In This Issue . . .

• Advocating for Your Child
  
• What Advocates Do
• So You Want to be an Advocate?
• Advocacy Resource Directory

Circulation: 72,099
ISSN: 1538-320

Who can be an advocate? What do advocates do?

If you are the parent of a child with special educational needs, you need to develop and hone your advocacy skills. If you are a teacher or special ed service provider, you may want to fine-tune your advocacy skills on behalf of your students.

In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate you'll find Part 1 of our summer refresher course in effective advocacy - Summer School for Advocates: Advocacy 101.

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Please don't hesitate to forward this issue to other friends, families, or colleagues.

Advocating for Your Child - Getting Started

Good special education services are intensive and expensive. Resources are limited.To prevail, you need information, skills, and tools.

If you have a child with special educational needs, you may wind up battling the school district for the services your child needs. Learn more about basic advocacy skills...gathering and organizing information, planning and preparing, documenting, problem solving.

Let's get started! Find this week's assignment.

What Advocates Do

An advocate performs several functions:

• Supports, helps, assists, and aids
• Speaks and pleads on behalf of others
• Defends and argues for people or causes

Find out about different types of advocates and what advocates do.

So You Want to Be an Advocate?

Here are three essential things you need to do:

1. Expose yourself to advocacy opportunities
2. Learn about special education, law and advocacy
3. Practice, practice, practice advocacy skills

Learn how to hone your advocacy skills...

Hot Links: Advocacy Resource Directory

Are you looking for information and resources for parents, teachers or advocates for children with disabilities? Do you collect information for a website about special education or children with special educational needs?

Check out the Wrightslaw Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities for a complete and up to date listing of advocacy resources.

Do you help parents and caregivers get special education services for children with disabilities? Does your organization provide information and assistance? Do you facilitate a support or study group for parents of children with disabilities?

If the answer is "Yes!" please complete the application for a free listing on the Yellow Pages for Kids for your state.

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