The Foreign Service Journal, June 2008

92 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 0 8 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT speech therapy or occupational therapy. Parents accustomed to the one- stop-shopping of U.S. public school systems are often dismayed to find that international schools — even large schools with special education programs — do not provide services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy or psychological testing and counseling. Sometimes it is because these services are not typically found in an educational setting in the host country or because the number of stu- dents requiring these specialized ser- vices is too small to make it cost-effec- tive. Parents may need to work with the Regional Medical Officer, the Community Liaison Officer or other embassy personnel to identify local service providers. Misconception 5: All students with the same diagnosis should be able to be served at the same school or post. Most parents with special-needs children are aware that there is a wide degree of variation within the same diagnostic category. The autism spec- trum, for example, ranges from girls with Rett Syndrome, who are non-ver- bal and often must use wheelchairs, to highly gifted young people with Asperger’s Syndrome, and everything in between. A learning disability may be auditory or visual, mild or severe. Determining a good fit requires an IEP for that particular child, with the required accommodations spelled out very clearly and in detail. Word-of- mouth that a certain community worked for a child with the same diag- nosis as your son or daughter is not good enough. Misconception 6: Gifted ser- vices are handled just like any other special-needs case. Young people with intellectual gifts and talents are not covered in the U.S. by the same federal legislation as stu- dents who are challenged. But many American school systems do provide services for students identified as intellectually gifted. If a pupil has been identified as gifted by his or her school or a special program in the U.S. and is subsequently enrolled in an overseas school without such a pro- gram, a Supplementary Instruction amount for enrichment activities is available to augment the at-post edu- cation allowance. If an international school or parent believes that a student may be gifted and in need of services, an assessment by a major university can be arranged through the Office of Overseas Schools. The Regional Education Officer will assist families with arrangements. Misconception 7: Boarding op- tions are limited for special-needs students. There are many excellent boarding schools that provide every level of aca- demic and psychological support avail- able in the United States and abroad. The Education and Youth Officer in the Family Liaison Office is the pri- mary resource for boarding school information for all students, including those with special needs. Some college preparatory schools have structured study-skills options that may provide enough support for a student with a mild learning disability or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Other schools and thera- peutic programs are specifically dedi- cated to the education and treatment of young people with more severe challenges, such as Pervasive Devel- opmental Delay or serious psychiatric conditions. If a student needs a highly special- ized placement or one on short notice, the Education and Youth Officer may refer the family to one of several spe- cialized consultants in the Washington area or around the world. Organi- zations such as the National Associa- tion of Therapeutic Schools and Pro- grams or The Association of Boarding Schools have excellent Web sites and may be helpful, as well. A Support Network of Professionals The Transition Center at the Foreign Service Institute held a full- day workshop for parents on May 29 that included representatives of all the offices charged with supporting fami- lies with special needs children. The Family Liaison Office continues to advocate for assignment and allowance policies that give families maximum flexibility. The Office of Allowances works closely with FLO, Overseas Schools and the Office of the Legal Adviser in revisiting the legisla- tive and regulatory guidelines and assisting families and posts with the technical and financial aspects of spe- cial education accommodations. The Office of Overseas Schools sponsors several summer workshops for teachers and administrators specif- ically focused on serving special-needs students and continually develops materials, consults with schools and researches options around the world. The Employee Consultation Service reviews every case yearly to be sure that each child is moving toward max- imizing his or her potential. This network of professionals and the informal information-sharing among parents in our community will continue to make the path smoother for special-needs families. Resources Department of State Internet Office of Overseas Schools – www.state.gov/m/a/os/ Family Liaison Office – www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/ Overseas Briefing Center – www.state.gov/m/fsi/tc/c6954.htm Department of State Intranet Employee Consultation Service – http://medical.state.gov Office of Allowances – http://aoprals.a.state.gov/ Other National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) – www.natsap.org The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) – www.schools.com/