All public schools are mandated to provide special education services for eligible students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under IDEA, children who are suspected of having a disability and of needing special education have the right to receive an evaluation in their native language that assesses cognitive, behavioral, physical, and developmental functioning and communication abilities. A team of qualified professionals then determines whether the child is a child with a disability.
A group of persons knowledgeable about a child, including the parents, then makes a placement decision. The child’s placement must be in the least restrictive environment, which means a setting that is as close to the regular classroom setting as possible. There must be a continuum of placements available, including extended school year services. This continuum ranges from the regular classroom with supportive special education services, to classes in public schools specifically for children with disabilities, to instruction at home or in a hospital. In addition, children may qualify for related services necessary for educational progress such as physical and occupational therapy, speech pathology, social work, nursing, and counseling. High school students in special education should also receive transition services which assist students with exploring the worlds of work and independent living. Contact the Office of Special Education or the Special Education Parent Resource Center for information about specific programs and services in your district.
Students with disabilities and their parents are protected by procedural safeguards, which are processes that parents and schools must follow to ensure students’ rights to a free, appropriate public education are not violated. For example, the school must notify parents in writing in the parents’ language of any change in identification, evaluation or placement of their child. A description of these procedural safeguards in different languages is available from the special education department in your child’s school.
City of Alexandria Public Schools
Special Education Parent Resource Center
1501 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
Phone: 703-706-4552
Web site: www.acps.k12.va.us
Arlington Public Schools Office of Special Education
Phone: 703-228-6040
Web site: www.arlington.k12.va.us
Fairfax County Public Schools Parent Special Education Parent Resource Center
2334 Gallows Road Dunn Loring, Virginia 22027
Phone: 703-204-3941
Fax: 703-204-3956
Web site: www.fcps.edu/ss/prchomep.htm
Accotink Academy
6215 Rolling Road, Springfield VA 22152
Phone: 703-451-5797
Fax: 703- 451-0336
Web site: www.accotinkacademy.com
Accotink Academy Alternative Learning Center
6228 F Rolling Road Springfield, VA 22152
Phone: 703-644-9072
E-mail: cflynn@accotinkcenter.com
Web site: www.accotinkcenter.com
Easter Seals Child Development Center of Northern Virginia
111 North Cherry Street Falls Church, VA 22046
Phone: 703-534-5353
Fax: 703-534-5355
Web site: gwbr.easterseals.com
Alexandria Head Start
418 South Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-549-8685
Fax: 703-549-2097
Fairfax County Office for Children Head Start
12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 930, Fairfax, VA 22035
Phone: 703-324-8087
Fax: 703-324-8200<
Alternative Paths Training School
5632-B Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Suite B Alexandria, VA 22309
Phone: 703-766-8708
Fax: 703-766-8713
E-mail: info@aptschool.org
Web site: www.aptschool.org
Leary School of Virginia
6349 Lincolnia Road, Alexandria, VA 22312
Phone: 703-941-8150
Fax: 703-941-4237
E-mail: learyschool@bellatlantic.net
Web site: www.learyschool.org
Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute
801 Buchanan Street, NE Washington, DC 20017
Phone: 202-529-7600
Fax: 202-529-2028
Montessori School of Northern Virginia
6820 Pacific Lane Annandale, VA 22003
Phone: 703-256-9577
Fax: 703-256-9851
E-mail: otran@msnv.org
Web site: www.msnv.org
National Children's Center Inc
6200 Second Street, NW Washington, DC 20011
Phone: 202-722-2300
Fax: 202-722-2383
Web site: www.nccinc.org
The Oakwood School
7210 Braddock Road Annandale, Virginia 22003
Phone: 703-941-5788
Fax: 703-941-4186
Web site: www.oakwoodschool.com
Resurrection Children's Center
2280 North Beauregard Street Alexandria, VA 22311
Phone: 703-578-1314
Web site: www.welcometoresurrection.org/preschool
Philips School
7010 Braddock Road, Annandale, VA 22033
Phone: 703-941-8810
Fax: 703-658-2378
Web site: www.phillipsprograms.org
The Speech and Language Center of Northern Virginia
1125 Savile Lane McLean, VA 22101
Phone: 703-356-2833
Fax: 703-356-2311
E-mail: info@slcnv.org
Web site: www.slcnv.org
St. Coletta School of Greater Washington
1901 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202-350-8680
TTY: 202- 350-8695
Fax: 202-350-8699
Web site: www.stcoletta.org
George Mason Univeristy LIFE program -- Hellen Kellar Institute for Disabilities
4400 University Drive, MSN 1F2 Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-993-3670
Fax: 703-993-3681
E-mail: GMULIFE@gmu.edu
Web site: masonlife.gmu.edu
Support groups offer participants emotional support, advice and guidance, connections to community resources, and practical help. Certain groups teach different skills, such as relaxation, anger management or social skills. There are support groups for parents, for brothers and sisters of people with disabilities, and for people with disabilities themselves. Some support groups last only a few meetings, while others are ongoing.
