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ASHA submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education in response to its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would amend the regulations in 34 CFR part 300 governing the Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities Program and Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities Program, as published in the August 14, 2006, Federal Register. These regulations implemented changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. The proposed regulations affect students with communication disorders and audiologists and speech-language pathologists who provide services to these students.
ASHA supports the proposed regulations in section 300.9 Consent; however, we recommend that some specific guidelines, as we have outlined under Section 300.300 on the issue of parental consent, be included in order to preserve the essential role of the IEP team in working collaboratively to design and deliver educational services that provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) and to facilitate continuous progress. ASHA also supports ED's proposed regulations relating to states' and LEAs' obligations to make positive efforts to employ and advance qualified individuals with disabilities, as this provision demonstrates ED's commitment to ensuring equal employment opportunities which is consistent with other Federal statutes, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, and Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
Members can access the full text of ASHA's comment letter on the IDEA section of ASHA's Web site. For further information, please contact Catherine D. Clarke, ASHA's Director of Education and Regulatory Advocacy, via e-mail at cclarke@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 5611.
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