The Vision for a New Way website has been designed to facilitate improved services to students with disabilities, or those at risk of learning failure, by providing a clearinghouse and point of reference for an array of individuals and organizations working in special education communities. There are several other technical assistance providers that are instrumental in providing relevant information regarding special education.

Why bother with technical assistance?

• Because understanding and exchanging strategies and ideas will improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families
• Because utilizing technical assistance supports schools in building capacity to improve early intervention, education, and transitional services.
• Because utilizing technical assistance supports efforts to identify and overcome systemic barriers to improving services
• Because gathering and sharing information assists in understanding changes to policy and practice at the national, state and local levels.
• Because technical assistance is intended to provide professional support to those interested in special education and to promote the vision that all students can learn to higher levels.
• Because technical assistance provides critical background knowledge and resources for all those involved in the operation and oversight of special education. 

You'll know you arrived when . . .

• You utilize technical assistance to improve expertise in designing and implementing programming for special education students.
• You can effectively select TA providers who are flexible, reliable in current policy and procedure and are able to adjust their approach to meet your needs.
• You know what resources you need and where to find them.

Click on the links below for general information from these TA sources:

• Understanding & Using Technical Assistance (Needs Analysis)
  Technical assistance provides a sharing of knowledge to improve the adoption and implementation of special education practices and/or procedures. Plan for finding the right TA including resources you need, topics you want, communication methods you prefer, and criteria for selecting the right provider.
  
  
• Regional Resource Centers (RRC)
  RRCs assist state education agencies in the systemic improvement of education programs, practices, and policies that impact infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. An important role of an RRC is to identify and broker integrated solutions through ongoing state needs assessment, consultation, information dissemination, and technical assistance activities.
  
  
• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)
  NICHCY serves the nation as a central source of information on:
• disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth,
• IDEA, which is the law authorizing special education,
• No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities), and
• research-based information on effective educational practices.
  

Anyone can use the services - families, educators, administrators, journalists, students. The special focus is children and youth.

• National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) 
  NASDSE is a services-focused organization to help state agencies promote and support specially designed instruction and related services for children and youth with disabilities. NASDSE's activities are intended to provide professional support to its members and others interested in special education and to promote the vision that all students can learn to higher levels. A variety of projects are in development.
  
  
• Project Forum
  The aim is to facilitate improved services to children and youth with disabilities by gathering and sharing information that supports changes to policy and practice at the national, state and local levels.
  
  
• TA Communities
  Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Technical Assistance initiative to exchange strategies and ideas that will improve outcomes for children with disabilities. TA Communities...
  
  • Provides a platform for exchanging resources and materials
  • Enables you to meet and interact with colleagues across the nation
  • Sponsors teleseminars and face to face events
  
  
• IDEA Partnership
  This website reflects the collaborative work of more than 55 national organizations, as well as technical assistance providers, and State and local organizations and agencies.  Together with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Partner organizations form a community with the potential to transform the way we work.  
  
  Intermediate School Districts (ISDs) and Educational Service Agencies (ESAs) - ISDs and ESAs are technical assistance providers for their constituent schools. By aggregating talented staff, they are able to provide leadership, programs, resources and services to schools. By initiating, delivering and facilitating collaborative efforts, they are able to reduce costs and improve quality. Check your ISD/ESA website for further details.
  

How technical assistance benefits your school in regard to the following initiatives:

• No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
  Technical assistance is mentioned in 188 instances in NCLB. State educational agencies are called to support local educational agencies and consortiums in a variety of areas including parental involvement, professional development, assessment, technology, school-wide programs, school improvement, scientifically based research, and more.
  
  
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004
  Technical assistance is described in the new IDEIA. Funds are reserved to provide technical assistance activities to schools and local educational agencies. (Subparts B, F, G)
  
  
• Revised Administrative Rules for Special Education
  Technical assistance activities regarding the processing of complaints and conducting state investigations, provided by the Michigan Department of Education, are required in R 340.1852.
  
  
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  The Department of Justice ADA Technical Assistance Program provides free information and technical assistance to non-profit service providers, people with disabilities, and the general public. 

Primary Author for this MI-MAP Packet: Teri Pettit, SE Consultant/Liaison, MAPSA