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Environmental Interventions
Family/School Partnerships
Family/School Partnerships
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a Federal law) introduces the concept that
schools and families should make decisions together to address the needs of children with
disabilities. For children with autism spectrum disorders, the level and nature of that cooperative
framework is critical. This is because children with ASD:

Have complex profiles

Have so many things to learn due to the pervasive nature of ASD

Need lots of repetition for practice

Experience difficulties generalizing information from one setting to another
The need for a consistent program helps kids with ASD to function better in the home and
community, as well as in the school building. Sharing information from one place to another
increases the likelihood that the team will address the full range of the child’s needs, and provide
the consistency of allowing the child to practice skills in a variety of places and with a variety of
people to ensure that the skills are learned effectively. Sharing information among people who
come together with very different perspectives can sometimes be difficult, but when everyone
has the needs of the child in mind when making decisions, then everyone shares in the success of
that child.
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Working as a team also enhances everyone’s ability to be creative and effective. This is because
it encourages the atmosphere of a ‘team spirit’, offers positive support for team members’
individual efforts, and allows for supports and interventions to be carried through in a variety of
settings that would not be possible if school and home were not working effectively together.
The goal of such a partnership should be to move the child toward independence from caretakers
in adulthood, and to become an active participant within the community. In order for this to
occur, consistent instruction needs to take place in all three settings – school, home, and
community.
Who are the ‘team’ members?
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) has requirements as to who must participate
at an IEP meeting. Additional people can attend as appropriate for a given student. When we talk
about a ‘team’, we are often referring to the group of people who come together to make
decisions for the student at IEP meetings. But the team that is described in this lesson also might
include additional members who do not regularly attend these meetings (for example, working
fathers are sometimes unable to attend IEP meetings, but are nonetheless important team
members).
For most students with disabilities, the team might consist of:

The parents of the child

A regular education teacher of the child (if applicable)

A special education teacher

In-school therapists involved with the child (i.e. OT, speech/language)
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
An administrator (principal, special education supervisor, etc.)
In addition, there may be other people regularly involved with the student who should be
considered to be integral members of the team. These might include:

Paraprofessionals

Regular caregivers (such as extended family members, day care providers)

Involved independent professionals and therapists (i.e. doctors, counselors, etc.)

Educational consultants (if one is involved with the student’s program)

Job coach

Related state agency staff involved with the student (i.e. Department of Mental
Retardation or Developmental Disabilities, Birth to Three provider, Vocational
Rehabilitation, etc.)

