2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
3/05/2019 | 1:45 PM - 2:10 PM | LEAVITS!! An Advocacy/IDEA Parent Education Tool for Providers | Malpensa
LEAVITS!! An Advocacy/IDEA Parent Education Tool for Providers
Given that most parents of children with hearing loss are hearing themselves, it is unlikely that they have any knowledge of special education law or educational advocacy. Advocacy education should begin as soon as parents learn of their child’s special need. Helping parents navigate the system begins with existing parental knowledge and a particular discussion about how they can request what the child needs to thrive amongst their peers. Early intervention professionals can easily expose families to this critically important topic through easy 2-5 minute talking points to help familiarize families themselves with the world of special education. During this session participants will be provided with the tools to learn, address and expand on these specific talking points including national and local resources that the family can access. Attendees will leave with a DVD-R with 12 easy talking points (such as: what is advocacy, what is ESY, what is Least Restrictive Environment, what is IDEA, etc) to use with families. This DVD-R will include a template for talking point cards (called LEAVITS) to use and leave with families they work with. In my experience, I have found that some parents will not benefit from full day advocacy seminars. These parents may be overwhelmed with the situation at hand which is why I have developed these talking points for providers to touch base with these families every 3 or 4 weeks or as needed. The goal is to discuss one of the talking points per week and review the talking point before moving forward. The LEAVIT system allows providers to address this extremely important topic slowly and in an non-overwhelming manner.
- Participants will have the ability to utilize the tools provided in the session to implement a similar program in their state upon their return with minimal effort. Follow up emails with everything needed to start the program will be sent to all participants.
- Participants will have the tools to create a similar document to provide to parents for further education, allowing the families to be active participants in their child's learning and intervention process. Topics and key points will prepare the early interventionist to begin discussion with the family
- Participants will role play with these cards so they can leave with a thorough understanding of how to use them.
Presentation:
18878_10137AndreaMarwah.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
18878_10137AndreaMarwah.rtf
Presenters/Authors
Andrea Marwah
(), IL Hands & Voices Guide By Your Side, executivedirector@ilhandsandvoices.com;
Andrea Marwah received her BA degree in Psychology from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Since her daughter was diagnosed with hearing loss in 2002, she has taken a special interest in educating parents and professionals on matters concerning ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act), IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) - special education rights, and advocacy for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Andrea presents both locally and nationally on matters pertaining to advocacy and IDEA; deafness/hearing loss when combined with other disabilities; the impact of deafness/hearing loss; socialization and many other topics surrounding parenting and working with children who are deaf and hard of hearing. She works for the Illinois Department of Human Services, Illinois School for the Deaf as an outreach trainer and consultant for families and professionals who work with children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired or deaf-blind. She is also a parent advocate supporting families in Illinois at their child’s IEP meeting or behind the scenes preparing them to attend the meeting and advocate themselves. Andrea is the Executive Director at Illinois Hands & Voices and has been a leader with them since 2010, began as the IDEA liaison for the Guide By Your Side Program in 2009 where she provides unbiased information and one-on-one advocacy and IDEA support to families who have children who are deaf/hard of hearing and is a national trainer for the Hands & Voices ASTra Training Program and a member of the Hands & Voices speakers bureau. She works closely with Designated Service Coordinators providing group training and individual consulting. These are trained individuals who work directly with infants and toddlers in Illinois birth to three who have a diagnosis involving vision, hearing or a combination of both in her state early intervention program. Andrea works as a liaison with the Early Intervention Training Program on issues surrounding deafness and hearing loss. She sits on numerous committees both locally and nationally. Andrea also served for six years on the Advisory Commission on Disabilities in her home town of Naperville, where she lives with her husband Ajay and 3 children Samantha, Julia and Andrew.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.