Show 46: Special Education Basics

WHEN A CHILD tests into or is placed in special education parents will have a lot of questions about navigating the system, planning an IEP (Individual Education Plan) with their child's educators, and they'll wonder what is the long term outlook for their child's schooling?

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio to answer the most frequently asked questions about special education in Alaska are two guests who are both professionals in the field, as well as parents of children who've been in special education. Teresa Holt, is the operations director of the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, and Julie Broyles, is a special education teacher at Service High School who serves on the Education Committee at the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, and she is also a parent of three children; her 11-year old child has Down syndrome.

DID YOU KNOW? Caregivers needn't wait until their children are school-aged to receive assistance with raising a special needs child. There are services available to infants and toddlers through the state-sponsored Early Intervention Infant Learning Program and through the Stone Soup Group. Listen to a recent interview with the Stone Soup Group on Line One Your Health Connection.

FEATURED STORIES:

From the Early Education Desk: Finding Childcare for Special Needs Children - Finding the right child care for any kid can be tough, but there’s added stress if you need to find someone who can keep your special needs child safe, or deal with challenging behaviors. More and more children are being expelled from child care centers, leaving their parents struggling. Contributor Jessica Cochran reports.
(Thanks to thread for their support in underwriting the Early Education Desk for this program.)

Hannah Goes to College - Contributor Ann Kaiser introduces us to an incredible young woman with cerebral palsy who is heading off to college on her own - and she and her parents wouldn't have it any other way.

Traveling With Special Needs Kids - Our regular essayist and weekly blogger, Erin Kirkland, shares an intimate perspective in this piece, recalling a family RV trip she took with her husband and two sons - one of whom is autistic.