Family Voices Indiana

from DDRS:

This bulletin is an update up to the announcement the Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) sent on the comprehensive statewide informational forum scheduled to occur Wednesday, December 17, 2008, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). The presentation is to educate consumers and all stakeholders on new processes and expectations that will apply under the Objective Assessment System for Individual Supports (OASIS) that is to roll-out beginning in January 2009.

The single presentation format will ensure that each individual involved has the most up-to-date information. We have made arrangements for a variety of viewing possibilities to accommodate as many people as possible:

* Primary host location is in the Indiana Government Center-South Auditorium
* Live streaming of host presentation on the World Wide Web:
http://mediaserver.ihets.org/ddrs
* Live streaming of host presentation to seven (7) satellite locations across Indiana. BDDS Distri…

We encourage all of our members to attend/view this presentation to become better educated about OASIS. Please note at the end of the announcement that they are accepting email questions prior to the presentation.
From DDRS:

On Wednesday, December 17, 2008, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) will host a comprehensive statewide informational forum. The purpose of the presentation is to educate consumers and all stakeholders on new processes and expectations that will apply under the Objective Assessment System for Individual Supports (OASIS) that is to roll-out beginning in January 2009.

The single presentation format will ensure that each individual involved has the most up-to-date information and provide an interactive forum where participants can have their questions answered. We have made every attempt to make the presentation as accessible to as many people as possible by offering multiple viewing/participation options:

o …

Indiana's Article 7 went into effect in August. However, the national law, IDEA, has undergone some changes to its regulations. State law can only be stronger than national law so we are updating you on the changes until Article 7 can be updated, if needed.


Ed. Dept. Releases Rules for Parents Under IDEA By Christina A. Samuels courtesy of Edweek.org.



The U.S. Department of Education has released changes to regulations governing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that affect rules regarding parental consent, non-attorney representation, and compliance requirements.

The rules, published in the Federal Register on Dec. 1, state that parents have the right to revoke their consent for their children to receive special education services, after making a request in writing. Before the change, the regulations were unclear about how parents could stop their child from receiving special education services if they chose to do so, the Education Department said.

In an explanation th…