their regions and across the state of Maryland. The services of The Parents' Place will be made available to all Maryland parents or family members of children with disabilities regardless of gender, race, national origin, color, disability, age, or socioeconomic status. Parent education and other activities will be tailored to these differences.

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Purpose: The Montana Parent Empowerment Project is a five-year project of the parent coalition, Parents, Let's Unite for Kids (PLUK), to provide parents of children with disabilities with information about the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and to offer training in communication skills that help parents to participate more effectively with school personnel in developing Individualized Education Programs. PLUK will implement new services to better reach families across the state, including those in underserved segments of the population.

Method: To meet the needs identified by parents, the Parent Training and Information Center project will carry out these six activities: (a) Provide training and information to Montana's parents of children with disabilities and make a determined effort to serve families from underserved populations; (b) assist parents with understanding the availability of and effective use of procedural safeguards under IDEA, including encouraging the use of alternative methods of dispute resolution; (c) serve parents of infants, toddlers, and children with the full range of disabilities; (d) assist parents with a better understanding of their children's disabilities and their educational and developmental needs; (e) enable parents to communicate more effectively with schools and professionals, and train parents to participate as decision makers in the IEP process and increase their understanding of the availability of options, services, and resources, including early intervention services; and (f) participate in capacity-building efforts involving parents in all regions of Montana and assist parents in becoming collaborative partners with schools in seeking services and resources for their child.

Products: This project will expand the use of distance learning and telephone conferencing, enhance PLUK's extensive library of video material, train additional volunteers, and expand the project's representation across the state. The project's workshops will cover a variety of topics, including the special education process, communication, dispute resolution and mediation as options, and transition planning. Outreach specialists will implement strategies with families, particularly those in remote areas and considered to be underserved segments of the population. The project will form Associate Boards on each of the state's seven Indian Reservations, training at least five volunteers per reservation. The project will also train 100 parent volunteers, 20 from each of the five Human Service Regions.

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Purpose: This project will provide support, training, and information to parents, students, and professionals working with children with disabilities to assist them to understand the nature of the disability and the child's educational and developmental needs; learn to communicate more effectively; learn to take an active role in decision making; and understand the provisions of IDEA, including procedural safeguards and the benefits of using alternative methods of dispute resolution, such as mediation.

Method: The activities of the project will include: distribution of information packets and CD-ROMs about any disabling condition; a mentor parent training program in all communities; development of a Web site with links to resources and a bulletin board to connect parents and students; support groups; local library materials; regional contractors who will provide local training; and collaboration with schools and other agencies serving people with disabilities. Project participants include any family member, including natural, foster, or adoptive, of a child with a disability, from birth to age 22 and teachers and other professionals who work with children with disabilities in 25 northern California counties, which include both urban and rural communities. Underserved and non-English speaking families will be served.

Products: All participants will increase knowledge and understanding of disabilities and IDEA; learn to effectively advocate for themselves or on behalf of their children; and be able to build collaborative relationships. There will be increased parent involvement and leadership activities in all 25 counties.

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Purpose: This project will provide training and information to meet the needs of parents of children with disabilities in Arkansas.

Method: The project will: (a) develop, implement, and refine a comprehensive system of training, support, and information; (b) reach parents typically underserved; (c) expand the use of technology to provide assistance to families; (d) expand local resource libraries; (e) assist families of children with disabilities to become informed and active participants in state systems change activities; and (f) assist personnel working with children with disabilities to understand parental and student needs.

Products: Underserved and minority families' needs will be addressed. At least two additional support groups for Hispanic parents will be organized. Resources in the parents' primary language will be located and made available to these parents. Links will be established with other organizations, including entities serving the Hispanic population and migrant workers, and school personnel designated responsible for Hispanic students. Personal toll-free telephone service will be provided statewide to parents both during working hours and after hours. Additionally, notice of training opportunities will be made available to parents and professionals online via the connection with the Arkansas Collaborative Consultants Network.

