The Latest in Apps: Expedition with Plurals

by Jacky G. News
Baby Using iPad App

Image source: Leanderwattig.de

As the technology continues to advance, apps users expect more and more out of their devices. Virtual Speech Center Inc. is striving to meet those expectations with the release of their latest speech therapy app, Expedition with Plurals. Expedition with Plurals is an iPad app released in late May, 2012. While there is currently no iPhone version, rest assured; there are plenty of other speech therapy apps for those with smartphones instead.

It might be tough for the less technologically eager among us to embrace the use of apps for education whilst ditching old-fashioned methods, but you really don’t have to. Try using both approaches simultaneously. Speech therapy apps should never replace sessions with a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP), but they do provide a fun, engaging way for parents to do speech therapy for kids at home. Use apps in addition to other speech therapy tools and toys that are intended to encourage development.

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Mississippi Changes Speech Therapy Licenses

by Jacky G. News
Mississippi State Map

Image source: msjrc.state.ms.us

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has been shaking things up a little. In late June, 2012, reports began circulating that the agency will begin issuing new speech-language pathology licenses, starting in 2013. The state has been struggling to attract qualified speech therapists to its public school systems.

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Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP)

by Jacky G. Legal Issues
Arizona State Map

Image source: wwp.greenwichmeantime.com

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that public schools must provide resources for children with qualifying disabilities, such as speech disorders. However, each state has its own programs to implement the law. States may also have their own special education policies, so long as those policies comply with the federal law. If you live in Arizona, your child may be able to get help through the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP). AzEIP covers children from birth through 36 months. AzEIP is implemented in conjunction with several state departments, such as the Arizona Dept. of Health Services (ADHS), the Arizona Dept. of Education (ADE), and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), among others.

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Writing the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)

by Jacky G. Legal Issues
Early Intervention Diagram

Image source: genevievehoward.com

What Is It?

If your child is in school and requires special education services, he’ll have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). But it is also legally required that younger children have access to needed services and support. This is where the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) comes into play. The IFSP is a written document that all children have when they qualify for Early Intervention (EI). (Early Intervention is the version of special education for younger children.) The document is customized to your child’s specific needs. However, unlike the IEP, the IFSP also takes into account the needs of your entire family insofar as familial support is crucial to attaining a favorable outcome for your child.

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Surviving the Resolution Meeting

by Jacky G. Legal Issues
Special Ed Resolution Meeting

Image source: projectmanagement411.net

If you have a complaint with your child’s proposed Individualized Education Program (IEP) or the way in which it is implemented, you have the right to file for due process. The resolution meeting is a legally required part of due process. While it might seem like just another hassle in the special education bureaucracy, the resolution meeting is an opportunity to negotiate with the school district and reach an agreement. If successful, a resolution meeting can allow you to avoid a formal hearing. Preparation is a critical component of successful meetings. Thoroughly reviewing all of your child’s special ed documents will help you remember the important little details during the meeting. Check out last week’s post on resolution meeting preparation.

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