The student, when appropriate

Anyone else that is considered a large part of the child’s life or educational program that
would like to be involved and that is acceptable to the team
While the student should always be considered an important member of the team, this is not to
say that they should attend all of the IEP meetings. These decisions would depend greatly upon
the relationship between team members, the topics that are due to be discussed at meetings, etc.
Always, however, the student’s perspective and ideas should be shared with the team and any
plans that are developed should take them into consideration. Students can provide input without
attending meetings through interviews, interest surveys, developing (with help) lists of wants and
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dislikes, etc. when it is decided not to be appropriate for the student to actually sit in attendance
at the IEP meeting. Their participation can also be provided through person-centered planning
methods if they are utilized for the student.
What does "Partnering" mean?
In order to work effectively together as one team, all members should have a shared
understanding of the planning process. Unfortunately, this can be difficult to achieve, especially
for families with newly-diagnosed children who have not had the time or the knowledge of
resources to develop this understanding. The IEP process can be quite daunting – especially
when there are so many other things involved with an autism disorder that demand attention
from families as well (i.e. medical evaluations and assessments, trips to the therapist, etc.). This
can quickly become overwhelming for parents, especially those who are still in the grieving
process.
Nevertheless, parents, with assistance from the school team, can develop a good working
knowledge of the special education system, choosing appropriate supports and interventions
from known best-practice sources, and the process of developing IEPs. Parents do have a
perspective that is unique to the team, because they are the only members that have experience
with the child in other settings within the community. Teachers will rarely see the child at a
birthday party, at Grandma’s house, at Boy Scout Camp or in the grocery store. Information
about the child’s ability to function in settings such as these add to the ‘big picture’ of how
everyone views the child, but also provides good information about what the child can do well,
what he struggles with, and what he enjoys. The list of these types of things can be limited if
they are only described in terms of math class, gym, or recess. In addition, parents know their
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own child so intimately, that the subtle nuances of behavior changes (such as the finger tapping
that precedes a meltdown) are well known and easily recognizable to them, while teachers have
to learn them - often ‘the hard way’ - when this information is not shared.
School personnel have had specific training in a number of different aspects of education (i.e.
curriculum, age-appropriate skills, development, etc.). This background allows them an
important perspective on what may be practical within a particular school building or classroom
(i.e. lack of space or expertise), changes that occur throughout the day and year (i.e. changes in
staff, long-term substitutes, emergency situations as they occur), and may know of resources that
parents would not have access to (i.e. a behavioral consultant contracted to work in the district,
organizations that provide training). Through their experience, they also know what is
appropriate for a given age group in terms of socialization and behavior skills (i.e. what makes
you cool this week, or how much control over choice-making typical kids this age can manage).
The routines and expectations from one setting to another are vastly different, and so a child with
an ASD needs to develop skills that will allow him or her to maneuver successfully through most
of them. For example, the expectations would vary from a Boy Scout meeting, grandma’s house,
the grocery store, a specific classroom, the art room or gym, lunchroom or playground. All of
these environments need to be part of the decision-making process. Decisions about this variety
of settings would be difficult to make with accuracy if limited perspectives were considered.
Team members should remember that respect of those different perspectives as being valid
viewpoints is critical to the nature of a team. The old saying on the sporting field of “there is no I
in TEAM” comes to mind, since no single person has all the right – or all the wrong - answers.
Learning to truly listen to the ideas of others, and to consider them carefully and seriously, is a
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skill that is not taught in parenting classes or in higher-education teaching schools. It takes work,
dedication, and an open mind and heart to develop skills in these areas.
Team members must develop a shared ‘vision’ of where the child is now, and where he is going,
both in the short and long term. One of the ways individual team members can find some
common ground is to conduct a Futures Planning meeting so that the formalities and constraints
of the IEP meeting can be relinquished, and a frank discussion about the child as a person can
become the center of the discussion. In this way, people often learn to see a child through
another person’s eyes. When this happens, it is easier to respect another’s opinion or idea,
because the underlying meaning and purpose behind them become clear. Additionally, it
becomes easier to find solutions or options to problems when the focus is diverted from anger
and blaming of individuals for the existence of problems. Emotions can run very high for parents
when discussing their own child’s difficulties and needs, and can run equally as high for
dedicated teachers and staff who may feel their teaching skills and experience are undervalued.
When all parties are aware of these potential dangers, respect needs to be vigilantly reinforced
