Aspies For Freedom

I am fed up!!
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Ms. Friedman,

I wanted to express my concern in re the notes you have written on Noah's assignments and daily incentive sheet.  Comments such as "Noah chose not to pay attention" or most recently,  "Noah decided not to focus or follow directions", lead me to believe you think he is doing this intentionally.  You had even written on the assignment that came home lastnight that "the whole class went over the assignment" and that Noah was given multiple (I think it was actually 5) prompts on what to do.  As I have explained to you before, Noah has a tendency to zone out.  This not something he can help.  

This is also one of the main reasons I had previously inquired about a one on one aide.  The initial reaction from the team was that aides were only used for children who are "severly disabled."  I had suggested this because I understand you have the rest of the class to focus on, and Noah can not always be your main focus.  It also shouldn't be left up to his other classmates to make sure he completing his work.

Even though you may explain something to Noah more than one time, that is not a gaurantee that he is understanding what he is supposed to do.  I am sure you agree to this, since the assignment that he received multiple prompts and was reviewed by the class, was still left blank...He needs somebody who is consistently there to explain and even re-explain what needs to be done.  When I say consistent, I do not mean a student who is designated to watch over Noah or a paraeducator who may help out in the class a few times a week.

I am hoping that the IEP team is able to come up with some sort of accomodation that will remedy this, since the idea of a one on one aide was rejected....Perhaps that decision needs to be re-evaluated, since this is not working out.

Thank you Marcia! IEP stand for Individualized Education Program.  It is basically a legal document, that lays out the plan for each child.  Once a child gets it, they are basically considered to have access to certain special-ed services.  Unfortunately the law in the states, says that the school only needs to provide an "appropriate" education.  This is a cookie cutter version of an education that does not work for every special- ed child.

My son was diagnose with Aspergers, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and ADHD.  In addition he has a General Anxiety Disorder, Dyspraxia, and Sensory Deficit Issues.  We have tried multiple accommodations for more than a year now.  All 4 of my sons doctors have written letters, reports etc. strongly advising he have one on one help, Occupational Therapy and Speech/Language Therapy.

Even though they acknowledge his written output issues and have given him an word processor to type instead of write for certain things (and a scribe when needed), they still said they only give O.T. for the severley disabled.  I guess you have to be in a wheel chair to qualify.  They do short cuts when it comes to everything.  I don't trust his school to do therapy, so I had placed my son on a waiting list for the OT and Speech Therapy. We finally have our appointments next month.

If I could afford to put him in this wonderful program for AS kids I found, I would.  If this school isn't able to provide what my son needs, they may have to pay for it.  But this will be many years of trial and error, before they agree to such a thing.

thanks i'm glad i wrote it too.  it's just a matter of having the school be better educated on AS and what it entails.

I know that in working with my daughter to find an appropriate IEP I researched and found a lot of local advocates groups that were able to help.  I was very lucky with our case, as they are very aware of my legal background, and I think it helped.  However, had I not had that happen, I would have used the local group.  The attorneys attend the IEP meetings with you and their fees go on a sliding scale.  Also, I just met with someone who is in my area to work with my Aspie husband, and he attends IEP meetings as well.  Maybe there is someone near you (he, however, has no sliding scale and the costs could be prohibitive.)  

I am thinking that you need a new IEP, and possibly ask for an IEE with someone who knows something about AS.  My daughter also "zones out" and has difficulties with instructions and her teacher has learned to work with that and would never have sent home such a thing.  Your son's teacher should not be teaching.

I am so sorry.

thank you.  what is an IEE?  I have never heard of that?  You are right, my sons teacher should not be teaching.  The staff is not much better off..

i had thought about doing that.  i have emailed his teacher websites etc.  like you, i don't think she read it.  

i have really tried to keep my cool throughout this whole thing, but the things she says sometimes put me over the top.

I am speaking of this from my state, but I believe most states have the same thing here in the US.  When you get an evaluation of your child from the school district, you do not have to agree with the results.  If you do not agree, you can ask for an Independent Educational Evaluation.  This would be done by an outside company (possibly one that specializes in AS) and you can request that this be paid for by the school district.  Sometimes you have to pay for the evaluation initially, and then you are reimbursed, but it seems to me that the evaluation given to your child was not adequate.  There is a procedure for this, and follow it to the "T" so they cannot get out of providing what your child needs.  

Of course this is not any form of legal advice, I am speaking only as a parent, but if I were in your shoes, I would send a letter requesting a reassessment of your child and a new IEP.  In my state they are required to respond pretty quickly to these requests, as long as they are done in writing.  My school district has a "testing center" address and that is where I sent my request, via certified mail.  

Keep in mind that if they do test your child again, that you have the right to see the test results before hand, and that way they are not surprising to you at the time of the IEP.  You do not have to agree with the IEP at the time of the meeting either, you can go home and review it and take it all in.  At least in my state, you can also tape-record the IEP meeting if you need to.  Can help you to go back to it later.  You just have to let them know ahead of time.

