Good Tuesday morning: This newsletter is a 3 minute read (732 words).

"My child has autism. His IEP provides speech language therapy, occupational therapy and one-on-one instructional time in a self-contained classroom."

"When the school closed, his teachers and therapists said it was impossible to deliver speech therapy and OT virtually. I believed them. Three months have passed with no attempt to provide the instruction and related services my child needs."

"There is a 'window of opportunity' for him to learn these skills. He cannot afford to wait. We need help now."

You should not have to wait.


  • examine options for children to receive the instruction and related therapies they need, including teletherapy;
  • provide Position Papers, Statements and Recommendations about teletherapy from the professional organizations whose members work in schools;
  • demonstrate how you can learn about special ed law and advocacy at home; and
  • provide a Sample Letter to Request Services in a Child's IEP.
Parents and school staff need to know that speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, tutoring, behavioral health therapy -- even speech-language and pyscho-educational evaluations -- are provided virtually.

Teletherapy has allowed children with disabilities to receive these services remotely for years.

If you are distressed about the services your child has not received since the schools closed, read How Schools Can Use Teletherapy to Provide Virtual Speech Language Therapy, OT and PT in IEPs.

How Schools Can Use Teletherapy to Provide IEP Services includes resources you can use to support a request for services. These resources include position papers, statements and recommendations about teletherapy by professional organizations whose members work in schools.

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You can request that your school district arrange for school staff to provide your child's instruction and therapy services virtually.

If school staff are unavailable or are not trained to do virtual instruction and therapy, you can request that the school provide these services through teletherapy.

Before you write a letter to request that the school provide therapy or other services in your child's IEP, you must educate yourself.

You must assume that your child's school will be reluctant to do anything new. (Read Chapter 21 - "Rules of Adverse Assumptions" in Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy by Pam and Pete Wright.)

Before you write a letter to request these services, please read these articles: The Art of Writing Letters to the School and 12 Rules for Writing GREAT Letters.

You can use this new Sample Letter to Request That School Provide Services in the IEP as a template. Change the facts and details to fit your situation. Our comments and suggestions are in blue letters.


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Special Education in the COVID-19 Era: More Resources

Can IEP Meetings Be Postponed Until Schools Re-Open? Includes timelines for Initial and annual IEPs, revising IEPs, online / remote IEP meetings.

COVID-19 Closed My Child's School: Is the School Required to Make Up Missed Services? Answers to your questions and help to get your child's special education back on track.



Writing Things Down When They Happen - Good documentation is essential to your success at IEP meetings.

Protecting Your Child’s Interests - How to use low-tech tools - journals, logs, calendars, and letters - to document your child’s special education and your contacts with the school.