HORSHAM, Pa. — Johnny can read. Johnny can write. He just doesn't accomplish both as quickly as his classmates.

Although a number of factors could be hindering Johnny's pace, if it's due to a disability, he most likely needs special education.

"The first time many parents hear the term 'special education' is when their child is evaluated and identified as having a disability that may require special education," says Gerry Klor, special education expert and author of What Every Parent Needs to Know About Special Education. "And understanding this system of legal procedures, instructional programs and designated classes can be quite complicated and intimidating for parents."

According to Klor, parents who are active in their child's education will understand special education's complex processes more quickly. "The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — the federal law governing special education — envisions a partnership between an informed parent and the public school staff," he says. "Having parents who can follow special education procedures is critical to this collaboration."

In his 80-page guidebook, Klor walks parents through the many steps of special education, such as:

• Understanding the "what," "how" and "why" of special education
  procedures
  
  
• What a suspected disability looks like
  
  
• How the evaluation process works
  
  
• Developing strong partnerships with school personnel
  
  
• What to look for in assessment reports
  
  
• What happens in an Individualized Education Plan meeting
  
  
• How progress is measured
  
  
• What happens at an annual review
  
  
• How student discipline works
  
  
• How students exit special education

The author also details the various levels of special education and the broad range of services available, including:

• Full-day classes and specialized instruction for students with moderate to severe disabilities
  
  
• Subject-specific classes for students with mild to moderate disabilities
  
  
• "Inclusion" programs that provide specialized support services to students with disabilities who are placed in regular classrooms

There are also a variety of other support services, such as speech and language therapy or counseling services, provided on a scheduled basis to students outside of their classes, according to Klor.

"The bottom line is, each student's educational needs will determine which type of special education program or service is appropriate," Klor says. "And parents who take an active role in their child's education will see the most success."

What Every Parent Needs to Know About Special Education is available from LRP Publications for $19.95 plus $5.50 shipping/handling. To order or for more information, call 1-800-341-7874, or visit LRP Publications' Web site, www.shoplrp.com.

With offices in Horsham; Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; and Alexandria, Va., LRP publishes resources for education professionals and parents including Building Partnerships with Parents: Improving Development Assessments through Cooperation and An Overview of Special Education Transportation: A Primer for Parents and Educators.

About the author: Gerry Klor has worked in special education for more than thirty years, as a school psychologist and special education director, in addition to teaching graduate school at Dominican University (San Rafael, Calif.) and San Francisco State University. He's now president of Educational and Psychological Solutions, a consulting firm that advises school districts on special education issues. He's also author of Say the Right Thing: A Guide for Responding to Parents' IEP Requests (2003, LRP Publications).

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Editor's Note: For a free media-review copy of What Every Parent Needs to Know About Special Education, to speak with Gerry Klor, or for a JPG of the book cover, please call Gary Bagin at 215-784-0941, ext. 6370, or e-mail garyb@lrp.com.

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