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Purpose: This project will result in a significant increase in the number of parents in Connecticut who are prepared to effectively participate in educational decisions that will lead to positive outcomes for their children and youth with disabilities.

Method: The objectives and activities of this project are to: (a) increase training and information services so that parents, particularly those from underserved populations, will be active participants in the education decision-making process; (b) enhance collaborative relationships, especially with state and local school district personnel, so that improved partnerships with parents will be established; and (c) inform and involve an increased number of parents in activities related to school improvement and reform. Major stakeholders in this process will include: parents of children with disabilities, students with disabilities, the Parent Participation Work Group of the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Program, local school district personnel, community service providers, and state agency personnel.

Products: Outcomes of this project will include increased local education agency support for parent involvement, a coordinated set of training activities integrated in the State Improvement Plan for Parent Participation, and increased parent participation and satisfaction with the IEP process. The Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center will serve approximately 15,000 parents of the 69,170 identified children receiving special education services in Connecticut.

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Purpose: Parents Reaching Out to Parents of South Carolina, Inc. (PRO-Parents) will serve parents of children with all disabilities ages birth through 21 and will be adapted to the unique needs of South Carolina's families.

Method: The project will help persons with and without disabilities by: (a) providing information to parents, educators, and the staff of agencies that serve children with disabilities, including underserved groups; (b) assisting parents and professionals in South Carolina to better understand the nature and needs of the disabling conditions of children with disabilities; (c) providing follow-up support to parents and professionals for the educational programs of children with disabilities; (d) assisting parents to communicate more effectively with the personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention, and related services; (e) assisting parents to participate in decision-making processes, including the development of the Individualized Education Program and the Individualized Family Service Plan; (f) providing parents with information about the range of options, programs, services, and resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families; (g) assisting parents in understanding the provisions for educating children with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and (h) assisting parents in participating in school reform activities.

Products: In addition to the project's information dissemination, parent training, and parent support activities, the project's system of data collection will be used to quantify the characteristics of the families served, their needs and problems, enablers and barriers to accomplishing objectives and goals, and effective strategies to assure outcomes. The knowledge gained from the data collection will be disseminated in newsletters, reports, and community presentations. A new focus will be tracking of actual outcomes in the areas of employment, post-high school education, independent living, and other types of community participation which can be accomplished through the use of person-centered planning techniques.

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Purpose: This project will address the documented need for continued and increased parental participation in the special education process in the California counties of Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. Outreach to families who are Spanish speaking, Native American, African American, Asian, and low-income military personnel will be emphasized.

Method: This project will improve services for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with the full range of disabilities by helping their families and the professionals who serve them attain knowledge of IDEA Parts B and C, including assistive technology solutions. Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK) will collaborate with area Family Resource Centers, and will attempt to locate advocates at joint locations to enable families to participate more fully and effectively in meeting the educational needs of their children. Families will be assisted to: (a) better understand the nature and needs of disabling conditions of their children; (b) provide follow-up support for educational programs for their children; (c) communicate more effectively with special and regular educators, administrators, and related service providers; and (d) participate in the educational decision-making process, including the development of the Individualized Family Service Plan and the Individualized Education Program. Families will be given information to understand the due process procedures available under IDEA, with special emphasis upon mediation and alternative dispute resolution negotiations. Because of the vast distances covered in Region 1, TASK will explore forms of distance learning via satellite or the Internet.

Products: The TASK Parent Training Project in Region 1 will serve an identified 202,357 special education students.

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Purpose: Project Adobe, New Mexico's Parent Training and Information Center, helps families obtain appropriate education and services for their children with disabilities. The project helps parents understand the special education system and the Individualized Education Program, and it increases positive educational outcomes for students enrolled in special education by encouraging parents and school districts to work together through partnerships.

