PLEASE COMPLETE IDEA SURVEY BY JULY 12, 2011
The deadline for the IDEA National Survey project, a survey of whether the rights of students with disabilities and their parents are protected, has been extended to July 12, 2011. One of the main reasons for the extension is to get more parents of students with intellectual disabilities to respond. It is especially important for parents to answer the questions about assessments, so it can be determined whether the type assessment seems to be affecting placement and access to the curriculum. If you haven’t already completed the survey, NDSS urges you to do so. The survey and more information about it can be found at https://www.ideasurvey.org
The survey is sponsored by the National Down Syndrome Society, National Center for Learning Disabilities, Autism Society of America, Autism National Committee, and The Advocacy Institute. It seeks input from parents, self-advocates, and attorneys and advocates who work with parents regarding the major issues in special education advocacy, including IEPs, Child Find/Evaluations, and Due Process/Litigation. The survey also examines whether parents are treated as equals in the process and whether their rights are protected.
There are surveys for all community members: Parents of children with disabilities, Attorneys, Advocates, Educational Consultants, other Professionals and Self-advocates (people with disabilities).
The results will be used to write a report describing the special-education advocacy experiences that parents, self-advocates, and professionals have, and describing their views of the degree to which parents are involved in the process as equal partners.
Names will not be used in the report (if stories are used, general descriptions like “a Midwestern advocate” or “an Ohio family” will be used.) There are instructions for taking the survey anonymously. There are simple multiple choice questions and questions where one can write narratives and share more information and thoughts if one wishes.
Thank you for taking the time to participate in this valuable survey.
