Page 16 - Shared Solutions: A Guide to Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs and Services for Students with Special Education Needs 2007

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Open dialogue can lead to mutually acceptable solutions.
Differences in opinion can represent an opportunity. If everyone responds constructively, creative solutions can be found.
Shared Solutions | 2007
scientific advances and about new types of interventions for children with dis- abilities is readily available from a variety of sources. In some cases, however, the interventions parents request may not be appropriate to a school setting or the particular circumstances of the individual student.
Conflicts may arise during the development of the IEP – about how the consul- tation should take place, about what is in the IEP, or about whether educators are listening and responding appropriately to the views of the student and parents.
Conflicts may also arise if parents and/or educators are not fully informed about ministry regulations and policy documents with respect to regular and special education. As well, it is important for all parties – educators, other profes- sionals, students, and parents – to be aware of their roles and responsibilities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of special education programs and services. (These roles and responsibilities are outlined in Appendix A.)
CONFLICTS ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION
Even when agreement has been reached about appropriate programs and services for the student, conflict may still arise if the parents feel that services are not being appropriately provided. Conflicts over implementation may involve con- cerns about the quality, intensity, and/or frequency of service; transportation; the coordination of services; the flow of information about the status of imple- mentation; the reporting of student progress; and privacy and/or confidentiality.
RELATIONSHIP CONFLICTS
Relationship conflicts can be one of the most frequent causes of difficulty. Contributing factors in relationship conflicts may include loss of trust, differing styles of communication, differing styles of conflict resolution, and cultural differences.
Conflicts caused by deteriorating relationships can be particularly challenging to resolve.