S3 Ep325: Free and Appropriate Education Under IDEA with Ashley Barlow, Special Education Lawyer

Ashley Barlow, a special education attorney based in Kentucky, joins Wendy Taylor on the podcast. Ashley brings a unique perspective to the discussion, drawing from her experience as a teacher, attorney, parent of a child with Down syndrome, and someone with a physical disability.

Main Discussion Points:

1. Free and Appropriate Education Under IDEA:
   • Explanation of parents' rights and protections under IDEA, including the right to request an IEE at public expense.
   • Importance of the IEE in ensuring that students with disabilities receive necessary support and services for effective education.
   • District's obligation to pay for the IEE unless the request is proven unreasonable.
2. IEE Process:
   • Overview of the IEE process, allowing parents to obtain an independent evaluation if they disagree with the school district's assessment.
   • Role of the IEE in providing parents with additional information and perspectives for making educational decisions for their child.
3. Effective Reading Interventions for Dyslexia:
   • Characteristics of effective reading interventions for students with dyslexia: systemic, explicit, multisensory, and research-based.
   • Discussion on the Orton-Gillingham approach, a structured and cumulative program designed to develop phonemic awareness, phonics skills, decoding strategies, and reading fluency in students with dyslexia.
4. Individualizing Inclusive Education:
   • Federal mandate for children with disabilities to be educated to the greatest extent possible with non-disabled peers.
   • Importance of tailoring inclusive education to meet the specific needs of each student.
5. Misconceptions About Inclusion:
   • Addressing misconceptions, such as the idea that inclusion means always keeping a student in a general education setting without considering individual requirements.
   • Importance of assessing each student's needs and providing appropriate levels of support and intervention.
6. Implementing Inclusive Education:
   • Emphasis on accommodations, modifications, and specially designed instruction to ensure that students with disabilities can access the curriculum and make progress in their learning.

Where to find Ashley: 

Website: https://ashleybarlowco.com/#/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleybarlowco/ 

Where to find Wendy: 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/learningessentials/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-taylor-7106b6a6/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TutoringLE 

Website: www.LearningEssentialsEDU.com