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PARENT'S GUIDE: What about families who don't speak English? There may be families in your community who are not fluent in English and who have children with disabilities. They, too, may be interested in the support available from other parents but may not be comfortable in an English-speaking group. In this case, a one-to-one friendship may be very helpful, in terms of both emotional support and information gathering. There are several other possibilities that can be considered, too. Many people who do not speak English fluently may be able to read English quite well. For these people, newsletters or other publications may be of interest. If you're establishing a parent group or joining an existing group in your area where there are families who speak another language, you may wish to share your information with them. They may be interested in forming a parallel group, using some of the suggestions in this guide. It may be beneficial to all involved to arrange occasionally for translators so that both groups can share ideas and concerns, let each other know the issues being discussed in each group, or attend when special speakers are invited to either group's meeting. You both can also benefit through presenting a united voice in the decisions made in your community. For members of your community who would benefit from either joining or forming a Spanish language parent group, this Parent's Guide is also available in Spanish. Contact NICHCY at 1-800-695-0285 for a copy. Reprinted
with permission from the This document was originally developed in June, 1993 by Interstate Research Associates, Inc., pursuant to Cooperative Agreement #H030A00002 with the Office of Special Education Programs of the United States Department of Education. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The updating of resources listed in this document and the document's availability through the Internet were made possible through Cooperative Agreement #H030A30003 between the Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education. The Academy for Educational Development, founded in 1961, is an independent, nonprofit service organization committed to addressing human development needs in the United States and throughout the world. In partnership with its clients, the Academy seeks to meet today's social, economic, and environmental challenges through education and human resource development; to apply state-of-the-art education, training, research, technology, management, behavioral analysis, and social marketing techniques to solve problems; and to improve knowledge and skills throughout the world as the most effective means for stimulating growth, reducing poverty, and promoting democratic and humanitarian ideals.
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