Disability Evaluation and Identification

In my part of the United States it is really beginning to feel like Spring. Our flowers are blooming, the weather is in the mid 70's (f) during the day, and no one wants to be in the house at all. Everyone is headed outside to enjoy this great weather. Of course we have the days when it is rainy and that is the perfect time to enjoy working on some Spring Coloring Pages.

This is also the time of year when parents start heading out to parks with their children. Sometimes this is when we may first begin to see that maybe our child may not be doing the same things as other children his or her age. Or we notice that our child's behavior is very different in how they approach play with other children of the same age. The best and first thing to do if you have concerns about the development of your child is to consult your pediatrician. They can reassure you that everything is fine or direct you to wonderful local resources for evaluation and support if there are any concerns.

Do2Learn has an entire section dedicated to Disabilities on their website. The evaluation and identification process is explained in simple and easy to understand steps. During a time when parents are feeling overwhelmed with information this page will be a wonderful resource to assist them when they need to refer back to the process that they are going through with their child.

This Evaluation and Identification page is one that teachers, doctors, psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, early intervention specialists, etc. can share with parents at the very beginning of anything suspicious going on developmentally. You will help empower the parents by giving them information that is clear and easy to understand.

Happy New Year and IEP Review

Happy 2012 from Do2Learn! Time to take a deep breath and look towards what you hope to accomplish in this new year. I have always liked this time of year to go over my child's IEP to see if her goals are still appropriate and perhaps plan for her IEP team to have a meeting to review this together.

Being the mother of a daughter (who is almost 19 now) who has Autism, I did not always feel as much a part of the IEP team as I should have. The more I learned, the more confidant I became as a member of this valuable educational team. Who knew my daughter the best in those meetings? Me, of course!

I hope that you will feel confidant as a member of your child's IEP Team. Learning about the process is very important to not feeling so lost in what can feel like a jungle of acronyms at times. Do2learn has several areas to help you begin learning about IEP's and other information to build your confidence when advocating for your child educationally.

Check under the RED, Disabilities box on our website. There is a lot of information under this box, but specifically related to the IEP, is within the Parents & Teachers section of the drop-down. You will also notice areas for Terms and Acronyms here too. Please enjoy exploring this area of our website and I hope you find that the information empowers you as you review your child's IEP for the new year.

All of this information in the Disabilities area is a FREE area of Do2Learn. Don't forget you can follow us on Facebook too.

It's a Whole New Look and More

Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Our team here at Do2Learn has been working very hard to help your web navigation experience be a fun one. You will find several different ways to find your favorite Do2Learn products on our new website. We hope you will take the time to browse our new website and give us your feedback. You can send us your feedback from any of our pages through the “Contact Us” link, located on the bottom of each web page.

We are also inviting you to visit our blog often for updates as we explore the website together. There will be changes in the look of the blog as we go along, so again, feel free to give us your feedback on that as well. You will begin to see Do2Learn becoming more active on Facebook and I also have it on good authority that Do2Learn will soon be on Twitter too.

Thanks for your continued patience as we here at Do2Learn work to make our educational products better for you!

Parents' Frustrations and Confusion: Where do I Begin?

Entering into the world of disabilities is like entering into a country where you don't speak the language and don't understand the people who live there. This new land is full of signs and road maps and, worst of all, acronyms...but you don't know what they mean and you aren't sure who to trust for help.

Do2Learn has developed some content that can be helpful as a cross cultural guide into the world of disabilities. Our Disabilities section includes:

• definitions of disabilities as written under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• information on the evaluation and identification process

• characteristics and strategies for twelve different disabilities.

A screenshot for just some of the info on strategies for individuals who are Twice Exceptional



• Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development tips
• Acronyms and Terms defined in a way that makes sense
• Teacher Toolbox including Classroom Management, Learning Strategies, and Education Resources

These are just some of the resources available under the Disabilities tab on our home page at Do2Learn. Tell us...what did you find most confusing about navigating the new world of disabilities? Is there anything else you think we should add?