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DIANA AUTIN: Well, social and emotional development
is something that's supposed to be part of the IEP
for students with disabilities.
And so it shouldn't be difficult to have services
aimed at developing those social relationship skills
included in an IEP.
Sometimes you to be able to build on that evaluation,
what the evaluation shows are the needs of the student.
Sometimes you have to bring in what's the best practices,
the evidence base.
And there's a lot of information
about social and emotional development
in the Educational Services Guidelines.
So that's a great place to get that support.
There's also the requirement that students with disabilities
have the opportunity to interact with their nondisabled peers
for this very reason; to be able
to develop those relationships, not just to have friends,
but also the students without disabilities
are going to be the employers, landlords,
the people who run the library.
You know, they're going to be the adults in the community
that are running a lot of the, you know,
community service systems and doing the things
that students with disabilities are going to have to be able
to access as adults.
So even students who may be, again,
in out-of district placements, have the right to have
opportunities to interact with nondisabled peers.
So we will encourage parents to have their child
brought back into the home district
to participate in extracurricular activities--
you know, nonacademic activities, rec programs.
To have, you know, summer programs.
NARRATOR: Next we hear from Michelle,
a mother whose son is deafblind.
She recounts the value
of the Educational Service Guidelines
and the companion materials when
seeking appropriate services for her son.
Just knowing your rights
and making people aware that you know your rights
is such a powerful tool.
Because... and it doesn't mean
everything has to be an argument or a threat.
But you do have to be informed.
Students with deafblindness are likely to be eligible
for extended school year services.
Those don't always have to be provided
in a special education classroom.
You can have extended school year services
that are provided in a summer program
that's for all children.
And you can have supports to help
the student with deafblindness develop those relationships
and friendships and those social skills.
Sometimes it does take a little bit more advocacy
to make it happen, but again, that IEP
is supposed to incorporate those evidence-based practices,
and these are evidence-based practices
that are essential for students with deafblindness.
NARRATOR: Fade to black.