and practiced if the interest of the child is to remain the focal point.
Partnering is very difficult to achieve when the members of the team only get together on a
yearly basis, or for a formal IEP meeting. The amount of time needed to successfully plan for a
child’s program will almost certainly exceed the hour or two allotted for an annual meeting at the
end of the school year (when meetings for many children can be scheduled back-to-back with no
margin for additional time). Kids with ASD are complicated, and so, generally, are their plans! It
is recommended that teams meet regularly on an informal basis, and that this be scheduled in
advance so that no one is left guessing about the next meeting time, and no one is constantly
scrambling to arrange meeting time given everyone’s diverse schedules. All meetings should be
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arranged by one person (probably the case manager), and would ideally be scheduled at the same
time and day (i.e. the first Monday of the month at 8:30 AM in the teacher’s staff room). The
team should not think that the only reason to meet is to solve existing problems – sometimes it is
important to meet just to recognize and celebrate exceptional progress! This is important for
team members in order to encourage continued investment in the hard work they do every day.
Support from other team members is a critical piece that fosters creativity and consistency of
effort.
What are the responsibilities / expectations of a team member
Along with their own perspective, each member also brings along their background, personality,
strengths and weaknesses. It should not be assumed that all members have the same basic
understanding of the IDEA law, the protocol within a given state or school district, the needs of
the child, or appropriate best practice. All members should come to the table knowing that this is
a learning process, and that they are all working toward a shared understanding of how to
proceed with plans for a successful program.
Each member should be expected to offer ideas, thoughts, suggestions, and questions. Criticism
should only be offered when it is constructive – in other words, if it will help to reduce a
problem, prevent a recurrence, or otherwise improve upon the plans being discussed. All ideas
should be considered before being accepted or disregarded, and all questions answered
completely. It would be helpful for the school team to indoctrinate any new member to the
process (such as a newly diagnosed child’s family or a newly hired teacher) with a brief
overview of the IDEA law, protocol of the IEP process, and the rights of families and students
with disabilities. It might be a good idea for districts to assign parent volunteers to help new
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parents in the special education system get acquainted with their responsibilities and feel more
confident about knowing the process. Whether the volunteer is a school staff member or a parent
in the district, it should be considered a part of the plan. Someone therefore, could be assigned
the responsibility of offering assistance to the family, as well as deciding what that might include
(i.e. a parent who happens to be a teacher in the next district may only need a brief review of this
district’s policies along with the names of administrators. A parent who has no background in
education might also need a review of IDEA, a referral to local support organizations for
information about their child’s specific disability, and a ‘translation’ of their Procedural Rights).
Parents most likely will also require some components of a home-school program that would
instruct the family in behavioral strategies, social skill instruction, and other interventions that
are being utilized in the school. If the consistency of programming does not occur in all settings,
the child is unlikely to learn them in a way that can be generalized. It should not be assumed that
the family is familiar with techniques or instruction in these areas. Home training needs would
differ from family to family based upon the individual child’s profile and the families’ current
level of knowledge and ability, but decisions regarding continual training should be a central
theme in all team meetings, since training needs will change as the child matures and develops
new skills. IDEA assigns responsibility to schools in training parents to understand the child’s
special needs, child development, and to acquire skills to support the implementation of the
child’s IEP. It therefore should not be overlooked as a key piece of the child’s program.
Organization is a key ingredient to coming to meetings prepared with necessary ideas,
information, resources, and questions to ask. Therefore, it is recommended that parents be
provided with copies of all evaluation reports and proposed IEP goals in advance of the IEP
meeting so they can formulate questions, concerns, or propose desired additions or changes.
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(note: final goals are completed at the IEP meeting itself per IDEA law, but proposed plans for
goals are often developed ahead to save time and ensure that each is thought out carefully rather
than being written ‘off the cuff’ in a restricted time frame at the meeting). All members should
come prepared with any background information they may need to support a request or
suggestion. It is recommended that all members take their own individual notes at IEP meetings,
but at informal team meetings notes are sometimes written on a large easel board or pad by one
person and typed up and distributed to the group afterwards.
Whenever the team comes together, whether it is a formal IEP or informal meeting, all members
need to know what they are expected to accomplish or investigate before the next meting. It is
therefore helpful when notes are written on an easel board to include an ‘action items’ list. This
can prevent misunderstandings and/or forgotten tasks that lead to delays.
Examples of action item list:

