Welcome to Partners in Education, a self-study course designed to help parents of children with developmental disabilities navigate the special education system and help their children make the most of their potential.

Schools are places where children learn new information and skills. But they also are places where children are exposed to a multitude of life lessons...lessons like respecting each other as individuals, personal responsibility and the importance of contributing to the community. It is also the place where children gain the skills and experiences that they will need to work at meaningful jobs in the future.

This course has been developed to give you the practical skills you need to create an inclusive, quality education for your child. After completing this course, you will:

• Understand the history of education of children with developmental disabilities;
• Know and understand the key laws governing special education and how they protect your child's rights;
• Understand your role in your child's educational experience;
• Recognize the elements of an individualized education program and the role that parents play in its creation and implementation;
• Know how to advocate for your child to ensure a positive, quality educational experience that prepares him or her for an independent future and employment that reflects your child’s special talents and interests;
• Understand your rights to due process if you feel your child's educational rights have been violated.

Ready to begin? TAKE THE COURSE and you're on your way to meaningful education for your child.

Partners in Policymaking ® is an innovative, award-winning leadership training program for adults with developmental disabilities and the parents of young children with developmental disabilities throughout the world. Four critical outcomes guide our work:

• Independence - Through increased personal choice and control;
• Productivity - Through expanded positive employment and job advancement opportunities;
• Self-Determination - Through the freedom to choose how, where and with whom to live and work, the freedom to choose recreational activities, and the freedom to choose care providers;
• Integration and Inclusion - Through full, equal participation with all citizens in the community, at school and in the workplace.