Wrightslaw

In this SPRING CLEANING ISSUE of The Special Ed Advocate, you'll learn about important changes to the Wrightslaw site and The Special Ed Advocate newsletter

Over the past few months, we've been "Spring Cleaning," revising the main sections or "Libraries." Here's a description of how the Wrightslaw site is organized: 

ADVOCACY LIBRARIES

The Advocacy Libraries include three different areas: 

*Articles* 

Interested in learning more about IEPs? Want to know if your child is making progress? Need to write a letter to the school but stumped about how to start? 

In the "Articles area, you'll find dozens of articles that will help you become a more effective advocate. From "Crisis!" to "The Art of Writing Letters" to "Your Child's IEP," you can download great information from this section of the Wrightslaw site. 

*Letters to Wrightslaw* 

If you like reading "Dear Abby" or "Dear Anne Landers" you'll like "Letters to Wrightslaw!" Read letters that people send and our responses -- some letters are serious, others are humorous. 

*Newsletter Archives* 

Some great information from Wrightslaw is only available in back issues of The Special Ed Advocate. A week or two after a newsletter is published on the Internet, a printer-friendly version of this newsletter is posted in the Archives. You can read highlights of back issues in the Archives at

THE LAW LIBRARIES 

*Legal News* 

In this area, you'll find "headline news" about special education law, including announcements about new decisions from the U. S. Courts of Appeals. 

*Caselaw* 

If you're interested in learning more about special education law and legal decisions from around the country, check out our Caselaw Library.

*Carter Links*

For information about the Shannon Carter case, including the "inside story" of the case, decisions, and the transcript of Oral Argument before the U. S. Supreme Court, go to the Carter Links Page.

*Statute & Regulations* 

This is where you go to read the IDEA statute and Pete's commentary, and get the full text of the IDEA Regulations. Be sure to download a copy of Appendix A to the Regulations (about IEPs, the parental role, and transition in an easy to understand Q & A format). 

*Articles & Reports*

Looking for that blockbuster "IDEA Compliance Report" issued by the National Council on Disabilities? Preparing for your first (or second) due process hearing? Looking for an analysis of the differences and similarities between Section 504 and IDEA?
 
 
BOOKS FROM WRIGHTSLAW 

*Wrightslaw: Special Education Law* 

Ignorance of the law can be as damaging as the child's disability. Get answers to your questions in Wrightslaw: Special Education Law. 

What does the law say about evaluations and reevaluations? Test procedures? Eligibility? 

What does the law say about Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) and IEP teams? IEP goals, objectives, and benchmarks? 

What does the law say about inclusion? Least restrictive environment? 

What does the law say about discipline? Positive behavioral intervention plans? Interim alternative placements? Manifestation Review Hearings? 

What does the law say about parent notice? Independent educational evaluations? Tuition reimbursement? Mediation? Due process? 

To learn more about Wrightslaw: Special Education Law visit the Wrightslaw site.

*Wrightslaw Tactics & Strategy Manual*

Managing a child's special education program is overwhelming for most parents. Good special education services are individualized, intensive and expensive. Schools often balk at providing intensive services. What can parents do? 

Parents can use tactics and strategy to anticipate problems, manage conflict, and avoid crises. If you have a dispute with the school, tactics and strategy will help you control the outcome. 

To get more information about the Tactics & Strategy Manual, including a free chapter and the table of contents, go to - 

* SPECIALS * 

When you order through the Wrightslaw store, be sure to check the Specials. The link to the store is -

https://www.wrightslaw.com/store/index.html

Visit our main "Publications Page"
 
 
* * THE ADVOCATE'S BOOKSTORE * *

Most parents know they need to learn about their child's disability. Many parents realize that they need accurate information about "what works"- effective educational practices. Some parents understand that they need to learn about their legal rights and responsibilities. 

Few parents know that they need to learn about tests and measurements - how they can tell if the child is making progress. Fewer parents understand that they are negotiating for special education services - and must learn to negotiate and persuade. 

We designed The Advocate's Bookstore to plug these gaps. 

Here's the game plan. Bookmark this page so you can refer back to it later. Go on an intensive program of self-study for one year. 

Pick a book from The Advocate's Bookstore. Read one book a month. Focus on those areas where you do not have expertise! Before the year is out, you’ll have information that you need to be an effective advocate. 

You'll find eight areas in The ADVOCATE'S BOOKSTORE 

Visit the main page for the Advocate's Bookstore.

* WHAT'S NEW? * 

Beginning June 1, you can order the deluxe edition of WRIGHTSLAW: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW with Companion CD-ROM for $39.95. 

Ordering information

When you order through the Wrightslaw store, orders received by 4:00 p.m. ET are shipped out the same day they are received: 

https://www.wrightslaw.com/store/index.html

GET DELUXE EDITION AND SAVE $10.00!

There's another way you can get the deluxe edition of WRIGHTSLAW: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW -- for just $29.95. 

If you participate in our FREE CD-ROM OFFER, you can get the deluxe edition of WRIGHTSLAW: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW for $29.95. Here's how this works.

Purchase WRIGHTSLAW: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW (ISBN: 1-892320-03-7; $29.95) from a regular retail, over-the-counter bookstore between MAY 18, 2000 and JUNE 12, 2000, and follow the conditions listed in the link (below). We will send you the Companion CD-ROM at no charge. 

For details about how to participate in the FREE CD-ROM OFFER, go to 

https://www.wrightslaw.com/news/2000/offer_cdrom_0518.htm

ACT NOW -- THIS OFFER ENDS JUNE 12, 2000!

In the process of reorganizing, it's inevitable that some files get lost or misplaced -- this is why we ask you to tell us when you find a broken link.

* LINK REPAIR * 

The special "IEP Issue" of The Special Ed Advocate included a letter from a mom who asked why her son's IQ scores declined since he was placed in special education. The link was fine -- but the links to information about the "Matthew Effect" were outdated. 

Get the corrected version that includes new information about the "Matthew Effect" at Wrightslaw.

On May 24, we published the Special IEP Issue. The response from newsletter subscribers was overwhelming -- you loved this issue. This led us to wonder how we could make this information available to more people -- people who don't subscribe to the newsletter. 

We need your help: If you have a friend (or two) who is working to get an appropriate education for a child with a disability, forward the Special IEP Issue to your friend. Call it "freeware!" 

Contents of the Special IEP Issue:

Those of you who know Pete and Pam Wright know we love to measure progress! We've been measuring "progress" at The Special Ed Advocate, as measured by the number of subscribers: 

January 1, 2000: 8,948 

May 31, 2000: 14,121

If you need to change your email address, please be patient with us. The pros at Spark-list will take over in a few days.