The Arc of Greater Prince William
Contact: Jan Russell DirectorFamily Services
13505 Hillendale Dr.Woodbridge, VA 22193
703-730-3124
Fax: 703-670-8648
E-mail: jrussell@arcgpw.org
Web site: www.arcgpw.org
Access Ministries Breakaway Support Group
Contact: Jackie Mills-Fernald
Phone: 703-770-2942
Fax: 703-670-8648
E-mail: jrussell@arcgpw.org
Web site: www.arcgpw.org
Asperger's Syndrome Kingstowne Area
Contact: Barry Loss
Phone: 703-866-2115
E-mail: Barry.loss@fairfaxcounty.gov
Asperger's Synndrom Parent Support Group
Contact: Pam Escobar
Phone: 703-430-3519
Autism Society of America- Northern Virginia Chapter
Contact: Christine Hoch
P.O. Box 1334 Vienna, VA 22183
Phone: 703-495-8444
E-mail: executivedirector@asanv.org
Web site: www.autism-society.org
Northern Virginia Brain Injury Association
8136 Old Keene Mill Road, Suite B102, Springfield, VA 22152
Phone: 703-569-1855
Fax: 703-451-8820
E-mail: info-nvbia@nvbia.org
Web site: www.NVBIA.org
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders (CHADD) of Northern Virginia
PO Box 2645 Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703-641-5451
E-mail: nova_chadd@hotmail.com
Web site: www.novachadd.org
Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia
Contact: Heather Trammell
Phone: 703-621-7129
E-mail: heathert@dsanv.org
Web site: www.dsanv.org
Epilepsy Foundation of the Chesapeake Region
Phone: 703-425-6660
E-mail: novaepilepsygroup@cox.net
Web site: www.epilepsy-foundation.org
Access Ministries Parent Support Group
Contact: Jackie Mills Fernald
Phone: 703-770-2942
Web site: www.mcleanbible.org
Jewish Social Services Agency-Northern Virginia Office
3018 Javier Road, 2nd Floor, Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703-204-9100
Fax: 703-204-9590
E-mail: info@jssa.org
Web site: www.jssa.org
Learning Disabilities Association of Virginia
4100 N. 9th St., #505 Arlington, VA 22203
E-mail: info@ldavirginia.org
Web site: www.ldavirginia.org
Northern Virginia Alliance for the Mentally Ill
1820 Michael Faraday Drive Reston, VA 20190
Phone: 703-525-0686
E-mail: carolulrich@naminova.org
Web site: www.naminova.org
Northern Virginia Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons
3951 Pender Drive Suite 130 Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-352-9055
TTY: 703-352-9056
Fax: 703-352-9058
E-mail: info@nvrc.org
Web site: www.nvrc.org
Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Washington
33 University Blvd., E. Silver Spring, MD 20901
Phone: 301-681-4133
Fax: 301-576-4527
E-mail: tsagw@aol.com
Web site: www.tsagw.org
While finding a qualified and supportive professional who is knowledgeable about working with individuals with mental retardation is ideal, in reality, few physicians have more than a general knowledge about working with people with disabilities. Therefore, one of the most important considerations when choosing medical professionals may be their willingness to work with families and learn about the special needs that family has. There are a number of considerations in choosing a physician. Visit Tips to Optimize the Relationship Between Medical Professionals and Individuals with Fragile X and their Families for some ideas about finding and working with physicians. You can generalize the information to any disability.
Mary Ann Carmody
6121 Nevada Ave., NW, Washington
Phone: 202-364-5303
Many children benefit from therapy provided by occupational and physical therapists and speech and language pathologists. Occupational therapists help children with disabilities improve their cognitive, sensorimotor, and perceptual skills through the use of adaptive equipment, exercises and activities with the goal of maximum independence in life activities. Physical therapists provide treatment to develop, maintain, and restore muscle strength, sensory perception, motor skills, and respiratory/circulatory functioning. Speech/language pathologists diagnose and treat individuals whose ability to vocalize, hear, swallow, and use language is impaired. Some children are eligible to receive these services in the school setting. Some children receive services from private therapists such as the ones listed below.
The Chesapeake Center
6506 Loisdale Road, Suite 300, Springfield, VA 22150
Phone: 703-924-4100
Fax: 703-922-5048
E-mail: info@chesapeakectr.com
Web site: www.chesapeakectr.com
Children's Speech and Language Services of Arlington
939 S. Wakefield Street Arlington, VA
Phone: 703-685-1070
Fax: 703-685-0151
E-mail: csls@erols.com
Children's Speech and Language Therapy Center
299 Herndon Parkway, Suite 110 Herndon, VA 20170
Phone: 703-435-0488
Fax: 703-685-0151
E-mail: info@childrens-speech.com
Web site: www.childrens-speech.com
Scale Builders, LLC
Contact: Carie Syron
Phone: 703-941-7757
Fax: 703-941-0587
E-mail: Carie@scalebuildersllc.com
Web site: www.scalebuildersllc.com
Expressions With Intent A Child's Therapy Center
Contact: Debra Piccirillo, Director
752 Walker Road, Suite E The Village Centre Great Falls, VA 22066
Phone: 703-757-4600
Fax: 703-757-2969
E-mail: debra@expwi.com
Speech and Language Center of Northern Virginia, Inc.
1125 Savile Lane McLean, VA 22101
Phone: 703-356-2833
Fax: 703-356-2311
E-mail: info@slcnv.org
Web site: www.slcnv.org