Ms. S will research sources for social stories (request from parent)

Mr. M. will call the State Dept of Ed to find out the criteria for gym credits

Ms. S will report to parent how the field trip went when it is concluded

The school nurse will be Johnny’s new ‘safe person’, she will meet with him and have
her come to her room a few times and report on the success at the next team meeting.
One way to make families feel a part of the team and not simply an ‘observer’ is to give them
responsibilities along with the other members of the team. These should always be in line with
the ability level and time availability of the parent, otherwise it could become a point of
contention among team members. Keep in mind the possibly limited understanding of the child’s
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disability (especially for newly diagnosed families) and that their lack of expertise in
understanding how to follow through on supports and modifications might impact their success.
The team should always be aware and accept that this is a foreign process that is very difficult
for many families, and assistance given in techniques and interventions so that errors cannot
occur with frequency.
Parents and staff alike come with a variety of cultural backgrounds, prior education, ability to be
objective, and ability to maintain emotional control in stressful situations. The lack of any of
these traits would not automatically make a person a bad team member. Being aware of these
differences and what they mean to the team can help everyone to prepare to deal with those
differences, and to maintain a sense of humor.
It must be mentioned that all people familiar with any given subject will tend to gravitate toward
jargon and terminology they hear routinely on a daily basis. Staff should be wary of using these
terms around families, and to explain meanings patiently in order to encourage the family to
learn the terms and to continue asking questions. Some family members may feel intimidated
about asking for clarifications, and may want to avoid appearing uneducated by asking ‘stupid’
questions. It is helpful for staff members to meet with family members between meetings so
questions can be asked without a larger audience, and when more time allows for a better
understanding to be shared. This promotes better team cohesiveness, and that benefits everyone –
especially the child!
There should be one member of any team who is assigned extra responsibilities, and that is the
Team Coordinator. This is most likely going to be the case manager, but it may be best suited to
anyone who has the lightest schedule load. The Coordinator would be responsible to be sure
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announcements and reminders of meetings go out to all members, that a room to meet is
arranged for, coffee and refreshments are on hand if appropriate, notes are taken at informal
meetings and distributed, and if an ‘action items’ list is developed that all members are clear on
their individual responsibilities and have received a copy of the list. This is no small matter,
since disruption of schedules and missed meetings can quickly foster resentment. Whoever is
given this responsibility is likely to have their organizational skills tested!
What areas of a student’s program require ‘Partnering’?
Autism spectrum disorders are complicated in nature, and differ from one student to the next.
Therefore, it makes it imperative that ALL areas of an educational program be discussed among
the entire team. This is especially true because many goals the child is striving toward are being
addressed by several people; especially communication, social and behavioral goals that require
a variety of settings for generalization. If everyone is working toward a common goal, they must
have a common understanding of what to do and how to do it.
IDEA requires that decisions for children with disabilities be reached in the following order:
1. The child’s strengths and needs (what he needs) be considered first
2. Goals and instruction/services/modifications (what to do) are developed based upon those
strengths and needs
3. Placement be decided (where to do it) based upon the goals/services/supports that have
been agreed upon
4. And then to monitor for progress (how well did he learn those goals given the instruction/
services/supports)
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In other words…
With this formula in mind, the following table gives us an idea of what types of decisions need to
be discussed and decided upon by the cooperative team.
Assessment areas

Communication/language/speech

Social skills

Sensory issues

Physical/motor skills

Self-help/independence skills

Environmental factors

Cognitive ability

Behavioral concerns, need for support plans

Parent involvement options
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
Leisure/recreation/play

Assistive technology (if needed)

Training needs of each team member
Design goals /supports/ services

Meaningful annual goals and benchmarks for progress are identified

Appropriate teaching strategies are identified that will lead toward progress in the
annual goals

Environmental factors - Structure, organization and predictability strategies are
described in a plan

Parent involvement is determined based upon family needs, abilities, and resources (i.e.
time, knowledge)

Identified needs for training is provided to team members

All are determined by assessment results and other shared team information and
included in the student’s IEP
Choose a placement

The continuum of placement options are discussed and

The location(s) that can most effectively allow for progress toward goals is agreed upon
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(this could be more than one location)
Continually monitor progress

Using on-going methods of measuring progress, instruction, strategies, etc. are
reevaluated and adapted as needed
It becomes clear when looking at this list, that one year-end meeting is not adequate to address
all areas of needed discussion. Discussion needs to remain consistent throughout the year as
problems occur, changes in approach are needed, or decisions about short-term events (like field
trips, assemblies, substitute teachers, etc.) crop up.
What are skills every team member needs to be an effective partner?
As discussed, different people with different backgrounds will also have varying skill levels in
areas of communication and cooperative planning. Assumptions cannot be made that everyone
on a team will be able to work together in quite the same way. Skills that are essential for team
members to cultivate fall into just a few categories:
Effective communication

