Special Education Advocates - What are some advocacy strategies that may help get the outcome you want?
- Spend some time researching your position. The disability sites on About.com, Internet, libraries, and non-profit organizations dedicated to your specific disability area are good resources for information. It is a good idea to get information from resources other than the manufacturer of the item or the provider of the service so you have objective information to share with the IEP team.
- Know your rights, and be prepared to exercise them. If you made an appropriate, reasonable request and have supported your request with solid, objective data, and the agency still refuses your request, you may want to consider filing a formal complaint or grievance with the administration of the agency or school.
- If you have attempted to resolve the problem through the administration of the agency or school, and you still have not received the support you need, consider filing a formal complaint with the appropriate state government office that oversees the agency. For schools, that would be the department of education. If your complaint is against a health insurance company, contact their customer service department for instructions on filing a complaint. You may also have rights to file complaints through a state consumer protection agency or board of licensure or insurance when dealing with non-school agencies.
