I thought IEPs went high-tech when case managers in our district started filling in the blanks online instead of waiting for a secretary in the special-education office to type everything out. I thought it was cool when they started feeding in goals from a computer database instead of flipping through gigantic notebooks full of lists. Today, though, I spotted a gadget that not only puts a new-tech spin on those big piles o' paper, but does it in a way that particularly empowers parents. Meet the IEP Checklist app for iPhone and iPod Touch.
You can watch a video to see how it works, but basically, you create a file for your child's current IEP and get a checklist of all the different elements that go in it, as in the screen pictured. Click on an item, and you get a reference to special-education law that applies to that item, and a space to enter notes. The checklist shows items with notes as highlighted, so you're less likely to forget what you wanted to say in the stressful atmosphere of an IEP meeting. For sure, you're going to look like an organized and savvy force to be reckoned with.
The free app comes from The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center, and can be downloaded from the iTunes store. Have you found any good apps for special education or special needs? Share them in the comments.
Screen shot courtesy of The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center