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PASS hosts autism workshop

  • Published
  • By Airman and Family Readiness Center
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  On Sept. 22, parents of school-aged children diagnosed with autism came together at the Airman and Family Readiness for a workshop focusing on partnering with school districts in order to provide children with the best education opportunities possible.

Parent Advocates for Students and Schools invited Christina Gibson, who works with children with autism on a daily basis as part of the Belleville School District 118, to lead the discussion.

"Ms. Gibson's presentation centered on helping parents with children with autism feel more comfortable and knowledgeable in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process," said Dr. Cynthia Doil, Scott AFB school liason officer.

An IEP describes the goals a team of educational professionals and parents set for a child during the school year, as well as any special support needed to help achieve them. Ms. Gibson helped parents understand goals, short-term objectives and benchmarks, along with parent's rights in the IEP process. A special emphasize was given to strategies to become effective partners with their child's providers and teachers.
"She also provided tips and strategies to help parents advocate for their children, as well as the steps to take to work through the special education system in a positive and productive way," said Dr. Doil.

The workshop also covered the Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.
"Ms. Gibson helped demystify the language by defining many of the acronyms found in the document and explaining their meaning and relevance to parents' participation in special education as partners on their children's IEP team," said Dr. Doil.

While the IEP process can seem intimidating to some parents as they face a room filled with 10-12 educational professionals talking about the capabilities of their child, Ms. Gibson's explanation of the participants and the process helped parents in attendance feel more comfortable with the process and procedures followed during a typical IEP meeting.

"Because Scott AFB has several families with children with autism, the PASS group felt it was critical to offer a separate workshop for these parents to understand the unique needs of children with autism in the school systems and negotiating their IEPs to ensure they benefit to the maximum extent," said Dr. Doil.

PASS is a grass roots core of committed volunteers providing military parents effective ways to advocate for their children as they transition between school systems. Those interested in learning more about or participating in PASS can visit the Parent Advocates for Students and Schools Facebook site.