Presentation of thoughts and ideas – clear and concise delivery

Active listening (hearing what someone is saying and thinking it through BEFORE
formulating a response)

Remaining focused upon the ideas, not the emotions that may be tied to them
Assertiveness
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
Clearly defining one’s position

Confidence that advantages and consequences of all choices have been carefully
considered

Retaining respect of others opinions and ideas

Maintaining emotional control

Knowing all the avenues of appeal or due process before needing them
Problem solving

Maintaining objectivity – not letting emotions cloud the issues

Recognizing one’s own strengths and weaknesses (i.e. keeping focused on topic, shyness,
emotionality, etc.)

Respecting your own intuition (i.e. is what you are being told making sense or matching
what has been said previously? Does it ‘feel’ wrong?), and finding the right questions to
ask

Thinking through not just the short term effects of decisions, but long-term ones as well
(i.e. due process may alienate staff for years to come, or, a student transitioning to
another class or school now may have to transition again soon to middle school, and can
he handle two transitions)

Flexibility and willingness to learn new ways of dealing with problems
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Organization

Keeping accurate records and notes

Conducting research to gather needed information to justify your position (i.e.
information substantiating therapies, data on student’s progress, etc.)

Actively seeking and obtaining resources when needed (i.e. advocacy services,
assessments, state-funded services, etc.)

Completing necessary tasks without delay to avoid rushing or confusion (i.e. not waiting
until the night before an IEP meeting to decide whether or not the student’s placement is
appropriate)

Consistency - always attending meetings, being on time, coming prepared
What are some of the barriers to becoming a cooperative team?
One of the barriers to team commitment is that meetings are only scheduled ‘when needed’ or
only AFTER some problem has become so conspicuous that it is interfering with the child’s day.
Proactive planning cannot occur under these conditions, but we know that retroactive action is
rarely productive. It may be important to include the meeting timetable in a child’s IEP to be sure
that it is adhered to on a regular basis.
Working on a team is a challenging proposition, especially for those with little or no experience.
Many people within the community prefer to work on their own rather than in small groups,
while others cannot stay on task without the stimulation of interacting with others.
Unfortunately, when parents have a child with a disability, they do not always get to choose to
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live in a world that revolves around their personal strengths. Many people can choose their own
preferred mode of interaction in work, home, and recreation activities. People who are more
solitary can choose individual sports (i.e. swimming or archery) rather than team or partnerbased activities (i.e. football or tennis).
People with good interaction skills choose careers in which this is part of their daily routine (i.e.
car salesman or real estate agent) and others will choose to work in a cubby in a small office
where interaction with others is limited to a few regular contacts. People can choose to live in a
crowded urban area, or a secluded cul-de-sac in the suburbs; to have 8 children or 2; to have
regular activities planned with extended family members –or not. When parents have a child
with a disability, they are thrown into a required set of circumstances that they may not have
chosen otherwise, and may be immensely uncomfortable in. Parents who are invested in their
child’s best interest and have the innate ability to handle what they would not ordinarily choose
are better prepared to become effective members of an IEP team than parents who have trouble
understanding priorities unfamiliar to them or are particularly shy or passive.
This is not to say, however, that they cannot learn those skills! In addition to these issues, many
parents have complicating situations such as a limited knowledge of the English language,
cultural differences, learning disabilities such as dyslexia they may find embarrassing to admit to
others, multiple children with disabilities or other sibling issues, etc. Listening to complex
information and adjusting to an unfamiliar meeting format become even more difficult for
anyone who is, at the same time, trying to manage painful realizations and expectations. AND,
all of this happens while under the scrutiny of people they would like to be connected to, but
often hardly know. Everyone should keep in mind that these things do not keep anyone from
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being a good PARENT, only from being a comfortable and relaxed team member. Rarely do
school personnel ever experience the perspective of a parent.
For parents of children with ASD this picture can become even more difficult. Because research
has shown a genetic component to the cause of at least some children with autism spectrum
disorders, parents are often at risk for displaying some of the qualities that are so troublesome for
their children. These might include resistance to change in routine, difficulty with conceptual
ideas, auditory processing, organization, initiation, anxiety, recognizing nonverbal social cues,
critical thinking and problem solving, etc. They might appear overly abrupt or have trouble
recognizing the social impairments of their own child. They may over-focus on small details and
overlook the big picture (i.e. arguing over number of hours when the quality of those hours are
the more prominent issue). They may have trouble sharing very personal and painful
information. Each of these in isolation could potentially become a barrier to acceptance within
the team, but they are just as likely not to appear as individual traits, but may appear to be a
deliberate uncooperative manner.
It is hoped that these complicating factors will be considered and respected among other team
members so that tension is not allowed to build that could derail the entire process. For instance,
meeting with parents one-to-one to patiently explain evaluation reports in a less stressful
atmosphere can go a long way in fostering a relationship that will be productive for all
concerned. Thinking about some of the interventions that work for kids with ASD can be helpful
in figuring out how to work effectively with parents, and other members of the team as well, no
matter how capable they may be. Some ideas:
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
Using visuals: charts, agendas, resource lists, reminder cards, written descriptions of the
expected sequential format of IEP meetings, etc.

