Student Service Learning (SSL) provides students the opportunity to actively participate in the community and build the skills they need to be successful students and citizens. This booklet provides information about the Maryland State Department of Education SSL graduation mandate. Completing 75 SSL hours is a requirement for high school…

This document provides suggestions of how parents can keep important records related to their child's special education needs in an organized way. This is key in using these documents for Individualized Education Panning (IEP) and in keeping track of their child's educational progress. A brief list of related resources is also included.

The paper describes a respite care cooperative in Orange County, California in which parents of handicapped children help other parents by providing a break from continuous care. The model features ongoing training and no cost for services. Goals and principles of the program are delineated, and procedures regarding such aspects as application…

Suggestions are offered for teaching parents how to tutor their children. Four steps are identified: (1) selection of tutoring materials; (2) basic tutoring instructions; (3) error correction procedures; and (4) record keeping and success charting. (DB)

This annual guide to income tax for parents of children with disabilities covers organizing records; avoiding audits; deducting medical expenses; and considering the impact of recent changes in medical expenses, Social Security numbers for children, child care, earned income credit, and deduction for dependents. (DB)

Parents of handicapped children are introduced to the reports and records kept on their child. Parents are encouraged to try to understand the reports, keep a copy of any record or report, know their rights regarding access to reports, correct inaccuracies, and maximize parental control of reports. (DB)

Guidelines are offered to assist parents of children with disabilities in filing federal income tax forms. Suggestions focus on keeping paperwork organized through the year, avoiding audits, making allowable medical deductions, and being aware of recent changes in the tax laws. (JDD)

This publication aims to help families better access services for their disabled children and organize their records for maximum efficiency. The suggestions are designed to help families develop personalized local directories of services for their individualized needs. The four chapters have the following titles: "Guide to Parent Groups,""Guide to…

Brief daily notebook entries by the teachers and therapists who worked with a developmentally disabled child provided valuable information for parents. The notebook served as a summary of daily activities and noteworthy events, a diary of developmental changes, and a record of medical information. (JW)

Intended for use by parents of children and youth with disabilities, this guide offers guidelines for planning for a smooth transition into a new special education placement necessitated by a family move. The question-answer format addresses such questions as the following: "Will the school in my new neighborhood offer special education…

This article explains income tax credits and deductions, of particular relevance to parents of disabled children, which may be taken for 1986, covering medical expenses, education, residential programs, transportation, child and disabled dependent care, charitable contributions, special needs adoption, recordkeeping, explaining claims, and…

This report describes two studies completed by the Child Advocacy Commission of Durham, North Carolina. The Durham school system has one of the lowest retention rates of any system in the state. The studies were used to advocate for and help implement new and better dropout prevention strategies in their schools. The report also outlines the need…

The guide is intended to assist disabled students, their families, and professionals working with them to become familiar with the variety of adult services available and to create a systematic plan for transition from school to adult life. The first section considers the logistics of transition planning and includes a description of the planning…

Intended primarily for parents of teenagers or young adults with mild and moderate mental disabilities, this guide offers a specific program to teach basic budgeting skills. The program is differentiated for teenagers who either can count money or who have trouble reading and counting money. The program for teenagers who can count money begins…

Intended for use by parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers, this guide presents, in question and answer format, basic information about early intervention and special education services. Questions about services for the period from birth through 2 years include the following: "What are early intervention services?""What is an…