Collaborative Advocacy Associates - Experience, Special Education Advocates

      EXPERIENCE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE !

    Over the last ten years, CAA has served families throughout the state of Connecticut,
primarily in Fairfield County, but also in New Haven, Litchfield and Hartford counties. We have
counseled and supported nearly 2,000 families with children ranging from infants to college age.
    Our Associates have more than 70 years combined experience in education, special
education, special education advocacy and counseling. Every client may, therefore, benefit,
regardless of which Associate takes the lead role on their case.
    In most cases, CAA has been successful in working with school districts to create appropriate,
effective individualized education programs (IEPs), or to enhance the effectiveness of existing
ones.
    CAA has supported children with various special learning needs, ranging from the need to be
more challenged by gaining access to gifted and talented programs, to children whose need for
special learning programs and accommodations covers the entire spectrum of identified
categories of disability, such as:

Collaborative Advocacy™ Associates
Effective Advocacy for Children with Special Learning Needs™

- Autism Spectrum Disorders;                - Other Health Impairments ( ADD & ADHD, Lyme Disease );

- Aspergers Syndrome;                           - Deafness (Deaf-blindness);

- Emotional Challenges;                          - Hearing Impairments;

- Specific Learning Disabilities (LD);      - Developmental Disabilities (MR);

- Speech or Language Impairments;      - Multiple Disabilities;

- Traumatic Brain Injury;                        - Orthopedic Impairments;

- Visual Impairments                              - Developmental Delays

                                                THE BOTTOM LINE

    Our experience working with nearly 2,000 families has made one fact very clear:

      There is a strong likelihood that your child will be under-served unless you:

             - clearly understand your child’s special learning needs;

             - have basic understanding of what the effective teaching methodologies are
               to address those particular needs;

            - know how to navigate the intricacies of the specialized process you need to
              use to ensure that your school provides the right services to truly address
              your child's needs.

   Experience Means Knowing The Answers
    To These Common Questions:

- What should I do first once my child has been diagnosed
as having special learning needs?

- What does my child's evaluation or diagnosis mean in
layman's terms?

- How does my child's diagnosis affect his ability to learn,
and what's the most effective method to use to help him
learn?

- How do I ensure my school district is providing my child
with not just an appropriate, but an effective individualized
education program (IEP) ?

- What can I do if my child is being denied the special
education services I believe she needs?

- What can I do if my child isn't making progress in her
current program?

- How do I ensure that my child's IEP is actually being
implemented?

- How do I determine if my child should be in a private or
therapeutic school environment, and how do I go about
finding the right one?

- How do I know when I must take action to protect my child's
right to an appropriate educational program?