NOTE: Due to staff availability, our SE Low Incidence program is full for the coming year. If you are interested in enrolling your child with special needs in SelfDesign, please contact our Special Education coordinator, Rebecca McClure, to be put on our waiting list. specialed@selfdesign.org If your child has needs that are "high incidence" (speech/language, learning challenges), please go ahead and enroll your child in our regular program. August 15/08. Job Posting: We are looking for an individual with specific training and experience as a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to work a few consultant hours each month. Please send your information to specialed@selfdesign.org, addressed to Rebecca McClure, Special Education Coordinator. The SelfDesign Special Education Program The SelfDesign Learning Community has two levels of Special Education support for our learners. The program can apply for Special Education grants to support enrolled learners with specific and exceptional needs that fit the funding criteria for Low Incidence (please see our FAQ for specifics). Our Low Incidence program is quite flexible and may be of interest to families with children who are learning at home and have exceptional special needs. We also have a small amount of funding available to provide support to children whose needs fall under the High Incidence categories for special needs (such as needing speech/language support or requiring additional assessment). Sometimes this support may be simply be providing parents with the opportunity to consult with one of our Special Education team members. Other times, the child's needs may be such that SelfDesign can contract a community-based professional to provide an approved service on a short-term basis. The philosophy of our Special Education Program mirrors the philosophy of SelfDesign: we believe that the learner is the "program" and we consider the Special Education grant as an investment in a child's development - present and future. Thus, the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and accompanying budget reflect the individual needs of each child and are crafted to provide specific and effective support. Families comment on how refreshing it is to have an IEP that actually meets the needs of their child, regardless of the setting. In addition, parents are important members of our team and are involved in all decisions that are made. Parents are active participants in IEP creation and review. They appreciate having choices about interventions and service providers for their child, and they value the ongoing support offered by our experienced Special Education Team. Please read the information in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)  for specific information about how our Special Education Program works. If you have further questions about the program or you plan to enroll your child in SelfDesign and you feel your child's needs meet the funding criteria, please email our Special Education Team at specialed@selfdesign.org.