Using clear, unembellished language (without a lot of jargon, terminology, or just
‘intellectual’ words and phrases)

Positive behavioral supports (using positive language encouragement for appropriate
action rather than negative admonishments)

A quick review of all agreements and disagreements before leaving the meeting to be
sure there are no misunderstandings

A ‘safe person’ to contact when questions or concerns arise (someone who will not
question or minimize concerns, but who can be counted upon to explain options and take
needed action reliably (i.e. not an itinerant therapist who shifts between buildings on
different days and is not easy to reach)

Modifications and supports: offer tape recordings of meetings, copies of team meeting
notes, proposed goals given ahead of time for pre-learning, etc.

Action item lists: Tasks broken down into single steps (a list of all expected activities
before the next meeting)

Initiating action: offering answers to anticipated questions, or inviting parents to visit
classrooms rather than waiting to be asked

Direct instruction in the IEP process and special education law (rather than hoping
parents will be able to locate and digest this on their own)
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As you can see, none of these things would require extensive time or effort, but would offer
respectful assistance to anyone struggling to deal with systems with which they have no prior
familiarity or formal training. The rewards of including a parent as an equal team member cannot
be underestimated.
For children with all disabilities, cooperation and sharing of ideas between school and home is
good practice and adds to the quality and effectiveness of their educational programs. For
children with autism spectrum disorders, they are a substantive component of their program.
Members of successful teams can applaud themselves on doing their best to make this process as
comfortable and successful as possible so that the child will benefit, but can also be assured that
the rewards will extend to family members and involved staff as well.
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Quiz
1. Which of the following is not an example of good problem solving skills?
A. Maintaining objectivity
B. Flexibility and willingness to learn new ways of dealing with problems
C. Recognizing one’s own strengths and weaknesses
D. Keeping accurate records and notes
2. Which of the following are required by IDEA when planning a child’s IEP?
A. Assess abilities/needs
B. Design goals/supports/services
C. Monitor progress
D. All of the above
3. Which is not a barrier for some parents in becoming an active team member?
A. Limited knowledge of the English language
B. Good interpersonal skills
C. Learning disabilities such as dyslexia
D. A genetic component that results in parents displaying some of the same social
symptoms as their child
4. Which of the following is not a skill area that might need assessment to determine the
students strengths and needs?
A. Communication/language/speech
B. Self-help/independence skills
C. Environmental factors
D. None of the above
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5. IDEA may be best described by which of the following?
A Federal law
B. Introduces the concept that schools and families should make decisions together
C. A only
D. A and B
6. Which of the following is a required member of the IEP team according to IDEA?
A. An administrator
B. Independent professionals and therapists
C. Job coach
D. The paraprofessional
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References
Wright, Peter and Pamela, Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2002, Harbor House
Law Press, VA.
Wright, Peter and Pamela, From Emotions to Advocacy, 2002, Harbor House Law
Press, VA.