Julie Barbs was interview on 07/17/17 via phone conference. She has been an advocate for 35 years and graduated from University of Pittsburg. She wanted to be an advocate after seeing …show more content…
She explained how most of her clients were from word of mouth and recommendations from previous clients. She stated that it is important to understand case law, knowledge of school districts, and be prepared for a long process. Next, she was asked, how she handles students who interfere with others students learning? Julie explained that it was crucial to perform a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA). This will help explain why, how, where, and who is around when the behavior occurs. She was asked, what are you goals in an advocacy situations? She stated that she is an advocate for the child and not the parent. Her goal are to provide the appropriate supports for the student. Next questions that Julie was asked was, Why do you think advocates are important in the field of special education? She expressed that students are given rights by law and when these students are not receiving the appropriate supports it hurts the student’s chances of succeeding. If a parent needs someone who knows education law and case law then it’s important to hire an advocate. Another questions that was asked was, what can teachers do to ensure students and families receive their rights in an education …show more content…
The job of an advocate is to make sure special education students are receiving the appropriate supports. If a parent or guardian believes their child is not receiving their supports but aren’t sure this is when an advocate is contacted. These individuals are trained in case law and have knowledge is special education