going to school for the deaf - Gail

November 5, 2001

What to do?

I need some advice. We moved to Lousiana almost a year ago compliments of

the military. We were assured that the local school system would be able to

accomodate my severe/profound 13 year old child who communicates using Total

Communication. She has a cochlear implant which has been wonderful and she

can communicate orally in a small group setting. In the classroom she gets

lost due to all the background noise and the run on sentences in lectures.

She is in the 7th grade so all the classroom changes and different teachers

probably aren't helping much either.

She is not being educated. I have written a letter to the director of

special ed about their lack of accomodations promised on the IEP. When that

didn't work I wrote to the superentendent about what I felt was happening.

Since the school couldn't find a signlanguage interpreter the district

bought

an i-communicator which hasn't worked a full day since they purchased it due

to this or that reason.

What do I do now? I did tell the superentendent that I would be contacting

my attorney if problems were not remediated two weeks after her IEP. Two

weeks is up tomorrow. I hate the thought of going due process since I'm not

sure what it will accomplish. I have to admit that the school has appeared

to be trying. If they can prove that they have been trying to accomodate

her

do I have a leg to stand on if it does go to court?

Each day that passes by is a day she is losing valuable education time. She

brought home a 64/100 on a test the other day. That tells me that she

doesn't understand the material. According to their " modified " grading

scale

they gave her an A. We did not ask for a modified grading scale when we did

the IEP 2 weeks ago.

She does have a HI teacher whom she spends 3 hours a day with. My daughter

says the woman doesn't sign very much and is difficult to understand.

I want her to receive an education. One that is appropriate for her. I feel

like this district is unable to do that. What options do I have? Any

advice

would be appreciated.

Gail

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