Method: Project Adobe will: (a) deliver appropriate services in a culturally competent manner; (b) teach families to ask appropriate questions in order to receive appropriate information; (c) help families build relationships with schools, districts, and agencies; (d) help families arrive at informed decision making; (e) build the capacity in families to accept and meet challenges; (f) help families learn about and understand their child's disabling conditions; and (g) help families realize that they are the true experts on their child.

Products: To meet these objectives, Project Adobe will produce the following: (a) statewide workshops to educate and inform parents and professionals; (b) parent-to-parent support through project staff and trained volunteers; (c) materials, publications, and handbooks to parents and professionals; and (d) communication through e-mail, telephone, fax, and the Parents Reaching Out's Web site.

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Purpose: The Northern California Region 4 Consortium (NCC4) will conduct an interagency collaboration to provide parent-focused/operated information, training, and assistance about special education to parents of children with the full range of disabilities. Particular emphasis will be placed on addressing the needs of families who are underserved and unserved.

Method: Project participants include Parents Helping Parents, Inc.; the Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center; the Disability Rights, Education and Defense Fund; and Support for Families of Children with Disabilities. Project activities include but are not limited to: (a) providing parents with multilingual, in-depth information and support regarding specific concerns about their children's disabilities, special education programs, and related issues; (b) providing books, videotapes, information packets, newsletters, and other resources in multiple languages; (c) developing public awareness activities and presentations; (d) training in multiple languages for parents to increase their knowledge about Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), conflict resolution, self-advocacy, and more; (e) information and assistance in understanding Alternative Dispute Resolution and mediation; (f) training for parents and consumers to help them develop leadership skills and become effective participants in leadership roles; (g) participation in and promotion of State Improvement Grant activities; (h) participation on the Partnership Committee Special Education and Stakeholders group to promote educational reform activities; and (i) collaboration with all other California parent training and information centers to build a comprehensive system of training, information, and support for families.

Products: As a result of this project, parents will: (a) better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and developmental needs; (b) communicate more effectively with special and regular educators, administrators, related services personnel, and other relevant professionals (including early intervention personnel); (c) participate more fully in educational decision-making processes, including the development of IEPs and IFSPs; (d) obtain information about the range of options, programs, services, and resources available to children with disabilities and their families at the national, state, and local levels; (e) understand the provisions for educating and providing early intervention services to children with disabilities under IDEA; and (f) participate in school reform activities.

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Purpose: The primary focus of Families Together is ensuring that families understand the special education process. Families Together provides opportunities for parents to gain support and knowledge concerning disabilities, legal rights, resources, communication strategies, education, life-long planning, and other information through workshops, conferences, and individual parent assistance. Through this project, Families Together will facilitate training to help build and support effective educational teams.

Method: Staff in the Garden City, Wichita, Topeka, and Kansas City centers, along with regional coordinators in several other cities, will build partnerships with schools, organizations, community members, families, businesses, and individuals who understand the need for communities to support and include all individuals. By partnering with agencies such as the Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Families Together provides outreach programs to meet the needs of rural Kansans, those with culturally diverse backgrounds, and military and minority populations. These partnerships help families navigate the vast array of disability services, laws/regulations, and other agencies. Through this project, families will be offered opportunities to influence school reform by giving their unique input to policy makers. Parent Networking Conferences and Family Enrichment Weekends provide opportunities for parents and families to network with other families who have similar needs. These events help parents gain support and information, and allow them time to share their families' successes and challenges. Statewide conferences in eastern, central, and western Kansas give families, individuals with disabilities, educators, and other professionals an opportunity to receive training together.

Products: This project will enable staff to train parents as "parent trainers" throughout Kansas. Teams of parent trainers and staff will present workshops on special education law, early intervention services, preschool options, appropriate school services, dispute resolution, discipline, transition to adult life, and accessing financial aid programs. The emphasis is to help parents to become active participants on their child's school team. Another focus of training will be to help students age 14 years and older understand their educational rights, and how to access disability-related resources/services available after high school.

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