I would do some searches for local advocates groups.  Your child deserves better than this.  I have seen such changes in my daughter, who is not AS but has severe learning disabilities, since I scared the putty out of all of the staff.  

You could also spend some time on findlaw.com checking your state's educational law.  There are some gems in there, you just have to hunt to find them.  

I hope it gets better!

thank you korrigan.  ok..NOW i know what you are talking about.  i initially had a psycho-educational evaluation done.  this is where he got the diagnosis of NLD and ADHD.  most recently he was diagnosed at the center for autism spectrum disorders at the top children's hospital in our area.  the ASD center wrote a comprehensive 12 page report which i forwarded to the school.  

currently, his IEP has him coded as learning disability.  at the time we got the IEP, this was accurate since we didn't have the AS diagnosis yet.  when i go back in april to review the IEP, he will officially be coded under autism.  regardless of the label, the school definitely needs to do more.

i had consulted an autism advocate and forwarded all my info.  mind you, i have documented everything for the past year..every conversation, email etc.  she told me that the school was following proper procedure and under the law, they are only required to provide an "appropriate" education.  well, here is where the issue lies because the school system and myself aren't seeing eye to eye on this.  i mean they basically laughed at me when i had requested an OT evaluation.
the only thing they offered besides the alphasmart, was a pencil grip!

his doctors basically told me he should be in an inclusion program with other AS kids.  they said if he has a teacher that specializes in ASD and the way these kids learn, my sons attention issues may be healped a bit.  one of the main reasons he has difficulty paying attention in his class is because he doesn't know what is going on.  the only problem is, his school is pretty much clueless, which is why i would like to put my son in another program.  this is the one i found and it has been praised by my sons doctors..

http://www.ivymount.org/aspabout.html

Maybe there is hope with the new IEP.  I think you need to find a new advocate.  

My daughter has had an OT evaluation (she has severe writing difficulties) and has been granted additional counseling to deal with some issues of feeling "left behind."  She is also getting 120 minutes a week of assistance (some in and some out of class) and is getting extra assistance in a state funded after school program for struggling kids.  My daughter's teacher used to ring a bell to tell the kids when to change assignments, that scared my daughter who hates loud noises, and she stopped that.  She is allowing my daughter to dictate answers when possible, and she is doing that for homework as well.  It seems to me that if my daughter is getting this much care for her issues, your son should get even more, not less.  The difference in my daughter with the extra help has been amazing!  

I hope it gets better soon.  I would not talk to the teacher again.  I would go to the principal or possibly above her head.  A child who has disabilities and/or learning differences does not CHOOSE not to do their work.  (Shakes head in annoyance...)
    

      

as it stands, these are his acomodations:

*Noah repeats directions back to teacher
*Extended time on tests
*Reduce distractions (headphones)
*Dictate when writing is not the object
*Scribe
*Reduce homework
*Simplify organization of homework and folders
*Preferential seating
*Teacher cueing to stay on task
*Seating so feet touch the ground
*Wiggle seat
*Writing Support from Heather Schaeffer
*Math support
*AlphaSmart
*Social Skills Group

^ still not helping.  his latest interim said he's in danger of dropping more than one grade in math.

I hate to say it, but with these things done properly, I think he would be doing better, right?  The accommodations you have listed, by the way, are very similar to my daughter's (with the exception of the wiggle seat and feet touching the ground).   But if they are not done properly, how will they ever help?  I know it is close to the end of the year, is a teacher change possible?  I hate to think this way, but there may be a possibility that you are stuck until the beginning of next year, and hopefully then it will get better.  How is the resource or special education teacher?  How about the school counselor?  Are they providing an aide in class at all?  

You have probably thought about all of this.  But I feel your pain so much I want to help.

yes, you would think they'd help...the special-ed teacher was the one who basically laughed at me when i asked for the OT eval.  his counselor is pretty clueless as well.  in fact my stops by to see her every morning before class as a "safe spot", but she is never there.  if she is there she says "i'm so sorry noah, can you come by tomorrow? i'm busy.." so when he goes back the next day, she does the same thing. it upsets my son and i've explained she is probably busy and will not be available everyday, but he stills insists on stopping by every morning.  he craves routine..

wiggleseat..

http://cgi.ebay.com/WIGGLE-SEAT-BALANCE-...dZViewItem

"Most children with ADHD, Autism, and Sensory Processing Disorder are constantly moving.  A lot of these children fidget a lot, especially at school.  In most of these children, you will be able to see an amazing improvement in their ability to focus and and participate in class after using this wiggle seat.  It will also work well at home while your child is doing his homework.  It helps them to concentrate better."


^ it doesn't help

i have been saving all the notes.  in fact i just met with the school psychologist today and gave her copies.  she is on my side and agrees his teacher isn't the best.

LOL that's awesome!!!