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Strategies for Navigating College for Students with Autism
College is a transformative period in a young adult's life, offering a platform for growth, self-discovery, and academic achievement. However, for students on the autism spectrum, navigating the challenges of college life can be particularly overwhelming. College students with autism spectrum...
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Virtual Job Shadow Technology Mash-Up
One of the main purposes of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is “To ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free, appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare...
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Your Child’s Right to an Appropriate Transition Plan
One of the main objectives of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is to ensure that children receive an appropriate education that prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living.1 Accordingly, school districts must develop Transition Plans that are...
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Compensatory Services in the Age of COVID
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, school districts across the country have struggled to meet their legal obligations as set forth in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for students...
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Special Education Due Process 101 – The Nuts and Bolts
A number of disputes and disagreements can arise between parents and school districts regarding a child’s special education programming. Some of these areas of disagreement may include identification, declassification, appropriateness of program, appropriateness of placement or services,...
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Preparing for the Challenges of Adulthood
The transition for individuals affected by autism from special education services to adult services often poses a great deal of anxiety and barriers for the individual in transition, as well as for their parents, caregivers and service professionals. Under the Individuals with Disabilities...
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Creating Individualized, Data-Based, and Effective IEPs
All children, including those with autism and other developmental disabilities, are entitled to a free and appropriate education (FAPE), as outlined originally in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Individuals with...
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ASD and the Local School District: How Parents Can Best Advocate for an Appropriate School Setting
Parents who have children with ASD can find themselves in a difficult situation when it comes to determining the right school setting for their child. As a special education attorney representing families in New York City, I have found that determining an appropriate school program and placement...
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Building Comprehensive, ABA-Informed Services in an Adult Residential Setting
Throughout the United States, services for school-aged children with Autism have been bolstered by IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Of the services IDEA has made available, those informed by the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA) are gaining broad recognition as the...
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Autism and Comorbid Mental Health Issues: Challenges and Issues for School Teams
Children and youth with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) represent a variable and growing population in the K-12 school system who may be served under IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: 2004). ASD is, according to the DSM V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,...
